Note (September 2026): This list originally called all seven programs working 3DS emulators. Only Citra (discontinued in March 2024) and RetroArch’s Citra core run 3DS games; NO$GBA, iDeaS, NeonDS and the Android NDS app emulate the original DS, and R4 3DS Emulator is not a 3DS emulator.
The main working Nintendo 3DS emulator for PC and Android is Azahar, the free, open-source successor to Citra, which stopped development in March 2024 after Nintendo’s settlement with the Yuzu team. Azahar runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android. NO$GBA, iDeaS, NeonDS and most “NDS” apps emulate only the original Nintendo DS.
Key Takeaways
- Citra, the best-known 3DS emulator, was discontinued on March 5, 2024, after a US$2.4 million settlement between the Yuzu team and Nintendo of America.
- Azahar continues Citra’s code as a community project, with stable release 2126.0 dated August 10, 2026, according to Wikipedia.
- NO$GBA, iDeaS, NeonDS and Fast DS Emulator are Nintendo DS emulators and cannot run 3DS games.
- “R4 3DS Emulator” is not a 3DS emulator; R4 cards are piracy cartridges Nintendo treats as illegal circumvention devices.
- Nintendo says uploading and downloading pirate copies of its games is illegal.
The Nintendo 3DS is a handheld game console made by Nintendo. Like one can understand from the name, it has been conceptualized by Nintendo and those who have used the products of this company will know that it can display stereoscopic 3D effects while not utilizing the 3D glasses or any extra accessories.
Nintendo officially announced the device on March 23, 2010, and fully revealed it at E3 on June 15, 2010. The console succeeds the Nintendo DS, that includes backward compatibility with older Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi video games. PlayStation Vita from Sony is believed to be its chief competitor.
With StreetPass and SpotPass, it offers some new features and specifications powered by Nintendo Network; augmented reality using its 3D cameras, and Virtual Console, which let players download and play games originally released on older game systems. I
t’s conjointly pre-loaded with varied applications such as an internet distribution store referred to as Nintendo eShop, a social networking service referred to as Miiverse, an online Browser; the Netflix, Hulu and YouTube streaming video services; Nintendo Video; an electronic messaging application referred to as Swapnote and Mii Maker. Several of these services have since closed: according to Wikipedia’s Nintendo 3DS article, the Nintendo eShop on 3DS closed on March 27, 2023, and Nintendo Network online services for the system ended on April 8, 2024.
All About Nintendo
The Nintendo 3DS launched in Japan on February 26, 2011, then in Europe on March 25, 2011 and North America on March 27, 2011. Within six months, amid disappointing launch sales, Nintendo announced on July 28, 2011 that the price would drop from US$249.99 to US$169.99. The cut took roughly one-third off the launch price.
Through the Ambassador Program, Nintendo gave 10 free Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) games and 10 free Game Boy Advance games from the Nintendo eShop to early buyers who had paid the original launch price.
This strategy brought a significant success, and also the console has gone on to become one in every of Nintendo’s successful sold-out consoles within the initial 2 years of its launch. As of September 30, 2022, the Nintendo 3DS family of systems had shipped 75.94 million units, and Nintendo discontinued production on September 16, 2020.
Nintendo started its experiments with stereoscopic 3D game technology within the Eighties. Nintendo’s initial product that enabled stereoscopic 3D effects was a big hit too. Only a few titles were released; one of them was Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally (1988), which Nintendo helped develop.
Despite the restricted success, Nintendo would press ahead with 3D development into the 1990s. Nintendo designer Gunpei Yokoi developed a new 3D device for the company known as the Virtual Boy, released in 1995.
And since then they have released various models.
7 Best Working Nintendo 3Ds Emulator for PC & Android
If you want to play Nintendo 3d games but you don’t have a Nintendo gaming console then here we are to help you out! Yes, you can play Nintendo 3d games without Nintendo gaming console on your PC and Android.
But finding a best 3D emulator for you can be a tough task because there are various emulators available in the market and choosing the most reliable one is a bit tough. Many programs shared as 3DS emulators are really Nintendo DS emulators or are not emulators at all, so each of the 7 entries below has been checked against its official or download page. Here is the original list of 7 Nintendo 3Ds Emulator for PC & Android.
Citra 3Ds Emulator
Whether you want to play on PC, Mac, Android or any other operating system. Citra was the best-known Nintendo 3DS emulator, but it is discontinued: on March 5, 2024, the Yuzu team dropped support for Citra after a US$2.4 million settlement with Nintendo of America. Its community-developed successor is Azahar, covered below, and the Citra website now shows the discontinuation notice. It is an open source Program. But you must have a 64-bit device to operate it easily. It also needs a minimum OpenGL 3.3 version or above.
