Some people remember where they were when they found out about the assassination of President JFK. I can't tell you where I was when JFK was shot, but that's mostly because I hadn't been born, and therefore wasn't watching the news at the time, but I can tell you where I was when the Nintendo 3DS first came out.
It was midnight, March 25th, 2011, and I was at a pokey little HMV in Exeter, the city in which I was attending university. It was cold, and dark, and I had rolled out of my nice comfy bed to be here — my first ever midnight launch. My first ever midnight anything, to be honest, because to get up out of bed and go to the shops at midnight, you have to either really care about something, or be really hungry. For me, it was the former.
I traded in my old, battered DS Lite for £55 off the 3DS (in Aqua Blue) and it seemed like the fanciest thing I had ever owned. To this day, it's one of the best investments I've ever made, second only to a warm-water bidet: I played that little piece of plastic to death, and it was still kicking when I traded it in again for a New Nintendo 3DS a few years later.
Nearly ten years later, and the Nintendo 3DS has finally been taken out of production. It's not like you can't get your hands on one ever again, though – a cursory search on eBay turns up over 4,000 results for "3DS", and Nintendo's own figures up to the middle of this year state that the family of 3DS consoles have collectively sold 75.87 million units. These little guys are ubiquitous. Like rats in New York, you're probably never more than six feet away from a Nintendo 3DS.
Unlike rats in New York, the 3DS brought me, and millions of other people, great joy. From the very first moment of opening it, to replaying Animal Crossing: New Leaf before the release of New Horizons, I've never had a bad moment with Nintendo's clicky-hinged handheld. It was my very first experience with AR, if you can remember all those little cards the original console came with – I remember showing my mum that there were little balloons all around the room that you could shoot, feeling like I had personally invented augmented reality. The gimmick wore off quick, but what a gimmick it was.
Finding out that the 3DS is no longer being made is akin to moving away from home for the first time. You know it's for the best, right? You know that things change, and die, and the world moves on, and is better for it. But deep down, it doesn't feel right. You want to stay in the world that has comforting memories and soft, non-threatening nostalgia. I want generations upon generations to play the 3DS, and appreciate how good it was.
It didn't have to be that good. It could have been a handheld console with a neat technological idea – 3D without glasses! Wow! – but the very fact that I'm 500 words into telling you about how much I loved this console, and I've only just mentioned the 3D, goes some way to demonstrating how the 3D ended up being much less of a selling point than originally intended.
You see, what made the 3DS good was the sheer range of inventive, creative, weird games that no one else was publishing at the time. I have a lot of hot takes on this. I could tell you that the 3DS (and DS, with which it shares a lot of common features) was partly responsible for how good mobile games can be, because it (along with the iPad, released just a few months earlier) made high-production-value touchscreen games cool.
I could tell you that it helped revolutionise the indie games scene, because with the huge popularity of the 3DS, you could get your quirky game in the hands of just about everyone under 30 that was playing games at the time. I will definitely tell you that the 3DS was (and is) one of the most influential consoles for narrative in games, because creators and developers could tell pocket-sized stories that would immediately find an audience, given the massively wide net of people who owned the console.
There were games on the 3DS that could only really come out on the 3DS at the time: Zero Escape, Ace Attorney, Professor Layton. It's no coincidence that many of these games were heavy in story and puzzles, because the 3DS (again, like the DS) was almost marketed like a book — something you could take on the train or bus, with games you could play in short bursts. In fact, I actually played a DS game called 100 Classic Books on my 3DS, where you could attempt to read the entirety of the works of Shakespeare on a tiny screen. I... don't recommend it.
But, in my opinion, at least, the 3DS was popular, successful, and wonderful, because it marketed to everyone. Nintendo's notoriously gender-free marketing doesn't just include everyone, it makes sure that no one feels excluded. As someone who assumed as a teen that PlayStations and Xboxes just weren't really aimed at me, because they only ever marketed them loudly, with the kind of games I just didn't want to play, Nintendo has always felt like a safe haven.
