DeSmuME vs melonDS

DDeSmuME9.4Visit melonDS9.3Visit

Higher score D DeSmuME #1 in Nintendo DS Emulators 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit DeSmuME

vs

melonDS #2 in Nintendo DS Emulators 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit melonDS

• DeSmuME fits best

  Free, full-featured desktop DS emulation

• melonDS fits best

  Desktop users who want LAN multiplayer and DSi

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Side by side

Feature	DDeSmuME 9.4/10 Visit ↗	melonDS 9.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	9.3
Ranking	#1 in Nintendo DS Emulators	#2 in Nintendo DS Emulators
Best for	Free, full-featured desktop DS emulation	Desktop users who want LAN multiplayer and DSi
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features DeSmuME 0/4 · melonDS 0/4
Save states	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Local multiplayer	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Nintendo DSi support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Cheat support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Screen layout options	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Supports Windows, macOS, and Linux desktop systems Offers high-resolution 3D with GPU scaling and multiple renderers Includes touchscreen, microphone, save, and Action Replay support	Cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, and Linux Local multiplayer over LAN or Wi-Fi Upscaling, JIT recompilation, saves, microphone, and RTC support
Cons	Wi-Fi emulation is not supported Linux users may need to build from source Focused only on Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite	DSi emulation remains work in progress Desktop-only deployment limits use on mobile devices Focuses on Nintendo DS and DSi rather than broader system support
Our verdict	DeSmuME is a free, open-source desktop emulator for Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite software. It is intended for users who want to run Nintendo DS titles on Windows, macOS, or Linux computers. Its feature set covers the core DS hardware… Read the review →	melonDS is an open-source Nintendo DS emulator for Windows, macOS, and Linux desktop computers. It is intended for users who want to run Nintendo DS software on a computer with legally obtained game images and firmware dumps. The project… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• DeSmuME — where it wins

  • Supports Windows, macOS, and Linux desktop systems
  • Offers high-resolution 3D with GPU scaling and multiple renderers
  • Includes touchscreen, microphone, save, and Action Replay support

  Where it doesn't

  • Wi-Fi emulation is not supported
  • Linux users may need to build from source
  • Focused only on Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite

• melonDS — where it wins

  • Cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Local multiplayer over LAN or Wi-Fi
  • Upscaling, JIT recompilation, saves, microphone, and RTC support

  Where it doesn't

  • DSi emulation remains work in progress
  • Desktop-only deployment limits use on mobile devices
  • Focuses on Nintendo DS and DSi rather than broader system support

• DDeSmuME9.4/10 · Free plan

  A free desktop emulator with strong graphics, input, save, and cheat support.

  Visit DeSmuMEFull verdict →
• melonDS9.3/10 · Free plan

  A capable desktop DS emulator with LAN multiplayer, upscaling, and in-progress DSi support.

  Visit melonDSFull verdict →