melonDS for Linux

Nintendo DS and DSi emulator

Overview

melonDS is a Nintendo DS and DSi emulator designed to run on Linux systems.

It focuses on delivering fast and accurate emulation of Nintendo DS games.

The emulator has a nearly complete core, which means it effectively handles the CPU, video, and audio functions needed to run games smoothly.

One key feature of melonDS is its support for the OpenGL renderer, which allows 3D upscaling.

This helps improve the graphics quality of games while keeping good performance.

Users can also adjust how the game display looks by changing the position, size, and rotation modes.

This flexibility is useful for finding the best view on different screens.

melonDS includes several useful features that improve gameplay and convenience.

These include real-time clock (RTC) support, microphone input, and the detection of the DS lid opening and closing.

It also supports joystick input, making it easier to control games, and offers savestates, so players can save and load their progress at any point.

However, some parts of melonDS are still being worked on.

The Wi-Fi emulation, which is needed for online play and local multiplayer, is not yet fully functional.

Additionally, the Nintendo DSi emulation is experimental, so some features may not work perfectly or might be unstable.

Since the project is under ongoing development, users can expect updates to add more features and improve stability.

Overall, melonDS offers a reliable option for Linux users looking to play Nintendo DS games with good performance and useful controls, while understanding that some advanced features are still evolving.

Pros

  • Provides fast and accurate Nintendo DS emulation with a nearly complete core including CPU, video, and audio.
  • Supports OpenGL renderer with 3D upscaling and various display position, sizing, and rotation modes.
  • Includes features like RTC, microphone, lid close/open detection, joystick support, and savestates.

Cons

  • Wi-Fi emulation for online connectivity and local multiplayer is still a work in progress.
  • Experimental emulation of the Nintendo DSi means some features might not be fully stable or complete.
  • Still under development, so some features and overall polish may be incomplete.

Software details

Platform
Linux
Free license
Yes
Project license
GPL-3.0
Mobile friendly
No
Bug tracker
https://github.com/melonDS-emu/melonDS/issues

Keywords

emulator Nintendo DS NDS Nintendo DS

Related programs

Explore more programs