In fact, the 3DS was often specifically marketed at women and girls – in a kind of icky, patronising way, I won't lie – but I never felt like any other console manufacturer really bothered to acknowledge that I was even there. I bought a 3DS because I wanted to, the same as anyone might do with a rice cooker, or a new pillow. At launch, it wasn't advertised as something I might like because I was a girl, or something I might not like because I was a girl. It just... was.
RIP, 3DS.
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My favourite console of all time. Just so many brilliant games and I spent thousands of hours on it. Backwards compatibility was brilliant too. Highlights include Rune Factory 4, Theatrhythm Curtain Call, Etrian Odyssey 4, Shin Megami Tensei IV, Fire Emblem Awakening, Ocarina of Time 3D and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. Other games that I totally forgot but are also fantastic are Virtue’s Last Reward, literally the whole Ace Attorney series, the last couple of Layton games, Fantasy Life and the most underrated of all, Ghost Recon Shadow Wars.
Mega drive Zelda! I’m in xxx love 3ds xx
Kate Gray! Whoop!
Possibly the best handheld only gaming device ever made, it took everything good with the DS and made it better. (Until the Switch lite)
It's also the sole reason why Nintendo didn't go the way of Sega during the Wii U dark days. The best of Nintendo's last generation gaming experiences are only available on the 3DS, especially considering most the one's on the Wii U have been released on the Switch, if you want the best Nintendo games from last generation not on the Switch, you'd need a 3DS.
My very first Nintendo console bought with own money. I'll miss it.
3DS: Was I a good console?
Death: No. I was told you were the best one (of gen).
Man I loved my 3DSs! My 2DS was cool, but I think that the battery died out, so I had to get a New 3DS XL, and besides the glossy finish, it is amazing. I still use it every now and then.
My 3DS has nearly 6000 hours of played time on it, 4000 of those are Mario Kart DS (Didn't like 7). While I mostly play switch these days, my kids are now enjoying my library of 50ish games. Certainly got my moneys worth of out it.
It had alot of traditional games at launch to appeal to gamers. This failed and when the price drop occured they shifted focus like the original DS, something for everyone. Nintendo has always been good at something for everyone. Except the 3DS didn't get any top tier FPS games despite being more than capable. A Rainbow Six (touch screen planning phase returns!), A Metroid Prime (3D would have been glorious), a Doom 3D, a new Medal of honour etc. Overall it was a solid machine but as always developers and publishers treated it as a "niche" .
I've bought about 8 regular N3DS so far, and 2 Pikachu N2DS XL. All basically as backup for my original 2015 N3DS, which is still going strong. Got nearly every game physically I could want too.
I can't believe the legacy of 3/DS software will remain locked to this hardware forever, Nintendo is bound to revisit, I reckon. But until they do, I'm good.
#3DSWillNeverDie
I feel like there's more magic with a game screen in a clamshell design. I dont think a tablet with minimized bezel (the switch) can make the same impression.
There's definitely magic with a midnight release of a console. That's how i got the switch. The caveat is waiting for all the games to come out.
Agree one hundred percent with this article. Let's just not bring up that one commercial whilst though get the girl or play like one lol
Recently I've been coming back to my 3DS. There's a lot of games I have for it that I haven't finished yet! (Such as Fantasy Life - REALLY should play it more often.) I've been replaying A Link Between Worlds and I still love it.
I have a New 3DS XL - I love it and it's all red (my favorite color) but I don't care for how glossy it is. Kinda wish I got a regular-sized New 3DS, but it is what it is, lol. Definitely a system well worth keeping, even if I have a Switch.
There were some great games that were visually stunning like Resident Evil Revelations and Luigi’s Mansion 2. The Game Boy virtual console was also a highlight. The console boarder view, with depth between the grey boarder and the screen behind it, when the 3D slider was turned up. It was a nice touch.
The one feature I wish the Switch had that the 3DS has is the automatic and accurate time tracking for every game that you played it on it. There was nothing better than completing a 3DS game like Phoenix Wright or Professor Layton and seeing that you had spent 40 hours it...LOL
Fantastic handheld. Love it
The first 3ds was a bit iffy, but I prefer my new 3ds XL to my switch. Feels more premium in build quality and the 3D is still impressive today. It is also home to the latest Metroid game. When the "new" switch XX retires im sure it will hold the same place in my heart as my "new" 3DS XL does today.
