Nintendo eShopThe Nintendo eShop is a digital distribution service for the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2, and formerly available via the Nintendo Network for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. Launched in June 2011 on the Nintendo 3DS, the Nintendo eShop served as the successor to both the Wii Shop Channel and DSi Shop. It is also a multitasking application, which means it is easily accessible even when a game is already running in the background through the system software.
Nintendo SwitchHybrid video game consoleThe Nintendo Switch is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017.
Nintendo Switch 2Hybrid video game consoleThe Nintendo Switch 2 is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released in most regions on June 5, 2025. Like the original Nintendo Switch, it can be used as a handheld, as a tablet, or connected via the dock to an external display. The Joy-Con 2 controllers can be used while magnetically attached or detached from the console, are larger than the previous Joy-Con controllers, and include computer mouse functionality.
Nintendo 3DS system softwareThe Nintendo 3DS system software is an updatable firmware and operating system used for the Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS handheld systems. The Nintendo Switch system software is believed to have evolved from the Nintendo 3DS operating system. FirmwareThe Nintendo 3DS firmware can run in four different modes. NATIVE_FIRM is the native firmware running the kernel for Nintendo 3DS software (including the Home Menu).
OpenGLOpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, cross-platformapplication programming interface (API) for rendering 2D and 3Dvector graphics. The API is typically used to interact with a graphics processing unit (GPU), to achieve hardware-acceleratedrendering. Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI) began developing OpenGL in 1991 and released it on June 30, 1992.
Operating systemSoftware that manages computer hardware resourcesAn operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware and software resources, and provides common services for computer programs. Time-sharing operating systems schedule tasks for efficient use of the system and may also include accounting software for cost allocation of processor time, mass storage, peripherals, and other resources.
FirmwareIn computing, firmware (FW) is software that provides low-level control of computer hardware. For a relatively simple device, firmware may perform all control, monitoring and data manipulation functionality. For a more complex device, firmware may provide only relatively low-level control as well as hardware abstraction to higher-level software such as an operating system.
User interfaceIn the industrial design field of human–computer interaction, a user interface (UI) is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur. The goal of this interaction is to allow effective operation and control of the machine from the human end, while the machine simultaneously feeds back information that aids the operators' decision-making process.
Video game consoleA video game console is an electronic device that outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can typically be played with a game controller. These may be home consoles, which are generally placed in a permanent location connected to a television or other display devices and controlled with a separate game controller, or handheld consoles, which include their own display unit and controller functions built into the unit and which can be played anywhere.VulkanVulkan is a cross-platform API and open standard for 3D graphics and parallelized computing. It was intended to address the shortcomings of OpenGL, and allow developers more control over the GPU. It is designed to support a wide variety of GPUs, CPUs and operating systems, and modern multi-core CPUs also.
MicrokernelIn computer science, a microkernel (often abbreviated as μ-kernel) is the near-minimum amount of software that can provide the mechanisms needed to implement an operating system (OS). These mechanisms include low-level address space management, thread management, and inter-process communication (IPC).User space and kernel spaceA modern computer operating system usually uses virtual memory to provide separate address spaces or regions of a single address space, called user space and kernel space. This separation primarily provides memory protection and hardware protection from malicious or errant software behaviour. Kernel space is strictly reserved for running a privileged operating system kernel, kernel extensions, and most device drivers.
Nintendo SwitchHybrid video game consoleThe Nintendo Switch is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017.Nintendo Switch 2Hybrid video game consoleThe Nintendo Switch 2 is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released in most regions on June 5, 2025. Like the original Nintendo Switch, it can be used as a handheld, as a tablet, or connected via the dock to an external display. The Joy-Con 2 controllers can be used while magnetically attached or detached from the console, are larger than the previous Joy-Con controllers, and include computer mouse functionality.Nintendo 3DS system softwareThe Nintendo 3DS system software is an updatable firmware and operating system used for the Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS handheld systems. The Nintendo Switch system software is believed to have evolved from the Nintendo 3DS operating system. FirmwareThe Nintendo 3DS firmware can run in four different modes. NATIVE_FIRM is the native firmware running the kernel for Nintendo 3DS software (including the Home Menu).OpenGLOpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, cross-platformapplication programming interface (API) for rendering 2D and 3Dvector graphics. The API is typically used to interact with a graphics processing unit (GPU), to achieve hardware-acceleratedrendering. Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI) began developing OpenGL in 1991 and released it on June 30, 1992.Operating systemSoftware that manages computer hardware resourcesAn operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware and software resources, and provides common services for computer programs. Time-sharing operating systems schedule tasks for efficient use of the system and may also include accounting software for cost allocation of processor time, mass storage, peripherals, and other resources.FirmwareIn computing, firmware (FW) is software that provides low-level control of computer hardware. For a relatively simple device, firmware may perform all control, monitoring and data manipulation functionality. For a more complex device, firmware may provide only relatively low-level control as well as hardware abstraction to higher-level software such as an operating system.User interfaceIn the industrial design field of human–computer interaction, a user interface (UI) is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur. The goal of this interaction is to allow effective operation and control of the machine from the human end, while the machine simultaneously feeds back information that aids the operators' decision-making process.Video game consoleA video game console is an electronic device that outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can typically be played with a game controller. These may be home consoles, which are generally placed in a permanent location connected to a television or other display devices and controlled with a separate game controller, or handheld consoles, which include their own display unit and controller functions built into the unit and which can be played anywhere.VulkanVulkan is a cross-platform API and open standard for 3D graphics and parallelized computing. It was intended to address the shortcomings of OpenGL, and allow developers more control over the GPU. It is designed to support a wide variety of GPUs, CPUs and operating systems, and modern multi-core CPUs also.MicrokernelIn computer science, a microkernel (often abbreviated as μ-kernel) is the near-minimum amount of software that can provide the mechanisms needed to implement an operating system (OS). These mechanisms include low-level address space management, thread management, and inter-process communication (IPC).User space and kernel spaceA modern computer operating system usually uses virtual memory to provide separate address spaces or regions of a single address space, called user space and kernel space. This separation primarily provides memory protection and hardware protection from malicious or errant software behaviour. Kernel space is strictly reserved for running a privileged operating system kernel, kernel extensions, and most device drivers.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.