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3DS:GBA games: Difference between revisions

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{{shortcut|3DS:GBA}}
The Nintendo 3DS can play GBA games through several methods, both natively and through emulation.
The Nintendo 3DS can play GBA games through several methods, both natively and through emulation.


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{{Main|3DS:open_agb_firm}}
{{Main|3DS:open_agb_firm}}


* Runs natively, not via emulation (100% compatibility, but no cheats, fast-forward, etc)
* Runs natively, not via emulation (high compatibility, but no cheats, fast-forward, etc)
** Supports real-time clock for Pokemon, but no camera or accelerometer
* Must be booted from chainloader (by holding START on boot), like GodMode9
* Must be booted from chainloader (by holding START on boot), like GodMode9
** This ''does'' allow faster launching than injects if your system is powered off.
* Has a file manager that allows you to select a ROM
* Has a file manager that allows you to select a ROM
* Supports button remapping (including circle pad and touchscreen, but not New 3DS L2/R2)
* Brightness can be adjusted in-game
* Automatic ROM patching is supported
* Streaming, 3DS HOME Menu, etc. are inaccessible while a game is running
* Streaming, 3DS HOME Menu, etc. are inaccessible while a game is running
* Saves are much easier to move
* Saves are stored on SD card and easy to manage
* Lacks a user interface for configuring settings such as brightness (A text editor must be used to change the config file)
* Lacks a user interface for configuring settings (a text editor must be used to change the config file)
* Still under active development
* Still under active development


=== Virtual Console (VC) injects ===
=== Virtual Console (VC) injects ===
* Run natively, not via emulation (same caveats as above)
* Run natively, not via emulation (same caveats as above)
* Must manually be created using a PC program (Windows-only, abandoned by dev)
* Must manually be created using a PC program (Windows-only, closed-source and abandoned by dev)
* Each game has its own separate icon on the HOME Menu
* Each game has its own separate icon on the HOME Menu
* No button remapping
* No adjustable brightness
* No automatic ROM patching
* Streaming, 3DS HOME Menu, etc. are inaccessible while a game is running
* Streaming, 3DS HOME Menu, etc. are inaccessible while a game is running
* Saves are a pain to backup and restore (requires GodMode9 and multiple reboots for each save)
* Saves are stored in NAND and are difficult to backup and restore (requires GodMode9 and multiple reboots for each save)


=== mGBA ===
=== mGBA ===
Line 28: Line 37:
* Not compatible with all games, but may have higher compatibility with ROM hacks that are not designed to run on actual GBA hardware
* Not compatible with all games, but may have higher compatibility with ROM hacks that are not designed to run on actual GBA hardware
* Runs in 3DS mode, so you can stream it or use the HOME Menu while it's running
* Runs in 3DS mode, so you can stream it or use the HOME Menu while it's running
* Supports button remapping
* Has a ROM picker
* Has a ROM picker
* Saves are easy to manage
* Saves are stored on SD card and easy to manage
* Supports additional hardware features, such as accelerometer (for WarioWare: Twisted!) and camera (for Game Boy Camera)
* Supports additional hardware features, such as accelerometer (for WarioWare: Twisted!) and camera (for Game Boy Camera)


=== GBARunner2 ===
=== GBARunner2 ===
* A middle-ground between emulation and native * it's basically the worst of both worlds, still no emulator features, but some games are incompatible or have issues
* A middle-ground between emulation and native
** it's basically the worst of both worlds, still no emulator features, but some games are incompatible or have issues
* Included with TWiLightMenu++
* Included with TWiLightMenu++
* Has a ROM picker
* Has a ROM picker
* Streaming, 3DS HOME Menu, etc. are inaccessible while a game is running
* Streaming, 3DS HOME Menu, etc. are inaccessible while a game is running
* Saves are easy to manage
* Saves are stored on SD card and easy to manage


