WatermelonDS
WatermelonDS is a free Android emulator for Nintendo DS and DSi games, built on melonDS and its Android port.
What WatermelonDS is
WatermelonDS is a free Android emulator for Nintendo DS and DSi games, built on melonDS and its Android port. Its graphics options include software, OpenGL, Vulkan, and compute renderers, internal resolution scaling, and RetroArch shader presets. The library can list DSiWare, show box art, use custom ROM names, and save display layouts per ROM. It also offers a layout editor, settings backup and restore, alternate input bindings, and a hold-to-fast-forward button. For external displays, the second screen can be used for play while the handheld remains available for touch input. RetroAchievements support includes achievements, leaderboards, Hardcore mode, and offline unlocking with later submission. Builds appear on GitHub Releases; the latest listed version is 0.8.0.rc2, marked as a release candidate that may contain more bugs than usual. The project says performance is solid on 64-bit devices with thread rendering and JIT enabled, but older devices—especially 32-bit ones—perform very poorly. Local multiplayer, DSi SD card support, and customizable button skins are listed as missing.
Good
- Supports Nintendo DS and DSi emulation.
- Offers four renderer options and shader presets.
- Supports RetroAchievements and offline unlocking.
- Includes per-ROM display layout settings.
- Free Android build is available on GitHub.
Watch out
- Local multiplayer is missing.
- DSi SD card support is missing.
- Customizable button skins are missing.
- Release candidate may contain more bugs than usual.
Who it suits
It suits Android users looking for a Nintendo DS or DSi emulator with multiple renderer options, library tools, and RetroAchievements. Older or 32-bit devices may be a poor fit according to the project’s performance notes.
Verdict
WatermelonDS offers a substantial set of Android emulation and library options, with explicit gaps in multiplayer and DSi SD support. Check device performance and the release-candidate status before choosing a build.
The facts
Each one read from WatermelonDS's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Achievements
- It supports RetroAchievements, including achievements, leaderboards, Hardcore mode, and offline play.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Download and release status
- Builds are published on GitHub Releases; the latest listed release is version 0.8.0.rc2, marked as a release candidate.checked 30 Sep 2026
- External displays
- It supports playing on a second screen with the touch screen remaining usable on the handheld, plus per-ROM display layout settings.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Frontend integration
- Third-party Android frontends can launch the app using its package and activity names, provided the ROM has already been scanned by WatermelonDS.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Graphics
- It offers software, OpenGL, Vulkan, and compute renderers, internal resolution scaling, and RetroArch shader presets across renderers.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Library
- The ROM library supports DSiWare titles, box art on the continue shelf, custom ROM names, and separate internal and external layout backups.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Library tools
- The app includes DSiWare listing, box art, custom ROM names, a layout editor, settings backup and restore, alternate input bindings, and a hold-to-fast-forward button.checked 30 Sep 2026
- License
- The repository lists the project under the GPL-3.0 license.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Missing features
- The project lists local multiplayer, DSi SD card support, and customizable button skins as missing features.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Offline achievements
- Offline unlocks are stored and submitted later; users can choose WatermelonDS’s built-in provider or run RAOfflineProxy, which does not support Hardcore mode.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Organization and pricing
- The project page identifies SapphireRhodonite as the repository owner and describes the app as an Android port; it states no price or paid plan.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Performance limits
- The project says performance is solid on 64-bit devices with thread rendering and JIT enabled, while older devices—especially 32-bit devices—perform very poorly due to lack of JIT support.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Purpose
- WatermelonDS is a Nintendo DS and DSi emulator for Android, built on melonDS and its Android port.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Release caveat
- The project says release candidates can contain more bugs than usual and may require clearing app data after an update.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Release channel
- Builds are published on GitHub Releases, and release candidates are marked as pre-releases that may contain more bugs than usual.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Renderers
- Available renderers include software, OpenGL, Vulkan, and compute, with internal resolution scaling.checked 30 Sep 2026
- RetroAchievements
- It supports achievements, leaderboards, Hardcore mode, and offline achievement unlocking with later submission.checked 30 Sep 2026
- ROM formats
- Frontend launch parameters support NDS ROMs in ZIP and 7z files, and release notes also state that compatible NDZ files can open from the library.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Security and license
- The repository lists a GPL-3.0 license; the opened project pages do not state security certifications or compliance claims.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Shaders
- RetroArch shader presets are supported across renderers through librashader.checked 30 Sep 2026
- What it does
- WatermelonDS is a Nintendo DS and DSi emulator for Android, built on melonDS and the melonDS Android port.checked 30 Sep 2026
Where it runs
- Device performance
- The project says performance is solid on 64-bit devices with thread rendering and JIT enabled, while older devices, especially 32-bit devices, perform very poorly due to lack of JIT support.checked 30 Sep 2026
