NDS The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition (DSiWare) NDS ROM

[CSmith327]

Game Description:​

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition (ゼルダの伝説 4つの剣 25周年記念エディション) is an Action RPG video game published by N and developed by GREZZO released on September 28th, 2011 for the DS.

This is an enhanced remake of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords GBA game for DSiWare released completely for free to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series from September 28th, 2011 to February 20th, 2012 when it was available for download from the DSi Shop.

It was available again for download from January 30th to February 2nd, 2014 in North America on the eShop to celebrate the success and release of A Link Between Worlds for 3DS. Currently there's no official way to download the game and it can only be found online at sites like Internet Archive and hShop.

Basically, it's a touched up version of the GBA game but with the major change of being able to play it single player. If you're someone who is curious about Four Swords but never played it since you'd need at least one other player, then this version would be of interest to you. You could play with up to 3 other people using multiple DSi/3DS consoles and ADHOC wireless download play, but I don't know if that is something possible through the MelonDS emulator.

Some more info can be found on the Zelda Fandom Wiki page for the game.

How to Play:​

(Using the MelonDS DS core in RetroArch)

1. Make sure you have the MelonDS DS core installed in RetroArch (the one that has DS twice in the name, it's the better one imo)
2. Download the bios files required for DSi emulation from this page (you will need to find NAND versions for the region matching the version you get, I dunno where the Japan NAND can be found)
3. You will need to rename the files according to what the Core Information page for the core in RetroArch says. With the core loaded go to Information -> Core Information from the menu to see it.
4. In Core Options for MelonDS make sure that Boot Mode is set to Direct instead of Native in the System section
5. Load the zip containing the .nds file and the game should boot up and play fine.

Included are .cia versions that can be installed on a custom firmware enabled 3DS using FBI.

Sorry for the lack of screenshots. It was a fresh save, and I didn't feel like spending a couple hours unlocking the levels. You can watch the official trailer for a more in-depth look:

Download Links​

• The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition (DSiWare) NDS ROM

 

[Raytheon]

Don't think you can run this one yet in MelonDS. Even in nightly builds.

Edit - Hold on. I think you need to launch the game from booting up the Firmware first and then launching the game. After Launching MelonDS, go to System → Manage DSi title and install the game into the Firmware. Then the next time you boot up the Firmware the game icon will be there. Launch the game from there.

Refer to this video tutorial for more info.

It's little bit of a pain to do things in such a roundabout way, but it is what it is for now.

 

[Data25]

I dont want to setup retro arch just for this one Game. I can wait for an standalone compatible version.
Thank you for your work. ;)

 

[CSmith327]

Same for me here. MelonDS standalone all set up.
Boot directly > only white screen!
After ~4 hours of trying ,i give up!

every other DSiWare like shantae and soul of darkness runs perfect.

I just tested it with my file for the USA one and it works fine in RetroArch with the MelonDS DS core like I said in the post description. I've not tested it with the standalone version. Let me try it using all the same bios files that I'm using in RetroArch and see if standalone MelonDS can play it through them. Also it might be that standard MelonDS doesn't support the game. MelonDS DS is actually different and is a more improved and updated version of MelonDS. That's why RetroArch has two cores for it. Regular older MelonDS and MelonDS DS since it's been receiving updates. Maybe it just has better compatibility?
edit: ok, I can confirm that it won't work with MelonDS standalone v1.1. It just shows a white screen even if all the settings in the emulator is the same as I have it in RetroArch.

 

[Data25]

Same for me here. MelonDS standalone all set up.
Boot directly > only white screen!
After ~4 hours of trying ,i give up!

every other DSiWare like shantae and soul of darkness runs perfect.

 

[CSmith327]

after all these years, i have this one, remember seeing a post about its existence back in 2012, it was too late to get it on the Dsiware store, so I saved a lot of money to get the r4, only to realize there was no such thing as DsiWare roms...until now, thanks for the upload

R4 cards can't play DSi roms. Sorry, but you'll have to use MelonDS or no$GBA and set everything up first. I have an R4 flashcart myself that I use on my 3DS and it can't play DSi games since it only boots as DS firmware and not DSi

 

[fiskburk]

after all these years, i have this one, remember seeing a post about its existence back in 2012, it was too late to get it on the Dsiware store, so I saved a lot of money to get the r4, only to realize there was no such thing as DsiWare roms...until now, thanks for the upload

 

[CSmith327]

Oh. You learn something new everyday, I've set it up on Retroarch and it worked! Thank you so much, do I need to play the Gmaecube version first then? Or does it not matter? Thank you again for your help, Mr Smith.

