TWiLight Menu++

TWiLight Menu++ FAQ & Troubleshooting

For more FAQs, please visit the GBAtemp thread.

TWL_FIRM might’ve somehow got corrupted. Follow this guide to fix the issue: https://3ds.hacks.guide/troubleshooting#dsi--ds-functionality-is-broken-after-completing-the-guide

  • Reboot the console
  • If that doesn’t work, format your SD card to FAT32 with 32 KB cluster/allocation size
  • If that also doesn’t work, try a different SD card
  • If you’re launching a cartridge, then make sure the Slot-1 Touch Mode setting is set to DS mode
  • If the issue persists, or if you’re using a ROM instead, then follow this guide: https://gbatemp.net/threads/recover-ds-mode-after-an-nvram-brick-eg-after-using-a-ds-bricker.516444/

Go into TWLMenu++ Settings, and disable Update recently played list.

See I’m having issues with my ROM(s), what should I do? on the nds-bootstrap FAQ page.

You need to have a cheat DB in the form of a usrcheat.dat file in the sd:/_nds/TWiLightMenu/extras/ folder. The most updated cheat database is DeadSkullzJr’s NDS(i) Cheat Databases.

  • On the 3DS, this database is available in the Universal-Updater app as “NDS(i) Cheat Databases”. This will automatically install it to the required location.

Alternatively, you can use r4cce to create your own cheat DB.

Once you have a cheat DB, you can enable cheats by pressing Y in TWiLight Menu++ when the cursor is on the game to open the per-game settings, then X to open the cheats menu.

A random .png image in sd:/_nds/TWiLightMenu/dsimenu/photos/ will be shown each time the menu is loaded. If there are no applicable images, screenshots taken by nds-bootstrap will be used instead.

  • The images(s) must be no bigger than 208x156
  • If you have errors, it’s most likely an error with the image size. Please use tinypng to reduce the size

As for hiding the picture, you need to edit the theme.ini file found in sd:/_nds/TWiLightMenu/dsimenu/themes/[skin folder]/. Open the file with a text editor, change the line RenderPhoto from 1 to 0, then save the file.

You can download homebrew games from Universal-DB and GameBrew. To get officially released games, you need to get those as dumps, either from your physical cartridges, or from an existing console:

  • On DS you can use GodMode9i to dump your GBA games and, if you have a Slot-2 flashcart, DS games. If you only have a Slot-1 flashcard and would like to dump a DS game, you can use Wooddumper, which requires a Wi-Fi connection compatible with the DS, as well as an FTP client on a separate device to receive the ROM
  • On DSi you can use GodMode9i to dump your DS games and DSiWare
  • On 3DS you can use GodMode9 to dump your DS games, DSiWare, and Virtual Console titles

Yes. You can use Checkpoint on 3DS, or GodMode9i on DSi / 3DS.

  1. Open TWiLight Menu++ settings, you can do this by holding SELECT while loading TWiLight Menu++
  2. Change the first option until you see the language you want, then exit settings
    • You may also want to change the first three options on the nds-bootstrap settings page as they control the language and region of DS games and their titles in TWiLight Menu++

No, this is not an emulator. The menu and DS games (loaded via nds-bootstrap) are ran natively in the console’s DS/DSi mode. The only consoles emulated are the past consoles, but partially for GBA (as some or all parts like graphics are ran natively).

See List of Systems Supported by TWiLight Menu++.

No. SD card access is only granted to DSiWare applications, so Slot-1 games cannot launch (or even access) TWiLight Menu++.

There are a multiple reasons you may be unable to find them.

  • The _nds folder found on the root of the SD card is not intended for applications one would access via TWiLight Menu++, due to its reservation for functionality based files (skins, configuration, images, emulators and more). If you’ve placed your titles here, please move them to another location.
  • If you have more than 39 items in a folder and all of the slots on the menu are taken, your games may be on the next page. Use L/R or SELECT + Left/Right to switch pages
  • If your game or folder is hidden, you may need to show hidden files via TWiLight Menu++’s GUI settings
  • If your game is in an archive (zip, rar, 7z, etc), it cannot be used by TWiLight Menu++. Extract the game from the archive to use it
  • If your game does not use one of the supported extensions, you may have to change the extension by renaming the file

The way to access the TWiLight Menu++ settings varies between your configuration.

  • DS Classic Menu: Tap the DS icon at the bottom of the lower screen
  • Nintendo DSi/SEGA Saturn/Homebrew Launcher themes: using SELECT Menu: Press SELECT, then launch the Settings Applet (use the D-PAD to highlight options)
  • Nintendo DSi/SEGA Saturn/Homebrew Launcher themes not using SELECT Menu: Hitting SELECT will bring you to the DS Classic Menu
  • Nintendo 3DS theme: Tap the the wrench icon on the lower screen
  • R4 Original theme: Hit START (if you’re in the file browser), then hit SELECT
  • Wood UI theme: Hitting START will bring you to the DS Classic Menu

You can also hold SELECT while launching TWiLight Menu++ to directly access the settings.

You can use a custom banner in either PNG or DS banner.bin format by placing it in the sd:/_nds/TWiLightMenu/icons folder with the name of the ROM (including the extension) or folder + .png or .bin.

For PNG banners you simply need any PNG file with 15 colors or fewer and a maximum resolution of 32x32. Full transparency works and does not count towards the 15 colors, but semitransparency does not work.

banner.bin type banners are able to be animated and allow you to replace the title that will be shown in TWiLight Menu++. They can be made using NDS Banner Editor.

Pre-made banners can be found in the icons section of the TWiLight Menu++ skins site and if you make any they can be shared there as well.

Custom skins for themes can be acquired from the official skins site, which houses serveral community-made skins ready to apply. You can also make a custom skin for the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DSi themes on your own by following this guide. The Homebrew Launcher, Sega Saturn and Game Boy Color themes are not customizable.

Once you have acquired a custom skin, you can install it by placing its folder on the appropiate path, which depends on what theme the skin is made for.

  • Skins for the Nintendo DSi theme go in sd:\_nds\TWiLightMenu\dsimenu\themes\
  • Skins for the Nintendo 3DS theme go in sd:\_nds\TWiLightMenu\3dsmenu\themes\
  • Skins for the R4 Original theme go in sd:\_nds\TWiLightMenu\r4menu\themes\
  • Skins for the Wood UI theme go in sd:\_nds\TWiLightMenu\akmenu\themes\

If you are using a 3DS family console, you can install custom skins using Universal-Updater. Go to Universal-Updater settings, then Select Unistore, +, TWiLight Menu++ Skins.

To apply a custom theme you must access TWiLight Menu++ Settings.

  1. On the GUI Settings page, go to the Theme option and choose the theme using the right and left buttons on the D-Pad.
  2. Once the target theme is selected, press the A button to choose between the skin you have installed.
  3. Using the up and down buttons on the D-Pad, highlight the desired skin, then press A to select it.
  4. Apply the settings by pressing B to go back to TWiLight Menu++.

TWiLight Menu++ should now have a customized look (and music, if the selected skin supports it and is enabled on the settings).

No, there isn’t. It is not possible to emulate 3DS on DS(i) because of the 3DS using newer hardware.