MelonDS 1.0: Multi-Window support for DS emulation is here!

MelonDS recently updated to 1.0. With the update comes a slew of welcome features to the most modern desktop DS emulator to-date. Chief among those features is, of course, multi-window support which opens up a ton of possibilities.
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Ayaneo Flip DS Review: • Ayaneo Flip DS Review:...

[@txikitofandango]

This is a great step and I hope they keep developing it, I'd love to have FULL SCREEN on my dual monitor kiosk

[@allstarspixel]

I WAS LOOKING FOR THIS YESTERDAY OMG

[@Rayu25Demon]

I expected you are the 1st one who is going to do a video about the new melon DS update, my guess was right 😂

[@GameXData]

Ngl, I've been waiting for the update for a while. As much I've loved using my Flip DS for other types of gaming, I was dying to have a better way to play DS games on it.

[@Rayu25Demon]

@GameXData now, im hoping to see Retro handhelds with 2 screens at lease the DS platform.

[@GameXData]

@Ray25Demon You might be waiting a while for something that feels good to use and costs less than a Surface Duo (or even LG V60), tbh. With dual screen handhelds, good software is crucial for a smooth experience. Yet, the current big names in retro handhelds still seem to struggle with good software for even their single screen devices.

[@Rayu25Demon]

@GameXData they are good choices, but LG phones are dead. Microsoft phones are not available for purchase for people outside America. For your information, there are some rumors about anbernic Making a handheld with dual screens, sheets have some concepts that were leaked 3 months ago. Keep your eyes on anbernic and other retro emulator devices brands.

[@OceanTechh]

this is great

[@christianr.5868]

Finally! I might have to pick up a dna duo now for my steam deck

[@verico118]

I believe there is a hotkey that can be manually set from the settings to go full screen without borderless gaming. I have it mapped to clicking in right stick

[@GameXData]

Thanks for pointing this out!

[@SBGamingPlus]

1 feature I was hoping they would add in the update was auto screen switching for Fullscreen (Top only). Sadly they didn't add the feature yet, you can switch the screens manually with hotkeys but it doesn't do it automictically for that setting.

[@Gianluca_GMS]

yaaay! they cooked! edit: no fullscreen option... wat?!

[@GameXData]

Check the hotkeys. Another person brought up that you could still toggle fullscreens from there

[@iamnoob-ep3tz]

I'm interested how's ur Flip DS holding up so far for daily use/PC gaming and Retro gaming? has anything changed since your ayaspace 2.5 video?

[@GameXData]

There's a bit of current awkwardness. About a week after this video, my internal SSD failed after a botched update to 24H2. I'm 90% sure the cause was some weirdness from an external SSD disconnecting during the update process. But, it's currently borked until my replacement drive comes in. (Replacing the internal SSD is also a bit of a hassle, if I'm being honest.) Before that series of unfortunate events, it was holding up great. Nothing had changed since the last video, but I didn't really need it to. Adding the keyboard toggle made general navigation much easier, to the extent that I found myself using it as a laptop much more often. The integrated micro SD card reader, in particular, has been a boon for managing the slue of handhelds I've reviewed in the past year. Gaming has likewise been solid. I was about 11 hours into HeartGold before the SSD failure, and it felt about as good as the DSi XL I switched to afterward. I also had a great time replaying Alpha Sapphire and a few Wii U games over the past few months. Meanwhile, for native gaming, the extra performance of the 7840U compared to my Steam Deck has been noticeable. My Steam Deck often needs to make a compromise between frame rate or graphics; the Flip DS has that problem much less often. If I had any long-term gripes it'd be first and foremost that the rumble isn't great. Maybe it's me being spoiled by good controller haptics elsewhere, but I've had to turn it off out of annoyance. Second would be that the controls haven't felt better over time. They're fine and more than useable, but I'd really love to have the same hardware with a bit more button travel and a bit less of a recess on the sticks. (Kinda like how the 3DS is set up.)

[@iamnoob-ep3tz]

@@GameXData Thank you for your reply. I personally own the GPD Win Mini 2023 version, which I sold recently. Now, I'm considering whether it's worth trying the Flip DS. I'm a little concerned about the battery life. Honestly, I wish Ayaneo would refresh the flip with a better design (it's too thick tbh) I'm waiting for the 2025 refresh for the win mini, but i'll certain see if i can get more feedback from long term users. Thanks buddy

[@o0kaelas]

man idk why but my second screen never updates? like it will if i click the main screen, but it only updates 1 frame.