NO$GBA
NO$GBA is a Windows emulator for the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and DSi. It does not emulate the Nintendo 3DS, so it cannot run 3DS games.
NO$GBA is free to download, and its author accepts optional donations. According to the official download page, version 3.06 was released on April 14, 2025. Downloads are offered for Windows and DOS.
iDeaS
iDeaS is a Windows emulator for the original Nintendo DS, not the 3DS. Emuparadise lists version 1.0.4.0 and notes that iDeaS is no longer under active development. The commercial games like Super Mario and Pokemon Diamond are Nintendo DS titles; Emuparadise says iDeaS can run various commercial games, but an unmaintained emulator should not be expected to run them flawlessly. It uses a plugin-based design. iDeas also support the dual screen processing.
iDeaS - NDS Emulator for Windows
NDS Emulator
The app behind this button is now listed on Google Play as Fast DS Emulator For Android. It emulates the original Nintendo DS, not the 3DS. When checked in September 2026 the listing was free to install, noted that it contains ads, and showed an update dated July 8, 2026.
The advanced features of NDS emulator make it best, it has features as you can easily access to all types of DS games, it also supports the maximum type of Android operating system, customized buttons and so on. It has various smart options as well such as quicksave, autosave, quick load etc.
NeonDS
NeonDS is a Nintendo DS emulator for Windows PCs; it does not run 3DS games. You can easily download and access it from their official website. Emulator Zone lists NeonDS version 0.9.1, dated February 10, 2021, and describes it as able to play some commercial DS games, not all of them.
RetroArch
RetroArch is a free frontend that runs emulator modules called cores, rather than a single emulator. For 3DS games, the libretro documentation lists a Citra core, and the Azahar project says its libretro core brings 3DS emulation to iOS and tvOS through RetroArch.
This is a free software that helps you in playing your favorite DS games and has some really advanced features that make it best. The features are smart yet user-friendly. Which games run depends on the core loaded; the libretro Citra core needs OpenGL 3.3 or higher and, per the libretro documentation, does not currently work on macOS.
R4 3DS Emulator
R4 3DS Emulator is not a Nintendo 3DS emulator. Its Free Download Manager listing describes it as a tool based on the NO$GBA DS emulator for testing how DS games work on an R4 3DS flash card, and the listing says it cannot confirm a free download is available. It does not run Nintendo 3DS titles. R4 cards are piracy cartridges, and Nintendo classifies piracy cartridges and game copiers as circumvention devices that are illegal to deal in or use. It also gives you an option to edit controls on the keyboard.
Mobile titles run the same way: playing Area F2 on a PC through an emulator covers that setup.
What Is the Best Nintendo 3DS Emulator Now?
Azahar is the actively developed Nintendo 3DS emulator that continues Citra. According to the Azahar project, it is “a free and open-source high level Nintendo 3DS emulator” for PC and mobile devices, with enhancements such as higher resolutions and modern controller support.
Azahar grew out of two community forks created after Citra’s shutdown: Lime3DS and a fork by former Citra developer PabloMK7. Wikipedia reports that Azahar launched on March 22, 2025, and that its stable release as of September 2026 is version 2126.0, dated August 10, 2026.
The project offers standalone builds for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, is listed on Flathub and Google Play, and provides libretro cores that extend support to iOS and tvOS through RetroArch.
Azahar System Requirements
The Azahar GitHub page lists these minimum requirements:
- Desktop CPU: x86-64 or ARM64 with a single-core Passmark score above 1,800; SSE4.2 is required on x86-64.
- Desktop graphics: OpenGL 4.3 or Vulkan 1.1 support.
- Android: Snapdragon 835 system-on-chip or better, with OpenGL ES 3.2 or Vulkan 1.1 support.
- Memory: 2 GB of RAM minimum, 4 GB recommended, on both desktop and Android.
Which Programs on This List Actually Run 3DS Games?
