Jun 27, 2025 04:46 PM IST
3dSen brings your favorite NES classics to life by transforming 2D retro games into immersive 3D worlds, now available on Steam
Are you a fan of old-school NES games? Then this news is for you. 3dSen is a new NES emulator available for PC that lets you relive those games in 3D. Right now, there are more than 100 retro games to choose from, and there is a VR version too. It is available on Steam and can be played on Windows, Mac, and SteamOS/Linux.
A decade in the making
It took more than 10 years of development to bring this concept to reality. The developer, Tran Vu Truc, had to reconstruct the NES games into 3D because he had to map every element in 3D space. All that was done to bring this unique and polished experience to each of the titles. Now, imagine doing this for every game supported by this emulator.
How does it work?
Rather than applying a generic 3D filter to the games, 3dSen relies on custom profiles which define how each element is transformed. These custom profiles are crafted to ensure that every movement in the games feels natural and seamless, just like in the original game.
At launch, there were about 70 games, which increased to more than 100 titles, including some of the most popular classics like Super Mario Bros., Contra, The Legend of Zelda, and Mega Man.
Key features of 3dSen
- A complete 3D transformation of classic NES games, giving players a fresh perspective and experience.
- To add immersion, real-time lighting has been implemented with reworked shadows and animated skyboxes.
- The game is not only set in a 3D world, but users can customize the camera angle to view and play games from different angles every time.
- Generic emulator features are also available, like save states, rewind, and fast forward.
- A VR version called 3dSen VR is also available apart from the regular version for standard monitors. You need to pay a little more than the standard version to experience the NES games in virtual reality.
A new way to experience old school classics
3dSen lets you rediscover your favourite NES games in a completely new way. Playing classics like Zelda in 3D gives a chance to experience familiar worlds from a fresh perspective, with new depth and immersion that makes every adventure feel exciting all over again
