News New 3DS And Wii U Users Can't Go Online In Games
Update: This particular issue has reportedly been resolved
Reminder The 3DS Pokémon Bank & Transporter Services Are Still Online
"But that may also end at some point in the future"
Random Wait, Is Ocarina Of Time 3D Old Now?
"Like a river's flow, it never ends"
3DS News
June2024
Random Fallout Fan Ports Original Game Onto The Nintendo 3DS
Venturing into the 3DS wasteland
Considering how much the Fallout franchise has evolved over the years, the original game is still a darn good time and well worth checking out. You can play it on Steam now for under a tenner, if you like, but one fan has gone a step further and ported the game over to the 3DS. As spotted by TheGamer, the mod was...
May2024
Video For 365 Days, We Took Our 2DS Everywhere Just For StreetPass
Please Nintendo, put StreetPass in 'Switch 2'
StreetPass was fantastic — StreetPass is fantastic — and last year our intrepid video producer Zion Grassl went on a personal quest to see how many tags he could get for the glorious little inter-console app... At the start of 2023, I had a real longing for the days of the 3DS. Partially due to the...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Bravely Default
Fly high, fairy
Hello folks, and welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl. Before we get cracking, let's see how things panned out last week, hm? We looked at Super Monkey Ball Adventure, one of several entries for the GameCube. As we'd expected, the busier, more vibrant box art from North America sealed the deal, winning a healthy 79% of...
Random The Last Pokémon Player On 3DS Online Shares Message Of Thanks
Player survived 28 days, 23 hours, and 30 minutes after shutdown
The last remaining player to play Pokémon X & Y via the Nintendo 3DS online servers has shared a message of thanks after surviving for 28 days, 23 hours, and 30 minutes after the official shutdown. Known only as 'Amanda', the player's message was relayed online by Joziken (one of...
Random Four Players Remain On The Nintendo Network Servers, One Month After Closure
Keeping the dream alive
Last month saw Nintendo finally shut down the online servers for the Wii U and 3DS' Nintendo Network. It was a sad day, for sure, but there have been a brave few who, in the month since, have kept the dream alive (thanks, GamesRadar). Yes, a certain group slipped through the cracks of Nintendo's shutdown and
Random 3DS & Wii U Players Beat 14-Year-Old Halo 2 Server Record
Online services were shut down last month
A group of Wii U and 3DS players have managed to stay online, despite servers being shut down, for over 25 days. And, in the process, they've managed to beat a 14-year-old record held by Halo 2 fans. GaffsNotLaffs (via GamesRadar) has been tracking users wh
April2024
Random Kit And Krysta Show Off Their Immense DS And 3DS Collection
Including a few signed gems
The DS and the 3DS both had incredible libraries of games, we all know this, but sometimes it's kind of nice to just see a whole bunch of them laid out nicely so we can gaze at them in wonder. Thankfully, Kit and Kryta, former Nintendo employees and current, uh... Kit and Krysta hosts, have taken the time to show off...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Paper Mario: Sticker Star (3DS)
When stars align
Hello one and all, and welcome to this week's edition of Box Art Brawl! It feels like only yesterday that we checked out Kirby Super Star's box art variants, yet here we are! In last week's battle, we had a classic three-way brawl to determine whether North America, Europe, or Japan would come out on top. Well, after counting and...
News Splatoon And Pokémon Join 'Free Comic Book Day' 2024 Lineup
The action begins early next month
Free Comic Book Day will take place next month on 4th May 2024 and as usual, there will be some video game-themed ones up for grabs. Provided you're located near a participating retailer, this year, you'll be able to get your hands on 'Pokémon Adventures: Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire’, ‘Street Fighter vs...
Random Fan Saves All Dragon Quest 7 DLC Maps Before 3DS Servers Shut Down
"It felt like giving a little present back to the community"
With the 3DS and Wii U servers shutting down forever just a few days ago, a huge amount of DLC, digital-only games, and games reliant on online play have been lost to time. But one Dragon Quest fan sought to preserve all DLC for the 3DS remake of Dragon Quest VII — and they did it just...
A "PSA" from Atooi following the 3DS online shutdown
Following the shutdown of online play for the 3DS and Wii U yesterday, Atooi founder Jools Watsham has issued a special PSA to "Nintendo 3DS owners and fans of Chicken Wiggle". All of the 3DS community levels that were uploaded to Chicken Wiggle during its lifecycle will be made available to...
News 3DS And Wii U Users Say Goodbye To Online Play
"Goodnight"
It's a bit of a sad day in the world of Nintendo, with the company officially shutting down online play functionality for both the 3DS and Wii U systems. Fans have today united by jumping on the servers while they were still active and seeing out the final hours. Across social media, there have been a lot of people having some final...
