Can you play 3DS games on Citra?

You can play 3DS games on Citra, a free and open-source emulator of the handheld Nintendo 3DS for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, but it requires that you dump your games, game updates, DLC, and other 3DS system files from a hacked 3DS, which is the only legal way to obtain these files for use in Citra. Citra supports many 3DS games, including big franchises such as Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, and Animal Crossing, but it’s not compatible with all 3DS games and requires a powerful PC to play games smoothly.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

1. Can you play non-3DS games on Citra?: No, Citra does not have the capability of launching NDS titles as the 3DS uses separate hardware for that, and it would require a new emulator to support this.
2. Is Citra the only 3DS emulator?: No, but it’s the only one worth using for PC as other 3DS emulators are not fully operational or have many compatibility issues.
3. Is Citra for DS or 3DS?: Citra is an emulator for the Nintendo 3DS, not the DS.

Compatibility and Requirements

4. Does Pokémon work on Citra?: Yes, Pokémon Sun and Moon work excellently in Citra, but other Pokémon games may have varying degrees of compatibility.
5. Can 3DS emulator run DS games?: Yes, you will be able to play most Nintendo DS games on your Nintendo 3DS, but exceptions include games that use the GBA Slot.
6. Can you play 3DS games on anything else?: Yes, 3DS games are compatible with other Nintendo consoles, including Nintendo 3DS XL, 2DS, and the 2DS XL, and can also be streamed on Xbox One using the UWP Streamer app.

Emulator Details

7. Is Citra still being worked on?: Yes, Citra is still being updated, and new builds can be downloaded from the Nightly repository.
8. Is Citra safe for PC?: Yes, Citra is safe to use on PC as long as you download the installer from the official website.
9. Can Citra run Minecraft?: Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition crashes frequently in Citra because it’s a New Nintendo 3DS only game.

Legality and Piracy

10. Is it legal to use an emulator?: Emulators themselves are free and legal, but ROMs are not, and obtaining them through any means other than dumping them from your own games is considered piracy.
11. Are Nintendo DS with emulators illegal?: No, emulators are not illegal in themselves, but using them to play ROMs that you don’t own is illegal.

Hardware and Performance

12. Can a laptop emulate 3DS games?: Yes, a laptop can emulate 3DS games using an emulator like Citra, but it requires a powerful PC to play games smoothly.
13. Why is Citra not compatible?: Citra only supports 64-bit processors, not 32-bit, and requires a powerful GPU to run smoothly.

Other Questions

14. Can you play 3DS games on switch?: No, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U games purchased through Nintendo eShop do not carry over to Nintendo Switch.
15. Which emulator runs 3DS games?: RetroArch is a popular emulator that can run 3DS games, but Citra is still the best 3DS emulator available, with better compatibility and performance.