In the world of portable video game consoles there is no room for doubt or discussion that the Switch It is currently the queen of its segment, although there are proposals such as the Steam Deck that are much more powerful in terms of hardware.
The interesting point here and that is worth not forgetting is the direct antecedent of the most important ancestor that this class of systems has had: the Nintendo 3DS.
At the time this portable console, many will remember, was considered a huge monster of inappropriate and excessive dimensions.
The Japanese company itself took things a step further when it released the Nintendo 3DS XL. At that time, this “bulky aberration” was inconceivable.
But the truth is that in reality even to this day there is a world of possibilities to explore to show that you can always go further when it comes to developing “portable” systems.
This is the Nintendo 3DS armed with a Steam Deck and a Samsung tablet
Turns out the crazy Reddit user rising_tony It has become a sensation within said platform-social network, due to the development of a hybrid console that seeks to emulate the Nintendo 3DS XL but taking it one step further.
Since now, the subject has taken a Steam Deck as a base, to integrate it with an assembled Samsung tablet. Thus achieving a device that looks like a 3DS XL on steroids. And, we have to admit, the result is BRUTAL:
This new laptop is a much beefier serious evolution of its previous incarnation, where the previous prototype was still attached to a monitor.
As we can see now, an 8-inch Samsung tablet is used that is directly connected to the Steam Deck through a custom-designed accessory using 3D printing.
As far as emulation is concerned, the Citra 3DS emulator is used here, which runs directly on the Steam Deck.
The secret, in the end, to achieving screen and interface extension is a simple connection to the Steam Deck port that syncs with the second screen via a dongle.
Thanks to this, everything runs as a kind of extension of the desktop interface and the operating system. Which also makes it easier to emulate the original 3DS games.
Needless to say, the Steam Deck’s hardware is more than enough to run old 3DS games.