Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

melonDS

A Nintendo DS emulator with support for commercial games.

melonDS

melonDS Reviews and Details

This page is designed to help you find out whether melonDS is good and if it is the right choice for you.

Screenshots and images

  • melonDS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-10

Features & Specs

  1. High Compatibility

    MelonDS boasts high compatibility with a wide range of Nintendo DS games, ensuring that most titles run smoothly and without major issues.

  2. Accurate Emulation

    The emulator focuses heavily on accurately replicating the original hardware's behavior, providing an experience true to the original DS system.

  3. Open Source

    Being open-source, melonDS allows users to contribute to its development and ensure continuous improvement and bug fixing.

  4. Multiplayer Support

    MelonDS includes support for local multiplayer capabilities, allowing users to connect and play games with others via emulation.

  5. Active Development

    The software is under active development with regular updates and improvements, which keeps it relevant and capable of emulating newer hardware features.

Badges & Trophies

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Videos

Quickly Setup melonDS Emulator For Windows & Linux!

MelonDS DS Emulator for Nintendo Switch - How to Setup & Overview - Homebrew CFW App

MelonDS Version 0.8.2 for For Nintendo Switch CFW

Social recommendations and mentions

We have tracked the following product recommendations or mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you see what people think about melonDS and what they use it for.
  • help with bw roms
    Use MelonDS instead, it's the most recommended DS emulator. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Pokรฉmon emulators
    You mean emulators running on PC? It took some doing, but I finally got DS Download Play to work on MelonDS. First you need to get DS firmware files. I found one on Retrostic that did not work for me. Melon told me it was an old hacked dump, and trying to boot it just got me a white screen. I found another on the Internet Archive that works. Source: about 3 years ago
  • I feel like people put down MelonDS too much here
    MelonDS is actually doing a lot of really cool stuff. I can't speak too much on the Android build, but on PC they have actually gotten multiplayer too work flawlessly and they are currently working on implementing netplay. You can keep up with their progress here. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Hi, new to emulators. I had a question, can I run gba and nds games on this?
    No, you can use mGBA for GBA games, and MelonDS for NDS games. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Completely new to emulation
    AFAIK randomizers are usually romhacks, and so they should work on most DS emulators, I personally use melonDS, however you can find a list of DS emulators here. Source: over 3 years ago
  • my mii disappeared
    You should use MelonDS, it's faster and more accurate than DeSmuME. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Help with Pokemon HeartGold and DeSmuMe in-game save error
    If it's possible, I recommend using MelonDS instead; it's more stable in general, so I think it'll fix any weird issues. Source: over 3 years ago
  • is melon ds really safe?
    I just installed it (it was from this website) and I want to know if its really safe, I dont want to get a virus. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Questions about DS stuff:
    MelonDS is a core and a standalone emulator. There's no way a Wii can emulate a DS, at most it can emulate PS1 games; here's a list of available RetroArch cores for the Wii system. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Best way to emulate Gen 5?
    You'll want a good DS emulator, like melonDS. You'll need to look up the ROM and some DS keys on your own. I can't link them here because of copyright laws. They've got an FAQ / tutorial to help you through it. Be sure that you've got anti-virus protection and, if possible, a VPN. Do not torrent anything! You could get a cease-and-desist from The Pokemon Company; they monitor some torrenting sites. Source: over 3 years ago
  • The glitchiest game I've ever seen
    Emulation! Use MellonDS On Android or PC and Google around for the DS BIOS and roms! Source: over 3 years ago
  • hi I'm just getting in to digimon and want to get one of the games
    DS (first four Digimon Story titles): There is a correct answer and it is melonDS. While other emulators, like DeSmuMe (which I used to use) do exist, they are worse. The first two games' English translations were, for some reason, rebranded. Digimon Story became "World DS," and Digimon Story Sunburst/Moonlight became "World Dawn/Dusk." The third game, Lost Evolution, was not officially published in English, and... Source: over 3 years ago
  • volunteer in comments rule
    Desmume is awful, old and built on game specific patches, use melonDS instead https://melonds.kuribo64.net/. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • What would the best emulator be for emulating Nintendo DS games?
    Otherwise, there are two great alternative. MelonDS is a newer emulator that has simpler configuration compared to Desmume. I only use this due to its official support on Linux. You do need a DS firmware which you can get from a real Nintendo DS (which are cheap nowadays). Source: almost 4 years ago
  • This emulator is amazing
    For the DS I highly reccomend MelonDS. Blows the others out of the water. Doesn't have GBA slot capability yet but they're working on it. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Emulating the mystery dungeon games.
    I don't know about iPhone but there are millions of option if you are on Laptop. You can play on [Desmume](https://desmume.org/) or [MelonDS](https://melonds.kuribo64.net/) if you are on Windows or Linux. If your laptop is a Mac, [openemu](http://openemu.org/) is a godsend for Mac users. Source: about 4 years ago
  • What website do I download emulators off? I just downloaded Citra to my PC, and trying to figure out how to add games, mainly Pokemon Games from DS and 3DS
    Canโ€™t say anything about 3ds but hereโ€™s what I do know, these are the best Iโ€™ve tried for each console Gameboy Advanced - mGBA DS - melonDS I actually get most of my roms from the mega thread, otherwise romsgames or emulatoroms work as well. I donโ€™t even have windows defender on and I havenโ€™t gotten anything weird in the last couple months so Iโ€™d say theyโ€™re all safe options. Some have more than others of course.... Source: about 4 years ago
  • I laggy
    Well I would recommend that you specifically download an emulator from the makers official websites as noted above. Try either [Desmume ](www.desmume.org) or melonDS. And try the games from there. As far as safe site to get the game I canโ€™t help you there. Source: over 4 years ago
  • How can i fixe framerate probleme on my DS รฉmulator
    You can also try the other emulator, melonDS. Source: over 4 years ago
  • What's the current state of DS emulation like? What are the best emulators out right now?
    DS emulation actually has a rather hopeful future with the ongoing development of melonDS, which is a W.I.P. DS emulator that can also (sort of) do local wireless and online connectivity emulation as well as DSi emulation for DSiWare / DSi Exclusive titles (though these aspects are still a work in progress but in my experience the DSiWare emulation portion has worked rather well thusfar). Source: over 4 years ago
  • Is there any possible way to find DS roms, that are have little to no touch input?
    If you're talking about the emulator itself to play games with: MelonDS would be your best bet for multiple reasons. Source: over 4 years ago

