This Nintendo DS emulator solves one of the biggest headaches on Android: Offline RetroAchievements
Source: Android Authority
TL;DR
- A fork of the melonDS emulator for Android now supports offline RetroAchievements in Softcore mode.
- Users must open a game once with an internet connection to cache achievements; after that they can track progress offline and sync later.
- Hardcore mode still requires a constant connection, but the update improves stability during temporary internet drops.
Background
DraStic has long been considered the best Nintendo DS emulator on Android. After its removal from the Google Play Store, other emulators stepped in to fill the gap. One of those is melonDS, an unofficial Android port of the open‑source PC emulator. The original Android port added RetroAchievements support, but it required a constant internet connection for syncing, which was inconvenient for on‑the‑go play.
Developer SapphireRhodonite is known in the emulator community for their melonDS for Android fork, which also adds external display support for dual‑screen Android devices. The latest v0.6.0 release adds offline RetroAchievements support in Softcore mode.
Offline RetroAchievements Support
To use Softcore mode offline, gamers need to open the game once while connected to the internet. This allows melonDS to fetch and cache the achievement set and its conditions. After this initialization, the game can be played offline, and achievements will continue to be tracked locally. Users can sync their achievements later—either on demand or automatically at boot.
Hardcore Mode Note
- Hardcore mode still requires an active internet connection for tracking and syncing achievements.
- In Hardcore mode, save states, rewinds, and cheats are disabled, providing a more challenging experience.
- The new release improves stability during temporary internet drops, but a constant connection remains mandatory for Hardcore mode.
Installation
To try offline RetroAchievements, sideload the fork from GitHub:
This fork differs from the version available on the Google Play Store:
The Play Store release’s developer, Rafael V. Caetano, also contributed to this fork, so offline RetroAchievements support may eventually appear in the Play Store version as well.