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Nintendo DS emulators

5,122 bytes added, 11:17, 17 May 2023
i don't think there's a reason for a link here, desmume remains generally recommended
! scope="col"|Platform(s)
! scope="col"|Latest Version
! scope="col"|[[<abbr title="The Nintendo DS is backward compatible with Game Boy Advance emulators|(GBA) cartridges. On top of that inserting a GBA cartridge in the Slot-2 of the Nintendo DS while a game is running can unlock various gameplay features for several DS games, GBA/DS connectivity section for more information about this.">[https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Game_Boy_Advance_emulators GBA]]</abbr>
! scope="col"|[[Nintendo DSi emulators|DSi]]
! scope="col"|[https:[#DS/Wii connectivity|DS<br/emulation.gametechwiki.com>to<br/index.php/Nintendo_DS_emulators>Wii]]! scope="col"|[[#GBA.2FDS_connectivity GBANintendo Wi-toFi Connection|Wi-DSFi/WFC]]! scope="col"|[https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Nintendo_DS_emulators[#DS.2FWii_connectivity DS-to-WiiDownload Play|Download<br/>Play]]! scope="col"|[https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Nintendo_DS_emulators[#Connectivity Wi-Fi/WFCLocal wireless communication|Local]]! scope="col"|<small>[https://emulation.gametechwikiretroachievements.comorg/indexgameList.php?c=18 Retro<br/Nintendo_DS_emulators#Connectivity Download Play>Achievements]</small>! scope="col"|[https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Nintendo_DS_emulators#Connectivity Local[Libretro]]! scope="col"|[[libretroTexture_packs#Texture_Replacement (3D)|<small>Texture<br/>Replacement</small>]]</abbr>
! scope="col"|<abbr title="Free/Libre and Open-Source Software">FLOSS</abbr>
! scope="col"|Active
! scope="col"|[[Recommended emulators|Recommended]]
|-
!colspan="1416"|PC / x86
|-
|[[melonDS]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}|[http://melonds.kuribo64.net/downloads.php {{MelonDSVer}}] [https://github.com/Arisotura/melonDS/actions <br/>Dev Builds]<br/>[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]<ref group=N name=melonDSRA>melonDS libretro core two versions out of date (still on 0.9.3), and the generation 5 Pokemons are broken. If you turn on C-Gear, after a few minutes you'll be unable to save. [https://github.com/libretro/melonDS/issues/179#issuecomment-1407488464 '''You also can't use any wifi features'''] or do in game trades either or the game will freeze.</ref>|{{~}} <ref group=N name=noGBAbutsupportsconnection>[https://melonds.kuribo64.net/board/thread.php?id=1229 melonDS] and DeSmuME are not support backwards compatibility but supports [[#GBA/DS connectivity||{{✓}} GBA to DS connectivity]].</ref> ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} [https://github.com/melonDS-emu/melonDS/issues/1000 *] ||{{✓}}<ref group=N name=WFCAlt>Possible with [https://wiimmfi.de/ Wimmfi], [https://kaeru.world/projects/wfc Kaeru] or [https://github.com/barronwaffles/dwc_network_server_emulator/wiki AltWFC/DWC].<br /> [https://melonds.kuribo64.net/board/thread.php?id=285 Tutorial: How to Connect to WFC in MelonDS]</ref> ||{{~}} ||{{~}} ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=lrRA>Only possible with libretro core. [https://github.com/melonDS-emu/melonDS/issues/1146 Github Issue page for standalone version].</ref> ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}([https://melonds.kuribo64.net/comments.php?id=182 WIP]) ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
|-
|[[DeSmuME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|Web}}|[https://desmume.org/download/ {{DeSmuMEVer}}] <br/>[https://nightlybuildbot.libretro.linkcom/TASEmulatorsnightly/desmumelibretro core]|{{~}}<ref group=N name=noGBAbutsupportsconnection></workflowsref> ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}}<ref group=N name=WFCAlt></build_win/master/desmume-win-x64.zip ref> ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=lrRA><br/ref>Latest Dev Build]||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} |-|[[BizHawk]]<br/><small>(melonDS 0.9.5)</small>|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds]<br/>[http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]|{{✗}} ||{{✓}}||{{✗}} ||?<ref group=N name=WFCAlt></ref> ||? ||? ||{{}} ||{{✗}} ||{{}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}
