Gaming is great; we all know that. However, what isn’t quite so great is the cost of games. If you are a dedicated Nintendo DS gamer, and what to experience games at a fraction of the cost in stores, you can find many a download for DS online.

A simple search online will return many sites offering completely free downloads. However, most of these are illegal and, whilst getting something for free is always the preferred choice; you are risking a host of malware, viruses, spyware and other potentially damaging files downloading along with the application.

So, whatever your reason, be it to stay within the law, or protect yourself from viruses and the like, always opt for one of the paid for memberships sites. Many of these are associated with, and indeed supported by Nintendo too, which in itself should offer assurances.

On many of the sites, there are free trials and once membership is confirmed, you get the chance to try new and classic games for free too. So whilst initial membership is required, you do get free things for not a great deal after all.

Once a member, there are many extras you can take advantage of too such as; being first to be informed of new product releases and access to beta versions of games in development.

And then of course there are other fantastic DS downloads that you can take advantage of. Being far more than a simple games console, you can turn into somewhat of a multimedia center, with the addition of videos, music and other applications.

Joining one of these membership sites is straight forward; simply requiring basic personal details such as email address, age and the like. You could be downloading new games in a matter of minutes.

Most of these download for DS sites are very well run, and with the extras provided, along with round the clock support, (for both the playing of games and technical support for the site), it is likely the membership fee will prove to be exceptionally good value. With access to a community of gamers too, you will be able to learn cheats, and some little tips for getting the best of your console.