Nintendo DS Modding Index

Emulators on the DS

There are many emulators present for the DS and DSi. This page provides a comprehensive explanation on the many emulators and loaders bundled into TWiLight Menu++.

List of systems supported by TWiLight Menu++ #

Format Loader Extensions Save file
ARGV1 Native .argv  
Atari 2600 StellaDS .a26  
Atari 5200 A5200DS .a52  
Atari 7800 A7800DS .a78  
Atari XEGS A8DS .xex, .atr  
ColecoVision S8DS, ColecoDS .col  
DS nds-bootstrap, flashcard kernel, native .nds, .dsi, .ids, .srl, .app saves/[rom name].sav2
DSiWare Unlaunch, nds-bootstrap .nds, .dsi, .ids, .srl, .app saves/[rom name].pub, saves/[rom name].prv, saves/[rom name].sav3
DSTWO Plugin DSTWO4 .plg  
Game Boy (Color) GameYob .gb, .sgb, .gbc [rom name].sav
Game Boy Advance GBARunner25, native6 .agb, .gba, .mb [rom name].sav
Game Gear S8DS .gg [rom name].gg.sav
Genesis/Mega Drive jEnesisDS, PicoDriveTWL .gen, .md [rom name].srm7
Intellivision Nintellivision .int  
Master System S8DS .sms [rom name].sms.sav
MSX ColecoDS .msx ???
Neo Geo Pocket (Color) NGPDS .ngp, .ngc /data/ngpds/[rom name].ngp.fla
FastVideoDS FastVideoDSPlayer .fv  
NES/Famicom nesDS .nes, .fds [rom name].sav
PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 NitroGrafx .pce  
Rocket Video Rocket Video Player .rvid  
SG-1000 S8DS, ColecoDS .sg  
Sord M5 ColecoDS .m5  
SNES SNEmulDS .smc, .sfc [rom name].srm
WonderSwan (Color) NitroSwan .ws, .wsc ???
Xvid tuna-viDS .avi  

  1. Text files containing the path to a DS homebrew app and arguments to launch it with, see nds-hb-menu’s README for more info ↩

  2. Only for retail ROMs, homebrew do not have specific save files ↩

  3. Only when running in B4DS mode ↩

  4. Only works from a SuperCard DSTWO flashcard as it has additional processing power and RAM inside the flashcard ↩

  5. When running in DSi Mode, it can use the DSP for better sound ↩

  6. Requires a Slot-2 flashcart and thus only works on DS Phat and DS Lite ↩

  7. jEnesis can only save when running from a flashcard, but PicoDriveTWL can save from SD and flashcard ↩

These are just recommended emulators and loaders that are present in TWiLight Menu++. There are other emulators for these consoles (such as lolSnes, Gbaemu4ds, etc.)

Other emulators for the DS #

Format Loader Extensions Save file
Neo Geo neoDS .neo (unknown)

Notes on specific emulators #

RAM Disks #

  • In order for jEnesisDS or neoDS to work on the DSi SD card, you’ll have to use a RAM disk with nds-bootstrap
    • A RAM disk maker for jEnesisDS is built into TWiLight Menu++. You will need to create your own RAM disk for neoDS. See Creating RAM Disks on how to do so
    • The reason why RAM disks are used is because these emulators’ ARM7 hooks don’t work properly

Comparison between PicoDriveTWL and jEnesisDS #

  • PicoDriveTWL
    • Was made for DSi
    • Does not require nds-bootstrap RAM Disks
      • Saving is supported on DSi SD cards
      • Quicker load times between TWiLight Menu++ to the emulator on the DSi SD card
    • Supports arguments
    • Limit is 3 MB on a Flashcard
      • Takes advantage of the DSi extra RAM or DS Memory Pak to extend this limit
    • No sound emulation
    • Framerate is extremely choppy
  • jEnesisDS
    • DS Mode
      • Requires nds-bootstrap’s RAM disk to be used for DSi SD cards
      • Saving is unavailable for DSi SD cards
    • Takes a while to load
    • No argument support
    • Limit is 3 MB on all platforms (due to roms loading in RAM)
      • No DS Memory Pak or DSi Extended Memory support
      • There is a patch for Sonic 3 & Knuckles that removes the multiplayer, getting the size count down
    • Sound Emulation
    • Framerate is smooth