nds4ios has released a special version of the app that runs on non-jailbroken devices using a sneaky workaround. As the app is not available in the App Store, previously the app could only be installed on jailbroken devices, such as through the Cydia jailbreak app store. The app gets around Apple’s restrictions by using an enterprise provisioning profile reports TourchArcade. This is normally meant for businesses to distribute apps to company employees, but nds4ios is exploiting it as a way to enable widespread app distribution. Find install instructions after the break.
Apple has already revoked the profile, but by changing the date on your iOS device to a date in the past you can still install the emulator. In testing, the app does work although newer titles like Pokemon Black have unusable frame rates. Older games work decently; the app even claims to support iOS 7 game controller accessories!
Install the app at your own risk, of course —always be wary with something like this that something unscrupulous is going on. You are not within the walled garden of the App Store, after all.
To install the app, click this link on your iOS device to start the download of the app. Then, go into Settings and set the date to February 8th, 2014. You’ll probably need to disable the ‘Set Automatically’ option. The app should then download and install successfully.
Full details about installing the emulator can be found on the developer’s website. After you install the app, you’ll need to add ROM’s through the app to actually play any games — we’ll leave that bit up to you. If you have ROMs already on your PC, you can use the app’s Dropbox integration to quickly transfer them to your iPhone or iPad.
nds4ios requires iOS 5.1.1 or later. Other emulators have appeared on the App Store in the past, disguised as other apps, but this is available outside of the App Store and is the first Nintendo DS emulator we have seen. A Game Boy emulator is available using the same method.