I still think its a little retro powerhouse. The N64 Zelda's, Pokemon and VC games make it essential even now.
The 3DS XL is in my top 5 all time favorite video game machines.
1. Switch
2. N64
3. 3DS XL
4. SNES
5. XBOX360
A lovely ode. Thank you.
I have owned four Nintendo 3DSs. My favorite was a white New Nintendo 3DS. Via a bashed window it was stolen from my car, and the world didn't feel right again until I got a SNES themed New Nintendo 3DS XL to replace it. Thankfully NOA let me transfer my account to it and redownload all of my gamed, because I bought A LOT of digital software for that little console.
Amazing how a discontinued console still outsells the Xbox One in Japan.
@FargusPelagius there was a metroid prime game on 3ds but people don't like to remember it.
My favorite handheld ever. I've spent so many hours on it.
Playing Switch so much lately, it feels strange when I grab my 3DS, but the memories are still intact.
Don’t know how to feel about the opening paragraph.
@BongoBongo123 yeah, I love those N64 games on 3Ds. They put the N64 effort in Mario 3D all stars to shame.
@Moistnado Federation Force is "not" a Prime game . I know it says it is in the title and the game is actually half decent and didn't completely deserve the shafting it got. It also proves the 3DS could do FPS's competently. But no, I was referring to an "Actual" Prime game like the GameCube, Wii and DS games. Hell even a pinball sequel would have worked great on 3DS (just no rumble).
@Ghostchip 90's video game marketing was a odd beast indeed...
Having gamed since the 1980s I can also say this was one of my favourite consoles of all time. Cool article. Thanks.
FargusPelagius I got some fun out of Federation Force but there is never enough people online to help me finish it. It seems impossible to complete solo. If only they spent the development time shrinking Prime 1 down to fit the 3ds, it would have been a best seller.
I have a hardtime picking a favorite Nintendo handheld system, they all have great games but the 3DS was most unique while some found the 3D to be gimmicky I cannot play the sega 3D classic arcade remakes without 3D enabled on the New 3DS.
It is such a great experience to see actual depth in a game world.
But even without 3D the games on 3DS stand on their own.
I have a 3DS XL, New 3DS, and a New 3DS XL. I absolutely love the system. I still carry my small model New 3DS with me wherever I go. I have a game case that holds both Switch and 3DS games and still play my 3DS quite a bit. One of my favorite gaming memories is the first time I booted up my 3DS on launch day and saw the logo pop off the screen. I know 3D isn't for everyone, but I still find it impressive in a way that resolution and fancy graphics will never touch. When implemented well, the 3D effect is so immersive. There's just so many great games on the system too. I doubt I'll be retiring mine for years to come.
The 3DS was a pretty incredible handheld console. I loved my Vita and 3DS equally but I have to especially thank the 3DS for deepening my love for the RPG genre, especially as a MegaTen/Atlus fan and an avid Square fan as well. The first game I saw that actively made me really want a 3DS was Snake Eater 3D because I loved the original game and it looked damn near identical to the PS2 version, which spoke loads about how graphically capable the console was, even if the Vita really blew my mind months later
And obviously SMTIV was pretty big as well and what got me into mainline MegaTen full time, leading me to discover games like Soul Hackers, Devil Survivor 2 and fully completing SJ for the first time through Redux. It's also how I first played RPGs like Dragon Quest VII and VIII in addition to getting further into Fire Emblem through Awakening, Fates and Echoes. Persona Q was also pretty big for me because it came out right when I finished my first playthrough of P4G on Vita and loved the idea of P3 and P4 characters interacting with each other on a greater scale than even Persona 4 Arena
Loved this system, even though I do think the DS is still the better handheld
Excellent read. I remember seeing it at Walmart at launch and being amazed at the graphics for a handheld.
I have not fired up mine much since I got my switch, but I know I will some if for no other reason nostalgia.... pretty amazing that they got Xenoblade to run in that.
