Windows 95 on a Nintendo 3DS

In a new episode of PC Software on Unusual Hardware, an enthusiast and user of the GBATemp forum named Shutterbug2000 managed to run nothing less than Windows 95 on the Nintendo 3DS console. Needless to say, this project was possible thanks to the magic of emulation, since the 3DS hardware is based on the ARM architecture, and although it is not exactly practical, it opens the possibility of adding other classic programs to Nintendo's console.

One of the main goals of emulation is to preserve both the functioning and compatible software of old platforms. Systems from the '70s and '80s are increasingly difficult to find in good condition, so emulation provides an ideal method to learn more about old hardware. However, emulation also carries enormous potential for experimentation. Emulating consoles on a computer is relatively common, but the reverse process is not. Fortunately, emulation enthusiasts keep very advanced projects online that allow us to run a wide variety of software on specific consoles, assuming we are willing to accept the time, effort, and performance sacrifice they require.

This time, the user from the GBATemp forum known as Shutterbug2000 decided to add Windows 95 to his Nintendo 3DS... apparently just because he could. Users of Nintendo's latest handheld consoles have access to RetroArch, an emulator that offers compatibility with more than a dozen systems. Installing RetroArch on a Nintendo 3DS is not easy, and it is recommended to follow one of the tutorials available online to do it correctly. The novelty here is that RetroArch officially included DOSBox support, and with this new element in the equation, any MS-DOS-compatible program should run on a 3DS (regardless of speed).

As far as I can tell from the official presentation thread (which already has 27 pages), Shutterbug2000 created a Windows 95 image to be read with RetroArch, meaning he did not carry out a traditional installation of the operating system on the console. Even so, his work is excellent, and the rest of the users have spent hours suggesting DOS titles to play on their consoles.

GBATemp