diff --git a/desmume/src/commandline.cpp b/desmume/src/commandline.cpp
index 476076335..049fa7887 100644
--- a/desmume/src/commandline.cpp
+++ b/desmume/src/commandline.cpp
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ CommandLine::CommandLine()
 , arm7_gdb_port(0)
 , start_paused(FALSE)
 , autodetect_method(-1)
+, render3d(COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_DEFAULT)
 {
 #ifndef HOST_WINDOWS 
 	disable_sound = 0;
@@ -92,6 +93,8 @@ static const char* help_string = \
 " --num-cores N              Override numcores detection and use this many" ENDL
 " --spu-synch                Use SPU synch (crackles; helps streams; default ON)" ENDL
 " --spu-method N             Select SPU synch method: 0:N, 1:Z, 2:P; default 0" ENDL
+" --3d-render [SW|AUTOGL|GL|OLDGL]" ENDL
+"                            Select 3d renderer; default SW" ENDL
 #ifndef HOST_WINDOWS 
 " --disable-sound            Disables the sound output" ENDL
 " --disable-limiter          Disables the 60fps limiter" ENDL
@@ -154,6 +157,7 @@ ENDL
 
 #define OPT_NUMCORES 1
 #define OPT_SPU_METHOD 2
+#define OPT_3D_RENDER 3
 #define OPT_JIT_SIZE 100
 
 #define OPT_CONSOLE_TYPE 200
@@ -183,6 +187,8 @@ ENDL
 
 bool CommandLine::parse(int argc,char **argv)
 {
+	std::string _render3d;
+
 	int opt_help = 0;
 	int option_index = 0;
 	for(;;)
@@ -197,6 +203,7 @@ bool CommandLine::parse(int argc,char **argv)
 			{ "num-cores", required_argument, NULL, OPT_NUMCORES },
 			{ "spu-synch", no_argument, &_spu_sync_mode, 1 },
 			{ "spu-method", required_argument, NULL, OPT_SPU_METHOD },
+			{ "3d-render", required_argument, NULL, OPT_3D_RENDER },
 			#ifndef HOST_WINDOWS 
 				{ "disable-sound", no_argument, &disable_sound, 1},
 				{ "disable-limiter", no_argument, &disable_limiter, 1},
@@ -265,6 +272,7 @@ bool CommandLine::parse(int argc,char **argv)
 		//user settings
 		case OPT_NUMCORES: _num_cores = atoi(optarg); break;
 		case OPT_SPU_METHOD: _spu_sync_method = atoi(optarg); break;
+		case OPT_3D_RENDER: _render3d = optarg; break;
 
 		//sync settings
 		case OPT_JIT_SIZE: _jit_size = atoi(optarg); break;
@@ -343,6 +351,14 @@ bool CommandLine::parse(int argc,char **argv)
 		CommonSettings.DebugConsole = true;
 	}
 
+	//process 3d renderer 
+	_render3d = strtoupper(_render3d);
+	if(_render3d == "NONE") render3d = COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_NONE;
+	if(_render3d == "SW") render3d = COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_SW;
+	if(_render3d == "OLDGL") render3d = COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_OLDGL;
+	if(_render3d == "AUTOGL") render3d = COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_AUTOGL;
+	if(_render3d == "GL") render3d = COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_GL;
+
 	if (autodetect_method != -1)
 		CommonSettings.autodetectBackupMethod = autodetect_method;
 
diff --git a/desmume/src/commandline.h b/desmume/src/commandline.h
index 40ab7bc34..b77239400 100644
--- a/desmume/src/commandline.h
+++ b/desmume/src/commandline.h
@@ -24,17 +24,29 @@
 //hacky commandline options that i didnt want to route through commonoptions
 extern int _commandline_linux_nojoy;
 
+#define COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_DEFAULT 0
+#define COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_NONE 1
+#define COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_SW 2
+#define COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_OLDGL 3
+#define COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_GL 4
+#define COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_AUTOGL 5
+
 //this class will also eventually try to take over the responsibility of using the args that it handles
 //for example: preparing the emulator run by loading the rom, savestate, and/or movie in the correct pattern.
 //it should also populate CommonSettings with its initial values
+//EDIT: not really. combining this with what a frontend wants to do is complicated. 
+//you might design the API so that the frontend sets all those up, but I'm not sure I like that
+//Really, this should be a passive structure that just collects the results provided by the shared command line processing, to be used later as appropriate
+//(and the CommonSettings setup REMOVED or at least refactored into a separate method)
 
 class CommandLine
 {
 public:
-	//actual options: these may move to another sturct
+	//actual options: these may move to another struct
 	int load_slot;
 	int depth_threshold;
 	int autodetect_method;
+	int render3d;
 	std::string nds_file;
 	std::string play_movie_file;
 	std::string record_movie_file;
diff --git a/desmume/src/windows/main.cpp b/desmume/src/windows/main.cpp
index 2e8b4b314..9f334fed3 100644
--- a/desmume/src/windows/main.cpp
+++ b/desmume/src/windows/main.cpp
@@ -3283,6 +3283,13 @@ int _main()
 		cur3DCore = GPU3D_NULL;
 	else if(cur3DCore == GPU3D_NULL) // this value shouldn't be saved anymore
 		cur3DCore = GPU3D_DEFAULT;
+
+	if(cmdline.render3d == COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_NONE) cur3DCore = GPU3D_NULL;
+	if(cmdline.render3d == COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_SW) cur3DCore = GPU3D_SWRAST;
+	if(cmdline.render3d == COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_OLDGL) cur3DCore = GPU3D_OPENGL_OLD;
+	if(cmdline.render3d == COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_GL) cur3DCore = GPU3D_OPENGL_3_2; //no way of forcing it, at least not right now. I dont care.
+	if(cmdline.render3d == COMMANDLINE_RENDER3D_AUTOGL) cur3DCore = GPU3D_OPENGL_3_2; //this will fallback i guess
+
 	CommonSettings.GFX3D_HighResolutionInterpolateColor = GetPrivateProfileBool("3D", "HighResolutionInterpolateColor", 1, IniName);
 	CommonSettings.GFX3D_EdgeMark = GetPrivateProfileBool("3D", "EnableEdgeMark", 1, IniName);
 	CommonSettings.GFX3D_Fog = GetPrivateProfileBool("3D", "EnableFog", 1, IniName);