Unlike PS2 or PS1 emulation, the answer isn’t always straightforward. Let’s break it down. Short answer: For most games, no . Long answer: For better compatibility and system features, yes — but only for the “Citra” (or now “Lime3DS”/“PabloMK7’s Citra”) emulator.
If you’re using EmuDeck on your Steam Deck (or Linux desktop) to emulate Nintendo 3DS games, you’ve probably run into a confusing question: Do I need a BIOS file for the 3DS, and if so, where does it go? nintendo 3ds bios emudeck