News It's Over! Nintendo Shuts Down Online Servers For 3DS And Wii U
Thanks for the memories
Nintendo previously confirmed it would end "online play and other functionality" for the 3DS and Wii U in April 2024 and we've now reached the exact date of this shutdown, so this is it! The online services for both of these systems have been officially discontinued - marking the end of Nintendo's Network generation...
Guide When Does 3DS And Wii U Online Shut Down? Nintendo eShop & Online Play Closure Guide
End game
This is your final reminder that if you want to play your 3DS or Wii U online, you've only got until Monday when the online servers are taken offline for good. There's still time to enjoy some online play with the original Splatoon, then — just not long. Enjoy it while you can! Th
News Capcom Reminds Monster Hunter Fans About 3DS And Wii U Online Shut Down
"Important Nintendo information"
Next week marks the end of online play and other functionality for the 3DS and Wii U, and it's not just Nintendo issuing reminders. Japanese publisher and developer Capcom has now released a message about the shutdown and certain Monster Hunter games that will no longer be playable online. It will also no longer be...
March2024
Reminder Nintendo Is Ending 3DS And Wii U Online Play Early Next Month
The official shutdown is almost here
In case you missed it, Nintendo is shutting down online play and other functionality for the 3DS and Wii U early next month. As we get closer to this deadline, Nintendo's Japanese social media accounts have been issuing regular PSA. The latest one was posted earlier this week, once again reminding everyone...
Random New Pokémon Ad Positions 3DS As 'Retro', And The Internet Disagrees
New Pokémon ScaVi ad seems to think so
Get your Rawst Berries at the ready, folks, because you're about to feel a burn. The 3DS is now a retro console. Okay, maybe not officially. But it is certainly old enough for Nintendo to be using it in sentimental flashback sequences and for that, we feel ancient. This revelation came to us thanks to a new...
PSA You Have Until Next Week To Add "Unused" 3DS And Wii U Funds To Your Nintendo Account
The deadline is almost here
As we get closer to the official shutdown of online play and other functionality for the 3DS and Wii U next month, Nintendo has issued a reminder this week to merge your unused eShop balance while you still can. If you haven't already, now is the time to add these funds to your Nintendo Account, so they can then be used...
Talking Point What DS & 3DS Games Would You Still Like To See On Switch?
Dual-screen dreams
We are still receiving top-notch releases by the bucketload on Switch, but as the console enters the latter phase of its lifespan, we are well and truly in remake & remaster territory. The Wii U barrel has quickly run dry (though some remain that we'd like to see make the jump to the hybrid) and recent years have seen Nintendo...
February2024
News Nintendo To Stop Repairing 2DS, New 3DS & 3DS XL In Japan
Goodbye, old friend
The 3DS has had a good run over the years, but it's at the end of its life now that Nintendo has concluded eShop sales and announced the shutdown of online play. Ahead of the shutdown of online play in April, Nintendo's customer support service has also revealed repairs for the system will be ending in Japan. Even though this...
January2024
News Shantae And The Pirate's Curse Reprint Revealed As Limited Run's "Final 3DS Release"
Update: Pre-orders now open
Update [Fri 26th Jan, 2024 15:40 GMT]: Pre-orders for the physical editions of Shantae and the Pirate's Curse are now available on Limited Run Games' website. The Collector's Editions are already sold out, unfortunately, but you can still snap up a physical standard edition for $34.99. Original article [Thu 18th Jan,...
Reminder The 3DS Pokémon Bank & Transporter Services Are Still Online
"But that may also end at some point in the future"
In case you missed it yesterday, Nintendo has now locked in the end date for 3DS and Wii U online play, with the services set to shut down on 8th April 2024. It's raised some questions about the future of Pokémon Bank and if you're wondering what the latest on this is, it's still the same...
News Online Play For Steel Diver: Sub Wars On 3DS Has Been Discontinued Early
Farewell, friend
Nintendo has announced that online play for Steel Diver: Sub Wars has been permanently discontinued on the 3DS ahead of the full online shutdown on April 8th, 2024 (thanks, Nintendo Everything). Now, the service has technically been offline for a little while now after Nintendo commenced emergency maintenance on September 4th,...
News It's Official, 3DS And Wii U Online Play Ends 8th April 2024
The end of an era
Now that we're in the new year, Nintendo has shared an update about the closure of online play and other functionality for the 3DS and Wii U, confirming these services will end on 8th April 2024. As part of this, it's shared a special message thanking customers for their continued support and also posting an update about how users...
