dasShiny vs DSperate

dasShiny is a free Nintendo DS emulator for Linux, macOS, and Windows. The maker describes it as highly experimental and aims it at people familiar with cartridge folders and recent BSNES versions. Its interface looks for a gamefolder.nds/manifest.xml file; a blank manifest directs it to a ROM in gamefolder.nds/rom, which can be up to 1 GB. Setup requires ARM7 and ARM9 BIOS files and firmware, and the maker advises backing up rewritable firmware. The emulator can load homebrew ROMs, but it does not implement DLDI support for FAT access, so software that depends on that access may not work. Games listed as known to run include Super Mario 64, Mario Kart DS, and Animal Crossing: Wild World, along with several demos. Pokémon Diamond/Pearl is reported to save but crash at the load menu. For 3D, the maker says a high-end Core 2, i5, or i7 is pretty much mandatory in the described context. Windows users are advised to choose XAudio2 over DirectSound.

DSperate is a free, public-source Nintendo DS and DSi emulator for Linux on AArch64 and ARMhf. Its CPU emulation includes ARM946E-S and ARM7TDMI interpreters, plus ARM-to-AArch64 and ARM-to-ARMv7 recompilers. Graphics include complete 2D engines, a software 3D rasteriser and optional Vulkan GPU rendering. Experimental DSi support covers DSiWare, NAND boot, an SD card folder, microphone, Wi-Fi, PictoChat and Download Play, but the DSi DSP is not emulated and DSi-enhanced cartridges run as DS games in DSi mode. Local multiplayer and Download Play work over a LAN; internet access uses a user-mode TCP/IP stack. It has ten save-state slots and a hidden automatic slot, configurable screen layouts, cheats, and remappable keyboard and controller input with stylus support. Games can run with built-in FreeBIOS and generated firmware; user dumps allow firmware boot and exact timing. It loads .nds files and .zip files containing an .nds, but not zip64, 7z or rar. The project is licensed under GPLv3 and describes its implementation as clean-room work.