DeSmuME vs SkyEmu
DeSmuME
desmume.orgSkyEmu
github.comSide by side
| Figure | DeSmuME | SkyEmu |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Nintendo DS Emulators | 8.0 (#5) | 8.2 (#3) |
| Cheats | The emulator provides cheat search and editing facilities and supports Action Replay codes in post-0.9.2 development builds. | An Action Replay cheat-code engine is listed among the features. |
| Controls | The D-pad, buttons and touch screen are fully emulated, and the NDS folded or unfolded state can be toggled through a Lid control. | The emulator supports game controllers, rumble, configurable key bindings, and mobile touch controls. |
| Graphics | DeSmuME includes a software SoftRasterizer renderer and an OpenGL-based renderer. | Features include upscaling shaders, color correction, and screen ghosting. |
| License | DeSmuME is distributed under the GNU General Public License and may be freely copied if the GPL requirements are followed. | The GitHub repository identifies the project as MIT licensed. |
| Save states | The Windows manual says users can save and load the current game state, while warning that save states may break between emulator versions. | SkyEmu provides four persistent save-state slots with screenshot previews. |
Plans
In their own words
DeSmuME
DeSmuME is a free emulator that attempts to reproduce the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite handheld consoles. It runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS, and supports the D-pad, buttons, and touch screen, along with a Lid control for changing the emulated system's folded state. Graphics options include a software SoftRasterizer and an OpenGL-based renderer. Audio samples can use linear or cosine interpolation, or no interpolation; microphone input can come from hardware audio or software-generated samples. The Windows port can capture screenshots, AVI video, and WAV audio, as well as record TAS gameplay movies. Users can save and load game states, though the Windows manual warns that states may break between emulator versions. Cheat search and editing are available, and Action Replay codes are supported in post-0.9.2 development builds. Wi-Fi support is experimental and unsupported, and the project discourages end users from using it. The software is distributed under the GNU General Public License. DSi emulation is not supported.
SkyEmu
SkyEmu is a free emulator for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS systems. It runs on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, and can load ROMs compressed in ZIP archives. Graphics options include upscaling shaders, color correction, and screen ghosting. Controls include game controllers, rumble, configurable keybinds, and mobile on-screen controls. Four persistent save-state slots include screenshot previews. A REST-like API supports asynchronous scripting and automation, and listed integrations include Retro Achievements, a RetroArch/libretro core, and Google Drive save-state sync. The web app runs locally using WebAssembly and JavaScript, keeping files on the user's machine; its service worker enables offline use on more platforms. The project describes its focus as preserving these systems for future generations while providing a good user experience. It says Game Boy Advance emulation is significantly more accurate than its Game Boy and Game Boy Color emulation. Many Nintendo DS games still have mild graphics and audio issues, and DS emulation is beta quality.