I have completed my metamorphosis from a young professional into an iPad baby. It’s all thanks to an emulator app called Delta on iOS. This free app allows you to play games on a virtual Nintendo DS as you watch YouTube videos. So now, you can enjoy the peak gaming experience of grinding levels in Pokémon Diamond as a nearly hour-long compilation of House MD clips plays alongside it, though not without some challenges.
The setup is pretty slick. I recently tested Delta on an iPad, which has a split-screen feature to use multiple apps at once, and the emulator utilizes it perfectly. It splits the top screen of the virtual DS in two parts, so you can watch a YouTube video on the right and play the game on the left. The bottom half of the DS screen contains a touch screen and virtual buttons.
I watched footage of Subway Surfers on YouTube while I played Big Brain Academy on the Nintendo DS. I figured, if anything, I might have stumbled upon a more enlightened way to play Big Brain Academy. Subway Surfers is the go-to choice for sludge content and I’ve seen many people on TikTok say it helps them study. Finally, my short attention span and love of video games could come together in the best way possible, and maybe if my brain got big enough, my attention span would too.
I was disappointed by the results.
As it turned out, the ringing sound of Subway Surfers drowned out the soundtrack for Big Brain Academy and made it hard to play its sound-based minigame. Additionally, playing Nintendo DS on an iPad sucks. Sure, you can use the touchscreen just fine, but it only really works if you don’t need to use the on-screen buttons. Otherwise, you will have to hold the iPad with the claw-like grip of a raptor, a way of playing that is sure to worsen even the slightest pain in your hands or wrists.
The worst part? I got a D on my entrance exam! The game tried to assure me by saying it meant I could improve, but I’m pretty sure I scored higher when I played the game as a literal child.
If you happen to only have an iPad, this could be a really cool option. You could watch YouTube video essays as you play games. However, overall, I think there are better ways to nurture the human reptile brain that craves constant stimulation and multiple screens — if that’s what you’re into.
Do I stew about social media, constant stimulation, and the impact it has on my stupid mammalian brain? Sure, all the time. But I also think there’s an art to the multiscreen world. We could be putting three TVs in every living room. Run your daily quests on your phone while playing your Nintendo Switch and watching a show. A good “screen in front of a screen” experience is the ultimate luxury in modern culture, and there are other ways to do it.
I just don’t think this emulator is the way to do it. So for now, I will just stick to playing my Steam Deck on the couch as I watch an inglorious amount of whatever medical drama I’m obsessed with.
