Is it possible to consolize the 3DS?

[Rick Dangerous]

Ever since I've had my 3ds, I've wanted to consolize one. I suppose this may be less "needed" now that the Switch exists, but i still want to!

 

I suppose the biggest challenge would be the second (lower screen.) You could maybe rig a Wii U gamepad to work, but there probably just aren't enough of them so maybe a cheap android tablet in conjunction with a controller?

 

Not sure how this would work exactly but sure would be cool. Any thoughts or am I taking crazy pills here?

 

Has anyone done it to your knowledge?

[Flojomojo]

This seems like a somewhat common request at the Ben Heck forums. https://www.element14.com/community/thread/59976/l/the-ben-heck-show-mod-idea-3ds-2ds-video-out-hdmi-other?displayFullThread=true

 

Personally, I think it robs the 3DS of its main charms, being a low resolution clamshell handheld.

[TDIRunner]

I always felt that Nintendo missed a big opportunity to include DS and 3DS support on the Wii U. It had just about everything you needed. At the very least, you can always get a few DS games on the Virtual console and play them that way. I'm not a big fan of digital games, or re-buying games I already own, but I did pickup a few of my favorites just so that I would have the option to play them on the big screen.

 

I feel that the chance to play DS and 3DS physically on the big screen is dead now since the Switch is not setup to use both handheld screen and TV at the same time.

 

The only other option I can think of would be using the capture mod that is available for the 3DS. You would still need to hold the 3DS in your hand, but at least you could look at a larger screen while you play. The big downside is the cost. Maybe that will come down over time.

[Rick Dangerous]

If Nintendo released a cable and software update, you could hook your 3DS to the TV, which would serve as the big screen, and your switch could serve as the little screen.

 

Add it to a long list of things they'll never do, but it would be awesome, and i bet they would sell a bundle.

[TDIRunner]

If Nintendo released a cable and software update, you could hook your 3DS to the TV, which would serve as the big screen, and your switch could serve as the little screen.

 

Add it to a long list of things they'll never do, but it would be awesome, and i bet they would sell a bundle.

 

That's an interesting option that I hadn't thought of. There is hope I guess, but certainly not likely to happen.

[Kismet]

Ever since I've had my 3ds, I've wanted to consolize one. I suppose this may be less "needed" now that the Switch exists, but i still want to!

 

I suppose the biggest challenge would be the second (lower screen.) You could maybe rig a Wii U gamepad to work, but there probably just aren't enough of them so maybe a cheap android tablet in conjunction with a controller?

 

Not sure how this would work exactly but sure would be cool. Any thoughts or am I taking crazy pills here?

 

Has anyone done it to your knowledge?

 

The 2DS is simply one screen with part of it masked off. So yes it can be done. You will never be able to get the parallax barrier effect to work on anything but the original 3DS screen, and it only works because it's that small, and the bottom screen has a touch screen.

 

The DS/DSi likewise are simply two screens, of which the bottom one has a touch screen.

 

The touch screen in both is not a capacitive touch screen, so it doesn't have a multitouch ability, and neither does the Wii U tablet screen.

 

From a technical perspective, there is nothing stopping Nintendo from making the Nintendo Switch be able to play 3DS or DS/DSi titles or even GBA titles, it just needs a translation layer. It would be less trivial than trying to emulate the SNES on it.

 

However if you wanted to turn a 3DS into a "TV console" machine, you would need at the very minimum an output device with touch support. So that would mean something like a Cintiq Pro 13, or a Cintiq 22HD since both of those support touch and have their own stylus. That's dramatically overkill.

 

Which leads to the next viable option, something like the "Ubi Touch" being put on a regular monitor/tv. That is still a $900 product. Also most 3DS games don't actually use the touch screen for anything but some gimmick that is used once in a while, so you might go from using an 8+ button controller (eg a Xbox 360 controller) for most of the game and then when it comes to that thing where you have to "scratch bowsers belly" or something have to go up to the screen.

 

For all practical consideration the kind of thing you would need already exists, it's called the 2DS. When people install capture boards into their 3DS handhelds, they are tapping into the display driver, at great risk of damaging the electronics.

 

The 3DS does NOT have the ability to output a native signal to a TV, what you see at trade shows during presentations is actually the development kit which costs thousands of dollars and isn't available to purchase.

[Gabriel]

I'd definitely much prefer to play DS/3DS games on a TV. Other than the Etrian Odyssey games, there's nothing for either system I can think of that I consider worth playing where the touchscreen stuff is actually integral to play.

 

Once I bought a PS-TV, I never used my Vita again.

[Tanooki]

I had thought of this being a solid idea in the DS days and wished for it on the WiiU, and it kind of happened a bit which was nice but never correctly utilized well. 3DS would make sense because it does run on a single screen internally looking at the 2DS with a plastic bar in the way to make it look like two panels. Knowing that, a stand for the system and using the joycons in a bracket that comes with the console would be fantastic.

