However, as nice as it may be to play Nintendo DS games on a device as powerful as the 3DS, there are some things that you will miss out on. One feature that does work, for example, is Wi-Fi. If the DS game supports it, you can use your Nintendo 3DS to connect with other players regardless of the device they’re using to play — be it a DS, 3DS, DSi XL, etc.
How to Play Nintendo DS Games on a 3DS
The process does not work any differently than playing on a DS. You don’t need to enable a special setting or update your device to play older DS titles on your 3DS.
How to Play a Nintendo DS Game in Its Natural Resolution on a 3DS
The Nintendo 3DS utilizes a higher screen resolution than the Nintendo DS. As a result, any Nintendo DS game that you play on the 3DS will look a bit stretched out and blurry. However, it is possible to boot your Nintendo DS games in their original resolution:
Problems With Playing Nintendo DS Games on 3DS
There are some other caveats when playing DS games on the 3DS:
DS and DSi games won’t display in 3D on a Nintendo 3DS. While the 3DS does support 3D gameplay, that’s only true for 3DS games specifically. Playing a non-3D DS game does not mean that it will be “converted” to a 3D game. You can’t access the Home menu while playing Nintendo DS games on the 3DS. Your 3DS cannot access features or use accessories that accessed the Game Boy Advance game slot on the Nintendo DS (slot 2). DS games are not compatible with SpotPass or StreetPass. A few DS games required the use of the AGB slot. Those games are not compatible with the 3DS. If a Nintendo DSi game was purchased outside of the PAL region, and the 3DS purchased from the PAL region, the game may not work properly.
