Moonlight is an open-source game streaming application that allows you to stream games from your computer to your Android or iOS device. It’s a great way to play your favorite PC games on the go, and it’s surprisingly easy to set up. In this article, we’ll show you how to use Moonlight to stream games from your computer to your 3DS.
Before you can start streaming games to your 3DS, you’ll need to install Moonlight on both your computer and your 3DS. On your computer, you can download Moonlight from the official website. Once you’ve installed Moonlight on your computer, you’ll need to create an account and log in. On your 3DS, you can download Moonlight from the Nintendo eShop. Once you’ve installed Moonlight on your 3DS, you’ll need to create an account and log in.
Once you’ve installed Moonlight on both your computer and your 3DS, you’ll need to configure Moonlight on your computer. To do this, open Moonlight on your computer and click on the “Settings” tab. Then, click on the “Add a new host” button and enter the IP address of your 3DS. Once you’ve entered the IP address of your 3DS, Moonlight will automatically configure itself and you’ll be able to start streaming games to your 3DS.
Getting Started with Moonlight Game Streaming
To immerse yourself in the world of Moonlight Game Streaming, you’ll need to embark on a preparatory journey. First, ensure your gaming rig is equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX or RTX graphics card and an updated graphics driver. Next, download the Moonlight Game Streaming Host application onto your PC.
On your 3DS, you’ll need a homebrew application called “Moonlight for 3DS.” Install the latest version from the official GitHub repository. Once installed, launch the application and navigate to the “Settings” menu. Enter the IP address of your PC and the port that the Moonlight Host is listening on, which can be found in the Host application’s settings.
Now, it’s time to connect your 3DS to the same Wi-Fi network as your gaming PC. Press the “Start” button on the Moonlight for 3DS application, and you should see a list of available computers. Select your PC, enter the pairing code displayed on your 3DS into the Moonlight Host application, and click “Pair.” Once paired, you’ll be prompted to enter the desired resolution and bitrate for the streaming session. Choose settings that balance visual quality and smoothness based on your network capabilities.
With the initial setup complete, you’re ready to launch games from your PC and stream them directly to your 3DS. Enjoy the seamless transition from your desktop to your portable gaming device!
Installing Moonlight on Your 3DS
Installing Moonlight on your 3DS requires you to follow a series of steps to get it up and running. Here’s a detailed guide:
1. Homebrew Your 3DS
To install Moonlight on your 3DS, it must be homebrewed, which involves installing custom firmware and software that allow you to run unofficial apps. You can find instructions on how to homebrew your 3DS online.
2. Install the Moonlight CIA
Once you’ve homebrewed your 3DS, you need to install the Moonlight CIA file. You can download the latest version of Moonlight from the official website. Copy the CIA file to your 3DS’s SD card and install it using a homebrew app like FBI.
3. Configure Moonlight
After installing Moonlight, you need to configure it to connect to your gaming PC. Here are the steps:
3.1. Enable Moonlight on Your Gaming PC
On your gaming PC, download and install the Moonlight server software. Open the Moonlight server, go to the Settings tab, and enable “Enable GameStream Co-op.” Note down the IP address and PIN that appear on the screen.
3.2. Enter PC Details in Moonlight on 3DS
Open Moonlight on your 3DS. Tap the “Add PC” button and enter the IP address and PIN you obtained from your gaming PC. Click “Save” to establish the connection.
3.3. Stream Your Games
After configuring Moonlight, you can start streaming games from your gaming PC to your 3DS. To do this, select the PC you added to Moonlight and click “Stream.” Moonlight will start streaming your games, and you can play them on your 3DS using the touchscreen controls.
Setting Up Your PC for Moonlight Streaming
Before you can start streaming games to your 3DS, you will need to set up your PC for Moonlight streaming. Here’s how to do it:
1. Install Moonlight Game Streaming
The first step is to install the Moonlight Game Streaming software on your PC. You can download it for free from the official Moonlight website.
2. Create an NVIDIA Account
If you don’t already have one, you’ll need to create an NVIDIA account to use Moonlight. You can do this by going to the NVIDIA website and clicking on “Sign Up.”
3. Enable GameStream
Once you have created an NVIDIA account, you will need to enable GameStream on your PC. To do this, open the NVIDIA GeForce Experience app and click on the “Settings” tab. Then, click on the “SHIELD” tab and enable the “GameStream” option.
4. Hardware Requirements
To ensure a smooth streaming experience, your PC should meet certain hardware requirements:
CPU: Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 or higher
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 or AMD Radeon R9 270X or higher
RAM: 8GB or more
Operating System: Windows 8.1 or higher
Additionally, it’s recommended to use an Ethernet connection for the best possible performance.
Configuring the Moonlight Stream
To configure the Moonlight stream, follow these steps:
- Download and install the Moonlight client on your 3DS.
- Download and install the Moonlight server on your PC.
- On the Moonlight server, click the “Add PC” button and enter the IP address of your PC.
