Homebrew Why I think an N64 emulator would be possible on the New 3DS!

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SimonMKWii

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If the New 3DS has a Quad-Core processor with over 800 MHz to spare, why is it considered an "impossible task" to get a working Nintendo 64 emulator running with graphical/sound output?

For example:
The Wii, which is considerably less powerful than the 3DS, as it only has a 729 MHz processor, poor GPU and much less RAM, has multiple (almost) flawless N64 emulators.
The NES and SNES classics run almost every N64 game using the GLupeN64 retroarch core with only minor, if any glitches.
In my experience, both Super Smash Bros. and F-Zero X run at a flawless 60 FPS without ANY frame drops on the SNES Classic Mini.

In my opinion, the people stating it is "impossible" would likely be referring to the Old 3DS' 268 MHz CPU, as with the New 3DS it has a 804 MHz CPU, and to state that it is "impossible" on a New 3DS, based on my research, would be completely false.

If I missed something obvious, or you have tried to make one and failed, please let me know!

If not, I will be eternally grateful if someone looked into the possibility of getting an N64 emulator running on the New 3DS, even if it runs at 0.2FPS with horrific sound and graphical issues!
 

zoogie

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Look at this

That's a 1Ghz arm11 pi zero running n64 games. It's a slidshow. The new3ds is 800Mhz arm11. The extra cores don't help.
You really need a 1.2+Ghz armv7 to even get ok emulation for the n64.

I know you say you would be "eternally grateful", but that's not enough to get someone to try such a difficult task
https://github.com/machinamentum/CTR64
Has already tried and he didn't get far enough to boot games even.
 
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Ferris1000

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A N64 emululator should be possible on the new New 3DS cause the psp has just 333mhz and some n64 games like super Mario 64 are playable with sound.
It should be easier to develop a N64 emulator for the new 3DS but it will also take time and some improvements.
 

leerpsp

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Back in the day i tested an early alpha of a N64 emulator for the 3ds (I no longer have the files) and it was running so slow that there was no way you were able to play games on it. The guy I was testing it for stoped working on it after he was not able to speed it up and get most games booting on it.
I don't think it would really change on the new 3ds xl.
 

zoogie

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A N64 emululator should be possible on the new New 3DS cause the psp has just 333mhz and some n64 games like super Mario 64 are playable with sound.
It should be easier to develop a N64 emulator for the new 3DS but it will also take time and some improvements.
PSP has a mips cpu which is also what the n64 had. That's an important advantage.
 

SimonMKWii

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PSP has a mips cpu which is also what the n64 had. That's an important advantage.
You've made a very good point there!

But the (S)NES Classic has an ARM CPU just like the 3DS, so the MIPS to ARM dynamic recompilation code should remain the same.

I'll capture some footage of N64 games running on my SNES mini so you can judge it's performance, hopefully that will help!
 

tech3475

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You've made a very good point there!

But the (S)NES Classic has an ARM CPU just like the 3DS, so the MIPS to ARM dynamic recompilation code should remain the same.

I'll capture some footage of N64 games running on my SNES mini so you can judge it's performance, hopefully that will help!

From what I've read, the (S)NES Mini has a newer ARM based CPU (v7 vs v6).

So even if the code is compatible, the performance could still be worse.
 
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Faran Maqsood

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If the New 3DS has a Quad-Core processor with over 800 MHz to spare, why is it considered an "impossible task" to get a working Nintendo 64 emulator running with graphical/sound output?

For example:
The Wii, which is considerably less powerful than the 3DS, as it only has a 729 MHz processor, poor GPU and much less RAM, has multiple (almost) flawless N64 emulators.
The NES and SNES classics run almost every N64 game using the GLupeN64 retroarch core with only minor, if any glitches.
In my experience, both Super Smash Bros. and F-Zero X run at a flawless 60 FPS without ANY frame drops on the SNES Classic Mini.

In my opinion, the people stating it is "impossible" would likely be referring to the Old 3DS' 268 MHz CPU, as with the New 3DS it has a 804 MHz CPU, and to state that it is "impossible" on a New 3DS, based on my research, would be completely false.

If I missed something obvious, or you have tried to make one and failed, please let me know!

If not, I will be eternally grateful if someone looked into the possibility of getting an N64 emulator running on the New 3DS, even if it runs at 0.2FPS with horrific sound and graphical issues!

