Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Citra VS melonDS

Compare Citra VS melonDS and see what are their differences

Citra logo Citra

Citra is a work-in-progress emulator for the Nintendo 3DS.

melonDS logo melonDS

A Nintendo DS emulator with support for commercial games.
  • Citra Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-16
  • melonDS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-10

Citra features and specs

  • High Compatibility
    Citra supports a large library of Nintendo 3DS games, making it possible to play a wide range of titles on various platforms.
  • Cross-Platform
    Citra is available on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, allowing users to enjoy games regardless of their device.
  • Enhanced Graphics
    The emulator can enhance the graphics of 3DS games beyond their native resolution, resulting in improved visuals and a better gaming experience.
  • Active Development
    Citra is actively maintained and updated, which means users continuously get new features, performance improvements, and bug fixes.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, Citra allows community collaboration, transparency in development, and the ability for users to contribute to its improvement.

Possible disadvantages of Citra

  • System Requirements
    Running Citra efficiently can require a relatively powerful PC or mobile device, potentially limiting accessibility for users with lower-end hardware.
  • Legal Issues
    Using Citra requires BIOS and game ROMs from a 3DS, which can raise legal concerns regarding the distribution and use of copyrighted materials.
  • Incomplete Emulation
    Not all games run perfectly on Citra; some may have graphical glitches, performance issues, or may not work at all, affecting the overall experience.
  • Network Multiplayer Limitations
    While Citra supports some network multiplayer functionality, it may not fully replicate the 3DS's local multiplayer experience.
  • Complex Setup
    Setting up Citra and configuring it to work optimally can be complex and time-consuming, requiring users to have some technical knowledge.

melonDS features and specs

  • High Compatibility
    MelonDS boasts high compatibility with a wide range of Nintendo DS games, ensuring that most titles run smoothly and without major issues.
  • Accurate Emulation
    The emulator focuses heavily on accurately replicating the original hardware's behavior, providing an experience true to the original DS system.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source, melonDS allows users to contribute to its development and ensure continuous improvement and bug fixing.
  • Multiplayer Support
    MelonDS includes support for local multiplayer capabilities, allowing users to connect and play games with others via emulation.
  • Active Development
    The software is under active development with regular updates and improvements, which keeps it relevant and capable of emulating newer hardware features.

Possible disadvantages of melonDS

  • Requires Powerful Hardware
    To achieve high accuracy in emulation, melonDS may require more powerful hardware than some other emulators, which can be a limitation for users with older or less capable devices.
  • Limited User Interface
    The current user interface of melonDS is relatively basic compared to some other emulators, which might be less intuitive for new users.
  • Feature Set Still Growing
    Although the emulator supports a majority of features, there are still some advanced options and features that other emulators might offer but are not fully implemented in melonDS yet.
  • Occasional Bugs and Glitches
    As with many emulators, users may encounter occasional bugs and glitches, especially with less common games or setups.
  • Limited Documentation
    While there is some documentation available, users may find it insufficient for troubleshooting complex issues, relying more on community forums for help.

Citra videos

Citra | 3DS Emulator | Ultimate 3DS Experience!

More videos:

  • Review - Review Citra Aloe dan Tomato Bright UV | Bisa Nahan Minyak dan Sembuhin Jerawat?!
  • Review - Citra 3DS Emulator - on LOW end PC, all game fixes and ONLINE!

melonDS videos

Quickly Setup melonDS Emulator For Windows & Linux!

More videos:

  • Tutorial - MelonDS DS Emulator for Nintendo Switch - How to Setup & Overview - Homebrew CFW App
  • Review - MelonDS Version 0.8.2 for For Nintendo Switch CFW

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Citra and melonDS)
Gaming
52 52%
48% 48
Emulators
54 54%
46% 46
Gaming Tools
45 45%
55% 55
Gaming Software
43 43%
57% 57

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Citra and melonDS

Citra Reviews

Best DS Emulator: Are These Emulators Safe And Legal To Use?
Citra offers a user-friendly interface and a wide range of features, including save states, cheat codes, and multiplayer support.
Source: appletoo.us
Best emulators for Android in 2023
Citra hasn't been updated in a while on Android, and users on Reddit have spotted that another port called Citra MMJ tends to have better performance. Your mileage may vary, so give the MMJ fork a try if the performance isn't great on your device.
15 best emulators for Android to play old favorites!
Citra Emulator is the newest emulator on the list. This one is for the Nintendo 3DS console. The app boasts most of the basics, including save and load states, external controllers, and other such things. This one also supports native 3DS features such as the microphone, camera, and motion controls. Those who get the premium version also get some cosmetic features, a dark...

