If you have a Nintendo 3DS gaming console, you already know how amazing it is to see things in 3D.
But what about playing 3DS games on your Windows 10/11 PC?
This is where you need 3DS emulators for your Windows 11/10 PC or laptop. A few 3DS emulators available on the market will allow you to play your favorite 3DS games on a PC without any problems. We have tested all available 3DS emulators and ranked them according to our test results.
This article will sum up all the best available 3DS emulators for Windows 10 PC that you can download from online sources. Of course, I will also provide you with free direct download links. Best 3DS Emulators For Windows 10/7
1. RetroArch
RetroArch 3DS Emulator Review
First, this isn’t a standalone emulator you may want. I learned this the hard way. It is a front end for multiple emulators. Yes, you can install RetroArch and then install one emulator core after another. It supports many emulators.
Essentially, it eliminates the need to install different emulators for different games. For instance, you may want to play GBA games and switch to Nintendo 3DS games. What will you do? Technically, you will close the Emulator for GBA games and fire up another emulator for Nintendo games.
Now, you can simply avoid that. Download and install RetroArch. Install as many emulators as you want (albeit the ones supported by RetroArch), and then load your gaming ROMs.
All you need to do is switch between different emulators to play your chosen games. How cool is that?Emulatorlator made me fall in loveEmulatortroArch.
So, what are the strengths and weaknesses of RetroArch? Here is what I found during my stint with this emulator frontend:
Pros of RetroArch
- To begin with, it is free.
- It is truly multi-platform. You can come across many cross-platform emulators, but finding one like RetroArch is impossible. You can install it on Windows laptop or PC; you can use it on Mac or Linux, you can use it on Raspberry Pi, Apple TV, and a wide range of gaming consoles.
- This particular emulator frontend has support even for Windows 95 users! Can you imagine that?
- It is available even for iPad, iPhone, and Android devices!
- It comes with excellent installation and compilation tutorials. That’s something hard to find these days. Usually, emulator developers assume you already know everything and provide little to no instructions. RetroArch aces in this field.
- It has an amazing set of features that allows you to customize your gameplay the way you want.
- It has support for a wide range of gaming titles.
- It even supports joysticks, which is great! However, I sometimes prefer to use a keyboard because I am too lazy to connect a joystick to my Windows PC.
- It is under constant development , with new nightly builds available if you want to try them.
Cons of RetroArch
- An open community drives the development of RetroArch. This means that it will have some bugs here and there. This is evident from the fact that the latest version crashes often. You can solve this problem by switching to an older version.
- There are way too many options. This can be overwhelming (it was for me) to figure out what to do with so many options.
- Setting up this thing was a time-consuming affair for me. I didn’t like that. But, once done, it was great!
- If you intend to play GameCube or PlayStation 2, you may experience some instability. Therefore, I suggest that you get separate emulators for each.
System Requirements for RetroArch
Look, I will be honest. I have this thing up and running on a single PC with the following specs:
- Operating System – Windows 10 (64-bit).
- Intel Core i5 processor with 4 cores.
- 2GB AMD Radeon R7 240 graphics.
- DirectX 11.
- 16 GB RAM.
This one is a moderately powerful PC that I use daily until I need some heavy video editing when I switch to a PC powered by AMD Ryzen 9 CPU.
This PC worked just fine, and I did not experience any lag or other problems. RetroArch is designed to work with various devices with various hardware configurations.
The developers did not provide clear specifications about the minimum hardware or system requirements. Therefore, you should try installing it on your computer to see whether it works. If your system has a similar configuration, it will run without a glitch.
| Name | RetroArch |
| Price | Free |
| Platforms | Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8 |
2. Citra
Citra 3ds Emulator Review
If you don’t want to go for RetroArch, I will tell you that you go for the Citra emulator. It is an obvious choice for many thousands of gamers worldwide, and there are excellent reasons for the same.
I decided to try it to find out whether it was an overhyped emulator, but I was in for a decent surprise. It is indeed one of the finest 3DS emulators for Windows 10 PC. Smooth gameplay, great resolution, and amazing features – Citra is one of those emulators on the market that has carved a niche for itself.
So, why on earth am I singing such praises for Citra? Here is what you need to know:
Pros of Citra Emulator
- It has a simple installation.
- It supports almost every Nintendo 3DS game.
- If you want to play the games in high resolution, that is also possible. It allows a whopping 10x interior resolution!
- The best part is that this EmEmulatorill allow you to adjust the graphic resolution to 4K if your device supports it.
- It is free and open-source and keeps getting updated regularly.
- The interface is straightforward and clean.
- It is capable of emulating 3DS local Wi-Fi. What does this mean? Yes, multiplayer!
- The GUI will allow you to tweak the controls as per your needs.
- It is a cross-platform emulator, which means that you can easily use it on Mac Emulators.
