The 3dSen NES emulator leaves early access, creating 3D versions of classic Nintendo games

Emulators recreate retro gaming experiences on today's PCs, mobile devices, or consoles. Using these programs, players can often run Nintendo games at higher resolutions. However, the 3dSen NES emulator goes further by giving flat 2D games a modern feel with 3D voxels. The software has left early access and is now on Steam for a discounted price of $8.99. VR gaming fans can also try out 3dSen VR for $14.99.

To hopefully avoid a Nintendo lawsuit, 3dSen doesn't ship with any NES ROMs. The program works with these files, but not all games will display in 3D. Its mastermind, Tran Vu Truc, has been tinkering with the NES emulator for about 10 years. The long development involved painstakingly creating 3D representations of classic Nintendo games. Currently, gamers can play more than 100 titles, including Super Mario Bros., Final Fantasy, and Zelda, in added dimensions.

3dSen does more than transform low-resolution sprites into 3D models. The app also adds contemporary lighting effects, shadows, and even animated backgrounds. Players can use camera controls to ensure that their characters stay in plain view. If disaster strikes, it's possible to rewind and fast-forward gameplay. Finally, a save system alleviates the frustration caused by sudden deaths in NES titles.

Retro gaming fans sometimes wait many years for Nintendo to remaster their favorite titles. Or, if the company chooses to stream emulated games on Nintendo Switch Online, latency may be an issue. 3dSen allows users on Windows PCs, Linux machines, and Macs with Intel chips to play modernized NES ROMs locally.

The only obvious drawback of the program is its limited game support, even with a 2D mode as a fallback. Also, buyers may hesitate to spend money on the NES emulator when more conventional alternatives are free.