Changes

|title = melonDS|logo = MelonDS.png|logowidth = 80|version = {{MelonDSVerVersion|MelonDS}}|active = Yes|platform = [[Emulators on PC|Windows, ]]<br/>[[Emulators on Linux|Linux, ]]<br/>[[Emulators on macOS|macOS]]<br/>[[Emulators on Android OS|Android]]<small> (Unofficial)</small><br/>[[Nintendo Emulators on Switch emulators|Nintendo Switch]]<small> (Unofficial)</small><br/>[[Emulators on Vita|PlayStation Vita]]<small> (Unofficial)</small>|target = [[Nintendo DS emulators|Nintendo DS]]<br/>[[Nintendo DSi emulators|Nintendo DSi]]|developer = [https://github.com/StapleButter StapleButterArisotura Arisotura]<br/><small>[https://github.com/StapleButterArisotura/melonDS/graphs/contributors Repository contributors]</small>|architecture accuracy = x86_64Medium-Accurate|website = [http://melonds.kuribo64.net/ melonds.kuribo64.net]|support = [https://www.patreon.com/staplebutter Patreon]<br/>[https://paypal.me/Arisotura PayPal]|prog-lang = C, C++|license = GNU GPLv3|source = [https://github.com/StapleButterArisotura/melonDS GitHub]|bios = [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_DS_.2F_DSi|Required for DSi]]

 '''melonDS''' is a work-infree and open-progress source [[Nintendo DS emulators|Nintendo DS ]]/[[Nintendo DSi emulators|DSi emulator]] aiming for better performance than [[DeSmuME]] and to emulate Wi-Fi and local multiplayer capabilities. It's developed by Its developer is Arisotura (formerly known as StapleButter/Luigi__), a former contributor to [[DeSmuME]], and has been it is available as a [[libretro]] core since version 0.6.<!--What even is this number? I think a typo. Maybe 0Its first commit on GitHub was on May 15, 2016.6.-->

* {| cellpadding="4"|-|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|Mac}}|'''[http://melonds.kuribo64.net/downloads.php Official buildsBuilds]''' (Windows, Linux)<br/><small>Also available on [https://github.com/Arisotura/melonDS/releases Github]</small>|-|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|Mac}}* |'''[https://github.com/Hydr8gonArisotura/melonDS/releases Switch port (WIP)actions Dev Builds]'''|-|colspan="3"|<hr/>|-|align=center|{{Icon|Android-big}}|'''[https://github.com/rafaelvcaetano/melonDS-android Source]''' (Some games play at a playable frame rate, but is still far from perfect, don't except to ''[https://play games at full speed. Is expected to improve when 0google.8 is released)com/store/apps/details?id=me.magnum.melonds Play Store]''' <br/> Unofficial melonDS Android port|-|colspan="3"|<refhr/>http|-|align=center|{{Icon|NX-big}}|'''[https://melondsgithub.kuribo64com/RSDuck/melonDS/releases Release 6]<br>[https://gbatemp.net/commentsthreads/melonds-for-switch-continuation.php?id570021/ GBATemp Thread]'''<br><small> Ported by Hydr8gon, and currently maintained by Generic (aka RSDuck), who added an ARM64 JIT and other improvements. (Unofficial)</small><!--I don't know what the current status is for the Switch Port in terms of compatibility-->|-|align=64 center|{{Icon|Vita}}|[https://github.com/Rinnegatamante/melonDS-Vita Vita port]<br><small>No longer maintained</refsmall>|}

As of 0.79.25, melonDS has had major improvements such as savestatesoffers:* Nearly complete core (CPU, video, audio...)* JIT recompiler for fast emulation* OpenGL renderer, 3D upscaling* RTC, microphone support, the ability to simulate the lid close/open function of the console's lid* Joystick support* Savestates* Many display position/sizing/rotation modes* Wi-Fi: local multiplayer, on-line connectivity* DSi emulation* Camera support (DSi only)* DLDI* (WIP) GBA slot add-ons...and better timingmore are planned.  Though it's still is not at the same level of quality on some things as mature as DeSmuMEin some areas, it is getting <i>very</i> close with 0.8 expected a relatively simple emulator to have decent OpenGL rendering which would allow for things like upscaling use and potentially better performancehas potential.