News 3DS Emulator Citra Is Coming To Meta Quest Next Week
Say hello to CitraVR
The popular open-source 3DS emulator Citra is making its way to the Meta Quest platform as a native OpenXR application called CitraVR on January 20th, 2024. As reported by UploadVR, the application will launch in beta on SideQuest and GitHub, skipping Steam as a result of the Dolphin emulator's legal issues. Users will be able...
Random Wait, Is Ocarina Of Time 3D Old Now?
"Like a river's flow, it never ends"
Here's a little fact that made us choke on our Cornflakes this morning, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D is old. Okay, maybe not old-old, but older than the original N64 release was back in 2011. Yes, the time between today (10th January 2024) and the release of OOT 3D (16th June 2011) is now one day...
December2023
News New 3DS And Wii U Users Can't Go Online In Games
Update: This particular issue has reportedly been resolved
Update [Wed 27th Dec, 2023 05:30 GMT]: Pretendo has provided a new update, confirming the issues occurring were "indeed unintentional". While not all issues have been resolved, it appears new users on both 3DS and Wii U can now connect to servers. "We noted in our last blog post that it...
News Fighters From Smash Bros. For 3DS Were Leaked By Former NoA Employee's Child
Well, partially
In August 2014, photos and videos of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS were leaked online, demonstrating evidence of unannounced fighters. The leaks were seemingly confirmed following a copyright strike from Nintendo of America before being proven irrefutably real upon the game's eventual release later that year. Since then, the...
Random Luigi's Mansion 2 Was Inspired By The British Sitcom 'Mr. Bean'
Can't unsee now
In 2013, Luigi's Mansion fans rejoiced when a sequel to the 2001 GameCube classic finally launched on the Nintendo 3DS. Now, thanks to a new video from Did You Know Gaming, we now know that Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon was greatly inspired by none other than the iconic British sitcom Mr. Bean. According to the video, developer Next...
News 3DS Title Fragrant Story Launches "Free DLC Expansion" Papaya's Path Today
A small run of physical copies are coming in 2024
Although the 3DS eShop has technically closed, third-party and indie developers are still showing their support for Nintendo's past-generation portable system. One, in particular, is developer William Kage, who announced a free DLC expansion for Fragrant Story earlier this year. Now in an update,...
News 3DS Japan-Exclusive 'Touch Detective 3' Gets Official English Localisation In 2024
Touch Detective 3 + The Complete Case is coming to Switch
The Touch Detective series is making its grand return to the West thanks to publisher Nicalis. Touch Detective 3 + The Complete Case Files is coming to Nintendo Switch physically and digitally on 28th March, 2024. (Thanks, Gematsu!) Physical editions have only been announced for No
November2023
Anniversary Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Is 10 Years Old Today
Worlds apart
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds on the Nintendo 3DS is celebrating its 10th anniversary today. Released in North America and Europe on November 22nd, 2013, the 3DS title represents one of few instances in which Nintendo created a direct sequel to one of its Zelda games. Directed by Hiromasa Shikata and produced by Zelda...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Hey! Pikmin
Hey! Another brawl
Hello everybody, and welcome to the latest edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we took a look at Kirby Mass Attack for the Nintendo DS. It wasn't quite as close as we were admittedly expecting, with the North American version easily beating the competition with 65% of the vote. This week, we're skipping ahead to the 3DS and the...
October2023
News Surprise! The 3DS Is Getting A Brand New Physical Release Next Week
VBlank's Shakedown: Hawaii returns
Just when we thought the 3DS generation had finally come to an end, another company goes and announces a new physical release. This time it's a hard copy version of VBlank's Shakedown: Hawaii title. This game will be arriving next week on 6th November with pre-orders open on the same day. It will be priced at...
News Newly Discovered Nintendo Filing Shows Off "Dual-Screen, Detachable Device"
Sending Switch successor rumours into overdrive (again)
Switch successor rumours have got louder in recent months and now some new Nintendo filings have been discovered. New ideas and designs from Nintendo, which were originally filed by the Japanese video game company on 11th November 2022, have been discovered on the 'World Intellectual Property...
Soapbox Pokémon X & Y - The Series' Greatest Paradoxes
You can’t be groundbreaking without leaving a few cracks
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Andy looks back at a pivotal juncture in the Pocket Monster series which hinted at the path it would take over the following decade...
Anniversary Happy Birthday To Nintendo's Ugliest, Most Indestructible Console
Slated
It's that time of year when video game anniversary enthusiasts can enjoy the birthday of a significant game or console nearly every day of the week. It's the turn of Pokémon X & Y which turns 10 today (look out for a feature on that coming up a little later), but it's also a decade since one of Nintendo's lowest-key console launches...
Video How Does Detective Pikachu Returns Compare To Its 3DS Predecessor?
