Updated June 26, 2017 Though the DS was home to nearly 2,000 games, we’re going to put it back to work a little more creatively, with some quirky software you never knew existed. And since the DS is more than 10 years old now, you don’t have to be embarrassed to whip one out of your pocket – it’s officially retro-chic tech.
Produce Your Own Synth Album
How: ‘Korg DS-10 Synthesizer’ from Xseed and Korg
Known across the music industry for its synthesizers, Korg cemented the DS’s unlikely place in the music scene by releasing a digital version of its classic MS-10 pocket synth on Nintendo’s handheld in 2007. Called Korg DS-10, this software features a four-channel drum sequencer, two unique keyboard synth channels, a 16-step song sequencer, and plenty of audio effects to layer onto your creations. Unlike the retro hardware, DS-10 also features touchscreen controls, which let you do everything from tweak knobs to play the keyboard, and allows you to save your digital creations. Also unlike the MS-10, which is a piece of vintage kit that now sell for about $450, you can snag the DS-10 synth online for under $15. Now all you need is an auxiliary cable, some glow sticks, and a PA, and you’re ready for the club.
Read Some Classic eBooks
How: ‘100 Classic Books’ from Nintendo
Learn to Cook
How: ‘Personal Trainer: Cooking’ from Nintendo
Teach Your Kid Spanish
How: ‘My Spanish Coach’ from Ubisoft
Edutainment makes up a substantial subgenre on the DS, but it’s hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. Ubisoft’s My Spanish Coach – easily had online for under $10 with a little eBay scouring – keeps it simple by catering to kids. Pass your little one the DS for 20 minutes a day, and colorful cartoon characters teach her 10,000 words and 400 phrases’ worth of word usage, grammar, and construction via mini-games. The DS’s built-in mic checks pronunciation while progress tracking keeps the My Spanish Coach experience nice and game-y.
Go for a Walk
How: ‘Personal Trainer: Walking’ from Nintendo
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