== Overview table ==
== Overview table ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable colortable"
|+
|+
!Feature
!Feature
Line 49: Line 60:
|-
|-
|Games run natively
|Games run natively
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|✗
|class="ct-red"|✗
|△
|class="ct-yellow"|△
|-
|-
|Runs full speed on Old3DS
|Runs full speed on Old3DS
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|✗
|class="ct-red"|✗
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|-
|-
|Retail game compatibility
|Retail game compatibility
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|△
|class="ct-yellow"|△
|△
|class="ct-yellow"|△
|-
|-
|Homebrew/ROM hack compatibility
|Homebrew/ROM hack compatibility
(For things not intended to
(For things not intended to
run on official hardware)
run on official hardware)
|△
|class="ct-yellow"|△
|△
|class="ct-yellow"|△
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|△
|class="ct-yellow"|△
|-
|-
|Runs from HOME Menu
|Runs from HOME Menu
|✗
|class="ct-red"|✗
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|-
|-
|Drag-and-drop / ROM picker
|Drag-and-drop / ROM picker
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|✗
|class="ct-red"|✗
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|-
|-
|Cheats, fast-forwarding,
|Cheats, fast-forwarding,
save states
save states
|✗
|class="ct-red"|✗
|✗
|class="ct-red"|✗
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|✗
|class="ct-red"|✗
|-
|-
|Motion sensor support
|Motion sensor support
|✗
|class="ct-red"|✗
|✗
|class="ct-red"|✗
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|✗
|class="ct-red"|✗
|-
|-
|Easy save file access from SD
|Easy save file access from SD
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|✗
|class="ct-red"|✗
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|-
|-
|Wireless streaming via NTR
|Wireless streaming via NTR
(New3DS only)
(New3DS only)
|✗
|class="ct-red"|✗
|✗
|class="ct-red"|✗
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|✗
|class="ct-red"|✗
|-
|-
|Under active development
|Under active development
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|✗
|class="ct-red"|✗
|✓
|class="ct-green"|✓
|?
|class="ct-blue"|?
|}
|}


[[Category:Nintendo 3DS guides]]
[[Category:Nintendo 3DS guides]]

Latest revision as of 19:30, 10 October 2023

Shortcut

The Nintendo 3DS can play GBA games through several methods, both natively and through emulation.

Comparison of methods

In order of most to least recommended.

open_agb_firm

Main page: 3DS:open_agb_firm
  • Runs natively, not via emulation (high compatibility, but no cheats, fast-forward, etc)
    • Supports real-time clock for Pokemon, but no camera or accelerometer
  • Must be booted from chainloader (by holding START on boot), like GodMode9
    • This does allow faster launching than injects if your system is powered off.
  • Has a file manager that allows you to select a ROM
  • Supports button remapping (including circle pad and touchscreen, but not New 3DS L2/R2)
  • Brightness can be adjusted in-game
  • Automatic ROM patching is supported
  • Streaming, 3DS HOME Menu, etc. are inaccessible while a game is running
  • Saves are stored on SD card and easy to manage
  • Lacks a user interface for configuring settings (a text editor must be used to change the config file)
  • Still under active development

Virtual Console (VC) injects

  • Run natively, not via emulation (same caveats as above)
  • Must manually be created using a PC program (Windows-only, closed-source and abandoned by dev)
  • Each game has its own separate icon on the HOME Menu
  • No button remapping
  • No adjustable brightness
  • No automatic ROM patching
  • Streaming, 3DS HOME Menu, etc. are inaccessible while a game is running
  • Saves are stored in NAND and are difficult to backup and restore (requires GodMode9 and multiple reboots for each save)

mGBA

  • A full emulator, which means that it has fast-forward, cheats, save states
  • Performance isn't perfect, especially on old 3DS
  • Not compatible with all games, but may have higher compatibility with ROM hacks that are not designed to run on actual GBA hardware
  • Runs in 3DS mode, so you can stream it or use the HOME Menu while it's running
  • Supports button remapping
  • Has a ROM picker
  • Saves are stored on SD card and easy to manage
  • Supports additional hardware features, such as accelerometer (for WarioWare: Twisted!) and camera (for Game Boy Camera)

GBARunner2

  • A middle-ground between emulation and native
    • it's basically the worst of both worlds, still no emulator features, but some games are incompatible or have issues
  • Included with TWiLightMenu++
  • Has a ROM picker
  • Streaming, 3DS HOME Menu, etc. are inaccessible while a game is running
  • Saves are stored on SD card and easy to manage

Overview table

Feature open_agb_firm VC Injects mGBA GBARunner2
Games run natively ✓ ✓ ✗ △
Runs full speed on Old3DS ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓
Retail game compatibility ✓ ✓ △ △
Homebrew/ROM hack compatibility

(For things not intended to run on official hardware)

△ △ ✓ △
Runs from HOME Menu ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓
Drag-and-drop / ROM picker ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
Cheats, fast-forwarding,

save states

✗ ✗ ✓ ✗
Motion sensor support ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗
Easy save file access from SD ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
Wireless streaming via NTR

(New3DS only)

✗ ✗ ✓ ✗
Under active development ✓ ✗ ✓ ?
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