Pikachu The Electric Mouse Detective
Detective Pikachu returns in the aptly-tilted Detective Pikachu Returns... today! If you've snapped up the game for yourself — whether you're a first-time detective or you're coming back for a second cup of coffee — you might be wondering what the differences are between the 3DS original and this Switch...
News Pokémon Bank Users Encouraged To Transfer Pokémon To Pokémon Home ASAP
Bank's online service may end "at some point in the future"
Yesterday, Nintendo announced it would be ending "online play and other functionality" for the 3DS and Wii U in "early April" next year. Although a lot of different parts of the 3DS online service will be impacted, one that won't be in the foreseeable future is Pokémon Bank for the 3DS...
Random Following 3DS/Wii U Online Shutdown, Fans Look To Create More Public Servers
"We have begun discussing our development road map internally"
Pretendo Network, the fan-run group that has developed an open-source replacement for online servers for the Wii U and 3DS, is discussing plans to "accommodate" the shutdown. In a statement shared on social media, Pretendo Network said that it had been "made aware" of the company's...
Guide When Does 3DS And Wii U Online Shut Down? Nintendo Online Closure Guide
The hows and the whys
It seems only yesterday that Nintendo shut down the eShop functionality for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, doesn't it? After stating that online functionality would remain for the "foreseeable future", the firm has confirmed that 3DS and Wii U online services will be discontinued in "early April 2024". So what does this mean for...
News 3DS And Wii U Online Play Ends In "Early April" 2024
Nintendo officially confirms
In news that's been a long time coming, Nintendo has announced it will be ending "online play and other functionality" that uses online communication for both the 3DS and Wii U as of "early April" 2024. Here's the official confirmation: Nintendo: "In early April 2024, online play and other functionality that uses...
September2023
News 3DS Turn-Based JRPG 'The Legend Of Legacy' Is Getting Remastered Next Year
Relive the legacy
Update: NIS America has opened pre-orders for a limited edition version of the game for $79.99. You can head to the NIS store to pre-order it right now. Original article: Dungeon Encounters and Opoona developer Cattle Call's 3DS RPG The Legend of Legacy is getting an HD Remaster on Swit
Random AMOLED 3DS Concept Shown Off At Tokyo Game Show 2023
Includes 90Hz refresh rate
Over at the Tokyo Game Show this week, Japanese hardware firm Tassei Denki has been showing off some hardware prototypes that could potentially give us a glimpse into the near future. One of these is of particular interest to us and appears to be a new concept for the Nintendo 3DS. The two units on display are powered by...
News Nintendo Looks To Be Updating Its Smash Bros. amiibo Packaging
There's supposedly "no mention" of Switch
Nintendo's amiibo line might not be quite as busy as it once was, but there are still new figurines arriving on a regular basis. With this in mind, there are reports of updated packaging for Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate amiibo series. A recent post from a Famiboards forum member shared some photos...
August2023
News Service For Dragon Quest X Online On Wii U And 3DS Will End Next Year
End of an era for the Japan-only release
Dragon Quest X Online might have never left Japan, but the game has come to a whole host of different platforms since its 2012 launch on Wii including the Wii U, 3DS, Switch and mobile. Service for the game ended on the original console a few years back and now Square Enix has announced that the Wii U and 3DS...
July2023
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
The bros are back in town
It's time for another edition of Box Art Brawl — let's get ready to rumbllllllle! Before we get into this week's match-up, let's see how things panned out last time. We took a look at the GameCube's Donkey Konga, with a whopping three different designs to choose between. It was the Japan cover that walked away with the...
Random Sakurai Explains Why True Twin-Stick Controls Weren't Possible For Kid Icarus: Uprising
And yes, he still wants that Switch port
In his latest video in the 'Game Concepts' series, Masahiro Sakurai once again goes back to Kid Icarus: Uprising. This time, the legendary game designer breaks down the game's "unique" control scheme and explains the difficulties that the team had in developing the title. Part on-rails shooter, part...
News Nintendo "Currently Have No Specifics To Share" About Other Legacy Platforms For Switch Online
Sorry, GameCube fans
Nintendo's Switch Online service added Game Boy games in February this year, but there are obviously requests for even more platforms, so is there a chance of other legacy systems being added? According to the company's president Shuntaro Furukawa, Nintendo "currently have no specifics to share". He responded with this classic...
June2023
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - WarioWare Gold
VOTE!
Welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl. Before we dive into the competitors, let's take a look at what went down last time. Last week, we asked you to choose between a whopping three regional covers for Puyo Pop Fever and it ended up really rather close. It was the Japanese cover that walked away with the win on that occasion,...