Miss Street Pass. Wish they kept it active longer. And wish they had a suite of mini games like that for the Switch. Maybe included with Nintendo Online.
Incredible, absolutely incredible.
Helped that it was backwards compatible with the absolutely stunning DS library.
3DS still beats Switch in some ways
The thing that comes to mind was the great comeback from a pretty disastrous first few months where people thought it was just another DS with minor upgrade (it was released a year after the DSi XL) to a great library of games once it reached its first birthday.
Still annoyed that they never remade Wario Land VB to the 3DS though.
Being a docked-only Switch player I still bring my New XL with me for on the go gaming.
@Razer Nintendo had a huge cash reserve and could have withstood losses for a decade or longer. I think that ultimately, the WiiU might have been profitable, especially now that they have been able to salvage and recycle it's IP.
But yeah, it was a life preserver for Nintendo. And really an innovative device that I will forever appreciate.
Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, Kirby Planet Robobot, Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon,
DK Country Returns 3D, Yo Kai Watch, and so many other great games! The 3ds is one of my favorite Nintendo handhelds of all time!
@Sanangelo89 agreed. It is ultra portable and I like the second screen...
My most beloved gaming device ever until the Switch arrived. I bought three of them for the family, and then one N3DSXL later. It was literally why I didn't care much about the Wii U. I was just too busy playing on my 3DS. It was such a beautiful and quirky thing, with dozens of my favorite games of any generation and a gorgeous design.
Sadly, I find it too much of a downgrade to enjoy after I met the Switch. I could deal with the resolution and the downsizing that most big games experienced on the 3DS, as long as I didn't have a better alternative. But once I did, I couldn't go back. I'm a total Switch convert.
Can't take away the thousands of hours I spent with my 3DS, though.
First: The 3DS got me back into gaming. I had a trip to Paris planned for a few months after Pokémon X&Y came out and made it a goal to play X while sat by the Eiffel Tower. I scrimped together the cash and bought one second hand and played X in the grass by the tower on a beautiful sunny day.
Second: I had pet rats and they did bring me joy thankyouverymuch
My favorite handheld ever, even surpassing the Switch because of the perfect form factor!
I have about 150 games for it and thousands of hours on it.
I really hope a future hybrid console takes into consideration the portability of a clamshell design.
Like rats in New York, you're probably never more than "six feet away" from a Nintendo 3DS
Never thought I see a COVID reference in the world we still live in today.
I'm still trying to get everything unlocked in Mario Kart 7 before I sell it. Haven't even touched Pokémon Omega Ruby or Pokémon Ultra Sun yet, or even Puzzle & Dragons Z + Super Mario Bros. Edition (forgot I still had that game)
Solid system. Not my absolute favorite, but solid. I'm not a fan of the 3DS/Wii U generation as a whole, there was too little ambition and creativity during that era, but the 3DS had several good ones. ALBW, Mario Kart 7, Kirby: Planet Robobot, and Metroid: Samus Returns stuck out as good entries in their series. It definitely kept my interest (and probably Nintendo's sales) alive during a time when it felt like Nintendo didn't care about making the kinds of games I liked anymore. And I really miss dual screen clamshell handhelds, the Switch just doesn't cut it as a handheld console (luckily I'm more of a console gamer). They really need to bring dual screen clamshell gaming back with the Switch's sucessor.
Let’s do an ode to the 3DS twice a year from now on
Hip hip, hurrah!
@Arckadius oh yes..funally someone who agrees with me..
Mario kart ds is so much the better game..lt felt much tighter... traveled through whole of indonesia with that game in my pocket...
I love my 3ds. But, some games wont work because i dont have a micro sd card even tho there was one when i got it. Dunno what happened. Anyway, mk7 is great
I agree with many on here by saying the 3DS family of systems is the best gaming device ever. Period. I started on the DS Lite was all over that. Eventually upgraded to the first 3DS was loved it. For whatever reason didn't give it as much attention as the DS Lite but still loved it. All that changed though when I got the New N3DS XL. Oh man I got that launch day specifically because it came out with Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and I was in gamer heaven. Immediately became my primary gaming device for years. To cut down on the video game graveyard I traded it in (along with Wii) towards the purchase of a Switch. I really missed it at first but as I put more time into Switch it definitely feels like the perfect spiritual transition.