melonDS Reviews

Best DS Emulator: Are These Emulators Safe And Legal To Use?
MelonDS also offers high-performance graphics and sound emulation, making it a great choice for gamers who want an authentic DS experience.
Source: appletoo.us
5 Best Nintendo DS Emulators for PC
When we talk about best DS emulator for PC, we can’t avoid MelonDS. MelonDS is also one of the best Nintendo DS emulator. It has the following advantages:
Best emulators for Android in 2023
The Nintendo DS has such a wide back catalog of games to play, many of which are both incredible and not very computationally taxing. melonDS is the best way to enjoy those games on the go, and that's thanks to its ease of use. It's a free emulator that you can download from the Google Play Store, though it's not an official port (as melonDS is made for PC originally), and...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Citra should be more popular than melonDS. It has been mentiond 57 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Citra mentions (57)

  • Rokid Max Review and Many Tips
    Another wonderful option is to play Nintendo 3DS games with the Citra emulator. They look incredible. I would go so far as to say that if you're a fan of the console then this is the best way to experience its games, even better than on the original hardware. Again use 3840x1200 @ 60 Hz and full SBS. In Emulation -> Configure... -> Graphics -> Stereoscopy set it to "Side by Side". Also increase the renderer... Source: over 1 year ago
  • Nintendo da emulator for pc? I’m soooooo new to this whole emulation world I installed dolphin and got it running nicely but I can’t find one for the Nintendo ds can someone help me? I just wanna play Pokémon heart gold again hahhaha
    Https://citra-emu.org/ Just typing the console + emulator on any search engine should give u the best option most of the time. Source: over 1 year ago
  • is citra the best for 3ds emulation?
    It's safe, as long as you download it from the official website (https://citra-emu.org/). I believe that it's no longer necessary to provide original system files from a real 3DS, but it's highly recommended to do so in order to improve accuracy. Source: over 1 year ago
  • there is the configuration
    "If you experience Pokémon no longer spawning in the open areas after a few minutes of gameplay, disable Extended Memory Layout (8GB DRAM). That option is not intended for normal use, it should only be enabled per game if a big texture mod is in use. It doesn't improve performance or compatibility. Don't follow terrible Youtube tutorials, I recommend reading our settings glossary instead: Settings glossary -... Source: over 1 year ago
  • Ayn Odin or 3DS+PS Vita?
    Just looking at https://citra-emu.org/ and what's working on it so far, it looks like Splinter Cell doesn't work and RE Mercenaries struggles on any system :/. Source: over 1 year ago
View more

melonDS mentions (32)

  • help with bw roms
    Use MelonDS instead, it's the most recommended DS emulator. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Pokémon emulators
    You mean emulators running on PC? It took some doing, but I finally got DS Download Play to work on MelonDS. First you need to get DS firmware files. I found one on Retrostic that did not work for me. Melon told me it was an old hacked dump, and trying to boot it just got me a white screen. I found another on the Internet Archive that works. Source: over 1 year ago
  • I feel like people put down MelonDS too much here
    MelonDS is actually doing a lot of really cool stuff. I can't speak too much on the Android build, but on PC they have actually gotten multiplayer too work flawlessly and they are currently working on implementing netplay. You can keep up with their progress here. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Hi, new to emulators. I had a question, can I run gba and nds games on this?
    No, you can use mGBA for GBA games, and MelonDS for NDS games. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Completely new to emulation
    AFAIK randomizers are usually romhacks, and so they should work on most DS emulators, I personally use melonDS, however you can find a list of DS emulators here. Source: over 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Citra and melonDS, you can also consider the following products

DeSmuME - DeSmuME is a freeware emulator for the NDS roms & Nintendo DS Lite games created by YopYop156.

RetroArch - RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines and media players.

Dolphin Emulator - Official website of Dolphin, the GameCube and Wii emulator. Download the latest version (5. 0-5763) now or ask questions on our forums for help. Enter your search in the box aboveDownloadDownload the latest version of the Dolphin Emulator (5.

Drastic - Drastic is a Android DS Emulator

BlueStacks - BlueStacks is a website designed to format mobile apps to be compatible to desktop computers, opening up mobile gaming to laptops and other computers. Read more about BlueStacks.

mGBA - mGBA is an open source emulator of the Game Boy Advance. The goals are speed and accuracy.