- Click the “Add Stream” button and enter the name of the stream.
- Select the “Encoder” and “Decoder” settings. H264 is the recommended encoder for most devices. NVENC is a hardware-accelerated encoder that can provide better performance if your PC has an NVIDIA graphics card.
- Choose preferred settings for the following options:
– **Resolution:** The resolution of the stream. The higher the resolution, the better the visual quality but the more bandwidth and CPU resources required.
– **Bitrate:** The bitrate of the stream. The higher the bitrate, the better the stream quality but the more bandwidth it will use.
– **Frame Rate:** The frame rate of the stream. The higher the frame rate, the smoother the stream will be but the more CPU resources it will require.
– **Latency:** The latency of the stream is the amount of time it takes for a frame to be displayed on the client device after it was captured on the host device.
– **Network:** The network settings for the stream. You can choose between UDP and TCP.Troubleshooting Moonlight on your 3DS
“Unable to connect to host” error
Ensure that your 3DS and the host computer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network and that the Moonlight server is running on the host computer.
Low frame rate or stuttering
Check your network connection strength and stability. Close any other bandwidth-intensive applications on your 3DS and the host computer. Adjust the video streaming quality settings in Moonlight to reduce latency.
Controls are not working properly
Make sure that Moonlight is set to use the Nintendo 3DS Controller layout in the Emulation settings. Calibrate your 3DS Circle Pad in the 3DS System Settings to ensure that it registers inputs correctly.
“OpenGL ES 2.0 is not supported” error
Your 3DS does not support OpenGL ES 2.0, which is required for Moonlight to function. Upgrade to a newer 3DS model, such as the New Nintendo 3DS or New Nintendo 3DS XL, which do support OpenGL ES 2.0.
“Moonlight has stopped working” error
Close Moonlight and restart it. If the error persists, try reinstalling Moonlight on your 3DS. Ensure that your system firmware and Moonlight are up to date.
3D mode not working
Not all games support 3D mode. Check if the game you are playing is compatible with 3D. Also, ensure that the 3D option is enabled in Moonlight’s Advanced settings.
Using Additional Features of Moonlight
Moonlight offers various additional features to enhance your game streaming experience:
Gamepad Mapping
Customize button bindings for your gamepad by accessing the gamepad mapping settings, ensuring optimal control in your games.
Frame Rate Limiting
Limit the frame rate to reduce input lag and enhance gameplay smoothness. Adjust the settings within the video options to suit your preference.
Motion Control Support
Take advantage of motion controls for games that support them, bringing a more immersive experience to your gameplay.
Microphone Support
Utilize the microphone on your device to communicate with your friends or teammates during multiplayer gaming sessions.
Keyboard and Mouse Support
Use an external keyboard and mouse to enhance your input precision, especially for strategy games or multiplayer shooters.
Quality Settings
Fine-tune the stream quality based on your network and device capabilities. Choose between low, medium, and high settings to optimize performance.
Latency Measurement
Display the latency between your device and the host computer, allowing you to monitor and adjust settings for minimal delay during gameplay.
Multi-Instance Support
Stream from multiple host computers simultaneously, enabling you to play various games on different devices.
Feature Description Gamepad Mapping Customizes button bindings for your gamepad. Frame Rate Limiting Limits the frame rate to reduce input lag. Motion Control Support Enables motion controls for supported games. Microphone Support Allows you to communicate with others during gameplay. Keyboard and Mouse Support Provides support for external keyboard and mouse input. Quality Settings Lets you fine-tune the stream quality. Latency Measurement Displays the latency between your device and the host computer. Multi-Instance Support Allows you to stream from multiple host computers simultaneously. Optimizing Moonlight for Best Performance
1. Enable LuaJIT
Moonlight’s 3DS client can be compiled with LuaJIT, a just-in-time compiler for the Lua scripting language. This can significantly improve performance, especially for games that heavily rely on Lua scripting.
2. Reduce the Resolution
The lower the resolution, the less data that needs to be streamed, which can improve performance. However, reducing the resolution too much can make games look blurry.
3. Lower the Bitrate
The bitrate is the amount of data that is streamed per second. A higher bitrate will result in better image quality, but it can also reduce performance.
4. Use a Wired Connection
A wired connection will always be more stable and faster than a wireless connection. If possible, use a wired connection to improve Moonlight’s performance.
5. Close Unnecessary Background Applications
Any unnecessary background applications that are running can consume resources that could be used by Moonlight. Closing these applications can improve Moonlight’s performance.
6. Update Your Moonlight Client
Moonlight is constantly being updated with new features and performance improvements. Make sure to keep your Moonlight client updated to get the best possible performance.
