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Head-to-head · Nintendo 3DS Emulators

Mandarine-Neo vs Tanuki3DS

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score Mandarine-Neo #4 in Nintendo 3DS Emulators 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit Mandarine-Neo
Tanuki3DS #7 in Nintendo 3DS Emulators 8.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit Tanuki3DS

Mandarine-Neo leads on 0 checks, Tanuki3DS on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreMandarine-Neo · 8.7/10
  • Free planboth

Mandarine-Neo scores higher on our rubric for nintendo 3ds emulators: 8.7 against 8.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #7.

Mandarine-Neo is the better fit for cross-platform users wanting Android enhancements. Tanuki3DS is the better fit for desktop users wanting a simple 3DS interface.

  • Mandarine-Neo fits best

    Cross-platform users wanting Android enhancements

  • Tanuki3DS fits best

    Desktop users wanting a simple 3DS interface

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Side by side

Feature Mandarine-Neo 8.7/10 Visit ↗ Tanuki3DS 8.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.7 8.0
Ranking #4 in Nintendo 3DS Emulators #7 in Nintendo 3DS Emulators
Best for Cross-platform users wanting Android enhancements Desktop users wanting a simple 3DS interface
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop, Mobile Desktop
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, Android Windows, macOS, Linux
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features Mandarine-Neo 1/5 · Tanuki3DS 1/5
System software support Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Save states Not checked yet Not checked yet
Graphics upscaling ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Cheat support Not checked yet Not checked yet
Online multiplayer Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, Android macOS, Linux, Windows
Our review
Pros
  • Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
  • Android releases include resolution scaling, multiplayer, and driver importing
  • Offers configurable layouts with Vulkan and OpenGL rendering
  • Free and open source on Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Supports keyboard remapping, controllers, and mouse touch input
  • Offers screen layouts, fullscreen mode, fast-forward, and free-camera controls
Cons
  • 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
  • Compatibility is still developing across games
  • Some games may show graphical issues or crash
  • Requires decrypted 3DS software and supported resource files
Our verdict

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 →

Tanuki3DS is an open-source Nintendo 3DS emulator written in C for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is aimed at desktop users who want a graphical interface for opening decrypted 3DS software and managing emulator settings. Supported formats…

Read the review →
  1. Mandarine-NeoNintendo 3DS Emulators 8.7Free plan
  2. Tanuki3DSNintendo 3DS Emulators 8.0Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • 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

  • Tanuki3DS — where it wins

    • Free and open source on Windows, macOS, and Linux
    • Supports keyboard remapping, controllers, and mouse touch input
    • Offers screen layouts, fullscreen mode, fast-forward, and free-camera controls

    Where it doesn't

    • Compatibility is still developing across games
    • Some games may show graphical issues or crash
    • Requires decrypted 3DS software and supported resource files

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