- Itororor has support for Emulators if you want to use it.
- It allowed me to use cheat codes, which is great!
- It also supports split-screen gaming.
Cons of Citra Emulator
- If you have a 32-bit Windows computer, you cannot use it. It only supports 64-bit.
- I did not face it, but some users have reported that Citra can lag and be a bit slow.
System Requirements for Citra Emulator
- You need a 64-bit operating system. It is not that difficult to get.
- The problem is with the graphics chip. Your system needs a graphics chip with OpenGL 3.3 (or higher) support. If you don’t have a graphics card or if your graphics card does not have OpenGL support, you can achieve that using software implementation such as Mesa. In case you are wondering whether my graphics card works, well, it does! It has support for OpenGL 4.3.
- If you want Citra to function at full speed, you should use a CPU with at least 4 cores. A Core i5 will work just fine. You should also have at least 8 GB RAM.
| Emulator Name | Citra |
| Price | Free |
| Platforms | Windows, Mac, and Linux |
3. iDEAS Emulator
iDEAS Emulator Review
I should not say this, but wait a year or so before trying out the iDEAS emulator. It is not a terrible emulator, but it has yet to become more refined than RetroArch and Citra.
It is constantly being developed, and with every new release, the developers add new features. However, a quick hands-on experience with iDEAS left me wishing for more.
There is a lot to work on, such as major bug fixes and improved graphics, but if you can live with those things, iDEAS is one of the best 3DS emulators for Windows 10 laptops odesktopspsp.
Here is what I found while using iDEAS:
Pros of iDEAS
- It is a free emulator. You need not pay anything.
- It has multi-screen processing that will allow you to use the EmEmulatorn multiple screens.
- Most of the games will place nicely without a glitch.
- You can easily customize the settings.
- The interface is smooth and clean.
Cons of iDEAS
- Several graphics glitches occur during gameplay, indicating that this particular emEmulatoreeds a lot of work.
- There is no official website for this EmEmulatorYou can get it from various forums. I usually love to see dedicated websites that are a sign of trust.
- ItEmulatormulatorororndows only. This Emulatorat you are out of luck if you are a Linux or a Mac user.
- I couldn’t find any system specifications anywhere on the web.
System Requirements for iDEAS EmEmulator
I wanted to give it a try, and even though there are no sourcesEmulatormulatorororystem requirementEmulatortallEmulatormulatorororr with the followEmulatorifications, it worked:
- Windows 10, 64-bit.
- Intel Core i5 processor.
- AMD Radeon R7 240 graphics with 2 GB memory and support for DirectX 11.2 and OpenGL 3.3.
- 16 GB RAM.
I knew it would work since Citra and RetroArch worked. There is no way iDEAS will be more of a resourcEmulatormulatororor RetroArch because it is designed to play 3DS games. You can try out a similar or scaled-down specification with an i3 processor, 1GB VRAM, 8GB RAM, and OpenGL 3.3 support. I believe it should work.
| Emulator Name | iDEAS |
| Price | Free |
| Platforms | Windows |
4. No$GBA
Hold on before you start a full-scale rebellion! I know that a part of the name says GBA.
No$GBA was initially meant for Game Boy Advance, but the developers also made it solid enough to support Nintendo DS games. This one supports 3DS games, and trust me, this.Emulator handles 3DS games like a pro.
Pros of No$GBA
- It does not support all 3DS games, but it does support many. The primary reason is that it was designed with the GBA in mind.
- It has a multiplayer feature available.
- It has support for external game controllers.
- It allows mapping the keyboard according to your needs.
- The EmEmulators activelydevelopedg, and the current version is very stable.
- It will allow you even to use cheat codes (sometimes, using cheat codes is fun).
- It is free.
Cons ofEmulatormulator
- IEmulatoror has supEmulator Mac or Linux desktops.
- Not all 3DS games are supported. You need to check the compatibility list before you use this.
System Requirements for No$GBA Emulator
This is where it gets all dicey. Honestly, what makes me mad is the emulator developers’ inaEmulatoro give Emulatorororications Emulator system requirements. I will also say that I do appreciate their efforts in creating emulators for users like us.
Nonetheless, I will give you two sets of specifications. One is what I recommend as the minimum you should have, and the other is what I used, which worked.
| What I recommend as a minimum | What I used and it worked |
| Windows XP | Windows 10 |
| 1 GB RAM, 1 GB VRAM (Support for OpenGL 3.3 minimum) | 16 GB RAM and 2 GB VRAM (has support for OpenGL 4.3) |
| Dual-core processor | Core i5 processor |
You can use anything in between or more than what I used. Do let me know what works for you.
| Emulator Name | No$GBA |
| Price | Free |
| Platforms | Windows |
5. Project64 Emulator
If you are looking for specialized 3DS Emulators for Windows 10 PC, you can always try the Project64 emulator. This thing was nowhere, and then suddenly, it was everywhere. Yes, it popped out of thin air and started making some news about gaming enthusiasts. So, I took this little thing for a ride, and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised by its simplicity and smoothness.