May2023
News Dillon's Rolling Western & Kirby Developer Vanpool Shuts Down
"We have decided to disband"
In some surprising news, it's been discovered Vanpool, the independent Tokyo-based development team behind the Dillon's Rolling Western series, has shut down. As of 31st May 2023, the studio is no longer in operation. It shared an official statement on its website confirming this. Here's part of a translation:...
News 3DS System Update 11.17.0-50 Is Now Live, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
Ultra stable
Nintendo has issued a surprise update for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. This bumps the system up to Version 11.17.0-50. As usual, it's another "stability update" - with improved system stability to further enhance the overall user experience. Dataminer 'OatmealDome' also notes how the system settings, eShop app and internet...
April2023
PSA 3DS And Wii U eShop Download Codes Can No Longer Be Redeemed
"Thank you for playing"
Last week, after ending 3DS and Wii U eShop sales, Nintendo announced it would be extending the period to redeem a code to make up for certain technical difficulties. The new date was extended until 4th April 2023 in Japan, and that means this extra time to redeem codes has now also ended here in the west. This marks the end...
Zion investigates
The start of this week saw the closure of the 3DS and Wii U eShops, a sad time for all of us, many of whom spent last weekend feeling a little sentimental about all of the brilliant games that we would be losing as we attempted to download as many titles as possible (not speaking from personal experience, of course). But what does...
News More Indie Developers Are Giving Away Free eShop Codes For Wii U & 3DS
Update: WayForward joins in on the fun
Update [Sat 1st Apr, 2023 03:05 BST]: Mighty Switch Force developer WayForward has joined in on the free giveaway fun sharing codes for Mighty Switch Force 2 on Wii U and 3DS throughout the day. It seems Shovel Knight developer Yacht Club Games was also giving out some codes earlier this week:
March2023
News SteamWorld Series Creator Admits 3DS eShop Closure Is A Little Bit "Upsetting"
A DSiWare classic is gone
It seems Nintendo's closure of the 3DS eShop has been just as upsetting for game developers and publishers. Speaking to 'Kit & Krysta' recently, SteamWorld series creator and Thunderful Group co-founder Brjann Sigurgeirsson admitted it was sad seeing 3DS owners lose access to the 2010 DSiWare origin title SteamWorld:...
News Limited Run Teases One Last Physical Release For Nintendo 3DS
"Days like that remind us why we do what we do"
It's the end of a generation, with Nintendo yesterday calling time on the 3DS and Wii U eShops. Now that digital sales and physical production have come to a halt, the Switch creator is essentially done with these older platforms, but that doesn't mean everyone is.... Physical distributor Limited Run...
News Nintendo Extends Code Redemption Deadline For Wii U & 3DS eShops
You've now got until April
The global shutdown of the 3DS and Wii U eShops was technically yesterday, but it seems Nintendo has thrown a lifeline out to anyone who still has any codes left to redeem on these digital storefronts. As highlighted by the company's official Japanese customer support account on Twitter, Nintendo has extended the period...
News Two 3DS HOME Themes Are Now Free To Download (North America)
Stars, dots & stripes
If you happen to be located in North America, there's apparently a small eShop goodbye gift from Nintendo in the form of "free" 3DS HOME menu themes. Users in this region can currently claim a 'Dots & Stripes: Yellow & White' theme and a 'Stars: Gold & Black' theme from the Theme Shop. These themes previously cost...
News The 3DS & Wii U eShops Have Officially Closed, Purchases "No Longer Possible"
You can still download your existing library, but that's about it
Today officially marks the end of the 3DS and Wii U eShops. While you'll still be able to download your existing purchases, you can no longer buy or redeem new games from these digital storefronts. Free content including demos are also off limits. Now that the digital shops have...
PSA Pokémon Bank Is Now "Free To Use" On Nintendo 3DS
Update: Poké Transporter issues resolved
Update #2: The login issues appear to have been resolved, and everyone with the Poké Transporter installed on 3DS should now be able to access it. Update #1: We've had a slight development, with word quickly spreading online that the Poké Transporter is not working for some users. We booted up the...
News Nintendo Badge Arcade 3DS Service Ends 'Daily Free Plays'
"Farewell, Arcade Bunny"
We've got some news you probably didn't want to hear about the 3DS service Nintendo Badge Arcade. With the 3DS shutdown currently taking place around the globe, it's now been confirmed by Nintendo's Japanese website that this title has been partially shut down. As highlighted by well-known Nintendo dataminer and Twitter...
Poll How Many 3DS Consoles Have You Owned?
1DS, 2DS, 3DS, more?
Call us nostalgic, but the closure of the 3DS eShop has us reminiscing about the many incredible years of portable gaming we've enjoyed with Nintendo's last dedicated handheld console and its wider family. Recently, we've been downloading various gems we missed over the years and it's given us a chance to take stock of our...
