Samsung Galaxy Fold probably has an even better experience because of the two screens and portable form-factor. But nothing beats playing on an original 3DS.
I do have a fold 4, and can say it's decent as a 2DS, but it was 1200 dollars. A Quest 3 with Citra VR is 3DS, not just 2DS, for 500 dollars. Full functionality. Smooth 1080p on most games, higher on some, lower on others. You can set the 3D depth, also there is a fun option of playing some games in first person 360° immersive VR. Kind of fun to be able to "exist" inside the world of the games you played as a kid, or... younger adult..... or in some cases the games your parents played and showed you when you got old enough to want a portable device, but young enough that your parents wanted it to be something cheap and durable.
Footnote: Using the d-pad in Citra VR is not obvious, just place your thumb on the rest pad of either controller and the other controllers joystick becomes the d-pad. It's not as complicated as it sounds, it feels pretty intuitive once you do it a couple times.
It's neat but I think I would still prefer using the 3DS. Especially for games like Moon where you have to use the touchpad and D-pad at the same time.
Fair enough. I would probably just rely on emulators or, if I felt like putting in some additional effort, the virtual console and modified CIA files. I say would because I don't typically use my DS or 3DS for anything but those games.
But Citra VR came out for Quest 3...
Playing 3DS in 3D, at 1080p for 500$ all-in.
And the screens can be whatever size you want and wherever you want.
You could put it 20 feet away and through a wall if need be.
The eyes love when stuff is 20 feet away, very comfortable.
And before it was available as stand alone on the Quest 3, it was available on PCVR, with any computer strong enough to run the emulator. Which could be similarly pretty cheap. Like a raspberry pi or some such device.
It is also technically available on Quest 2, but you'd have to go lower than 1080p on most games. But still higher than native. Native was 400x240 for the 3D screen. But Quest 2 lowers the all-in price to like 300 dollars. Assuming you are buying new. Used would be cheaper.
If you get stymied at any step, let me know. I think it's pretty accessible, but I've been doing this sort of stuff for decades, so it's hard for me to judge accurately.
Right now I’m playing with Mario Hoops 3-on-3 (Japanese version) because it is the game that came with an old family DS Lite (that still works perfectly)
A bigger display is definitely a real improvement, and I can assure you the DualSense Edge is the most comfortable controller I have ever been lucky enough to hold. The additional buttons are also extremely useful for emulation, when you need a few emulator shortcuts on quick access.
I admit to not knowing how good that Apple Pencil clone is. I’ve never been able to try one that supported all the features of the original without issue, but maybe this one does.