DS Anywhere vs Pilas-melonDS

DS Anywhere is a free, open-source Nintendo DS emulator that runs in a web browser. To launch software, select or drag an .nds ROM file onto the site; the maker says those files remain on your computer rather than being uploaded. BIOS files can be added in Settings for a firmware boot into the Nintendo DS main menu. Available settings cover controls, personalization, controller input, firmware, and save data. The project uses a melonDS fork compiled to WebAssembly, with a TypeScript bridge and Preact/Vite frontend. Its maker describes the project as a work in progress with unstable or incomplete features and warns about unintended behavior or lost saved data. Browser storage may evict saves, and backup or restoration is not implemented. Controller input works, but changing bindings in the interface is still planned. Cheat codes and multiplayer are future goals; reliable multiplayer may be affected by latency.

Pilas-melonDS is a free HTML5 and WebAssembly browser frontend for the melonDS Nintendo DS emulator. It opens.nds,.dsi, and.srl files, runs in DS mode by default, and offers experimental DSi mode. Controls include keyboard, Gamepad API, touch, and DS touchscreen input. Users can choose Canvas 2D, WebGL 2, or WebGPU rendering, with audio through WebAudio. Cartridge saves and browser save states use IndexedDB, with as many as six save-state slots per ROM. The frontend can install DSiWare.cia files into DSi NAND or virtual SD storage. Camera and microphone input for DSi require browser media permission and a localhost or HTTPS origin. Browser internet mode provides a compatibility shim for DHCP, DNS, ARP, and basic TCP/HTTP, but it cannot provide arbitrary raw UDP/TCP internet or decrypt HTTPS traffic within the browser sandbox. DSi menu boot requires legally dumped BIOS files and a writable NAND dump; normal DS direct boot can use the built-in FreeBIOS fallback. The project is licensed under MPL-2.0.