# melonDS-emu/melonDS

DS emulator, sorta

Repository: https://github.com/melonDS-emu/melonDS
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/melonds
Homepage: https://melonds.kuribo64.net
Language: C++
License: GPL-3.0
License Family: copyleft
Topics: dsi, emulator, nds
Last push: 2026-08-23T22:29:01+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 73/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 25, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3762, "days_push": 10, "days_rel": 288, "gap_med": 180.5, "n_releases_24m": 3}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 4968, forks 808 (observed 2026-08-28T04:09:04.021247+00:00)

## What it is
melonDS is a fast and accurate Nintendo DS and DSi emulator written in C++, featuring a nearly complete core with JIT recompilation, OpenGL 3D upscaling, and Wi-Fi local multiplayer. It requires BIOS/firmware dumps from a real console and is actively developed under GPLv3.

## Use cases
- play Nintendo DS games on my PC
- emulate the DSi on Linux
- run DS ROMs with 3D upscaling
- play DS local multiplayer over Wi-Fi
- use savestates and joystick support for DS games
- boot DS firmware dumps accurately

## When to choose
- you want accurate, fast DS/DSi emulation with a JIT recompiler
- you need OpenGL upscaling and high-resolution 3D rendering
- you want local multiplayer or online Wi-Fi connectivity
- you run Windows, Linux, macOS, or BSD

## When to avoid
- you cannot dump BIOS/firmware from a real DS or DSi
- you need a plug-and-play emulator without console dumps
- you need GBA slot add-ons or pixel-perfect 3D graphics, which are still work in progress

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: active
- function: simulation, graphics, audio-processing, gui
- domain: gaming-tools, simulation, cross-platform
- platform: windows, bsd, cpp
- tags: nintendo-ds, dsi-emulation, emulator, jit-recompiler, opengl-renderer, retro-gaming, linux, macos, desktop

## Member repositories
- melonDS-emu/melonDS (main) score 73

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:04.021247+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T18:17:45.973528+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/melonDS-emu/melonDS (fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:04.021247+00:00, sha 334e0e64e690)
  - homepage: https://melonds.kuribo64.net (fetched 2026-08-29T08:59:01.141300+00:00, sha 13f00305615f)
  - site_page: https://melonds.kuribo64.net/faq.php (fetched 2026-08-29T08:59:01.151102+00:00, sha b9dfc1c5d333)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.