Changes

Because of the homebrewing scene the 3DS has had, you can install a variety of emulators. Currently, the New 3DS is capable of running much faster than the older models, making it a much more ideal platform for emulation, but despite this there are still some emulators that have issues regardless. For more information on how to homebrew your 3DS, visit [https://3ds.hacks.guide/ 3ds.hacks.guide]. Alternatively, most of these can be found on [https://tinydb.eiphax.tech/ TinyDB] instead.

There are [https://gbatemp.net/threads/retroarch-emulation-thread-nightly-builds-included.400913/ preliminary 3DS ports] of the following cores: [http://buildbot.libretro.com/stable/ stable 3DS ports]

* PCSX-ReARMed - the latest nightly build has made some improvements, making it possible to have 60 fps emulation on some games (dynarec only works by installing the CIAmainly 2D based games, many but is possible for 3D games if you tweak some of the settings) and even added support for .CHD compression formats. These improvements are too slow even on mainly for the New 3DS)as the original model is not powerful enough.

===[[Unofficial Builds]]===

===Nintendo 64===* [https://gbatemp.net/threads/release-daedalusx64-n64-emulator.562195/ DaedalusX64] - N64 has always been known to be a hard system to emulate, which is why many were skeptic about how feasible it would be to have an emulator for the system on the 3DS. While still in its beta stage, it has shown a lot of improvements thanks to using a dynamic recompiler with some games running at a playable state. It also support using stereoscopic 3D (at the cost of slower performance) which isn't a feature a lot of emulators have. * [https://github.com/masterfeizz/daedalusx64-3DS/releases daedalusx64 3DS github] ===Genesis/32X/Sega CD===* [https://gbatemp.net/threads/release-picodrive-for-3ds.493521/ PicoDrive for 3DS] - 32X and Sega CD are playable on the original 3DS, but works better on New 3DS. Sega CD requires BIOS in order to play, they must be named:"bios_CD_U.bin", "bios_CD_J.bin", and "bios_CD_E.bin" based on the respective regions. BIOS need to be in the <code>/3ds/picodrive_3ds/bios</code> folder. ===PC Engine===* [https://gbatemp.net/threads/release-temperpce-for-3ds.474737/ TemperPCE for 3DS]

* [https://github.com/Steveice10/GameYob/releases/latest GameYob]: GBforked from a popular emulator used on the DS. Emulates the Game Boy and Game Boy Color. The original DS version is actually more polished than the 3DS port, so some of the more hardware pushing games won't work as well as the DS port.===Virtual Boy===* [https:/GBC emulation/github.com/mrdanielps/r3Ddragon r3Ddragon] - It's kind of surprising that Nintendo never released a Virtual Console for the Virtual Boy on the 3DS, especially given how small the library of games were for the system and how both utilizes 3D effects <strike>and causes eyestrain</strike>. What makes this emulator stand out is the fact that it's able to display the graphics in 3D the way it was intended, something that is almost impossible to do on other platforms, unfortunately compatibility still low and requires a New 3DS to run. Development has since halted.

The 3DS does include native firmware for a GBA mode which was mainly used to run ambassador releases instead of having to develop an emulator for them. So far, the only way to access this firmware is by injecting a GBA ROM as a VC application. This can be achieved through various programs such as [https://gbatemp.net/threads/releasediscussion-ultimatenew-gbasuper-vcultimate-injector-for-3dsnsui.438057500376/ this oneNew Super Ultimate Injector]. Compatibility is high with the exception of cartridges with special hardware. The only downside is it can't provide features that are normally available on other emulators, such as savestates or , screen filtering, and or sleep mode, since technically it's running a "virtual" GBA. Also, each ROM must inject and install each ROM individually. Also, save files will have to be injected/backed-up individual via including the [https://3ds.hacks.guide/godmode9-usage.html#backup-gba-vc-saves GodMode9save files]. If you're using an old 3DS/2DS, this is the best option to play GBA games.

