Borked3DS
Borked3DS is an experimental Nintendo 3DS emulator project derived from Citra.
What Borked3DS is
Borked3DS is an experimental Nintendo 3DS emulator project derived from Citra. It provides releases for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, with a Qt graphical frontend and an SDL command-line frontend on desktop. The project describes desktop and Android versions as having near-feature parity for applicable settings and functions, with Offset Time as an exception. Desktop and Android users can adjust SPIR-V shader optimization for size or performance, turn it off, and enable validation or legalization. Desktop versions include built-in Skylanders IR portal support for most compatible 3DS games; Android adds log-level selection and regex filtering. The Android APK supports 64-bit Android 9 or later on ARM or x86 hardware, with Vulkan 1.3 or later recommended. Mac builds support 64-bit x86 and ARM, with minimum macOS versions of 13 and 14 respectively. Linux builds are 64-bit AppImages based on Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04 and 24.04. The project warns that testing and support are limited, and Android LLE audio may fail or crash on some hardware; HLE audio is suggested as a workaround.
Good
- Available for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android
- Desktop offers graphical and command-line frontends
- Desktop includes Skylanders IR portal support
- Android supports log-level selection and regex filtering
Watch out
- Project describes testing and support as limited
- Offset Time is an Android feature exception
- LLE audio may fail or crash on some Android hardware
Who it suits
Borked3DS may suit users looking for a free, open-source Nintendo 3DS emulator across desktop and Android platforms who are comfortable with experimental software.
Verdict
Borked3DS offers emulator builds across desktop and Android, with configurable shader options and different frontends. Its experimental status and limited support are important considerations for users seeking a stable setup.
The facts
Each one read from Borked3DS's own pages, with the date it was checked.
Where it runs
- Android logging
- The Android version supports log-level selection and regex filtering.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Android requirements
- The project says its APK supports 64-bit Android 9 or later devices with ARM or x86 hardware, and recommends Vulkan 1.3 or later for the best experience.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Desktop and Android features
- The project says its Desktop and Android versions have near-feature parity for applicable settings and functions, with Offset Time as an exception.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Known Android issue
- The release notes warn that LLE audio may fail or crash on some Android hardware and recommend using HLE audio as a workaround.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Linux builds
- The project offers 64-bit Linux AppImages based on Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04, and 24.04, including a GCC option based on Ubuntu 24.04.checked 4 Oct 2001
- macOS requirements
- The unified Mac binary supports 64-bit x86 and ARM Macs; the stated minimum is macOS 13 for x86 and macOS 14 for ARM.checked 4 Oct 2001
What it does
- Compatibility
- The project says it works with Bravely Offline after renaming borked3ds.exe to citra-qt.exe and copying the bundle into the relevant Citra directory.checked 7 Oct 2001
- Desktop frontends
- Desktop releases include a Qt GUI frontend and an SDL command-line frontend, which can take command-line options.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Desktop interfaces
- Desktop releases include a QT-based GUI and an SDL-based command-line frontend that supports scripting or use with other frontends.checked 7 Oct 2001
- Downloads
- Releases are offered for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, including Linux AppImages and an Android APK.checked 7 Oct 2001
- Experimental status
- The project describes itself as experimental, with limited testing and minimal support, and says bugs may go undiscovered or unfixed.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Feature parity
- The Desktop and Android versions have near-feature parity, with Offset Time listed as an exception for Android.checked 7 Oct 2001
- Known issue
- The release notes say LLE audio may fail or crash on some Android hardware and recommend HLE audio as a workaround.checked 7 Oct 2001
- License
- The repository identifies its license as GPL-2.0.checked 7 Oct 2001
- Origins
- The project continues work from Citra and incorporates elements from the PabloMK7 fork, Lime3DS, and Mandarine.checked 7 Oct 2001
- Product
- Borked3DS is an experimental Nintendo 3DS emulator based on Citra.checked 7 Oct 2001
- Project maintainer
- A release page identifies Reg Tiangha as a release contributor.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Purpose
- Borked3DS is a Citra-derived project that continues Nintendo 3DS emulation development.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Requirements
- The stated minimums include Windows 10, macOS 13 for x86 or macOS 14 for ARM, modern 64-bit Linux, or 64-bit Android 9; desktop and Android requirements also specify GPU API support and 4 GB RAM.checked 7 Oct 2001
- Shader options
- The project lets users customize Vulkan SPIR-V shader optimization and optionally enable validation or legalization.checked 7 Oct 2001
- Skylanders support
- The Desktop version includes built-in support for Skylanders IR portal hardware in most compatible 3DS games.checked 7 Oct 2001
- Stability
- The maker describes Borked3DS as experimental, with limited testing and minimal support, and advises users seeking a more stable experience to use another fork.checked 7 Oct 2001
- Support and community
- The maker says community management time is limited and identifies GitHub as the main place the project offers for users to get going.checked 7 Oct 2001
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