2023 Update: So this emulator guide is over 7 years old now, and a lot's changed in the DS emulation scene. On top of that, all of the links in the original guide seem to be defunct. So I (toburr) am gonna put out some newer recommendations and updated links since those are long overdue. My apologies to Adrylek for taking over this post, but it feels weird to have multiple emulator guides and I'd rather not delete his original effort outright (for that reason I've preserved his original post for posterity at the bottom of the page).

The emulator you should use is the latest version of melonDS. Do not use DeSmuME. Use melonDS, it is more accurate than DeSmuME and still receives updates on a regular basis, unlike DeSmuME. You can download the latest version of melonDS (0.9.5 as of August 2023) here: https://melonds.kuribo64.net/downloads.php

Another cool thing about melonDS? The default settings typically work well out of the box. No screenshots of required settings necessary. If you are experiencing lag/problems, some settings I'd recommend trying out:

• If lag is your problem, in the video settings, try the OpenGL 3D renderer instead of the default Software renderer.
• If you're experiencing audio crackle, I'd first try using one of the interpolation settings in the Audio settings window (cubic is the best but the most demanding, try messing around with the various options). Some folks have reported that making sure the "Use separate thread" box in the Video settings window can also help with stutter if you're using the Software renderer.

If you don't notice any change after tweaking your settings, you may need to fully close and reboot the emulator for them to take effect.

You can find English and Japanese NG+ ready save files here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1v8ZOOiEy81GNk5Fbru8AanrsU4zuywN5?usp=sharing

Please ping me (toburr) in the speedrunning discord with any questions or if my links break

------------------- Adrylek's original post, very outdated --------------------

You can use the emulator DeSmuME. Download the last version (0.9.10) here: http://desmume.org/download/ The japanese version appears to be 1:30 minutes faster in Any NG+.

Save file JAPANESE: https://mega.co.nz/#!QU8BiZoA!YcR9bd7N5jJlumTGL19Ka0WVqRVsin2QPMJEC0eG0 Save file ENGLISH: https://mega.co.nz/#!ZUNB2YbL!w_aAcw5WWHXAkK3MqNSYCaic12h_ygFR1POa-qD9D_Y

The japanese save file has all the good options already picked.

DeSmuMe settings for the lag:

3D settings: http://prntscr.com/blcjn9 Emulator settings: http://prntscr.com/5ob1ke Frame skip: http://prntscr.com/5ob1m2 Sound settings: http://prntscr.com/blcju9

Changing the sound encoder will significantly improve the audio quality.