Azahar Emulator is a free, open-source Nintendo 3DS emulator based on the Citra engine, available across Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android devices.

Designed to replicate the full 3DS experience, Azahar lets users play their favorite 3DS titles with enhanced graphics, improved performance, and support for high-resolution displays. It goes beyond basic emulation, offering advanced features like save states and online multiplayer, delivering a gaming experience that rivals—and often surpasses—the original hardware.

Origins of Azahar Emulator

Azahar's story dates back to 2014, when a developer known as “bunnei” began developing one of the first successful attempts at 3DS emulation. The project quickly gained momentum as other passionate contributors joined in, forming what would become the Citra project.

Internally referred to as Project Citrus, the name “Azahar” draws inspiration from the CTR model code of the original Nintendo 3DS. What started as a solo endeavor soon evolved into a thriving, community-driven project.

Azahar is built on top of PabloMK7’s fork of Citra and incorporates elements from Lime3DS, uniting the best of both to continue development after the original Citra project was discontinued. It stands today as a testament to open-source collaboration and dedication to preservation.

Open Source and Community-Driven

Azahar is licensed under the GNU General Public License v2 (GPLv2), ensuring it remains open and accessible to the community. Developers are encouraged to explore, modify, and share the code—so long as they respect the terms of the license.