Nintendo 3DS

Glasses-free 3D with a great library.

Overview

The Nintendo 3DS (2011) added glasses-free 3D and more power. Great library of Pokemon, Fire Emblem, Zelda, and more. Emulation works well on Steam Deck.

Year	2011
Media	Cartridge / Digital
Steam Deck	Good to Excellent
BIOS Required	No (keys for encrypted)

Emulator

Citra was the primary 3DS emulator. Development stopped in March 2024. Existing versions still work, and community forks like Lime3DS continue development.

Setup

ROM Folder

File Formats

• .3ds - Cartridge dump (may be encrypted)
• .cia - Installable format
• .cxi - Executable format

BIOS / Keys

Optional

Decrypted ROMs work without keys. Encrypted ROMs need:

Decryption

3DS games are encrypted. You have two options:

Option 1: Pre-decrypted Games

hShop provides pre-decrypted CIA files that work immediately without AES keys. This is the easiest method.

Option 2: Decrypt Yourself

1. Get aes_keys.txt and place in emulator sysdata folder
2. Or use Batch CIA-3DS Decryptor for bulk decryption

Performance

Most games run at full speed on Steam Deck. Demanding titles may need:

• Lower resolution
• Disabled enhancements

Where to Find Games

hShop is the primary source for pre-decrypted 3DS games. See the Download Guide.