Only programs that emulate the Nintendo 3DS hardware can run 3DS games. The table below summarizes what each program on this page emulates, based on its official or download page as of September 2026.
| Program | System emulated | Platforms | Status (September 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azahar | Nintendo 3DS | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android (iOS and tvOS via RetroArch) | Active; release 2126.0, August 10, 2026 |
| Citra | Nintendo 3DS | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android | Discontinued March 5, 2024 |
| RetroArch (Citra core) | Nintendo 3DS via core | Windows, Linux (core not working on macOS per libretro docs) | Frontend; 3DS support depends on the core |
| NO$GBA | Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, DSi | Windows, DOS | Version 3.06, April 14, 2025 |
| iDeaS | Nintendo DS | Windows | No longer actively developed |
| NeonDS | Nintendo DS | Windows | Version 0.9.1, February 10, 2021 |
| Fast DS Emulator (listed above as NDS Emulator) | Nintendo DS | Android | Free with ads; updated July 8, 2026 |
| R4 3DS Emulator | Not a 3DS emulator (R4 flash card tester) | Windows | Download availability unconfirmed by its listing |
Is It Legal to Use a Nintendo 3DS Emulator?
Emulator software and game files are treated differently. Nintendo’s Intellectual Property and Piracy FAQ states that “the uploading and downloading of pirate copies of Nintendo games is illegal,” and it argues that unauthorized emulators encourage the use of pirate copies. The same FAQ says some unauthorized emulators circumvent the games’ security measures and are therefore unlawful.
Nintendo also classifies piracy cartridges and game copiers as circumvention devices and states that dealing in and using them is illegal. Laws differ by country, and this page is general information, not legal advice.
How to Avoid Fake or Unsafe Emulator Downloads
Search results for 3DS emulators often include renamed DS emulators, abandoned programs and download portals. A few checks reduce the risk:
- Confirm what the program emulates. A DS emulator cannot run 3DS games, whatever its download page claims.
- Download from the project’s own site or official store listing. Azahar, for example, is distributed through its own site, Flathub and Google Play.
- Check that the project is maintained. Citra is discontinued, and iDeaS is no longer developed.
- Scan unfamiliar installers. Even the Free Download Manager listing for R4 3DS Emulator advises checking the file with antivirus software.
- Avoid pirated game files. Nintendo states that uploading and downloading pirate copies of its games is illegal.
For wider protection on phones, see this overview of the rise of smartphone malware.
Nintendo DS Emulators Versus 3DS Emulators
The Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS are different systems, so they need different emulators. The 3DS is backward compatible with older DS and DSi games, which is why many lists mix the two, but a DS emulator cannot run 3DS software.
For original DS games, melonDS is a maintained option: its official site describes “fast and accurate Nintendo DS emulation,” with a JIT recompiler, an OpenGL renderer with 3D upscaling, savestates and joystick support, and work-in-progress DSi support. NO$GBA also covers the DS, DSi and Game Boy Advance on Windows.
For other older consoles, this guide on how to play retro console games on any device covers the wider emulation landscape, and a guide to buying a pre-built gaming PC helps if a desktop needs an upgrade to meet Azahar’s requirements.
Can You Still Buy 3DS Games Officially?
Official digital purchases are no longer possible on the 3DS itself: the Nintendo eShop on 3DS closed on March 27, 2023, and Nintendo discontinued 3DS production on September 16, 2020. Physical cartridges and second-hand consoles are still sold by resellers, and prices vary by condition and region.
Readers who want to run Android apps rather than Nintendo games on a PC can compare the best Android emulators for Windows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Citra still available?
Citra is no longer developed. The Yuzu team dropped support for Citra on March 5, 2024, after a US$2.4 million settlement with Nintendo of America, and the Citra website now shows a discontinuation notice. Azahar is its community-developed successor.
Can I play 3DS games on Android?
Yes, with a 3DS emulator such as Azahar, which is listed on Google Play. Azahar’s minimum Android requirements are a Snapdragon 835 or better, OpenGL ES 3.2 or Vulkan 1.1 support, and 2 GB of RAM (4 GB recommended).
Can NO$GBA play 3DS games?
No. NO$GBA emulates the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and DSi. Its official page offers only a separate stereo 3D card viewer for the 3DS, not 3DS emulation.
Is R4 3DS Emulator a real 3DS emulator?
No. Its Free Download Manager listing describes it as a tool based on the NO$GBA DS emulator for testing how DS games run on an R4 3DS flash card, and R4-style cartridges are piracy devices under Nintendo’s policy.
Is downloading 3DS ROMs legal?
Nintendo states that uploading and downloading pirate copies of its games is illegal. Laws vary by country, so check local copyright law for specific situations.
How many Nintendo 3DS consoles were sold?
The Nintendo 3DS family shipped 75.94 million units as of September 30, 2022.
