There’s a new emulator out there, and it’s changing everything. It’s called 3DNES and everyone has been talking about it. Trần Vũ Trúc’s program runs in Firefox, relies on URLs for NES roms you’ve uploaded, and displays the games in 3D. It’s extraordinary, and something that may be too good to last.
If you haven’t yet seen 3DNES in action, there’s a video showing exactly how it works. Using it yourself involves loading the application in Firefox and using URLs for NES files to play in it, since the executable file isn’t yet available.
It’s that final part that may give some pause. Emulators are legal. There’s a precedent for it. However, sharing code isn’t. That’s where the 3DNES situation is currently a little sticky. As wonderful as it is, there could still be a chance a company like Nintendo could decide to see if it’s possible to shut it down due to the manner in which it uses roms.
Of course, then Nintendo would also have to go after all the other online websites that allow you to play standard 3DS games in your browser, but still. There’s an element of fear around it. Especially since it currently requires a user to upload their own roms to play them.
But then, the 3DNES could be worth the risk, even though it is only in a beta phase. It’s doing something 3DS owners have been enjoying for a while, turning classic games to 3D ones. While Sega’s efforts have been admirable, Nintendo’s haven’t. Sega’s 3D Classics involved making a fake emulator, called the Gigadrive, and remaking games, with the result being almost 20 titles. Nintendo’s hasn’t explored it as well, only remaking six games for the 3DS. The 3DNES puts Nintendo to shame, even though it is only in beta and doesn’t make every game properly pop.
Game emulation is always a shadowy sort of affair. The 3DNES is one of those revolutions in the fields that makes you stand up and take notice, because it’s doing something so different. However, it also makes you wonder and worry if it could be singled out for those efforts, or if you could be find yourself in some sort of trouble for doing what needs to be done to try using it as it currently is. As it currently is, let’s hope that Trúc’s work continues, the project improves and turns into a downloadable program that works on all computers, and that nothing tries to get in the way of this amazing endeavor that could clearly light up so many gamers’ lives.