[toptenmaterial]

This seems like a somewhat common request at the Ben Heck forums. https://www.element14.com/community/thread/59976/l/the-ben-heck-show-mod-idea-3ds-2ds-video-out-hdmi-other?displayFullThread=true

 

Personally, I think it robs the 3DS of its main charms, being a low resolution clamshell handheld.

I've seen amazing videos of old DS games running at 4K. As emulation matures, you may start seeing texture packs and stuff like with Mario Galaxy games on Dolphin, if the interest is there.

[Atariboy]

I'd love to see a good tv/out option for the 3DS. Despite the resolution, 3DS games like Ocarina of Time 3D still look nice on YouTube when you see footage from Nintendo's own capture equipment or modified 3DS systems.

 

I think an official tv out option or a decent homebrew solution would've suited it well. I'd be interested if something ever happens on this front beyond existing and expensive solutions that are focused on capturing footage rather than enjoying 3DS games on a television.

 

I suppose the biggest challenge would be the second (lower screen.) You could maybe rig a Wii U gamepad to work, but there probably just aren't enough of them so maybe a cheap android tablet in conjunction with a controller?

 

My thought would be more like a PSP with tv out rather than a PSTV style solution, but why not just keep the lower display on the lower screen of the 3DS? Keep the 3DS as it is other than installing HDMI out and eliminating the upper screen.

 

You could perhaps keep the upper screen casing itself, but gut it to provide space for an internal scaler, the HDMI port, and so on. And when closed, it would also serve as a screen protector for the touch screen when not in use.

 

And it would add a lot of complications, but you could make it even fancier by installing a Wiimote extension port on it to hook up a Classic Controller. Or perhaps a new analog stick in place of the somewhat lackluster 3DS analog slider.

Edited February 7, 2018 by Atariboy

[Pixelboy]

Is the screen on the portable component of the Switch a touch screen? If so, does it work with a stylus? That's what would be required to create an official DS/3DS emulator on the Switch... I haven't really checked, but I'm assuming both screens would fit on the Switch's single screen. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Atariboy]

It's a touch screen, but it wouldn't work well. For starters, you'd be limited to handheld mode since the Switch has to be docked for tv/out. Can't use the Switch touch screen when it's inside the HDMI dock.

 

And as shown with Virtual Console DS downloads on the Wii U's gamepad (with the same size screen as on a Switch), having both displays sharing the same gamepad screen makes for a less than desirable viewing experience as a handheld. Better off just with a proper 3DS if you want to enjoy 3DS games on the go.

 

The only chance your idea has of happening is if Nintendo someday releases a HDMI out cable for the Switch, allowing it to officially be held as a unit in your hands while still outputting a picture to a television. Then it would be a minor deal for Nintendo to utilize dual displays for a Virtual Console 3DS download.

Edited February 7, 2018 by Atariboy

[FireStar]

In terms of tv out there's mods/devices called 3DS capture cards that allow video out on the 3DS (example: http://3dscapture.com/ ).

[Atariboy]

Those expensive modifications are intended for capturing video. They're not built for hooking up to your HDTV via HDMI to enjoy a game on the big screen.

 

In fact, the user is supposed to use the handheld screens since there's a lot of lag with the capture software.

Edited February 7, 2018 by Atariboy

[PFG 9000]

I've always wanted to play the DS Castlevanias and Contra 4 on my TV screen. I can't say there are any 3DS games I'd want to play on the screen, but there aren't really that many 3DS games I like, period. I think the 3D games wouldn't look too great on a big screen, so we'd be better off wishing for console ports rather than a consolized 3DS.

[Atariboy]

Capture footage of many 3DS games looks just fine. Take this example I just pulled off YouTube for non-emulator footage of Ocarina of Time 3D in action.

 

 

Not going to make anybody's jaw drop, especially when outdoors in the sunlight. But it looks decent enough where I think I'd quickly forget that it's such low resolution.

 

Plus, I want 16:9/60 fps Outrun on my tv screen.

Edited February 7, 2018 by Atariboy

[Flojomojo]

Capture footage is great, but it can't convey the lag between the controller and what is seen on the screen. Like when you wirelessly cast something to the big screen with AirPlay or Miracast, it probably looks great but isn't fun to play.

 

I think topten's emulation prediction is more interesting, and very likely to happen.

[Tanooki]

Perhaps what would be needed is a new modified dock for the device. Think something more complex than that cheap included stand Kid Icarus 3DS got. A stand/caddy that holds the Switch without joycons vertically and when snapped it there is a USB-C jack on the side of it instead of the bottom(like the stock dock) and an hdmi out on that sucker to the TV. Something like that holding the device on a surface or at worst your lap while you use the included w/Switch bracket with the joycons attached. That would work.