Even some of the additions that StapleButter introduced or plans to implement into melonDS such as increased accuracy of Wi==Cheats/BIOS/Tutorials==* <B> [https://gbatemp.net/threads/deadskullzjrs-nds-cheat-databases.488711 Cheats Database]</B>* <B> [https://archive.org/details/ds-firmware_dsi-nand-Fi networking emulation (and perhaps -firmware DSi mode in future) has forced its 'bigger brother', NAND/BIOS + Firmware]</B>* <B> [[DeSmuME]], to relapse and start their own implementationshttps://youtu. The DeSmuME team has, for a very long time, been very reticent, to the point of blank stubbornness, to have any emulation of key NDS technology like Wibe/-Fi linking.s2qEJFU8fM DSi Tutorials]</B>

Like most emulators, development has been rocky with at one point the sole developer putting the project on a [http://melonds.kuribo64.net/comments.php?id=42 hiatus in May of 2018] leaving this [http://melonds.kuribo64.net/comments.php?id=43 to-do list] for anyone who wished to contribute improving the emulator, which is still open-source. [http://melonds.kuribo64.net/comments.php?id=44 On July 2018] it was announced that development was going to continue for melonDS and has since showed high hopes for 2019shown potential.  There is very little to tweak in terms of improving performance (which can be a good or bad thing). This is mainly due to the developer's goal of accurate emulation rather than providing game-specific hacks. The OpenGL renderer is still being worked on, meaning that there is a small chance some models/textures may not render correctly.

The UI is still pretty barebones with very little ==melonDSi==On October 15, 2019, Arisotura released [http://melonds.kuribo64.net/comments.php?id=103 the beta version of an emulator called melonDSi], an experimental melonDS branch for DSi emulation. It used to require a lot of files to be dumped to tweak in terms work (most of improving performancewhich were console-unique), this is mainly due but it has been reworked to require less files (namely, the DSi ARM7 and ARM9 BIOS, the developer's goal of making DSi Firmware and a working emulation rather than provide game-specific hacksNAND dump). It has since been merged into the master branch and is available on melonDS 0.9.

==Getting Startedstarted==

:''melonDS Firmware boot (not direct boot) requires BIOS/firmware copies from a DS. Files required:'':*''bios7.bin, 16KB: ARM7 BIOS'':*''bios9.bin, 4KB: ARM9 BIOS'':*''firmware.bin, 128/256/512KB: firmware'':''Firmware boot requires a firmware dump from an original DS or DS Lite. DS firmwares dumped from a DSi or 3DS aren't bootable and only contain configuration data, thus they are only suitable when booting games directly.'':'''''Possible firmware sizes''''':*''128KB: DSi/3DS DS-mode firmware (reduced size due to lacking bootcode)'':*''256KB: regular DS firmware'':*''512KB: iQue DS firmware'':''DS BIOS dumps from a DSi or 3DS can be used with no compatibility issues. DSi BIOS dumps (in DSi mode) are not compatible. Or maybe they are. I don't know.'':''As for the rest, the interface should be usable toopretty straightforward. If you have a question, don't hesitate to ask, though!'' These files can be found [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_DS_.2F_DSi|here]]. If you do choose to look elsewhere online for system files, be warned that there are old hacked dumps floating around that breaks if the WFC configurations are altered. To use the OpenGL renderer, you must have at least OpenGL 3.1.More information can be found [http://melonds.kuribo64.net/faq.php in this FAQ]. To use melonDS in DSi mode, you need extra files which can be found [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_DS_.2F_DSi|on this page.]] ==System requirements==MelonDS runs on everything with the software renderer, provided they were dumped although you jokingly need to follow those "mininum requirements" to run properly:<blockquote>*CPU: Intel Pentium II / AMD Athlon X2, 12GHz*GPU: nVidia GeForce 2 / AMD Radeon HD3500 / ZARG X152 / Voodoo 2*RAM: 12.6TB*HDD: 6KB*5"5 floppy drive*OS: Windows 3.1 or XP / Linux / haiku / 9os / AcmlmOS*PCI-Express or USB 4.1 bus*Network: SSLv3*Keyboard, mouse, cat*Sacrifice goat to Thargos while Jupiter and Pluto are aligned with the Earth(more seriously, though, just try it out and see how well it runs; if it''s too slow, remember there are other emulators you can try)</blockquote>

These files can be found [[Emulator_Files#Nintendo_DS / DSi==Gallery==<gallery>Metroid2X.png|here]], just rename Top: 2x the native resolution without OpenGL. <br>Bottom: 2x the BIOS to matchnative resolution with OpenGL Chibi4x.png|Top: Native software render.<br>Bottom: 4x the native resolution with OpenGL </gallery>

To boot to the DS's system menu you can either go to <b>System!--==References==<references/b> -> <b>Run</b> or <b>Config</b> -> <b>Emu settings</b> and uncheck "<i>Boot game directly</i>".