The 3DS is one of the most popular consoles of all time that a new generation of fans has completely missed out on it. Many amazing games came out on the system, but can the Nintendo Switch play 3DS games?
Can 3DS Games Be Played on Nintendo Switch?
The Switch is sadly not backwards compatible with 3DS games. The decision is strange considering it’s Nintendo’s best selling console ever.
Here’s the official statement by Nintendo regarding backwards compatibility of the Switch with older systems.
In my humble opinion, the 3DS is the greatest Nintendo console of all time. Not only did it have one of the best gaming libraries out there, but it was also backwards compatible with its predecessor, the Nintendo DS.
Although the Wii U has been lucky and some games like Xenoblade Chronicles have been ported over, Nintendo has not been so kind with the 3DS. Not even the newer OLED Switch model can play older games.
There is a way for you to install custom firmware on your Nintendo Switch and emulate DS and 3DS games. Though we highly recommend you stay away from that. It can only be done on certain Switch consoles, and it’s very risky, as it could get you banned or even brick your console.
How To Play Nintendo 3DS Games on PC/Mobile
If you want to experience the extensive library of the 3DS yourself, there are some ways you can do that. Emulation is one of the biggest and most important pieces of game preservation. Through emulators, you can play games that you might not be able to play otherwise.
The Best 3DS emulator on the market at the moment is Citra. A powerful emulator that is actively worked on, Citra can even be played on Android. It has come a long way since the early days and is now capable of playing almost the entire 3DS (and DS) library at an excellent frame rate.
If you want to play 3DS games on your PC, here’s what you need to do:
- Download the Citra emulator and install it
- Open up the Emulator (Make sure you open the Citra Nightly.exe file)
- Hover over “Emulation” and click on “Configure”
- Set up your controls
- Then click on “File” – “Install CIA” and input any roms of games you want to play (Make sure the files are .cia)
- Once they are installed, double-click on any game icon to start it
Here’s how to play 3DS games on Android devices:
- Go to Google Play and download the Citra app
- Make sure you also transfer or download your roms to your phone
- Very Important – for Android, you will need to download .3ds decrypted Roms
- Once the Citra emulator is installed, open the app and allow permissions for the app to view and change your files
- Select the folder where you put all your roms and open any rom that you want to play
In the end, the 3DS has some of the most iconic games, and it’s great that we can still play them today when the console has been discontinued.
Even though you can’t play 3DS games on your Switch, it doesn’t mean you should give up on playing them at all. You can experience this amazing console on your PC in a matter of minutes. And, if you want to take it on the go, you can surely do that with an Android phone.
Looking to play some classic Nintendo games on the go? If emulation is not your cup of tea, here’s what you can get from the Nintendo Switch Online expansion pack.