|-
|[[No$|No$GBA]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|DOS}}
|[http://problemkaputt.de/gba.htm {{No$GBAVer}}]
|{{✓}} ||{{~}} || ? {{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}
|-
|[[GBE+]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/shonumi/gbe-plus/releases {{GBEVer}}]
|{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} <small>(WIP)</small>
|-
|[[NooDS]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/Hydr8gon/NooDS/releases git]
|{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} <small>(WIP)</small>
|-
|[[mGBA#medusa|mGBA/medusa]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://mgba.io/downloads.html#medusa alpha 2]
|{{✓}} ||{{✗}}[https://mgba.io/timeline.html#IN+THE+FUTURE *] ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} || {{~}}<ref name="medusa suspended"/>||{{✗}} <small>(WIP)</small>
|-
|[https://corgids.wordpress.com/ CorgiDS]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/PSI-Rockin/CorgiDS/releases git]<br />[http://www.emucr.com/search/label/CorgiDS SVN]
|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}<ref>https://corgids.wordpress.com/2018/02/12/extended-break/</ref> ||{{✗}}
|-
|ndsemu
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://github.com/rasky/ndsemu git]
|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20110225190819/http://neonds.com/ NeonDS]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20100925152735/http://neonds.com/system/files/NeonDS_0.2.1.zip 0.2.1]
|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
|-
|dasShiny
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/Cydrak/dasShiny git]
|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
|-
|[http://ds-duos.blogspot.com/ DuoS]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.emulator-zone.com/download.php/emulators/nds/duos/DuoS.zip 8/25/2012 Beta]
|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
|-
|[[Ensata]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.mediafire.com/file/x0odmalrndt9m7a/Ensata+v1.4d.rar 1.4d]
|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
|-
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20111130005614/http://ideasemu.biz/ iDeaS]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://www.emulator-zone.com/files/emulators/nds/ideas/ideas1040.7z 1.0.4.0]
|{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}||{{✗}}|-!colspan="16"|Mobile / ARM
|-
!colspan|<small>[https://docs.libretro.com/library/desmume/ DeSmuME_libretro]</small>|align="14"left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}|Mobile [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ ARMlibretro core]|{{~}}<ref group=N name=noGBAbutsupportsconnection></ref> ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}}<ref group=N name=WFCAlt></ref> ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
|-
|[[DraStic]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|Pandora|Pyra}}
|[https://forumplay.mobilismgoogle.orgcom/store/apps/viewtopicdetails?id=com.dsemu.php?fdrastic&hl=422en_US&tgl=3629008 US {{DraSticVer}}]<br>[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/32 0.1 Pyra]|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}|-|[[melonDS]]<small> (unofficial)</small><br/><small>[https://docs.libretro.com/library/melonds/ melonds_libretro]</small>|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}|[https://github.com/rafaelvcaetano/melonDS-android git]<br/>[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=me.magnum.melonds 1.8.0]<br/>[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]<ref group=N name=melonDSRA></ref>|{{~}}<ref group=N name=noGBAbutsupportsconnection></ref> ||{{~}} ||{{✗}} || ? ||? ||? ||{{~}}<ref group=N>Only possible with libretro core but [https://github.com/rafaelvcaetano/melonDS-android/discussions/1117 work-in-progress for standalone version].</ref> ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}||{{~}} <small>(WIP)</small>
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS}}
|[https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]
|{{✗}} ||{{~}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}
|-
|[https://inds.nerd.net/ iNDS]<br/><small>(nds4ios-derived)</small><br/><small>(DeSmuME-based)</small>
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS}}
