Our verdict: Azahar is the actively developed continuation of Citra and the obvious choice for playing 3DS games on a PC today. Most games look much sharper than on the console. You must dump your own games from a 3DS, and the two-screen layout takes some setup on a single monitor.
About Azahar
Azahar is a free, open-source high-level Nintendo 3DS emulator. It continues the legacy of Citra and is developed by a community of contributors, with standalone apps for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android plus libretro cores for RetroArch. The goal is to let 3DS owners play their own library with improvements over the original hardware.
Azahar does not include any games or system files. You need dumps of game cartridges and digital titles from a 3DS you own. Besides playing games, the project serves homebrew developers as a debugging tool and works as a research and preservation platform for the 3DS.
What it does well
- Higher resolutions. Renders 3D graphics above the 3DS's native resolution.
- Save states. Save and load anywhere, in addition to in-game saves.
- Controller support. Map 3DS buttons, circle pad and motion to modern gamepads.
- Screen layouts. Choose how the top and bottom screens are arranged on your monitor.
- Homebrew and debugging. Runs 3DS homebrew and helps developers debug their software.
Who it is for
Good fit
3DS owners who want to replay their own games on a PC with sharper graphics and a gamepad.
Look elsewhere
Anyone looking for downloadable games, or players without a way to dump their own 3DS games.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Actively developed successor to Citra
- Sharper graphics than the original console
- Save states and gamepad support
- Free and open source
Cons
- Needs your own game dumps from a 3DS
- Touch-screen games are awkward with a mouse
- Two windows of different sizes need layout tweaking
How to install Azahar
The button downloads the Windows installer (MXE build), which is the main Windows download on the official site; an MSVC build is linked there as an alternative. After installing, add the folder with your own game dumps and set up your controller under Emulation → Configure before starting a game.
Questions about Azahar
Is Azahar free?
Yes. Azahar is open source under the GNU GPL v2 with no paid version.
Is Azahar the same as Citra?
Azahar continues the legacy of Citra after Citra's development ended, and it is maintained by a community of contributors.
Does Azahar include games?
No. You need dumps of games from a 3DS that you own.