The 3DS is my first console, and also my first taste of video games in general, and I loved it. And still do. Unfortunately my circle pad broke, So I haven't been playing most of the great games on there recently, but I still like the system a lot.
May I also mention. The 3DS becomes even more interesting and powerful if you can mod it. I didn't dare to until recently, but when it was officially discontinued, I was like, "It's time." The biggest benefit is that you can rip games from cartridges and emulate them, and it's perfectly legal if you do it that way with your own games. There's also a number of very interesting tools you can install. It's a great way to breathe a lot of new life into an already great system.
Really solid console. I'm still playing it today; I take it to work to play over lunch, it's a lot easier to play turn based games whilst eating than it is on Switch so I've started through the numerous Fire Emblem titles. I imagine that'll cotinue for some time, especially if I replay Pokémon, start Layton or what have you. Nintendos best dedicated handheld imo.
The glasses-less 3D is still amazing and no other device like it has come along since, a testament to Nintendo's unrivalled ingenuity.
I found myself returning to the 3DS during the launch drought of the Switch, and I still have many, many games on DS/3DS/Wii/Wii U that have yet to be completed (and in some cases, played at all) that will keep me busy for years to come.
I confess that I do miss some of the more "casual" games on the system and I hope we see more of Nintendo's "Touch Generations" games make a return to the Switch. Brain Training seemed to come out of nowhere, and I love that it got the full retail treatment. It was a little light on content, probably due to Nintendo's apprehension about releasing such software in a post-smartphone world, but I hope that sales were strong enough for Nintendo to consider bringing back some of their smaller scale franchises moving forward.
Unfortunately I've had at least three poorly-manufactured 3DSes (none of which I was able to bring myself to send in for service). Fortunately I still have one New 3DS XL in good shape (the last I checked anyway) and a now obsolete standard 3DS XL (the awesome Pikachu variant which I had imported frmo the UK). I wish I could buy at least one or two more for back-up.
I'm giving my N3DS XL a bit of a break for now, but I plan to pick it up again before long. I absolutely love the system; I'm STILL working my way through its stellar library, especially in the JRPG department. I love its portability, the 3D effect, its backwards compatibility....So much to love.
Besides the baffling decision that 3DS is the only handheld console that region locked, and the new 3DS models which does not include a charger, it has been one of the finest handheld console ever made.
Solid system, but not a favourite of mine. Not a big JRPG fan so that’s a decent chunk of its library gone. It’s OK but nothing special Tech-wise, the 3D effect does nothing for me. Region Locking is stupid. Preferred the PSP and Vita, and in its actual lifetime the DS (though obv BC is a big plus for the 3DS).
I got the original model 2DS in early 2014. What a great system! Really comfy to play for extended sessions. I eventually bought a 3DS XL but never really liked it as much. A while later I got a regular sized new 3DS replace it and as good as that model is I really wish I’d never transferred my games from the 2DS in the first place.
The 2DS is still going strong (mainly played by my kids). In fact one of the reasons I haven’t upgraded from a Switch Lite to a full Switch (apart from the cost) is the regret of upgrading from the humble 2DS: it did exactly what I wanted it to and the additional features just weren’t really worth it in the end (for me at least).
I got my first 3DS last summer. The Pikachu New 2DS XL to be precise. I think I've bought pretty much everything I want for it, at least for now. Since I got it I've been playing all the Pokemon and Fire Emblem games and I did my first playthrough of Xenoblade on it too earlier this year. Also played 3D Land and New Leaf. I still have Monster Hunter 4, the two Persona Q games, SMT IV, Link Between Worlds, Ocarina of Time and Radiant Historia to go. Needless to say I've got many happy hours with it still ahead of me.
I also own a DS Lite, which I got near release. I never really played it though and after getting my 3DS I realised I'd missed out on quite a bit. On that system I have more Pokemon games, some of the Final Fantasies and a few more to play though too.
Part of me hopes that somehow a “Switch DS” or “Next Switch” will play 3DS games. I would hate to leave my library behind.
