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The original April 2024 report was accurate: Delta creator Riley Testut was working on native iPad support and Pokémon-related trading functionality. But the situation has changed. Native iPad support arrived in Delta 1.6.1 on July 23, 2024, while Pokémon trading is not one universal feature available across every Nintendo system.
Delta’s current App Store description documents online functionality for compatible Nintendo DS games through community Nintendo WFC servers or custom DNS. That does not, by itself, confirm Game Boy link trading, Game Boy Advance cable trading, transfers to Pokémon HOME, or compatibility with every Nintendo DS Pokémon title.
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What Riley Testut announced in 2024
In April 2024, coverage reported that Testut was working on several Delta improvements, including a redesigned home screen, native iPad support, possible resolution scaling for Nintendo DS and Nintendo 64 games, and trading or multiplayer functionality.
These were development plans rather than a guaranteed release schedule. The proposal was also technically complicated. Apple’s lack of just-in-time compilation access for App Store applications limits emulator performance and affects how demanding systems such as Nintendo DS and N64 can be implemented.
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The Pokémon-trading discussion was especially easy to overstate. “Trading” could refer to very different technologies: Game Boy link cables, Game Boy Advance link communication, Nintendo DS online services, local wireless communication, or transfers between save files. The 2024 report did not establish that all of those systems would be supported.
See the contemporary reports from MobileSyrup and 9to5Mac for the original context.
Native iPad support shipped in Delta 1.6.1
Delta stopped being merely an iPhone app running in an iPad-sized window when version 1.6.1 arrived on July 23, 2024. According to the App Store release notes, the update added:
- Full-screen gameplay on iPad
- Controller skins designed specifically for iPad
- Support for multiple windows through Stage Manager and Split View
- An option to pause automatically when switching windows
- Handoff between iPhone and iPad
- Apple Silicon Mac support through the Mac App Store
- Improvements to Delta’s melonDS Nintendo DS core
- Optional Nintendo DS BIOS files
- GBA cartridge insertion into compatible Nintendo DS games
The same release also included a fix affecting Pokémon Black, Pokémon White, Pokémon Black 2, and Pokémon White 2 when the C-Gear was enabled. Delta 1.6.2, released on July 31, 2024, subsequently added the ability to use iPhone controller skins on iPad.
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Stage Manager, Split View, and Handoff improve the experience of moving between Apple devices, but they should not be confused with two Delta instances automatically connecting for a trade. Handoff and save synchronization are not the same as simultaneous multiplayer communication.
What Delta currently documents about online play
Delta’s current App Store listing advertises online play for compatible Nintendo DS games. It describes connections through community Nintendo WFC servers, including a default server option or a custom DNS configuration.
Delta uses the melonDS core for Nintendo DS emulation. In practical terms, DS online functionality depends on several variables:
- The particular game and whether its online features are compatible
- The community WFC server being used
- Current DNS and server availability
- The game’s region and revision
- Both players using compatible versions and configurations
- The reliability of Delta’s melonDS implementation
A connection that works for one DS game is not proof that every Pokémon title will support trading, battling, or other online functions. Community-hosted infrastructure can also change or become unavailable.
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What this means for Pokémon trading
| Pokémon category | Current, careful interpretation |
|---|---|
| Game Boy and Game Boy Color | Do not assume that traditional link-cable trading is generally available in Delta simply because those systems can be emulated. |
| Game Boy Advance | Trading in Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, or LeafGreen requires a different link-communication implementation. It should be treated as unconfirmed unless a current first-party Delta release explicitly documents it. |
| Nintendo DS | Delta documents online functionality for compatible DS games, creating a possible route for online features in DS Pokémon titles. Compatibility still varies by game, server, revision, and configuration. |
| Pokémon HOME and official services | There is no basis for describing Delta as an official bridge to Pokémon HOME, Pokémon Bank, Nintendo Switch games, or other modern Pokémon services. |
These categories must remain separate. DS online play is not the same as GBA cable trading. Local link communication is not the same as internet multiplayer. Save editing is not trading, and none of these methods is an official Pokémon HOME transfer workflow.
Protect your Pokémon saves before experimenting
Trading and online features should be attempted with the game’s normal save file, not solely with an emulator save state.
- Save inside Pokémon using the game’s own save menu.
- Back up the relevant save file separately before changing emulator settings or updating Delta.
- Do not assume that a save state can be moved between devices or Delta versions safely.
- Check the server and DNS requirements for the specific DS service you are using.
- Make sure both players use compatible game revisions and emulator configurations.
Delta’s 1.6.1 release notes specifically warned that existing Nintendo DS save states were incompatible after the update and advised users to save normally first. That warning is particularly important for a Pokémon file containing valuable progress.
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Delta is a strong fit for Apple users who want NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS emulation in a native iPad interface. The app supports external PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and MFi controllers, although a physical controller is optional.
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Touch controls can work well for turn-based Pokémon games. A physical controller is usually more comfortable for long sessions, but it does not fully replace the touchscreen and dual-screen workflow of Nintendo DS games. Stage Manager and Split View are multitasking features, not a guarantee that two running Delta instances can communicate.
Delta is listed as free with in-app purchases in the U.S. App Store. Users installing through the AltStore route should read the project README, which describes refresh requirements for that distribution method. Delta does not provide game files, and users must obtain and use game software lawfully.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is Pokémon trading still the developer’s next priority?
Not according to the latest roadmap update included in the available first-party material. In a March 26, 2025 post, Testut said development priorities had shifted after the App Store launch toward iPad support and DS online multiplayer, while Sega support had become the next priority.
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Delta is an emulator, not a Nintendo product or a distributor of Pokémon games. The project’s README states that Pokémon and Mario are Nintendo properties unaffiliated with Delta or AltStore.
The practical verdict
Native iPad support is no longer upcoming; it shipped with Delta 1.6.1 in July 2024 and includes full-screen play, iPad-specific controls, multitasking support, and Handoff. Delta also documents online functionality for compatible Nintendo DS games.
Pokémon trading, however, depends on the generation, connection method, game revision, server, and emulator support. Readers should not interpret the original 2024 announcement as confirmation of universal Game Boy, GBA, DS, or Pokémon HOME trading.
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