3DS:GBA games: Difference between revisions

(13 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown)

Line 1:

<languages/>{{shortcut|3DS:GBA}}

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

== Comparison of methods ==

== Comparison of methods ==

In order of most to least recommended.

=== open_agb_firm ===

=== open_agb_firm ===

* Runs natively, not via emulation (100% compatibility, but no cheats, fast-~~forward, etc)~~

* Must be booted from chainloader (by holding START on boot), like GodMode9

* Has a file manager that allows you to select a ROM

* Streaming, 3DS HOME Menu, etc. are inaccessible while a game is running

* Saves are much easier to move

* Lacks a user interface for configuring settings such as brightness (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~~, ~~abandoned by dev~~)

</translate>

* ~~Each~~ game ~~has its own separate icon on the HOME Menu~~

* <translate> Runs natively, not via emulation (high compatibility, but no cheats, fast-forward, etc)</translate>

* Streaming, 3DS HOME Menu, etc. are inaccessible while a game is running

** <translate> Supports real-time clock for Pokemon, but no camera or accelerometer</translate>

* Saves are a ~~pain~~ to ~~backup and restore~~ (~~requires GodMode9 and multiple reboots for each save~~)

* <translate> Must be booted from chainloader (by holding START on boot), like GodMode9</translate>

** <translate> This ''does'' allow faster launching than injects if your system is powered off.</translate>

* <translate> Has a file manager that allows you to select a ROM</translate>

* <translate> Supports button remapping (including circle pad and touchscreen, but not New 3DS L2/R2)</translate>

* <translate> Brightness can be adjusted in-game</translate>

* <translate> Automatic ROM patching is supported</translate>

* <translate> Streaming, 3DS HOME Menu, etc. are inaccessible while a game is running</translate>

* <translate> Saves are stored on SD card and easy to manage</translate>

* <translate> Lacks a user interface for configuring settings (a text editor must be used to change the config file)</translate>

* <translate> Still under active development</translate>

=== Virtual Console (VC) injects ===

~~=== mGBA ===~~

* A full emulator, which means that it has fast-~~forward, cheats, save states~~

* Performance isn't perfect, especially on old 3DS

</translate>

* 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~~

* Has a ROM picker

* Saves are easy to manage

* Can access 3DS motion sensors (for GBA games with tilt controls)

~~=== GBARunner2 ===~~

* <translate> Run natively, not via emulation (same caveats as above)</translate>

* ~~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~~

* <translate> Must manually be created using a PC program (Windows-only, closed-source and abandoned by dev)</translate>

* ~~Included with TWiLightMenu++~~

* <translate> Each game has its own separate icon on the HOME Menu</translate>

* ~~Has a~~ ROM ~~picker~~

* <translate> No button remapping</translate>

* Streaming, 3DS HOME Menu, etc. are inaccessible while a game is running

* <translate> No adjustable brightness </translate>

* Saves are ~~easy~~ to ~~manage~~

* <translate> No automatic ROM patching</translate>

* <translate> Streaming, 3DS HOME Menu, etc. are inaccessible while a game is running</translate>

* <translate> Saves are stored in NAND and are difficult to backup and restore (requires GodMode9 and multiple reboots for each save)</translate>

=== mGBA ===

</translate>

* <translate> A full emulator, which means that it has fast-forward, cheats, save states</translate>

* <translate> Performance isn't perfect, especially on old 3DS</translate>

* <translate> Not compatible with all games, but may have higher compatibility with ROM hacks that are not designed to run on actual GBA hardware</translate>

* <translate> Runs in 3DS mode, so you can stream it or use the HOME Menu while it's running</translate>

* <translate> Supports button remapping</translate>

* <translate> Has a ROM picker</translate>

* <translate> Saves are stored on SD card and easy to manage</translate>

* <translate> Supports additional hardware features, such as accelerometer (for WarioWare: Twisted!) and camera (for Game Boy Camera)</translate>

== Overview table ==

{| class="wikitable"

=== GBARunner2 ===

|+

</translate>

!Feature

* <translate> A middle-ground between emulation and native</translate>

!open_agb_firm

** <translate> it's basically the worst of both worlds, still no emulator features, but some games are incompatible or have issues</translate>

!VC Injects

* <translate> Included with TWiLightMenu++</translate>

!mGBA

* <translate> Has a ROM picker</translate>

!GBARunner2

* <translate> Streaming, 3DS HOME Menu, etc. are inaccessible while a game is running</translate>

* <translate> Saves are stored on SD card and easy to manage</translate>

== Overview table ==

</translate>

{| class="wikitable colortable"

!<translate> Feature</translate>

!<translate> open_agb_firm</translate>

!<translate> VC Injects</translate>

!<translate> mGBA</translate>

!<translate> GBARunner2</translate>

|-

|Games run natively

|<translate> Games run natively</translate>

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|✗

|class="ct-red"|✗

|△

|class="ct-yellow"|△

|-

|Runs full speed on ~~Old3DS~~

|<translate> Runs full speed on Old 3DS</translate>

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|✗

|class="ct-red"|✗

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|-

|Retail game compatibility

|<translate> Retail game compatibility</translate>

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|△

|class="ct-yellow"|△

|△

|class="ct-yellow"|△

|-

|Homebrew/ROM hack compatibility

|<translate>

(For things not intended to

Homebrew/ROM hack compatibility

(For things not intended to run on official hardware)</translate>

run on official hardware)

|class="ct-yellow"|△

|△

|class="ct-yellow"|△

|△

|class="ct-green"|✓

|✓

|class="ct-yellow"|△

|△

|-

|Runs from HOME Menu

|<translate> Runs from HOME Menu</translate>

|✗

|class="ct-red"|✗

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|-

|Drag-and-drop / ROM picker

|<translate> Drag-and-drop / ROM picker</translate>

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|✗

|class="ct-red"|✗

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|-

|Cheats, fast-forwarding,

|<translate> Cheats, fast-forwarding,</translate>

save states

|✗

|class="ct-red"|✗

|✗

|class="ct-red"|✗

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|✗

|class="ct-red"|✗

|-

|Motion sensor support

|<translate> Motion sensor support</translate>

|✗

|class="ct-red"|✗

|✗

|class="ct-red"|✗

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|✗

|class="ct-red"|✗

|-

|Easy save file access from SD

|<translate> Easy save file access from SD</translate>

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|✗

|class="ct-red"|✗

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|-

|Wireless streaming via NTR

|<translate>

(~~New3DS~~ only)

Wireless streaming via NTR

|✗

(New 3DS only)</translate>

|✗

|class="ct-red"|✗

|✓

|class="ct-red"|✗

|✗

|class="ct-green"|✓

|class="ct-red"|✗

|-

|Under active development

|<translate> Under active development</translate>

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|✗

|class="ct-red"|✗

|✓

|class="ct-green"|✓

|?

|class="ct-blue"|?

|}

[[Category:Nintendo 3DS guides]]