The Nintendo 3DS XL can run Windows 95

By Dan Isacsson January 2, 2016

windows 95 on nintendo 3ds — shutterbug20001/YouTube.com

Hackers are into a lot of things; their tastes encompass all sizes and flavors, and some simply enjoy playing around with possibilities. Some disrupt governmental security networks, while others seek to steal Christmas. But a few friendly ones go for something different. Shutterbug 2000, of the gaming community Gbatemp, has shown Windows 95 running on the Nintendo 3DS. Windows 95 was Microsoft’s first operating system (OS) to feature a user desktop area with icons for software, creating a more graphic and intuitive interface.

This is the second hacking story we’ve published this week where hardware runs software never meant for it. Sony saw its PlayStation 4 get hacked by Fail0verflow, and had Linux running a modded copy of Pokemon using the Game Boy Advance as a controller. It seems the hackers are making good use of their holidays.

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Exact details on what the emulator can do are unclear. But the intial obstacle has been cleared, and the forums are piling up with different ideas and dreams. What games are possible to play on Windows 95, you ask? How about classics like Starcraft or the original Diablo? We won’t delve any further into how one might get the games from their discs to their 3DS storage — that’s for a different story.

But as lovely as it would be to see some sort of dual-screen version compatible with the 3DS pen, we might have to wait a bit. The hack was recently created and, according to its original creator, still suffers from slow speeds. No word on a potential use for the 3DS pen in the ancient version of Paint. If these hacking magicians would like to get Windows 2000 up and working on the 3DS, we might finally be inspired to re-introduce ourselves to the world of portable consoles. The random bluescreens we remember would make for ample commuter entertainment.

PS: Windows 95 turned 20 this year.

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Being a gamer since the age of three, Dan took an interest in mobile gaming back in 2009. Since then he's been digging ever…

Gaming

I was burnt out on video games until I dusted off my Nintendo DS

A Nintendo DS sits on a table with a few game boxes.

It was mid-December, and I’d just finished my final assignment of 2023. A hectic year full of exciting games capped off with yet another monumental achievement for the medium, the Meta Quest exclusive Asgard’s Wrath 2. No longer locked into playing a never-ending stream of zeitgeist games that I had to keep up with for work, I was finally free to play whatever I wanted.

There was only one problem: The thought of playing a game made me sick. It turns out that playing well over 100 new releases in any given year is a straight path to burnout. Who would have thought?

Gaming

Play these 3DS and Wii U games before Nintendo shutters their online features

Captain Falcon in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

In April 2024, Nintendo will discontinue online services across its Wii U and 3DS consoles. While the eShops for both systems were shut down in March 2023, this will remove the online functionality of many apps and games, making gaming on either of these platforms an almost entirely offline experience. As a result, many games on those systems will lose important features and never be quite the same to play afterward. So, you'll need to get some gaming time in by next April if you want to refresh and preserve the memories of playing online on these two underdog Nintendo platforms.
While the aforementioned eShop closures make it impossible to buy new games digitally, plenty of games that you likely already own physical copies of or already had downloaded have online features that won't work properly come April 2024. As such, we recommend you play the following games online before the discontinuation of those services next year.
Kid Icarus Uprising

Kid Icarus Uprising is mostly remembered for its entertaining story, charismatic characters, and odd controls, but it also features a surprisingly fun multiplayer experience in Together Mode. In multiplayer, up to six players can use powerful weapons and abilities from the main adventure in one of two modes. Free-for-all lets players loose on a map, tasking them with racking up the most kills within a set time limit. Light vs. Dark is more complex, as two teams of three face off until enough players are defeated that one respawns as an angel; when that powered-up angel is killed, the match is over.
While far from balanced, Kid Icarus Uprising's Together Mode is one of the most entertaining competitive multiplayer experiences exclusive to 3DS. It can be played locally, using bots to fill in empty spots, so thankfully it won't stop working entirely. Still, it's not easy in 2023 to come across multiple people near you who have copies of Kid Icarus Uprising and want to play. As such, check out this cult classic 3DS game's hidden gem of a mode before praying that the rumors of a remaster eventually become true.
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Gaming

Nintendo is shutting down online services for 3DS and Wii U next April

Mega Man and Mario fight in Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U,

Nintendo confirmed it will widely shut down online services for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U games in April 2024, which will be just over a year after it discontinued the Nintendo eShop on those systems.
This deactivation of most of the online services for those platforms was revealed on X (formerly Twitter) and Nintendo's support site early Wednesday. "In early April 2024, online play and other functionality that uses online communication will end for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software. This also includes online co-operative play, internet rankings, and data distribution," the message says. "We will announce a specific end date and time at a later date. Please note that if an event occurs that would make it difficult to continue online services for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software, we may have to discontinue services earlier than planned. We sincerely thank players for using the online services of Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software over a long period of time and apologize for any inconvenience."
Essentially, this means that after April 2024, you won't be able to use any online features in things like 3DS Pokémon games or Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U anymore. Nintendo does say in the Q&A section of its support article that people will still be able to play games offline and redownload updates and games from the Nintendo eShop for the foreseeable future. Pokémon Bank will remain unaffected, so it'll still be possible to transfer Pokémon from Ruby and Sapphire all of the way to Pokémon Home. However, SpotPass support and other online-focused applications like Nintendo Badge Arcade will stop working entirely.

Just like the Wii U and 3DS eShop closure that caused a ruckus earlier this year, this move is a blow to game preservation and will forever harm some games not available anywhere else. While it's understandable that Nintendo might want to move on from these systems' dated online infrastructure, it's still a disappointing move for those of us who spent a lot of time playing games offline and online on these systems.