Pros of Project64
- It is a powerful emulator that can run almost all 3DS ROMs.
- It even supports Zip files and can decompress those zipped files.
- It provides excellent graphics and pretty good audio quality.
- You can also use a joystick with this EmEmulatorf you want to.
- It gets frequent updates, and it keeps getting better with every update.
- It is free.
- You can save your gameplay and load saved games.
Cor’s ProEmulator’s’s‘s
- The sounEmulator’s, but it could have been better.
- Some games simply refuse to load. So, I guess the developers have a lot to work on.
- One of the versions of this EmEmulatorupposedly had malware bundled with it. Be careful about that. EEmulator you sEmulatororowEmulatorithEmulatored Antivirus program.
System Requirements for Project64
I don’t want to repeat my system specs repeatedly, but it worked. However, a quick search on the internet (Reddit) revealed that it could work with a system having the following specifications:
- CPU – AMD Athlon 800Mhz oEEmulator III 7EmulatororimEm).
- RAM – Emulatorinimum).
- Early models of ATI Radeon, Nvidia GeForce 256.
Theoretically, those minimum specs should work because they are for N64 emulation. If your system has more horsepower than that, it is great!
| Emulator Name | Project64 |
| Price | Free |
| Platforms | Windows |
6. DuoS Emulator
If you are looking for a simple, no-fuss 3DS emulator for Windows 10 PC, the DuoS emulator perfectly fits the bill. As I said, it is a no-fuss emulator, so do not expect big things when using it on your laptop or desktop. Keep your expectations lowjust likey I did, and you will be surprised how smooth this is.
Pros of DuoS Emulator
- A very simple and basic free-to-use emulator.
- Handles a wide range of 3DS games with ease.
- Straightforward interface.
Cons of DuoS Emulator
- It has not been updated since 2012, and I don’t know whether it is still under development. So, if you are running into trouble, you might have to seek help from various online forums.
- No advanced features are available like quick save or load.
- It does not support cheat codes.
- It has no support for multiplayer.
System Requirements for DuoS Emulator
Do I need to repeat it? Okay, I will! You will need a system that can emulate N64. The basic requirements for N64 emulation are:
- CPU – Pentium III clocked at 700 Mhz. You can also use AMD Athlon clocked at 800 Mhz.
- Keep at least 128GB RAM.
- Throw in an Nvidia GeForce 256 graphics card or ATI Radeon that you purchased anytime in the last 10 years.
That is all you will need, but I recommend using a more powerful system with at least a 2-core CPU with 1GB RAM and 1GB VRAM. This will ensure that you have a smooth experience.
| Emulator Name | DuoS |
| Price | Free |
| Platforms | Windows |
NeonDS Emulator
This is the last one on my list. NeonDS, too, has not been updated for a long time. It was released in 2008, and there has been no new version ever since then. However, it does work according to many users. I have never tried this one myself because of a simple reason. It supports a 32-bit Windows system, and all my computers are 64-bit.
Pros of NeonDS
Remember that I never used it, and the list of pros and cons comes from users who used this Emulator.
- It has support for almost all 3DS games.
- You can play commercial games on this EmEmulator.
- The interface is simple and user-friendly.
- It has a very efficient 3-dimensional display engine that allows crisp graphics.
- It allows keyboard customizations.
- It can play 3DS games at an impressive 50-60 EEmulatorr secoEmulatororitEmulatorualEmulatorocessor.
Cons of NeonDS
- There are no versioEEmulatorc or LEmulatoror.
- Emulator emulator for bugs because it is no longer actively developed.
System Specifications for NeonDS Emulator
I have pulled these system requirements from the GitHub page, which was last updated in 2017. Thus, you can expect that they are pretty accurate.
- Operating System – Windows XP, Vista, 7
- Needs OpenGL 2.0.
- RAM – Between 512 MB and 1 GB.
- VRAM – 128 MB.
- CPU – Pentium 4 processor.
| Emulator Name | NeonDS |
| Price | Free |
| Platforms | Windows |
Conclusion and Commentary
Have you used any of the emulators I mentioned here? Please share your experience and system specifications in the comments section. I hope this information helps others understand.
Coming to my final verdict, my vote goes to RetroArch and Citra. They are in active development and are highly polished emulators capable of playing almost every Nintendo 3DS game you throw at them.
Even better, they don’t have very high system requirements. Even moderately powerful computers of today can handle these emulators and gameplay. They even keep receiving new optimizations and bug fixes.
I highly recommend that you go for RetroArch or Citra, but who am I to give you suggestions? Take a decision and make your call. Choose whichever suits you the best!
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