Guide 39 Best 3DS eShop Games You Should Get Before They're Gone Forever
3DS eShop-only titles worth picking up pronto
It’s the final countdown — the 3DS eShop is closing for new purchases today, Monday 27th March, so we’re republishing this guide to highlight some gems you might want to consider snapping up... The 3DS eShop is closing down, after over a decade of service. It's not a huge surprise, but it is a...
News Nintendo Badge Arcade 'Free Plays' Might Be Over For Good
But it also could be an error
Players have been reporting that Free Plays on the freemium 3DS app Nintendo Badge Arcade are over. Over on the 3DS subreddit, users were booting up the game in order to cash in on their free plays only to find that there were none. Multiple users started reporting this yesterday, with European players also running...
Community We're Hosting A 3DS StreetPass Gathering At PAX East 2023, Come Join Us
A StreetPAX party!
If you're heading to Boston for PAX East this weekend, you might want to grab your 3DS, 2DS, New 3DS XL — whatever, just grab your 3DS console — because we're hosting a community meet-up to reminisce and celebrate StreetPass! Hosted by the lovely Zion Grassl, champion StreetPass and one of our lovely video hosts over on...
News Pokémon Games Continue To Dominate 3DS Charts Ahead Of eShop Shut Down
Catch all the Game Boy classics while you still can
Time is running out for the 3DS and Wii U eShops with the shut down taking place next week on March 27th. Ahead of this, we've got a sales update to show you what's charting on the 3DS eShop in North America with less than a week remaining. The Virtual Console Pokémon Game Boy games are still...
Video Everything To Do Before The 3DS And Wii U eShops Shut Down
The end is nigh
Are you starting to panic about the impending closure of the 3DS and Wii U eShops? Do you find yourself wondering which last-minute games to pick up, or even how to link your Nintendo accounts properly? Then worry not, dear readers, we're here for you. Our lovely video producer Zion has put together an extensive video that goes over...
PSA You Only Have One Week To Purchase 3DS And Wii U eShop Games
Can we panic yet?
March 27th, 2023. Judgement Day. The day when Skynet will rain nuclear fire upon the earth and send a Terminator back in time to... Hang on. Sorry, wrong script. Two secs... March 27th, 2023. The day when the 3DS and Wii U eShops will shut down permanently, preventing users from purchasing new games and downloadable content. It's...
Random YouTuber Spends Nearly $23K Buying Every 3DS & Wii U eShop Game
Jirard Khalil completes his preservation mission
The 3DS and Wii U eShop services are shutting down at the end of this month and that means you've only got so much time left to buy all of the digital games you possibly can on Nintendo's older storefronts. YouTuber, streamer and video game media personality Jirard "The Completionist" Khalil has taken...
News Pokémon Game Boy Titles Dominate 3DS eShop Charts Ahead Of Service Closure
Get 'em while you can
We're now nearing the end of the month and that means we're getting closer to the end of the 3DS and Wii U eShop service. If you haven't got around to making any last-minute purchases just yet, and are wondering what's hot on the 3DS eShop right now, the weekly sales chart for North America should help you out. As you can see...
Random The World's Largest DS Just Got A 3D Upgrade
And it even has a working Circle Pad
You might remember in July of last year, designer and all-around tech wiz BigRig Creates managed to build the world's largest working DS using a TV and McDonald's touchpad. Well, just as the DS gradually evolved into the 3DS, BigRig has managed to give his creation a dimension-adding upgrade. That's right, the...
Reminder Catch All The Pokémon Games On 3DS & Wii U Before The eShop Closure
Gotta purchase 'em all
The 3DS and Wii U eShop services are closing down at the end of this month on 27th March, and while all sorts of games and applications will no longer be available for purchase, one series in particular that's taking quite a hit is Pokémon. Serebii.net has put together a short social media reel to highlight what exactly will...
News Two 3DS Games Have Been Made Free To Download On 3DS eShop (Europe)
Kid Tripp and Digger Dan DX can be yours
Four Horses has made two of its 3DS eShop titles free to download in the run-up to the digital storefront's closure at the end of the month. Kid Tripp and Digger Dan DX are both currently free and will be free for the remainder of the eShop's life, Four Horses has revealed. (Thanks for the tip, Dogorilla!)...
News Capcom 3DS & Wii U Games Available For Just $2.99 In Final eShop Sale (US)
Get Phoenix Wright, Monster Hunter & more
The 3DS and Wii U eShops are shutting down at the end of this month, and ahead of this, lots of game developers have been slashing prices on their libraries across both platforms. Capcom is the latest to do this - with an absolutely massive sale currently taking place on Nintendo's slightly older digital...
