emulator: melonDS DS
type: libretro
core_classification: community_fork
cores: [melonds_ds, melondsds]
source: "https://github.com/JesseTG/melonds-ds"
upstream: "https://github.com/melonDS-emu/melonDS"
profiled_date: "2026-03-24"
core_version: "1.2.0"
display_name: "Nintendo - DS (melonDS DS)"
systems:
  - nintendo-ds
  - nintendo-dsi

notes: |
  Libretro-specific remake using melonDS as a statically-linked library.
  DS mode has FreeBIOS/generated firmware fallback; DSi mode requires all
  native files. Core searches "melonDS DS/" subfolder first, then system root.
  In DSi mode, NDS BIOS (bios7/bios9) are also required alongside DSi BIOS.
  Firmware and NAND filenames are user-selectable via core options.

files:
  # --- Nintendo DS (NTR) ---
  - name: bios7.bin
    system: nintendo-ds
    description: "ARM7 BIOS"
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    size: 16384
    validation: [size]
    crc32: "0x1280f0d5"
    source_ref: "src/libretro/config/console.cpp:219, melonDS:src/MemConstants.h:31,36"

  - name: bios9.bin
    system: nintendo-ds
    description: "ARM9 BIOS"
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    size: 4096
    validation: [size]
    crc32: "0x2ab23573"
    source_ref: "src/libretro/config/console.cpp:220, melonDS:src/MemConstants.h:30,37"

  - name: firmware.bin
    system: nintendo-ds
    description: "NDS firmware image"
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    source_ref: "src/libretro/config/console.cpp:184"
    note: "Filename configurable via core options; generated firmware used as fallback"

  # --- Nintendo DSi (TWL) ---
  - name: dsi_bios7.bin
    system: nintendo-dsi
    description: "DSi ARM7 BIOS"
    required: true
    size: 65536
    validation: [size]
    crc32: "0x4316CC42"
    source_ref: "src/libretro/config/console.cpp:333, melonDS:src/MemConstants.h:32,44"
    note: "Contains eMMC key-Y at offset 0x8308 for NAND init"

  - name: dsi_bios9.bin
    system: nintendo-dsi
    description: "DSi ARM9 BIOS"
    required: true
    size: 65536
    validation: [size]
    crc32: "0xBAE84F6C"
    source_ref: "src/libretro/config/console.cpp:338, melonDS:src/MemConstants.h:32,45"

  - name: dsi_firmware.bin
    system: nintendo-dsi
    description: "DSi firmware image"
    required: true
    source_ref: "src/libretro/config/console.cpp:352-358"
    note: "Filename configurable via core options; must have DSi firmware header"

  - name: dsi_nand.bin
    system: nintendo-dsi
    description: "DSi NAND dump"
    required: true
    source_ref: "src/libretro/config/console.cpp:378"
    note: "Filename configurable via core options; 240MB or 245.5MB with optional no$cash footer"