You can now play Nintendo 3DS games on your iPhone, thanks to Folium

Apple’s opening to retro game emulators in the App Store has sparked a frenzy, and for a few weeks now, users have been able to play games for Game Boy, PS1, PSP and more. But the Nintendo 3DS? This is where Folium comes into play, the first emulator that supports games from the very popular console now available on the Apple Marketplace. The application, which has been in the testing phase for a long time, is now official and costs 5.99 euros. On the plus side, we report support for Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo DS games, as well as a wide range of third-party controllers, such as Backbone One, Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons and Pro, PlayStation DualShock, and DualSense , and Xbox controllers. Unsurprisingly, Folium does not offer games or system files, which will have to be provided by users.

Emulators are actually a gray area from a legal perspective, since technically if you download and play a title you’re breaking the law, and Apple only allows publishing if the apps comply with “all standards”. applicable laws. Before rushing to download it, however, make sure you have a powerful enough device. The application, designed specifically for iOS 15 and later, and also compatible with iPadOS 15, visionOS 1 or macOS 12 (on Apple silicon), does not yet appear to be optimized. On Reddit, there is a fairly clear article, where the need for a latest generation device is explained. One user even claims that the only device they’ve seen play without lag is an iPad Pro M4, while another site tried it on the iPhone 15 Pro and complains about the optimization. Another issue noted would be the lack of customization, but judging by the app’s reviews, with an average rating of 4.2, users still seem quite satisfied.