[toptenmaterial]

Capture footage is great, but it can't convey the lag between the controller and what is seen on the screen. Like when you wirelessly cast something to the big screen with AirPlay or Miracast, it probably looks great but isn't fun to play.

 

I think topten's emulation prediction is more interesting, and very likely to happen.

 

Here are some cool vids for you. I don't have this kind of hardware, but I think these are signs of things to come. The first is a guide to running DS games at 4K:

 

https://youtu.be/cv31ati18cQ

 

The second is Super Mario Galaxy running on Dolphin, apparently with a downloaded texture pack: https://youtu.be/HhQP0JTZJOI

 

I should note that I am viewing these on my cheap android at craptastic 480p!

[my80chevette]

I too have wondered about a DS family home console. Found the Katsukity 3ds video capture and a couple others doing the same thing but as was already stated it is not exactly what we're looking for. There is also and external controller mod,

, which allows a variety of controllers to be used with the system. I think someone would have to look at removing the portability of the system to really get somewhere. The display seems to be a parallel RGB setup and some sort of converter to a different standard would be needed. Perhaps an standalone board with video and audio in place of the screen assembly. External hookup for a controller and maybe a converter to translate the screen digitizer inputs to mouse movements or a touch pad. Obviously a custom enclosure would make it a cleaner looking setup.

[Tanooki]

Seeing just that still above makes me wonder if it would be possible for someone to hack a DIY setup to get what people want, the 3DS consolized, or at least let's be more accurate with hybridized. Using the Nintendo Switch as a model, what if it were possible to dock the 2/3DS and have (since we know with 2DS it internally casts one tall (wide) screen image) and then with the dock or wired (in the still there) have a controller attached. From that unit, another wire from the base, an HDMI wire like the Switch dock to the TV. The system will simultaneously display to BOTH sources so you don't have any loss of function for touch based options in games. No it would not be ideal for a touch only or centric game, but the majority of 3DS games are touch optional or minimal at best with standard controls anchored within.

[my80chevette]

Seeing just that still above makes me wonder if it would be possible for someone to hack a DIY setup to get what people want, the 3DS consolized, or at least let's be more accurate with hybridized. Using the Nintendo Switch as a model, what if it were possible to dock the 2/3DS and have (since we know with 2DS it internally casts one tall (wide) screen image) and then with the dock or wired (in the still there) have a controller attached. From that unit, another wire from the base, an HDMI wire like the Switch dock to the TV. The system will simultaneously display to BOTH sources so you don't have any loss of function for touch based options in games. No it would not be ideal for a touch only or centric game, but the majority of 3DS games are touch optional or minimal at best with standard controls anchored within.

The external video used by the Katsukity mod is based off USB and has some lag issues. It works just fine for capturing video for playback but requires a computer to display it and on anything approaching a twitch type game it can throw off move timing. RGB signals could probably converted directly to a RGB scart cable or maybe a VGA type connector but there would be no upscale. Some sort of line doubler to bring the resolution up to modern flat screen dimensions would be needed. Biggest problem with a dock style system would be the connector between the 3ds/2ds and dock. From what several modders have stated there really isn't a huge amount of room for add-ons in the case or on the board. That was the main reason I stated they would probably have to eliminate the portability to make it home console usable.

Edited February 14, 2018 by my80chevette

[Atariboy]

Other than for something like Contra IV that spreads the playfield across both screens, I'd mostly just want the upper screen on my tv.

 

So while I'd hope the option for both screens on your tv would be there if some homebrewer ever tackles this, if I could just have it one way, I'd much rather it just be the upper screen only. Also if both options are present, you'd need a flip option if you want gameplay sent exclusively to the tv screen since certain games used the bottom screen as the gameplay screen and the upper for status information.

 

There are other niceties that could also be implemented perhaps. Like a rotation option for DS games that supported holding the system sideways in order to properly display them right side up on a television. Konami Arcade Classics DS for instance would be a nice one to enjoy on a tv and I suspect would look nice if scaled well, but the 3:4 vertical games looked their best displayed on a rotated DS which allowed them the use of the full resolution on offer for the system.

 

So you'd essentially want to re-rotate it back to get the picture quality benefits and the correct orientation on the tv at the same time.

Edited February 14, 2018 by Atariboy

[StuOhQ]

On 2/6/2018 at 5:54 PM, Gabriel said:

I'd definitely much prefer to play DS/3DS games on a TV. Other than the Etrian Odyssey games, there's nothing for either system I can think of that I consider worth playing where the touchscreen stuff is actually integral to play.

 

Once I bought a PS-TV, I never used my Vita again.

The PSTV is such a steal compared to the Vita price-wise as well.