Having a higher clockspeed isnt the only thing that decides power. If that were true then the 3.1 GHz core2 duos of old would be much more powerfull the the 1.7GHz i3s pf today. And as far as Wii being weaker than the New 3ds, I'd recommend you watch the digitalfoundry video of Xenoblade Chronicles comparison between the original the the New 3DS port. A lot of corners had to be cut to port a wii game to the New 3DS. I personally think that the New 3DS is weaker than the Wii by a good margin.
 

SimonMKWii

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Having a higher clockspeed isnt the only thing that decides power. If that were true then the 3.1 GHz core2 duos of old would be much more powerfull the the 1.7GHz i3s pf today. And as far as Wii being weaker than the New 3ds, I'd recommend you watch the digitalfoundry video of Xenoblade Chronicles comparison between the original the the New 3DS port. A lot of corners had to be cut to port a wii game to the New 3DS. I personally think that the New 3DS is weaker than the Wii by a good margin.

I don't think they would be able to run Resident Evil: Revelations on the Wii, but I also don't think they would be able to run Super Mario Galaxy on the 3DS either!
It's due to the fact that there are modern techniques in the newer engines which are supported by the 3DS, but aren't supported on the Wii's architecture, also, porting Wii code to anything is an extremely hard job and comes with a price.


P.S. Without a doubt, it would be impossible to emulate the Dolphin architecture on both the New 3DS and the (S)NES classic systems combined!
 

Faran Maqsood

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I don't think they would be able to run Resident Evil: Revelations on the Wii, but I also don't think they would be able to run Super Mario Galaxy on the 3DS either!
It's due to the fact that there are modern techniques in the newer engines which are supported by the 3DS, but aren't supported on the Wii's architecture, also, porting Wii code to anything is an extremely hard job and comes with a price.


P.S. Without a doubt, it would be impossible to emulate the Dolphin architecture on both the New 3DS and the (S)NES classic systems combined!
You just made my point for me. stating MHZ as a basis for a point in 1 post and then countering that point in the next one. As a general rule of thumb Nintendo handhelds have always been 2 generations behind their home console hardware (barring the switch which I still believe is a handheld console with an HDMI pass through dock). So by that standards the 3DS would be between the N64 and the Gamecube power wise. Emulation takes a lot more resources than the original hardware your'e trying to emulate. And regarding the newer tachniques, you're right. But they rely on minimizing resource usage to give optimal performance, The same techniques could have been applied for xenoblade which they practically had to make from scratch (assets wise). Just saying if it were the case, Xenoblade Chronicles would've looked a lot better.
 

orangy57

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A N64 emululator should be possible on the new New 3DS cause the psp has just 333mhz and some n64 games like super Mario 64 are playable with sound.
It should be easier to develop a N64 emulator for the new 3DS but it will also take time and some improvements.

then again the psp shared the MIPS chip with the N64, which is one of the hardest peices of hardware to emulate for some reason. Without it, N64 emulation wouldve been impossible
 

yerWizard

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Im pretty sure it is possible, take a look at this. It runs fairly well to me and the n3ds might do even better depending on the multicore usage of mupen64+ if there is.
 
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VashTS

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its all matter of who is up to the challenge and how well they can program.

it is possible but its not likely to happen and be done very well. games like mario 64 might be "playable" but it will not be perfect by any means.

anyone remember the emulator Corn? that thing FLEW on low end CPUs due to the way it emulated the system but it was majorly flawed in other aspects, compatibility was the worst.
 

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Even SNES VC is clinging. I tried turning off L2 Cache first, it ran like shit, I turned it back on, it ran great, I turned the clock speed to the Old 3DS speed, it ran like shit, even with L2 Cache on.
N64 wouldn't really work out, not even with the upgraded specs.
 
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Giodude

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Even SNES VC is clinging. I tried turning off L2 Cache first, it ran like shit, I turned it back on, it ran great, I turned the clock speed to the Old 3DS speed, it ran like shit, even with L2 Cache on.
N64 wouldn't really work out, not even with the upgraded specs.
That's because Nintendo develops emulators that are extremely accurate, and thus take up more resources. Their goal is so that if the same inputs are put into both an actual snes and an emulator, they will both end up at the same point.
 
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