The GameCube one should be played after beating this one. I didn't have a good time emulating that game tho tbh. It uses a Game Boy Advance as a second screen when going into buildings and caves and stuff in it. If you want to play the game irl you need a GBA with the GameCube controller adaptor for it. You can play it in Dolphin and it'll do the second screen thing but it displays weirdly and I honestly didn't have a good time with it. I'm not sure if Dolphin needs the GBA bios in order to do the second screen thing (maybe not?)

 

[SuperGamer1888]

The GameCube one is a different game and isn't the same levels and story as this game. It's basically a direct sequel. That's why I said this is the only way to play Four Swords GBA single player. Since it's the only way to play the original Four Swords quest in single player. Perhaps you should try RetroArch like I suggested in the post? If the standalone app doesn't want to play it for some weird reason.

Oh. You learn something new everyday, I've set it up on Retroarch and it worked! Thank you so much, do I need to play the Gmaecube version first then? Or does it not matter? Thank you again for your help, Mr Smith.

 

[CSmith327]

I done all that and still the white screen, it works with every other game I've tested but not this ROM. It's okay now, I've started the Gamecube version, which I didn't know had one player. Thank you to everyone who answered my query. Happy gaming!

The GameCube one is a different game and isn't the same levels and story as this game. It's basically a direct sequel. That's why I said this is the only way to play Four Swords GBA single player. Since it's the only way to play the original Four Swords quest in single player. Perhaps you should try RetroArch like I suggested in the post? If the standalone app doesn't want to play it for some weird reason.

 

[SuperGamer1888]

One of the nand backups in the link I shared has a copy of the nand with over a dozen games installed and this game is one of them. Download the nand for USA that says it has extras included then load into the menu and play it from that. It'll play fine. Strangely if you get that version and play from this nds file while having MelonDS set to direct boot into the game the copy of the game in the nand gets deleted. But anyway just get the nand backup that has the game in it and play it from the menu like that. It works fine and I've tried it myself
edit: I believe it's this one

I done all that and still the white screen, it works with every other game I've tested but not this ROM. It's okay now, I've started the Gamecube version, which I didn't know had one player. Thank you to everyone who answered my query. Happy gaming!

 

[CSmith327]

I have all the necessary bios files and other games load fine apart for this one.

I can boot into the firmware, but I still get a white screen, I'm using the standalone MelonDS.

One of the nand backups in the link I shared has a copy of the nand with over a dozen games installed and this game is one of them. Download the nand for USA that says it has extras included then load into the menu and play it from that. It'll play fine. Strangely if you get that version and play from this nds file while having MelonDS set to direct boot into the game the copy of the game in the nand gets deleted. But anyway just get the nand backup that has the game in it and play it from the menu like that. It works fine and I've tried it myself
edit: I believe it's this one

 

[SuperGamer1888]

I just checked the links. They're not dead. None of them are dead? Where are you looking?

Post automatically merged: Mar 22, 2026

Make sure your nand backup is working and you're able to boot into the DSi menu. You need to get all the bios/firmware files and the nand backup file that MelonDS needs for DSi emulation. All of them can be found from the link I gave. You'll need to rename them to the filenames RetroArch uses for them if using RetroArch and move them into the System folder. The boot mode needs to be set to Direct since it'll go to the menu instead of the game when you try to start it. Also for anybody asking yeah you can use Android MelonDS and Android RetroArch to play this too

I have all the necessary bios files and other games load fine apart for this one.

I just checked the links. They're not dead. None of them are dead? Where are you looking?

