melonDualDS v0.7.0.rc3 Hotfix 2 is now available.

This second RC3 hotfix focuses on stability and user-reported regressions found during the current release candidate testing cycle.

It fixes several issues related to BIOS / firmware booting, custom ROM settings, gamepad navigation, RetroAchievements menu crashes, layout editing, audio routing, external displays, and game launch stability.

This update also adds DLDI support for homebrew compatibility.

New Features:

• DLDI support for homebrew

  • Added an option to enable DLDI / Homebrew SD support.
  • This is required by some homebrew software, including ZXDS.
  • To use it:
    1. Open Settings > System.
    2. Enable DLDI / Homebrew SD.
    3. Select a DLDI SD folder.
    4. Choose the DLDI SD image size if needed, or leave it on Auto.
    5. Launch the homebrew ROM again.
  • This should make it possible to run homebrew that requires DLDI SD access.

• External display mode

  • Added a new External display mode setting.
  • Mirror lets Android handle the external screen normally.
  • MelonDualDS lets melonDualDS use the external screen for top screen, bottom screen, custom layouts, or dual-screen presets.
  • To change it:
    1. Open Settings > Video.
    2. Change External display mode to Mirror or MelonDualDS.
    3. Reconnect the external display or relaunch the game if needed.

• Hybrid Screen layout component

  • Added a new Hybrid Screen component to the layout editor.
  • This component displays the top and bottom DS screens together, with top above bottom.
  • Resizing or moving the component affects both screens as a single unit.
  • The Hybrid Screen is not affected by screen swap.
  • Related issue: #59

• Layout editor Position and Size buttons

  • Added dedicated Position and Size buttons to the layout editor.
  • These make it easier to precisely edit components that are difficult to drag, resize, or double tap.
  • To use them:
    1. Open the layout editor.
    2. Select a layout component.
    3. Tap Position to enter X/Y values.
    4. Tap Size to enter size, width, or height values.
    5. Tap OK to apply the change.
  • Related issue: #98

• Optional display cutout / notch layout support

  • Added an option to let emulator layouts use the notch or camera cutout area.
  • To use it:
    1. Open Settings > System.
    2. Enable Ignore display cutout in layouts.
    3. Restart the layout editor or relaunch the emulator.
  • Related issue: #83

• App log file for issue reports

  • Added an option to write a debug log to the ROM folder.
  • To use it:
    1. Open Settings > System.
    2. Enable Write app log to ROM folder.
    3. Reproduce the issue.
    4. Share the generated melonDualLog.log file.
  • This should only be enabled while reproducing an issue.

Fixed:

• Fixed BIOS / firmware boot crashes

  • Fixed cases where booting with custom BIOS / firmware files could crash or return back to the ROM list.
  • Fixed cases where entering the NDS / DSi BIOS menu was not possible in RC3.
  • Improved BIOS / firmware file handling when files are selected through Android storage providers.
  • Improved DSi NAND validation and loading.
  • Related issues: #107, #104, #91

• Fixed game launch crashes after loading

  • Improved launch stability after the previous Android Backup hotfix.
  • Fixed additional cases where games could still close after loading, even after reinstalling.
  • Added safer guards when launch validation or native emulator setup fails.
  • Related issue: #104

• Fixed per-game custom control settings

  • Fixed an issue where changing key mappings from ROM settings could show an error saying ROM options could not be read.
  • Fixed a regression where ROMs could reload and per-game data could be lost, including favorites and custom ROM display names.
  • Improved controller mapping serialization for per-ROM and global input settings.
  • Related issue: #106

• Fixed game list scrolling with gamepads

  • Fixed gamepad navigation issues in the ROM list.
  • Fixed a landscape mode issue where scrolling to the end of the game list with a gamepad could continue scrolling endlessly.
  • Fixed a case where D-pad navigation could stop moving down after reaching the end of the list.
  • Related issue: #102

• Improved alphabet sidebar navigation

  • Improved fast navigation through the ROM list using the alphabet sidebar.
  • Late-list entries now scroll more consistently even when there are not enough ROMs after the selected letter to fill the screen.

• Fixed RetroAchievements menu crashes

  • Fixed crashes when opening the in-game Achievements menu while achievements were not loaded.
  • This could happen while offline, with an unmatched ROM hash, or when offline achievements were shown but the in-game achievements screen could not be opened safely.
  • Related issues: #100, #75

• Improved RetroAchievements login and API diagnostics

  • Improved error handling for RetroAchievements API failures.
  • Login failures now clear stale auth state more safely.
  • HTTP errors now provide clearer diagnostic information in logs.
  • This should make it easier to diagnose account, network, or API errors when users share melonDualLog.log.

• Fixed layout editor usability issues

  • Improved access to X/Y position and size adjustment for components that were difficult to double tap.
  • Fixed cases where Position / Size dialogs could lose the selected component before applying changes.
  • Fixed layout editing cases where controls could not be resized or moved correctly from the new dialogs.
  • Fixed validation limits in the Size dialog.
  • Fixed Aspect Ratio behavior so selecting it no longer incorrectly clears the current selected screen.
  • Hidden Aspect Ratio controls for Hybrid Screen, since Hybrid Screen keeps top and bottom together.
  • Related issues: #98, #91

• Fixed audio routing on affected devices

  • Fixed audio routing issues with Bluetooth earbuds and wired headphones on affected Android devices.
  • This also helps avoid cases where the emulator could interfere with system-wide audio until reboot.
  • Related issue: #86

• Restored audio latency setting

  • Restored the Audio latency option under Settings > Audio.
  • The default is now Low.
  • Users who experience crackling or instability can manually increase it.
  • Related issue: #84

• Fixed in-game menu access regression

  • Fixed cases where the Android back button / gesture could stop opening the emulator menu after launching a game.
  • Added an option to disable Android touch gestures over the DS touch screen area.
  • To use it:
    1. Open Settings > System.
    2. Enable Disable touch gestures on touch screen area.
    3. Leave it disabled if you prefer using the Android back gesture to open the in-game menu.
  • Related issue: #91

Other Changes:

• Updated README package name
  • Fixed an incorrect package name reference in the README.
  • Related issue: #72

Still Being Validated For RC4:

The following reports are still being investigated and validated for the next RC build:

• Soma Bringer Vulkan display glitch

  • Lower screen flashing and upper screen black during early boot / title sequence.
  • Related issue: #92

• Picross 3D Vulkan slicer rendering glitches

  • Visual artifacts when using slicers with the Vulkan renderer.
  • Related issue: #93

• Phantom Hourglass shadow flicker

  • Link's shadow flickers in both OpenGL and Vulkan.
  • Related issue: #94

• Specific patched ROM not detected

  • Retro Game Challenge 2 Daily Challenge RetroAchievements patch may not appear in the game list and may show "Could not find ROM" when launched externally.
  • Related issue: #97

• Super Mario 64 DS dual-screen Vulkan rendering artifacts

  • Flickering and smeared artifacts in minigames that use both screens for 3D visuals.
  • Related issue: #99

• Super Mario 64 DS RetroAchievements challenge start consistency

  • Some challenges may not consistently activate after re-entering a stage.
  • Related issue: #105

Support & Early Access

Thank you to everyone testing the RC builds and reporting issues.

These reports are helping stabilize melonDualDS before the final 0.7.0 release.

Patreon supporters continue to get priority on feature requests, builds, and help test features before they are promoted to the public release cycle.