Summary of the public mentions of melonDS

melonDS has emerged as a prominent choice among Nintendo DS emulators, praised for its high-performance graphics and sound emulation, which collectively contribute to an authentic DS gaming experience. Often listed alongside other leading emulators like DeSmuME and RetroArch, melonDS continues to stand out due to its simplicity, performance, and ongoing development efforts.

Public opinion reflects a generally favorable stance toward melonDS, particularly for its capability to provide smooth emulation on both PC and Android platforms. Users frequently commend its accurate emulation and the strong community support backing its improvements and updates. Moreover, melonDS's ability to handle authentic DS firmware files lends it an edge over some competitors that rely heavily on game-specific patches.

melonDS has been recognized for its ease of use, especially in setting up multiplayer and netplay functionalities, which are continually being refined. The emulator is notably accessible on the PC where it was initially developed, and users can track its development progress closely through GitHub. However, it is important to note that while an unofficial Android version exists, updates for this platform are less frequent and obtaining updates from GitHub is recommended for the latest features and fixes.

Despite its strengths, some users express concerns regarding safety and legality, common queries being whether melonDS is genuinely safe to install from the official site. Other discussions revolve around issues with acquiring DS firmware legally, which is necessary for the emulator's optimal performance. It is vital to highlight that emulator legality typically hinges on how the user acquires ROMs and firmware files. Hence, users are often advised to rely on original hardware to obtain these files whenever possible.

melon's capability to tackle certain emulator challenges, such as handling games with minimal touch input efficiently, along with supporting DSiWare and online connectivity, albeit in a work-in-progress state, further underscores its robust feature set. While it lacks GBA slot capability as of yet, ongoing development suggests growth in this aspect too.

In comparison to DeSmuME, users of melonDS often find it faster and more stable, leading to a general consensus that melonDS is a superior choice within the realm of Nintendo DS emulators. This sentiment is reflected across various discussions and threads that recommend melonDS over its counterparts for any DS emulation setup.

In conclusion, public opinion supports melonDS as a top-tier DS emulator. Its robust performance, easy setup, accurate emulation, active development community, and continued feature expansion make it a preferable choice for enthusiasts looking to relive Nintendo DS titles reliably.

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