Can You Put a Nintendo DS in a Wii?

No. The Nintendo DS and Wii are completely separate hardware platforms. There is no cartridge slot, no software bridge, and no official accessory that lets you play DS games on a Wii.

Why It's Physically Impossible

• Cartridge form factor: DS cards are 33.0 × 35.0 × 3.8 mm; Wii uses 12 cm optical discs.
• Architecture: DS has dual ARM CPUs (ARM9 + ARM7), 4 MB RAM, dual screens. Wii has a single PowerPC CPU, 88 MB RAM, one TV output.
• No backward compatibility path: Nintendo never built DS emulation into the Wii OS.

How to Play DS Games on a TV (via Wii)

You can't play cartridges directly, but these workarounds exist:

1. WiiWare / Virtual Console (Limited): A handful of DS titles were re-released as standalone WiiWare downloads (e.g., Dr. Mario Express, Clubhouse Games Express). No longer purchasable (Wii Shop closed 2019).
2. Homebrew (Advanced): A modded Wii (Homebrew Channel) can run DeSmuME (DS emulator), but performance is poor (15–30 FPS, no sound in many games) and legally gray.
3. DS Download Play (Local Multiplayer Only): If a DS game supports "Download Play", a friend with a DS can join from your cartridge. The Wii is not involved.

Better Ways to Play DS on a Big Screen

• Nintendo 3DS / 2DS + Capture Card (Hardmod): Hardware video-out mod (~$200+ install). Best quality.
• Android/iOS + Emulator (DraStic, melonDS) + HDMI/Chromecast: Play your legally dumped ROMs on TV.
• Wii U Virtual Console: Select DS titles (e.g., Mario Kart DS, Advance Wars) were released on Wii U eShop (closed 2023). If purchased, still redownloadable.

For physical cartridges, you need a DS, DS Lite, DSi, 3DS, or 2DS. The Wii cannot help.