Do you need a 3DS for Citra?

To answer the question directly, you don’t necessarily need to own a 3DS yourself to use Citra, as you can buy game cartridges and dump them with a friend’s console, but copying a friend’s game dump is considered illegal. The Citra Emulator allows users to play 3DS games on various devices, including Android phones and PCs, with certain system requirements, such as a 64-bit processor and a reasonably powerful GPU.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

1. What devices can run Citra?: The Citra Emulator can run on Android devices with Android 7.0 or higher, and a Snapdragon 750 processor or better, as well as on PCs with a 64-bit processor and a compatible GPU.
2. Can you play 3DS games without a 3DS?: Yes, Nintendo made 3DS games compatible with other Nintendo consoles, including Nintendo 3DS XL, 2DS, and 2DS XL, and you can also stream 3DS games over Wi-Fi using the UWP Streamer app on an Xbox One.
3. Is Citra a DS or 3DS emulator?: Citra is an open-source emulator specifically designed for the Nintendo 3DS, capable of playing many 3DS games.

Compatibility and Requirements

4. Does Citra work for regular DS games?: No, Citra does not emulate original DS games, and you’ll need to use DesMuMe or MelonDS for that.
5. Can Dolphin run DS games?: No, Dolphin is a GameCube and Wii emulator and does not support DS games.
6. Do DS games work on 3DS emulator?: Yes, most Nintendo DS games can be played on a Nintendo 3DS, with some exceptions, such as games that use the GBA Slot.

Safety and Legality

7. Is Citra safe for PC?: Yes, as long as you’ve downloaded the Citra installer from the official website, there is no risk of malware.
8. Is it legal to use an emulator?: While emulators themselves are free and legal, ROMs are not, and downloading them without proper authorization is against the law.
9. Are Nintendo DS with emulators illegal?: Not all emulators are illegal, as Nintendo owns and sells Virtual Console titles that run in an emulator, but uploading and downloading ROMs without authorization is illegal.

Additional Information

10. Which emulator runs 3DS games?: RetroArch is a popular all-in-one emulator that can run 3DS games, among others, on various platforms.
11. Can a Nintendo Switch use 3DS games?: No, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U games are not compatible with the Nintendo Switch.
12. Can you no longer buy games on 3DS?: As of March 27th, 2023, it is no longer possible to purchase games digitally from the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS.
13. Can I still download 3DS games I own?: Yes, you can still redownload games and DLC that were previously purchased.
14. Can my phone emulate 3DS?: Yes, Citra is available on Android and can emulate 3DS games on compatible devices.
15. Does Citra cost money?: No, Citra is free and open-source, and the development team does not make any money from their work, relying on donations to cover expenses.