Here are the instructions to run the emulator, together with an FAQ.
Official Site
| The latest version is 0.9.8
Anyone asking questions that have already been answered here will receive point deductions.
1. How to Use DeSmuME?
- STEP 1: Download the emulator! The latest version of DeSmuME can be found here. There are different versions for Windows (both 32-bit and 64-bit), Linux and Mac OSX.
- STEP 2: Select and extract the correct .exe file for Windows users.
For 32-bit users, select desmume.exe. desmume_dev.exe is for developers of course. If you are using an old processor which cannot handle SSE2 please download the NOSSE2 version instead.
For 64-bit users just use desmume.exe. - STEP 3: Set your controls (and other settings).
The default controls are OK, but you might prefer other settings. Choose Config -> Control Config to change the keys. Our recommended settings are Config -> Sound Settings -> Synchronous and Synch Method Z; and Config -> 3D Settings -> SoftRasterizer for sound and graphics emulation. If you have problems with sound/graphics, however, do try the other settings. In particular, if you have any graphics problems you should test all the possible combinations of the settings under "3D Settings" until you determine which one works best. - STEP 4: BIOS and Firmware files (for troubleshooting).
Download the BIOS and Firmware files here. Unzip and extract the files to the same folder as DeSmuME. You should play without using BIOS/Firmware files, unless you face any emulation problems (e.g. freezing), or if the ROM you are playing is known to have many such problems (e.g. Pokemon HG/SS or B/W, Etrian Odyssey III).
How to use them:
Spoiler - STEP 5: Download the roms
All NDS roms can be found on DGEmu. Unzip the rom after downloading it. - STEP 6: Running the roms
Go to File -> Open. Choose your unzipped rom (the .nds files) and run it.
Select File -> Import Backup Memory, then select your savefile (it should be a .sav file inside the BATTERY folder). This should allow you to load your in-game save from No$gba. If that doesn't work try following this guide: NDS Savegame Converter Guide.
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2. Additional Features
- Firmware Settings: DeSmuME offers you the possibility of changing the settings of the DS firmware (such as Nickname, Message, etc). Simply go to Config -> Firmware Settings.
- Graphics Settings: From the View menu, you can select Rotation (for games which require you to hold the DS like a book), Window Size (up to 4x; this may cause the game to lag), and an option to Force Maintain Ratio when you manually resize the screen.
- Taking Screenshots: It's very easy, just go to File -> Save Screenshot As or File -> Quick Screenshot.
- Path Settings: Unlike some emulators, DeSmuME allows you to control not only where it loads its ROMs from, but also where it saves in-game ("SaveRam"), where its savestates are located ("States") and where it saves its screenshots, among other things.
- Exporting RAW Saves: Go to File -> Export Backup Memory to "export" a RAW savefile from the in-game save.This can easily be converted into the appropriate savefile for your flashcarts (see NDS Savegame Converter Guide).
- Developer tools: All in the Tools menu bar. Won't go into detail.
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3. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does DeSmuME have a Mac or Linux version?
A: Yes, it supports both Linux and Mac. There are Linux and Mac binaries for download from the download page. However, the Mac version only supports Intel CPUs at the moment. To use the Mac version for a Mac without an Intel CPU, you have to compile the source code yourself.
Q: I get an error (0xC0150002). What do I do?
A: Try this: http://www.microsoft...;displaylang=en
Q: Is DeSmuME a good emulator?
A: It's currently the best NDS emulator around.
Q: Where can I download it?
A: Read the step 1 above.
Q: Can it play all roms?
A: It can play almost all ROMs (more than No$gba can!).
Q: Does it support save? How about save states?
A: In-game save works. Save state also works.
Q: Does it support link/wifi?
A: Officially it doesn't, but you can try this tutorial if you really want to. No guarantees, though.
Q: The game is too slow, how can I increase the speed?
A: Go Config -> Frame Skip and select the number of frames to skip. The more frames skipped, the jumpier the graphics, but the faster the game speed. Aside from this, the only other thing you can do is to close all unnecessary programs to free up CPU and RAM.Also see the full solution from the official DeSmuME FAQ: DeSmuME runs too slow!
Q: How do I fix inverted colors?
A: I've never had this problem before, but some users say resizing the window will change it back to normal. [unconfirmed]
Q: How can I use cheats?
A: Go to Emulation -> Cheats -> List. Select "Action Replay" for AR codes, and then just key them in and Add them. Once you are done remember to Save them.For "internal" cheats, where you manually search for and alter the memory positions of the game, refer to Using Cheats in DeSmuME.If you get an error about not being able to save your cheats, check Config -> Path Settings -> Cheats, and change it to a folder in your Documents that exists and is not read-only.
Q: How can I resize the screen?
A: From the View menu, or simply manually resize the screen from its edges.
Q: Some games require microphone support, does DeSmuME have it?
A: Yes, though you'll need an actual microphone plugged into your computer for it to work.
Q: Golden Sun: Dark Dawn's sound is terrible! Can you help?
A: Go to Config -> Sound Settings -> enable Advanced SPU Logic and select one of the Synchronous modes.
More: Full list of Recommended Settings for this ROM
And here is the explanation of this sound problem from the Devs.
For more info, read The Official DeSmuME FAQ.
Seriously, read the official FAQ. It will help you with most of your problems.
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Credits:
Spoiler