|[https://github.com/iNDS-Team/iNDS/releases git]
|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} || ? ||{{✗}} || ? ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{}}|-|[[melonDS]] <small>(unofficial)</small>|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}|[https://github.com/rafaelvcaetano/melonDS-android git][https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=me.magnum.melonds 1.7.0]|{{~}} ||{{~}} || ? ||{{✗}} || ? ||? ||? ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}} <small>(WIP)</small>
|-
|nds4ios
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS}}
|[http://nds4ios.angelxwind.net/i/?page/downloads SVN]
|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{~}}
|-
|DeeS
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://github.com/DeeSEmu/DeeS 1.0.68]|{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}
|-
|[[NooDS]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://github.com/Hydr8gon/NooDS git]
|{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} <small>(WIP)</small>
|-
|[http://jeffq.com/blog/nds4droid/ nds4droid]<br/><small>(DeSmuME-based)</small>
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://github.com/jquesnelle/nds4droid git]
|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} || ? ||{{✗}} || ? {{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
|-
!colspan="1416"|Console
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|WiiU}}
|
|{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}}
|-
|DesmumeX<small>[https://docs.libretro.com/library/desmume/ DeSmuME_libretro]</small>|align=left|{{Icon|XboxSwitch|PS4}}<br/>{{Icon|Vita}}|[https://www.1emulationretroarch.com/forums/topic/35774-desmumex-v087-new-update 0.879.13]|{{~}}<ref group=N name=noGBAbutsupportsconnection></ref> ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} || ? ||{{✗}} || ? {{✗}} ||{{}} ||{{}} ||{{✗}} ||{{}} ||{{}} ||{{~}}
|-
|[[melonDS]]<br/><small>[https://docs.libretro.com/library/melonds/ melonds_libretro]</small>|align=left|{{Icon|Switch|Vita}}<br/>{{Icon|PS2}}|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]<ref group=N name=melonDSRA></ref><br/>[https://github.com/rsduck/melonDS/releases git]<small> (Switch)</small><br/>[https://github.com/Rinnegatamante/melonDS-Vita git]<small>(Vita Port)</small><br/>[https://github.com/DanielSant0s/melonDS-PS2 git]<small> (PS2 Port)</small><br/>|{{~}} <ref group=N name=noGBAbutsupportsconnection></ref> ||{{✓}} || ? ||{{✗}} || ? || ? || ? ||{{~}}<ref group=N name=lrRA></ref> ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}
|-
|[[NooDS]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch|Vita}}<br/>{{Icon|PSP}}
|[https://github.com/Hydr8gon/NooDS git]<small> (Switch/Vita)</small><br/>[https://github.com/Xiro28/NooDS_PSP git] <small>(PSP port)</small>
|{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}
|-
|[[DeSmuME PSP]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PSP}}
|[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/590011753849421846/870274164748079104/desmume_psp_4.zip V4][https://github.com/Xiro28/DeSmuME-PSP git][https://github.com/Xiro28/desmume_psp_experimental Exp.]
|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} || ? ||{{✗}} || ? {{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}|-|DesmumeX|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}|[https://www.1emulation.com/forums/topic/35774-desmumex-v087-new-update 0.87]|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} || ? ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{~}}
|-
|[[DeSmuME PSP|DSonPSP]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PSP}}
|[https://wololo.net/downloads/index.php/download/1235 0.7]
|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} || ? ||{{✗}} || ? {{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||? ||{{✗}} <small>(POC)</small> ||{{✗}}
|}
</div>
:DeSmuME has had significant improvements since 2018; new features include less CPU/GPU resource usage and high-resolution 3D rendering, though Wi-Fi capability remains neither emulated nor supported. v0.9.13 from May 2022 is the first "Stable" build in over 7 years and is highly recommended over all previous builds (though dev builds are also generally very usable). [[OpenEmu]] uses a shallow fork of the v0.9.11 build and should be avoided as well.
