The Nintendo 3DS and 3DS XL are backwards compatible, meaning you can play almost all Nintendo DS games and even Nintendo DSi titles on both systems.
Backwards compatibility on the Nintendo 3DS
To play a DS game on a 3DS or 3DS XL, simply insert the game into the 3DS cartridge slot and select the game from the 3DS main menu.
Nintendo 3DS and XL automatically stretch lower resolution DS games to fit their larger screens. This results in some DS games appearing blurry. Fortunately, you can boot your Nintendo DS games at their native resolution on your 3DS or 3DS XL. Here's how to fix this resolution issue.
Hold down the START or SELECT button before selecting your Nintendo DS game from the bottom menu.
