One thing I really like about the Switch range is that it's really easy to swap between handheld and TV mode. Just put the Switch into its dock when you want to play on the TV, then remove it again when it's time to travel. It's a pretty elegant design that ensures you're not fiddling with cables every time you want to swap modes.

But what if the Nintendo 3DS had a dock, too? Granted, it makes a lot more sense that the Switch had one, given how the 3DS's biggest gimmick was, well, the 3D effect. So, putting it on a dock and playing it on a TV, especially with the two screens, would defeat the purpose a little. However, some people just want to revisit the classics on the big screen, especially streamers who don't want to kit out their 3DS with a capture card or use an emulator. Well, someone has shown that it can be done, albeit with a bit of tinkering.

This custom 3DS dock is the coolest accessory I've seen for the console

As spotted by GoNintendo, this amazing feat was performed by Kouzex on YouTube. The goal behind their latest project was simple: make a dock for the 3DS that works similarly to the Switch one. This includes a shell that accepts a Nintendo 3DS in the slot and automatically begins broadcasting the video to the TV once inserted.

As you might imagine, making one was easier said than done. Fortunately, Kouzex had a ton of tech to get the job finished, including a 3D printer for the case and a ton of parts bought off of AliExpress to get everything wired up.

Unfortunately, while I would have loved to see Kouzex do this without needing to modify the 3DS's internals, the design couldn't work without it. As such, some of the video involves them popping the hood, tinkering with the internals, and doing some soldering.

Fortunately, their efforts were not in vain, as the project worked on the first boot. Not only that, but Kouzex managed to get the Switch controller working on it, so it's as close to an "official" 3DS dock as you can get. Really impressive stuff.

If you're looking for more DIY gaming goodness, the Raspberry Pi is well worth checking out. In fact, we've documented retro gaming-based projects with the Pi on the site a few times, such as the time we built a wall-mounted retro gaming station using a Raspberry Pi.