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

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

It also adds DLDI / Homebrew SD support, which is required by some homebrew software like ZXDS.

Download:

https://github.com/SapphireRhodonite/melonDS-android/releases/tag/0.7.0.rc3.fix2

New features:

DLDI / Homebrew SD support

This version adds an option to enable DLDI / Homebrew SD support.

This is needed by some homebrew software, including ZXDS, and should make it possible to run homebrew that requires DLDI SD access.

To use it:

1. Open Settings > System.

2. Enable DLDI / Homebrew SD.

3. Select a DLDI SD folder.

4. Launch the homebrew ROM again.

External display mode

A new External display mode setting has been added.

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

A new Hybrid Screen component has been added to the layout editor.

1. This component displays the top and bottom DS screens together, with the top screen above the bottom screen.

2. Resizing or moving the component affects both screens as a single unit.

3. The Hybrid Screen is not affected by screen swap.

Display cutout / notch layout support

There is now 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.

App log file for issue reports

There is now 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.

Layout editor Position and Size buttons

Added dedicated Position and Size buttons to the layout editor.

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.

Fixes included in this hotfix:

• BIOS and firmware boot fixes

• Game launch stability fixes

• Per-game custom control fixes

• Gamepad ROM list navigation fixes

• RetroAchievements menu crash fixes

• Layout editor fixes

• Audio fixes

• In-game menu access fix

• RetroAchievements login diagnostics

Still being validated for RC4:

Some reports are still being investigated and validated for the next RC build.

This includes Vulkan visual issues in Soma Bringer, Picross 3D, and Super Mario 64 DS dual-screen minigames.

It also includes Phantom Hourglass shadow flicker, a specific patched ROM detection issue, and some RetroAchievements challenge activation behavior in Super Mario 64 DS.

I need help from you!

Please keep testing RC3 Hotfix 2 and report any regressions on GitHub.

The RC testing cycle is working because users are reporting real issues with real devices, games, layouts, controllers, audio setups, and RetroAchievements cases.

That feedback is helping stabilize melonDualDS before the final 0.7.0 release!

Thank you to everyone testing, reporting issues, and supporting the project.

- Sapphire 💙