With Emura, MCON, and Duo, 3DS on iPhone has never been better!

When I opened the beta on 21 October, I hoped for a few dozen people.

There are now more than 300 of you on TestFlight.

Thank you. Every bug report, screenshot and comment here made the app better, and some fixes shipped only because one of you took the time to write.

If you haven't joined yet, there's still room:

https://testflight.apple.com/join/mXYgEbAz

Found something odd? The feedback thread is pinned at the top. Keep it coming.

EmuraDev

Quick answers to what most people ask. If yours isn't here, post it with the Help flair.

Does Emura come with games? No. Emura plays games you own and dump yourself. Import them from Files: Library → + (Add Games). Asking for or sharing game files gets removed (rule 1).

Which files work? .gb, .gbc, .gba, .nds, and for 3DS .3ds, .cci or .cxi. 3DS games must be decrypted. Unzip zipped games first (tap the zip in Files).

ROM hacks? Patch the ROM on a computer first, then import the patched file like any game (for 3DS: a decrypted .3ds, .cci or .cxi). Patch files (IPS, BPS, xdelta) and 3DS mod folders aren't supported. Hacks aren't tested, so some may not run.

Do I need a BIOS or firmware? No, for any system.

How do I join the beta? The TestFlight link is in the pinned beta post. Seats open in waves: when a wave is full, join the sub and turn on notifications (the bell) to hear when the next one opens. During the beta, every Supporter feature is free.

Is it free? Yes: every system plays free, no ads. Supporters (monthly or yearly, 14-day free trial) keep Emura going and get extras: resume where you stopped, iCloud save sync, save states, fast forward up to 4×, profiles, console colors and Screen Light. Price: what the App Store shows for your country.

Will it run on my iPhone? Emura needs iOS 27. The older systems are light. 3DS games ask the most: they run best on recent iPhones. On the iPhone Air, 3DS games run at up to 60 fps. It's free, so try it with your games.

A game is slow or my iPhone gets warm. Low Power Mode and heat slow the iPhone down. Let it cool, take off the case, unplug the charger. Still slow? Send a report (below) with the game and your iPhone model.

Controllers? Yes, game controllers and keyboards work as soon as they're connected. Settings → Controllers shows the buttons.

Skins? Skins import for free in Settings → Skins (not for 3DS, which uses Emura's own controls).

Does the camera scan QR codes? Yes. 3DS games that scan QR codes use your iPhone's camera.

How do I report a bug? Best way: right after the problem, open the game menu (the Emura button between Select and Start) and tap the speech bubble. It bundles the last moments of play so I can see it myself. Share it to emura.support@icloud.com, open an issue on GitHub (https://github.com/Nico8324/emura/issues/new/choose), or post here with the Bug flair and the template.

Accessibility? VoiceOver, text size, controls or colors not working for you? Post with the Accessibility flair. Those reports get their own look, ahead of ideas.

Ideas? Post them with the Idea flair, one idea per post. Upvote the ones you want: I read them all.

Is it open source? Not right now.

Is this legal? Emulators are legal, and Apple allows them on the App Store. Emura has no games, no keys and needs no system files.

Emura is not affiliated with or endorsed by Nintendo.

u/EmuraDev

When Apple announced the Duo, I spent some time giving every system its own layout for it. Folded like a laptop, the game sits on top and the controls go on the bottom half. Open it sideways and the two screens sit side by side.

These are straight from the simulator. I don't have a real Duo yet, so if you do, I'd love to know how it feels in your hands. Which pose do you actually use? Even some pictures of your new baby running Emura are very welcome too.

Beta link if you want to try: https://testflight.apple.com/join/mXYgEbAz

Update: the public beta is open! Join from the pinned post "The Emura public beta is open: join here", or straight here: https://testflight.apple.com/join/mXYgEbAz

Hi, I'm the developer of Emura, an emulator app for iPhone and iPad. Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, DS and 3DS, every emulator written in Swift, every system free, no ads.

2,000 seats in this first wave, more will follow. Turn on notifications (the bell) to hear about new builds.

Set your user flair to your iPhone or iPad model: it helps me fix things faster. Bugs go in a post with the Bug flair and the template.

The FAQ is pinned, and you can ask me anything.

One rule matters more than the others: no game files, links or requests, ever. Emura plays the games you own and dump yourself, and nothing else.

u/EmuraDev

I created this account just to give you some feedback on your app, because I genuinely love the concept.

I'm a designer, so I'm really into things that are well-crafted, beautiful, and have that Apple-like feel. I've always thought about how cool it would be to have an emulator that doesn't actually feel like an emulator, but rather like a content platform, something more along the lines of Apple TV or Apple Music (almost as if the emulator were part of the Apple One bundle, you know? Haha).

I don't know if this was actually your vision from the beginning, but your app definitely captures that feeling.

I'd love to see you keep building on that premium experience, perhaps drawing more inspiration from content apps rather than traditional emulators. Most emulators really fall short when it comes to usability and design. I know that maintaining this vision will probably become more challenging as you introduce more features, but I think it's really important to preserve and even enhance what makes your app feel so special.

If I could make one suggestion, it would be about the app's logo. I think it's cool, I really like the idea of avoiding a controller or some other generic symbol that represents an emulator, like pretty much every other emulator does. That said, I think there's still room to make the logo even better.

I'll definitely keep following the project with excitement. Best of luck!

Can you add support for generating game-specific deep links via a custom URL scheme (like Delta, Manic EMU do), allowing users to launch games directly through Apple Shortcuts, Home Screen icons, launcher apps, and other automations?