News Shantae Goes Half Price In WayForward's 'Last Chance' 3DS And Wii U eShop Sale
Mighty Switch Force 1 & 2 also discounted
With the 3DS and Wii U eShops closing in less than a month, WayForward has joined a growing list of publishers discounting their games for one last sale before the end. There are a number of games across both platforms to go over here, including the likes of Shantae and the Pirate's Curse and Mighty Switch...
Soapbox 3DS' Boundless Creativity Got Me, And Nintendo, Through Some Tough Times
A platform for change
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Andy McDonald celebrates and reminisces about a console that showcased Nintendo's off-the-wall creativity at its very best... With the 3DS’ days numbered as an active...
News This Is What The Pokémon Bank 3DS Shut Down Update Looks Like
See one of the incoming changes
March marks the month of the 3DS eShop shutdown and as part of this, The Pokémon Company previously announced it would be making its Pokémon Bank service on Nintendo's handheld device entirely free. Serebii.net webmaster Joe Merrick has now highlighted one of the changes that will be made on the software side as...
Update: Splatoon and Mario Kart 8 for Wii U taken offline
Update [Fri 3rd Mar, 2023 15:30 GMT]: Nintendo has announced that it has begun temporary emergency maintenance on Splatoon and Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U. While unconfirmed, it's heavily speculated that the maintenance - which at the time of writing has no time frame attached to it - is...
Talking Point Which Is Your Favourite 3DS Theme?
Main theme
As we continue our trip down memory lane before the 3DS (and Wii U) eShops close up for new purchases, firing up our old consoles recently has reminded us just what a bounty of gaming joy 3DS presents every time you crack open that clamshell. What a wonderful little console! (Check out our 'Countdown' series if you're looking for eShop...
News Atlus Cancels "Final" 3DS Game Sale Ahead Of eShop Closure
Sorry, Japan
The 3DS eShop is scheduled to shut down this month, and in response to this, publisher and developer Atlus (known for series like Persona and Shin Megami Tensei) was planning on hosting one "final" sale on the platform in Japan. Instead of going live today, yesterday the company announced it would no longer be happening. It apparently...
February2023
Reminder Today Is Your Last Chance To Get Fire Emblem Fates On 3DS eShop
Don't miss out
In one month, on March 27th, 2023, the 3DS and Wii U eShops will permanently cease new purchases on games and DLC. We're very sad. However, today (February 27th, 2023) actually marks your last opportunity to purchase Fire Emblem Fates, as Nintendo will be removing it from the eShop store on Tuesday 28th February, one month prior to...
News 3DS Tactical Adventure 'Fragrant Story' Releasing Free DLC Expansion Before eShop Closure
Sniff this
Last year in April, a new 3DS 16-bit tactical RPG game known as Fragrant Story was released. It's one of the few physical releases on the handheld in recent years and is also likely to be one of the last. With the 3DS eShop closure on the horizon, the developer William Kage is now using the remaining time to pump out a few updates. The...
News You'll Have One Year To Transfer Funds Once 3DS & Wii U eShops Close, Says Nintendo
Get that Nintendo ID linked!
Ahead of the 3DS and Wii U eShop closures next month, Nintendo of Europe has shared a reminder on Twitter on what you can do in the lead up and aftermath of the end of the services. Importantly, Nintendo has clarified that you'll have until March 2024 to merge 3DS and Wii U eShop funds with your Nintendo Account. In
PSA Don't Worry, 3DS System Transfers Will Still Be Possible Following eShop Closure
Well, that's something at least!
As you will all likely know by now (we hope), the 3DS and Wii U eShops will no longer allow users to purchase or download new games onto their systems come March 27th, 2023. Nintendo has been reasonably forthright regarding what will and won't be possible after this date, but one question that's been lingering in...
January2023
Feature Best Japan-Exclusive 3DS Games - 13 Titles We Wish Had Come To The West
From strategy tributes to puzzle RPGs...
With the closure of the 3DS eShop fast approaching, it's got us feeling a little bit nostalgic here at Nintendo Life — particularly for games that we never got our hands on here in the West. It's a tale as old as time at this point. Many Japan-only games never get localised, and that's been the case for a...
Random Pocket Card Jockey Director Is 'Sad' About The 3DS eShop Closure
Aren't we all..?
As we all know by now (we hope), the 3DS and Wii U eShops will unfortunately be shutting down on March 27th, 2023. This of course means that in just a couple of months time, you'll no longer be able to purchase or download new games onto your 3DS or Wii U. Until that time, if your Nintendo Account is shared across your Switch, 3DS,...
