The short answer is —there is no official, commercial Minecraft game released for the Nintendo DS or the DSi.

Since there is no official cartridge, "Minecraft DS" refers to these prominent community projects: Minecraft on The DS?! - A Short Review

Since Mojang never released a version for the original DS, the community created their own. These usually require a (like an R4 card) to run on actual hardware.

In this comprehensive article, we will explore the truth behind the “Nintendo DS Minecraft ROM,” discuss the technical limitations of the DS hardware, explain the legal and security risks of downloading ROMs, and—most importantly—provide you with legitimate ways to enjoy Minecraft on the go.

Risks: