If you were hankering for game emulators to appear in the App Store, they’ve begun to arrive.
Software developer Folium has released the first Nintendo 3DS emulator for the iPhone via the App Store, albeit with some caveats.
First, the emulator retails for $4.99, making it the first to arrive with a price tag. Developer Jarrod Norwell made the choice to make this a retail product, which earned the developers of Yuzu, a Nintendo Switch emulator that made a profit off a subscription-based “early access” tier, a target for Nintendo’s legal department. Yuzu reached a $2.4 million settlement with Nintendo and discontinued its emulator earlier this year. It is unclear if Nintendo will take any action against Folium, but it might risk more scrutiny as a paid app.
Second, Apple forbids emulators from using just-in-time compilation, which can result in Nintendo 3DS games having reduced performance, especially on older iPhone models.
Finally, another all-in-one emulator on the App Store like RetroArch could add Nintendo 3DS support for free in the future.
As with all emulators, Folium allows you to play classic Nintendo 3DS games on your iPhone, provided you supply the ROM files. However, be aware that downloading copyrighted games is illegal in many countries. The emulator also offers Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS emulation. Folium is compatible with many hardware controllers, including the Nintendo Switch Joy-Con, Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, Backbone One, and the latest PlayStation and Xbox controllers.
If you’ve had a chance to try Folium, please let us know about your experience in the comments.