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Head-to-head · Nintendo 3DS Emulators

Citra Libretro Core vs Mandarine-Neo

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Citra Libretro Core #2 in Nintendo 3DS Emulators 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Libretro
Mandarine-Neo #4 in Nintendo 3DS Emulators 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit Mandarine-Neo

Citra Libretro Core leads on 0 checks, Mandarine-Neo on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreCitra Libretro Core · 9.1/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresCitra Libretro Core · 4 of 5

Citra Libretro Core scores higher on our rubric for nintendo 3ds emulators: 9.1 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #4.

Citra Libretro Core is the better fit for users wanting scaling, cheats, and save states. Mandarine-Neo is the better fit for cross-platform users wanting Android enhancements.

  • Citra Libretro Core fits best

    Users wanting scaling, cheats, and save states

  • Mandarine-Neo fits best

    Cross-platform users wanting Android enhancements

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Side by side

Feature Citra Libretro Core 9.1/10 Visit ↗ Mandarine-Neo 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.1 8.7
Ranking #2 in Nintendo 3DS Emulators #4 in Nintendo 3DS Emulators
Best for Users wanting scaling, cheats, and save states Cross-platform users wanting Android enhancements
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop, Mobile Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Windows, Linux, Android Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features Citra Libretro Core 4/5 · Mandarine-Neo 1/5
System software support ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Save states ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Graphics upscaling ✓ ✓
Cheat support ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Online multiplayer — Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms Windows, Linux, Android Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Our review
Pros
  • Resolution scaling from native 1x up to 10x
  • Save states, native Citra cheats, and custom textures
  • Configurable layouts with touchscreen and mouse input
  • Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
  • Android releases include resolution scaling, multiplayer, and driver importing
  • Offers configurable layouts with Vulkan and OpenGL rendering
Cons
  • No verified online multiplayer support
  • Requires decrypted ROMs
  • macOS is not currently working
  • Experimental hacks and features may suit users seeking a defined feature set
  • The listed feature set excludes save states and cheats
  • Android support requires Android 9.0 or newer
Our verdict

Citra Libretro Core brings Nintendo 3DS emulation to the Libretro API and compatible frontends such as RetroArch. It is open-source and free, with official build scripts for Windows, Linux, and Android. The core is aimed at users who want…

Read the review →

Mandarine-Neo is an open-source Nintendo 3DS emulator maintained as a continuation of the Mandarine project. Built as a Citra fork, it runs Nintendo 3DS software and provides desktop releases for Windows, macOS, and Linux alongside Android…

Read the review →
  1. Citra Libretro CoreNintendo 3DS Emulators 9.1Free plan
  2. Mandarine-NeoNintendo 3DS Emulators 8.7Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Citra Libretro Core — where it wins

    • Resolution scaling from native 1x up to 10x
    • Save states, native Citra cheats, and custom textures
    • Configurable layouts with touchscreen and mouse input

    Where it doesn't

    • No verified online multiplayer support
    • Requires decrypted ROMs
    • macOS is not currently working

  • Mandarine-Neo — where it wins

    • Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
    • Android releases include resolution scaling, multiplayer, and driver importing
    • Offers configurable layouts with Vulkan and OpenGL rendering

    Where it doesn't

    • Experimental hacks and features may suit users seeking a defined feature set
    • The listed feature set excludes save states and cheats
    • Android support requires Android 9.0 or newer

More comparisons

All nintendo 3DS emulators comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update