;[[DraStic]]
:A payware, closed-source emulator for [[Android emulators|Android]] devices that can run games at a decent speed even on potato phones. It's on par with (or in some cases better than) DeSmuME, and emulating it through BlueStacks on PC may actually be a viable and fast alternative aside from a slight input delay. Some rumors have spread around that the developers deliberately put in issues to mess with pirated copies, though this is considered unsubstantiated. At the very least, you shouldn't expect any support from Exophase and company if you use a pirated copy, though it is available for free on the Raspberry Pi and Odroid via RetroPie, and runs relatively well there: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=715kg1-hmxA
;[[No$|No$GBA]]
:Focuses on speed, and has major compatibility issues and glitches as a result. Because it was initially a GBA emulator, the DS' 3D features are still very poorly handled. '''It's a good option for low-end machines, but don't expect a lot of games to run perfectly'''. A fan program, No$Zoomer, was released for version 2.6, which increases compatibility and options, as well as the titular zooming and resizing abilities. The biggest addition is noise cancellation which clears up static that No$GBA makes with its 3D rendering. It doesn't change accuracy though. No$Zoomer never rebased to newer No$GBA versions, and it looks like it was abandoned, so it likely never will. In v2.8, No$GBA became the first emulator to support DSi games, which has been their most notable feature. Only use No$GBA for DSi games that don't work on other emulators, debugging (if you've taken up ROM-hacking for DS games or homebrew development), if you value speed above everything, if you're using a potato PC, or just as a last resort.
;[[Delta]]
The major challenge with emulating multiplayer functionalities is timing inaccuracies, which have made many projects, such as DeSmuME, not want to implement them. So far, the only emulator to actually make any progress is melonDS, but even that is still under development.
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;"
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
! Name
! melonDS
! DeSmuME
! No$GBA
 
|-
| [[#GBA/DS connectivity|GBA/DS connectivity]]
| {{✓}}
| {{✓}}
| {{~}}
|-
| [[#Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection|Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection]]
| {{✓}}
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
|-
| [[#Local wireless communication|Local wireless communication]]
| {{~}}
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
|-
| [[#DS Download Play|DS Download Play]]
| {{~}}
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
|-
| [[#DS/Wii connectivity|DS/Wii connectivity]]
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
|}
===Local wireless communication===
===DS/Wii connectivity===
Uses wireless communication on the DS to connect to the Wii. The idea is parallel to the GBA Link Cable for the GameCube, and just like the Link Cable, [https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Wii-to-DS_connectivity only a handful of games actually have this feature]. Some notable examples include:
* ''Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time'' - which is essentially the same as the DS port but can connect with other DSes with the game.
==Special hardware==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;"
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
! Name
! DeSmuME
! melonDS
! No$GBA
 
|-
| Guitar Hero pad
| {{✓}}
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
|-
| Piano for Easy Piano
| {{✓}}
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
|-
| Taito paddle controller
| {{✓}}
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
|-
| Rumble pack
| {{✓}}
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
|-
| Nintendo Wireless Keyboard
| {{~}}
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
|-
| Tilt sensor
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
|-
| Pressure-sensitive touchscreen
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
|-
| Slide controller
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
|-
| DS camera
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
|-
| Bayer DIDGIT
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
| {{✗}}
|-
| iQue DS region lock
| {{✓}}
| {{~}}
| {{✗}}
|}
;Guitar Hero pad: Used in the "Guitar Hero: On Tour" series (required) and Band Hero DS. Supported by DeSmuME (Slot 2).
;Piano for Easy Piano: Supported by DeSmuME (Slot 2).
;Taito paddle controller: Compatible with Arkanoid, Space Invaders Extreme, Space Invaders Extreme 2, and Space Bust-a-Move. Supported by DeSmuME (Slot 2).
;Tilt sensor: Used in "Tony Hawk's Motion/Hue's Pixel Painter." No emulators support this add-on yet. (Slot 2)
;Pressure-sensitive touchscreen: Used in "Harvest Moon DS", "Colors!", "Metroid Prime: Hunters", "Okamiden" and "Rhythm Heaven". No emulators support this feature yet (can work with analog triggers or DualShock 2/3 pressure-sensitive face buttons).
;Rumble pack: Supported by DeSmuME (Slot 2). Requires compatible Joystick.
;Slide controller: Required by "Slide Adventure Mag Kid". Yasu made a shoddy [http://home.usay.jp/pc/etc/nds/iDeaS_slide.zip plug-in] for iDeaS (the recommended version was 1.0.2.9.) to try to emulate it. No emulators support this add-on at the moment.
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