* [https://github.com/mgba-emu/mgba/releases mGBA] [https://s3.amazonaws.com/mgba/mGBA-build-latest-3ds.7z (Latest Nightly)] - A port of the popular GBA emulator by the same developer, only a handful of GBA games suffer from slowdowns but are still playable. Also works great for GB(C) games and even support the Gameboy Camera.* [https://github.com/Gericom/GBARunner2 GBARunner2] - a GBA hypervisor made for the DS(i), can also only be used run through TWiLight Menu and is included by default with the program (see below). Compatiblity can be a hit-or-miss, but is still in active development with plans to play GB/GBC)include interesting features such as gyro control emulation and local wireless multiplayer in the future.

There was a WIP [https://github.com/masterfeizz/DeSmuME/releases DeSmuME] - an experimental port of DeSmuME being developthat has since been abandoned, but it wasn't very compatible and has since been abandoned due to it not being necessary as the 3DS already provides firmware to play DS/DSi natively.

Instead of trying to emulate, you can instead use the firmware directly by using [https://github.com/DS-Homebrew/TWiLightMenu/releases TWiLight Menu++] which allows you to play games off of your SD card- Not technically an "emulator", rather it's a frontend for a flash cartseparate program, or the cartridge itself. It function off the same idea as [httphttps://emulation.gametechwikigithub.com/index.phpahezard/Emulators_on_Wii#Nintendo_GameCube Nintendon'tnds-bootstrap nds-bootstrap] did , which allows for an NDS ROM to be loaded from an SD card. The program is originally designed for the Wii; rather than emulate the hardwareDSi, however it hypothetically 's able to work on the 3DS by utilizing the virtual DSi (aka the TWL_FIRM or "bridgesDS Mode" to ) that the already existing 3DS has for backwards-compatibility . Compatibility isn't the system offers (in this casesame as using a flashcart, the DSihowever it's firmware). Compatibility is still pretty high with only a few games having small loading lags, <i>(i.e. GTA: Chinatown wars)</i>, issues or triggering anti-piracy protections(newer versions now come with AP patches for most games and will patch them if needed at launch). It also comes pre-bundled with a variety of emulators used on the DS and a work-in-progress GBA hypervisor, [https://github.com/Gericom/GBARunner2 GBARunner2], that works to some degree.

Because the firmware that the 3DS uses for backwards-compatibility is actually the same as the DSi, it's possible to inject DSiWare as an installable CIA <code>.cia</code> file. There's two ways to do this:*[https://gbatemp.net/threads/scripts-dsiware-conversion-easily-convert-to-nds-and-cia-files.478575/ DSiWare Conversion Script] - This script can be used to convert <code>.bin </code> files from your DSi's SD card to <code>.NDS nds</code> which can then be used to convert into <code>.CIAcia</code>.*[https://github.com/d0k3/GodMode9/releases GodMode9] - Version 1.8.0 added in a script that can convert <code>.NDS nds</code> to <code>.CIAcia</code>, [https://3ds.hacks.guide/godmode9-usage 3ds.hacks.guide] has more information on how to update to the latest version if needed.

Some have tried injecting alternate ROMs in the available Virtual Console releases (MD, GG, NES, GBA Ambassador, GBC, Japanese emulated SFC compilations) with varying degrees of success. VC The emulators used for Virtual Console are not as accurate as other emulators so compatibility isn't perfect (the only exception is GBA since it's runs it natively, not emulation), Sega systems, in particular, have high compatibilityhowever.<br> There's an easy tool that will convert and inject any supported ROM file as it's its associated VC application called [https://gbatemp.net/threads/discussion-new-super-ultimate-injector-nsui.500376/ New Super Ultimate Injector]. It's an all in one tool and can even remotely install the injection provided your 3DS is connected to the same network. It's currently in beta, but it's still really useful.