[@GameXData]

Just for clarification, is it that MelonDS isn't playing your game or that your having troubles with additional software (e.g., Borderless Gaming)?

[@o0kaelas]

@@GameXData i found the issue, it was specifically that when using *OpenGL* for rendering on *melonDS* the additional screen would either not render at all, with graphical issues making it unviewable, or it would ONLY update for 1 frame when clicking the main screen. i was trying to run my game at a higher resolution, if i use the software rendering instead on melonDS it works as it should and as you showcased.

[@GameXData]

@o0kaelas Oh, that's so weird. In case anyone sees this comment later, are you playing on Windows, Linux, or MacOS? Also, are you noticing the same issues for every game you've tried? I'm about 10 hours into HeartGold on my Flip DS running Windows 11. I've only been playing with a 4x upscale using OpenGL (compute shader) and haven't noticed any issues personally.

[@o0kaelas]

@@GameXData so specifically im playing on *windows 11*, and the game is *Dragon Quest Monsters - Joker* i haven't tried any other games yet. edit: man i dont even know anymore, the game now dosent even work with the new screen on any settings lol.

[@o0kaelas]

still cant get it to work after many restarts, and setting changes, maybe this game dosent work with 2 screens and the other rendering settings.

[@dilucragnvindr4006]

I just downloaded it android and I’m confused cause it feels a bit better than drastic sure might

[@GameXData]

MelonDS for Android can be great in certain games, but it tends to have some graphical or performance issues when playing certain games (especially on lower-end devices).

[@BodDy1698]

Would i be able to play for example Mariokart or Smashbros Multiplayer with 4 People on my Homecinema system with that new instance feature?

[@GameXData]

I don't see why not

[@Rakadramon]

Now... does the new MelonDS do what Drastic's been able to do, and allow seamlessly following character as it shifts between both top and bottom screens though? 🤔(AKA Sonic Rush-style games)

[@GameXData]

I mean, you don't really need that if you have both screens visible?

[@mat_max]

what

[@randomkid6236]

i literally found out that was a thing by playing sonic rush on the new update, just click auto in the screen size settings and it follows sonic / blaze between the two screens

[@sussibaki6503]

Hey, when i open another window its not synced its just frozen when i tap the 2nd window works as for actions. but the screen is frozen. can you help me?

[@GameXData]

A few other folks have commented the same issue, and I've yet to see a fix outside (maybe) turning off OpenGL upscaling. Would you mind sharing what CPU, GPU, and OS you're using? A previous commenter was having troubles while playing with a 12th Gen Intel CPU and Arc A770 GPU on Windows. Meanwhile, between my Flip DS (Ryzen 7840), MacBook Pro (M1 Pro), Steam Deck, and Windows desktop computer (Intel 13th Gen, RTX 3060), I didn't experience the same issue during my testing.

[@sonicmario57]

I seem to be able to get it to work when using the software renderer but it seems to break if I change it to open gl and try to upscale the game at all. Is this happening for anyone else or just me?

[@GameXData]

A few other folks have commented the same issue. It's a bit odd to me, considering I tested it across three different devices with upscaling for this video. So, I'm also curious as to what could be causing issues. For folks who find this later, would you mind sharing your operating system, type of device (e.g., handheld, laptop), and the games you've had troubles with?

[@MedSkalli]

Hello Could i replace the emu deck melon DS app by the new released 1.0 one ?

[@GameXData]

Yep! Though, I'd recommend checking Discover for the updated version before installing from the MelonDS website. That should make updating easier later.

[@echidnawitchofgreed92]

Can you multiplayer on pokemon black using this?

[@GameXData]

Yes. Although, for local multiplayer, it looks like the save file for player two would need to be renamed with a .sav.2 extension.

[@barracadoseuze4213]

Yep, you can play via Local Multiplayer ( connected on LAN ) or use the Nintendo Wi-fi Connection feature from the game ( you will need to use something like Wiimmfi ) since MelonDS supports Online Functionality.

[@echidnawitchofgreed92]

@@barracadoseuze4213 do you perhaps know a video tutorial that does this? I'm kinda desperate

[@barracadoseuze4213]

@@echidnawitchofgreed92 if you want to get WFC working on your DS games, The method you use on MelonDS is the same one you would use on the real console, so just look for a video about DS Online via Wiimmfi