3ds is my favorite console of all time. I prefer it over my switch. I have enormous collection of games I've aquired over the years of DS and 3ds, my backlog of games is impressive in its own right and even if I didn't buy any more I have a year+ worth of games to play. The library of quality underrated and elusive games is so vast that this console cannot die out unless WE choose to let it. Don't get sucked into the "throwaway" culture that is being pushed on us. Yes the "Switch" is great...but try as it might, it cannot be a true portable, even switch lite battery life is just not up to the task and it's far too large and ackward to carry with you in pocket or purse. Social media and video game industry will continue it's assault on our attention span but be aware and resist it, they aren't interested in how much "fun" and "quality entertainment" we get, they only want more $$$. 3ds has loads more to contribute, you just have to look for yourself to find out.
I remember I first got my 3DS a good while back, in December 2014, and man, it was everything I'd ever dreamed of. I had a DS Lite before it, but my parents would only get me preschool edutainment games for it--and not even the games like Brain Age and Big Brain Academy that Nintendo published. As such, the 3DS was pretty much my first time truly experiencing the greatness of Nintendo on the go, and I cannot overstate just how incredible it was. I started with NSMB2 and Mario Golf, and was later introduced to Mario Tennis, Mario & Luigi, Yoshi's Island, and a number of rather unique Mario Parties through the 3DS. It's amazing just how much I got out of the system from Mario alone, with Mario & Luigi: Dream Team remaining perhaps my favorite game of all time. Man, what a great system.
But all good things come to an end, and my 3DS broke through a series of unfortunate events in late 2018. I dropped my 3DS on a tile floor one too many times, and the left hinge gradually started to deteriorate until the final blow was dealt by...my reckless siblings playing kickball indoors with a giant inflatable fitness ball. Siblings, right? But if it weren't for that, I probably wouldn't have been so motivated to get a summer job over the next 19 months so I could buy a new one and enjoy a bunch of DS and 3DS games I missed. Obviously in that time I've become a big fan of a few Nintendo series other than Mario, particularly Kirby, and realized just how much more I'd missed than that highly-anticipated Bowser's Inside Story remake. So many years of fun and enjoyment from the system, and it still has more to offer.
Rest in peace, 3DS. And thanks for staying in production throughout those 19 long months. But I won't miss you. You know why? Because I'm still playing your games.
One of Nintendo's best. I carried mine with me everywhere for years! Streetpass will forever be a unique and personal favorite gimmick of all time. Lots of great games on the system plus the whole DS library meant that you basically never lacked for something to play.
But it won't be missed because it's not gone. A console that's out of production isn't "dead". There's nothing stopping you from continuing to play it. And even if you played incredibly frequently there is no way you have burned through the entire library of games.
I don't understand why people act so depressed about this. As though because the system is no longer in production that means it no longer can be played? Nonsense.
Nintendo's best 21st century console. Top-notch library of original games and legacy/backwards compatibility content. Switch could learn a lot from it.
If they re released the new 3DS XL I would buy it in a heartbeat, I miss mine that got stolen along with all my games and I didn’t want to invest in the 2DS because I always used the 3D
Glad to see a few other Johnny- or Jenny-come-latelys here. I got my first 3DS only last year, and I’ve only just begun digging into that library. Love the 3D effect, love the JRPGs, love the clamshell design - it’s a brilliant handheld.
I've owned every Nintendo console and handheld except the Gameboy. The 3ds might be my all time favorite console.
Honestly thought that said "An Ode To The 3DS, Nintendos Worst Console"
I, somehow, never owned a DS or 3DS until last year, but I have loved my New Nintendo 2DS XL. So many fabulous games, and the dual screen / touchpad mechanic really is a wonderful way to game (and was used ingenuously by many developers). Very much not a bygone console for me!
@bobzbulder The first AND third paragraphs are pretty...wild!
Eh, I just wanted portable Smash and Kingdom Hearts but backwards compatibility was a great deal, not to mention VC.
3DS is the best portable ever made by anybody, including the Switch. I love that little system.
