azahar

Azahar is an open-source emulator for the Nintendo 3DS handheld game console. An emulator is a program that lets you run software from one device on a different device, in this case playing 3DS games on a Windows, Mac, Linux, or Android device. Azahar is based on Citra, which was a widely used 3DS emulator that was shut down in 2024. After that happened, two separate continuation projects formed, and Azahar is the result of those two projects merging into one.

The project is available on all major platforms. On Windows and Mac, you download an installer or zip file from the releases page. On Linux, the recommended installation is through Flathub, which is a store for Linux applications, or alternatively as an AppImage file you can run directly. On Android, Azahar is available on the Google Play Store, making it accessible to anyone with a modern Android phone.

To run games, you need either digital copies of games you own or cartridge dumps. The emulator itself does not include any games. Minimum hardware requirements for desktop use are a 64-bit processor, a graphics card supporting OpenGL 4.3 or Vulkan 1.1, and 2GB of RAM. Android users need a Snapdragon 835 chip or better, which covers most mid-range and high-end phones from the last several years.

The project is actively developed and accepts community contributions. There is a compatibility list where users can report how well specific games run, which helps the team track overall emulator quality. Translation contributions for non-English languages are handled through Transifex, a platform for managing software translations. Upcoming planned changes are tracked publicly through GitHub milestones so anyone can see what features or fixes are in progress.

A community Discord server exists for questions, announcements, and connecting with other users and contributors.