The name.

[OpenSauce04]

This isn't really a technical issue with the core, but moreso a branding issue. The name of this core really bothers me for a myriad of reasons, and I think it's a poor choice for a serious project.

1. The name looks like a typo

When I first saw this core in the RetroArch core list, I was very confused. I thought that the MelonDS core had somehow been duplicated in the core list, and only discovered that this wasn't the case after looking up the project on GitHub.

2. The name doesn't indicate that it's an improvement of the old core

I would imagine that most people, if their immediate reaction wasn't to look up what was up with the two cores like I did, would just randomly pick one of the two options due to their sheer similarity. In this scenario, whether or not someone picks your upgraded core (which I'd imagine you probably want them to use) is determined by random chance.

If I was in this position and were none the wiser, I'd likely pick the older MelonDS core simply because the name reads as the definitive version of the core.

3. The logic behind the name doesn't make sense

I understand your reasoning behind the naming of the core, but it simply doesn't apply in the context of a DS emulation core. All of the examples you provided are of games that were originally on other platforms and eventually ported to the DS.

The purpose of the "DS" in the names of those games isn't to indicate that they are enhanced, it is just stating the platform that the game was re-released on to avoid confusion with the original release.

To my knowledge, this never happened with any game that was originally on the DS and then received a re-release on the same platform. That would be like Pokémon Platinum being called "Pokémon Diamond DS".

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I appreciate what you are doing for DS emulation on RetroArch, but I really do think that the name of this core is catastrophically bad. I implore you to consider calling it literally anything else.

[JesseTG]

Perhaps the name isn't one of my finest, but how would rebranding it at this stage reduce confusion?

[OpenSauce04]

Perhaps the name isn't one of my finest, but how would rebranding it at this stage reduce confusion?

Just leaving at it is causes continuous confusion by simply existing, as per my previously listed reasons. Changing the name would prevent confusion from future users, and potentially clarify things for some existing users who just picked one of the cores on a whim and never bothered to look up what the difference is.