7. Use Advanced Settings
Moonlight’s advanced settings can be used to fine-tune the performance of the client. Some of the most important advanced settings include:
Setting Description VSync Enables or disables vertical synchronization. VSync can reduce tearing, but it can also introduce input lag. Frame Cap Limits the maximum frame rate of the game. This can help to reduce input lag. Codec Selects the video codec used by Moonlight. Different codecs have different performance characteristics. 8. Troubleshooting
If you are experiencing performance issues with Moonlight, there are a few things you can try:
- Make sure your host PC and 3DS are on the same network.
- Try restarting your host PC and 3DS.
- Check your network connection to make sure it is stable.
- Update your Moonlight client to the latest version.
- Try different advanced settings to see if they improve performance.
9. Additional Tips
- Use a high-quality network switch or router to improve network performance.
- Try overclocking your host PC to improve performance.
- Use a custom Moonlight build with performance optimizations.
- Enable Moonlight’s experimental features to access new performance improvements.
- Use a controller with a low input latency to minimize input lag.
- A 3DS with CFW (Custom Firmware) installed
- A PC with an NVIDIA GPU and GeForce Experience installed
- The Moonlight app installed on your 3DS and PC
- On your PC, open GeForce Experience and go to the “Settings” tab.
- In the “SHIELD” section, enable the “GameStream” option.
- On your 3DS, open the Moonlight app and tap the “Add New Host” button.
- Enter the IP address of your PC and the port number that you want to use for GameStream (the default port is 25000).
- Tap the “Connect” button and enter the PIN that is displayed on your PC.
- Make sure that your PC and 3DS are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Close any unnecessary programs or applications on your PC.
- Lower the resolution and bitrate of the stream in the Moonlight app.
Advanced Moonlight Configuration Options
Custom Resolution Scaling
Adjust the resolution of the streamed game by entering a custom scale factor. A value of 1.0 represents the native resolution of your host PC, while values greater than 1.0 will upscale the resolution and potentially improve visual quality.
Dynamic Resolution Scaling
Enable dynamic resolution scaling to automatically adjust the game’s resolution based on network conditions and hardware capabilities. This helps maintain a smooth streaming experience by preventing stuttering or lag.
Custom Vsync Mode
Configure the vertical synchronization (Vsync) mode to prevent screen tearing. Moonlight offers several options, including “On,” “Off,” and “Adaptive,” which dynamically adjusts Vsync based on frame rate.
Custom Frame Rate Limit
Set a custom frame rate limit to prevent the streamed game from exceeding a certain framerate. This can help reduce network usage and improve latency.
Custom Graphics Quality
Adjust the in-game graphics quality settings to optimize the streaming performance. Moonlight supports custom resolutions, texture quality, and other graphics options.
Custom Input Latency Threshold
Set a custom threshold for input latency. If the latency exceeds this threshold, Moonlight will automatically adjust the streaming settings to reduce delay.
Custom Audio Quality
Configure the audio quality of the streamed game by adjusting the bitrate and encoding. Moonlight supports multiple audio formats and codecs.
Custom Network Settings
Optimize the network settings for Moonlight streaming. You can adjust the multicast address, port, and other parameters to improve connectivity and reduce lag.
Custom Power Settings
Configure the power management settings for your host PC and client device. Moonlight offers options to prevent sleep mode, adjust CPU performance, and optimize power consumption during streaming.
Additional Configuration Options
Moonlight offers a wide range of additional configuration options, including support for custom overlays, keyboard remapping, and gamepad support. Explore these options to further customize your Moonlight streaming experience.
| Configuration Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Custom Resolution Scaling | Adjust the resolution of the streamed game |
| Dynamic Resolution Scaling | Automatically adjust game resolution based on network conditions |
| Custom Vsync Mode | Configure vertical synchronization (Vsync) to prevent screen tearing |
| Custom Frame Rate Limit | Set a custom frame rate limit to prevent exceeding a certain framerate |
| Custom Graphics Quality | Adjust in-game graphics quality settings to optimize streaming performance |
| Custom Input Latency Threshold | Set a custom threshold for input latency |
| Custom Audio Quality | Configure the audio quality of the streamed game |
| Custom Network Settings | Optimize the network settings for Moonlight streaming |
| Custom Power Settings | Configure the power management settings for host PC and client device |
| Additional Configuration Options | Support for custom overlays, keyboard remapping, and gamepad support |
How to Use Moonlight Game Streaming on 3DS
Moonlight Game Streaming is a service that allows you to stream games from your PC to your 3DS. This can be a great way to play your favorite PC games on the go, or to enjoy multiplayer games with friends who don’t have a PC.
To use Moonlight Game Streaming on 3DS, you will need the following:
Once you have all of the necessary components, you can follow these steps to set up Moonlight Game Streaming on your 3DS:
Once you are connected, you will be able to see a list of the games that are installed on your PC. Simply tap on a game to start streaming it to your 3DS.
People Also Ask
How do I improve the performance of Moonlight Game Streaming?
There are a few things you can do to improve the performance of Moonlight Game Streaming:
Do I need a special controller to use Moonlight Game Streaming?
No, you can use any controller that is compatible with your 3DS.
