is the undisputed king of Nintendo 3DS emulation on Android. It allows you to play classics like Pokémon Omega Ruby , The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D , and Animal Crossing: New Leaf right on your smartphone. However, for a long time, the emulator’s default interface—a stark purple gradient—felt a bit dated.
As the theming process is not centralized, here is a step-by-step guide to customizing your Citra emulator interface.
: If you want to create your own aesthetic, the Citra Screen Layout Generator helps you define specific screen positions and sizes for a tailored look. How to Install Citra Themes on Android
Open Citra on your Android device. Launch any game, open the in-game menu (usually by swiping down or pressing the back button), navigate to Settings > Controls > Overlay Layout , and select your newly installed theme. Method B: Installing System UI Dark Themes citra android themes link
Themes allow you to modify several visual components of the emulator:
What are you playing (e.g., Pokémon X/Y, Ocarina of Time 3D )? Are you using official Citra or Citra MMJ ?
When browsing download links, you will generally encounter three main styles of layouts: is the undisputed king of Nintendo 3DS emulation on Android
Before diving into theming, it's vital to understand the current state of the emulator. In March 2024, as part of a legal settlement involving the Yuzu team (which shared developers with the Citra project), the official development and distribution of the Citra emulator were discontinued. This means:
: In the Citra MMJ app, go to Settings > Theme and select your newly added pack. Custom Citra Themes | how to install on android
Ideal for phones with OLED screens, this theme uses deep black backgrounds and neon accents to save battery life during menu navigation. As the theming process is not centralized, here
Download a file manager app from the Google Play Store that supports archive extraction. Locate the downloaded theme file in your folder.
Restart the Citra application to apply the visual changes completely. Popular Theme Categories for Android
Themes are usually shared as .zip files, which include the necessary background images and layout configurations. 2. Community Forums (Reddit & GBAtemp)
[Your social media handle]
If you want to change the positioning and sizing of the screens to match a physical 3DS layout: Launch a game in Citra.