Random Indie Dev Giving Away Free Game Codes Until Nintendo Closes Wii U & 3DS eShops
Both eShops will close this March
It's now officially 2023 and that means we're getting closer to the closure of the Wii U and 3DS eShops. The last part of the closure will take place on 27th March 2023 and after this you'll no longer be able to purchase in-game content, download demos, add funds or redeem download codes. In response to this, indie...
News Game Freak's Secret Best Game Is No Longer 3DS Exclusive
Don't get your hopes up, though
At the start of December 2022, we reported that a trademark for 'Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On!' had been filed by Game Freak. At the time, we weren't quite sure what this would be in reference to, but now we have our answer (thanks, VGC). We've got good news and bad news, folks. The good news is that the cult classic...
Video We Hereby Declare That 2023 Will Be The Year Of 3DS StreetPass
But we'll need your help
2023 is going to be a pretty big year for the Switch. It's only the start of January, but we already know that we're going to be playing the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Fire Emblem Engage, Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, and Pikmin 4 within the next 12 months, and that's all while being fully...
December2022
Full server shutdowns could be coming sooner than you think, too
Over the holidays we're republishing some choice features from the last 12 months. A mix of talking points, interviews, opinion pieces and more from NL staff and contributors, you'll find our usual blend of thoughtfulness, expertise, frivolity, retro nostalgia, and — of course —...
News Mario Kart 7 Gets Its First Update In Over A Decade
Update: New details about the changes surface
Update [Tue 20th Dec, 2022 03:45 GMT]: Dataminer OatmealDome has shed some light on last week's Mario Kart 7 update. It appears changes have been made to the game's netcode, and there's also been an update to stop Version 1.1 from being used with Version 1.2. 3DS homebrew developer and Mario Kart 7...
News Game Freak Registers Trademark For Potential 'Pocket Card Jockey' Sequel
Or could it be a remake..?
Game Freak, the core developer behind the Pokémon franchise, released a much loved 3DS title back in 2013 called Pocket Card Jockey. Exclusive to Japan for three years, it eventually made its way to other regions in 2016 to positive reception. Now, it appears there may be a new game on the horizon, as a trademark for...
November2022
Random Sounds Like Masahiro Sakurai Wants A Kid Icarus: Uprising Port As Much As Us
"It sure would be nice"
Masahiro Sakurai has put out another video through his 'Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games' YouTube channel, this time looking at the implementation of difficulty settings. Focusing primarily on the 3DS action title Kid Icarus: Uprising, Sakurai explains the concept of risk and reward with difficulty, going into the 'Fiend's...
Poll So, Animal Crossing: New Leaf Or New Horizons - Which Do You Like Best?
Don't Leaf me this way
Today marks exactly ten years since Animal Crossing: New Leaf was first released on 3DS. Outside Japan, we had to wait until June the following year to become mayor in our autostereoscopic 3D hamlets, although its Switch counterpart, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, would be the first game in the main series to get a...
October2022
News Nintendo's 3DS & Wii U Image Share Services Have Now Ended
"Thank you for using our service"
Last month, Nintendo revealed it would be discontinuing two more 3DS and Wii U features on 25th October 2022. It's now officially past this point in certain locations around the world, and this means the Image Share feature is no longer available on both of these devices. To remind everyone, Nintendo's Japanese...
News Bravely Default Developer Team Asano Asks Fans If They Want A New Entry
And how about some ports of the 3DS games?
As you might have already seen, the Bravely Default series is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary. Yes, it's now been around for that long! During a special anniversary stream, developer Team Asano asked fans if they would like to see another entry in the series. Here's what was apparently said...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D
All-S.T.A.R Brawl
Happy Sunday, everyone; welcome to another edition of 'Box Art Brawl'! We've got another great one for you this week, but first let's take a look at the previous results. Last time, we featured the GameCube classic from Rare Ltd, Star Fox Adventures. Criminally underrated at the time of its release, the action-adventure title has...
September2022
News The 3DS And Wii U Are Losing Two More Features Next Month
Update: Changes to Switch log-ins too
Update: You will also be unable to link your Facebook or Twitter account to your Nintendo Account, even on Nintendo Switch. Here is the information on what's changing from Nintendo: As of October 25 , 2022, it will no longer be possible to link a Facebook or Twitter account to a Nintendo Account. - This...
Random Reddit User Creates The Ultimate 3DS Emulator With A Steam Deck
Bigger is better after all
The Steam Deck is widely known for its remarkable emulation capabilities, with users most recently managing to enable gyro controls for Wii U emulation. It's not entirely surprising when you consider that the Steam Deck is effectively a portable PC, but it's still impressive nonetheless. Now, one Reddit user has taken...
3DS Features
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