Post automatically merged: Mar 22, 2026

Make sure your nand backup is working and you're able to boot into the DSi menu. You need to get all the bios/firmware files and the nand backup file that MelonDS needs for DSi emulation. All of them can be found from the link I gave. You'll need to rename them to the filenames RetroArch uses for them if using RetroArch and move them into the System folder. The boot mode needs to be set to Direct since it'll go to the menu instead of the game when you try to start it. Also for anybody asking yeah you can use Android MelonDS and Android RetroArch to play this too

I can boot into the firmware, but I still get a white screen, I'm using the standalone MelonDS.

 

[CSmith327]

DSI bios link is dead

I just checked the links. They're not dead. None of them are dead? Where are you looking?

Post automatically merged: Mar 22, 2026

Strange, I just get a white screen using MelonDS.

Make sure your nand backup is working and you're able to boot into the DSi menu. You need to get all the bios/firmware files and the nand backup file that MelonDS needs for DSi emulation. All of them can be found from the link I gave. You'll need to rename them to the filenames RetroArch uses for them if using RetroArch and move them into the System folder. The boot mode needs to be set to Direct since it'll go to the menu instead of the game when you try to start it. Also for anybody asking yeah you can use Android MelonDS and Android RetroArch to play this too

 

[SuperGamer1888]

Strange, I just get a white screen using MelonDS.

 

[Lulwot]

DSI bios link is dead

There is this one here, the files from it should work

No-Intro Nintendo DS - DS Lite - DSi - BIOS - Firmware - NAND Files : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

No Intro BIOS files for the Nintendo DS, DS Lite & the DSi.This set also has the BIOS & Firmware for the Que DS & DS Lite and the NAND for the iQue...

archive.org

For the Arm9 and Arm11 DSi Good Dumps, Myrient and Lolroms are good sources

Post automatically merged: Mar 22, 2026

There is this one here, the files from it should work

No-Intro Nintendo DS - DS Lite - DSi - BIOS - Firmware - NAND Files : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

No Intro BIOS files for the Nintendo DS, DS Lite & the DSi.This set also has the BIOS & Firmware for the Que DS & DS Lite and the NAND for the iQue...

archive.org

For the Arm9 and Arm11 DSi Good Dumps, Myrient and Lolroms are good sources

Meant to write Arm7 and Arm9, can't edit the comment now, so I'm replying to it with the correction to minimise confusion for anyone else who sees it

 

[J8j]

The MelonDS Android will work?

Releases · rafaelvcaetano/melonDS-android

Android port of melonDS. Contribute to rafaelvcaetano/melonDS-android development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

 

[avend0raldera]

DSI bios link is dead

 

[t3stt3st]

The GameCube game is great and overlooked

 

[Dartz]

yeah hopefully one day will be less risky upload more new stuff than is already here like those old days when had even pc games , sadly things changed a lot in worse...

 

[CSmith327]

Hello, what about the regular desmume Emulator? Can someone please explain to me how I get it to work? I downloaded a couple of file specifically for that emulator via said page. - But now what? The game won´t load. =/

desmume can't emulate DSi use MelonDS. There's also a standalone version of it if you don't want to use RetroArch

Post automatically merged: Mar 22, 2026

i remember before the rebranding in nicoblog/nitroblog 3ds games were here , just saying

If it were up to me I'd upload PS3, Xbox, 3DS, Wii U and Switch games but I'm not an admin. I can only add what there's already a section for.

 

[Dartz]

i remember before the rebranding in nicoblog/nitroblog 3ds games were here , just saying

 

[GrEg_StAr_3000]

Hello, what about the regular desmume Emulator? Can someone please explain to me how I get it to work? I downloaded a couple of file specifically for that emulator via said page. - But now what? The game won´t load. =/

 

[hana_rodriguez]

Actually, it's just the DSiWare one that can be installed onto the 3DS nand since it had DSi software support. Dunno if 3DS roms will ever be on here. Maybe someday

Based on current emulation, homebrew scene and risk, I don't think it's too far...but still not close.

 

[CSmith327]

3DS VERSION ALSO AVAILABLE!? Well, technically this would be the debut of 3DS in the Repo.

Actually, it's just the DSiWare one that can be installed onto the 3DS nand since it had DSi software support. Dunno if 3DS roms will ever be on here. Maybe someday

 

[hana_rodriguez]

3DS VERSION ALSO AVAILABLE!? Well, technically this would be the debut of 3DS in the Repo.