And apparently I'm in the minority, but I love the 3D effect and wish it had carried over as an option on Switch.
To this day I still have my 2011 3ds, which I got after the price drop, my favourite handheld I've ever owned. Also 3d land is very under appreciated
A solid handheld, but not the greatest one for me. That honours still go to the PSP and Vita (but only a hacked one) in my opinion.
After having a gbc and a gba (this one for only a few months before it got stolen) years ago, I bought a 3ds XL around the time of pokemon x and y to play y, ended up getting As later, as well as the Phoenix Wright games (playing those first time ever), but it had always been overshadowed by my PSP and Vita, with me getting the Vita before the 3ds. The game selection, aside of pokemon, simply resonated with me better.
Ended up getting a zelda MM n3ds just to play Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, later got Pokemon Moon and Ultra Sun, MH4U (just to discover that after Freedom Wars I simply couldn't stand the original MH formula), all three Zelda games, a few lesser games, Re:R, but, in the end, my 3ds library ended up really poor compared to my PSP and Vita libraries. Still, had fun with the system and still go back to it from time to time.
Just wish the c-stick was at least 1/10th as good as the Vita analogues.
Cya
Raziel-chan
PS. Both Zero Escape games available on 3ds were released on it and the Vita at the same time, so, indeed, the 3ds was NOT the only place such a game could be released.
What I miss the most is the actual 3D effect. I know it was a literal headache for some, but personally I practically never played the 3DS without having it cranked up to the max.
Playing a game like MH Generations on the Switch with improved textures and native 1080p is very nice, but it just doesn't immerse me like it did on the 3DS. For me the 3D was so absorbing that it made the 240p version outshine the 1080p version. I've found it so much more than a gimmick.
RIP.
My all time favorite thing about the 3DS? The eShop. It had it all. A great Virtual Console lineup, old DSiWare, great indies, original Nintendo stuff like Pushmo, and FreakyForms, and SEVERAL music tracks, it just had a lot of stuff that hasn't been surpassed since. While the Wii U eShop is a close runner up, the Switch's eShop is laughable in terms of personality and quality. Not that the 3DS eShop was exempt of stinkers, but there were less stinkers than the Switch eShop.
@FlaviusFire Is it any hard to mod? Been wanting to try, but don't want to brick it.
Super Mario 3D Land was one of the first games I almost 100%'d just for how much fun I had with it. Did the entirety of the main campaign but with 18 worlds, it was too much of a challenge.
3DS > Switch.
The 3DS is one of my favorite consoles of all time.
In terms of features this console is godly, this will always be one of my favourite consoles ever
@LeighDappa to be fair, it was a relatively short window, the first year of it's release was a bit shaky and it didn't really pick up in terms of quality of game's until mid 2013, it then had a solid 3.5 years until end of 2016/start of 2017 when you could clearly see the focus being shifted to the Switch (NX at the time).
I know many people like yourself who missed that window.
@TeamRocket47 - I didn't think it was that hard, personally, but I use computers and stuff a lot so. Depending on your experience you may find it more difficult. I recommend the website 3ds.hacks.guide and using the 2020 webhax method.
I still have my ambassador 3DS. Contrary to most comments here, I'm glad it's retired. Even at launch it felt outdated in terms of power and controls. Once I played the Vita it made it especially hard to go back the circle pad after playing handheld games with a proper analog stick. Still, I liked the 2 screen design which I already liked on the DS and the 3D effect was actually really good.
@gcunit 8 is a bit overkill buddy, take care of 1 or 2 and they will last a long time, you must have money to burn
Great read, it's funny because Exeter is only a handful of miles away and the 3DS was my first and only midnight launch that I attended. I traded it up for the XL when that launched, then also got the New 3DS for myself and my now wife at launch. A couple weeks before they announced the death of the 3DS recently I bought myself a used New SNES XL 3DS and all the games I never got to play, funny how shortly after they said they were dropping it. My wife and I play 3DS most nights still. RIP <3
@MajinSoul it has been dated for awhile for sure. So in a sense, I am glad it was retired too. The Vita still felt rather modern for a while- I got mine in 2015. The 3ds felt old by then, even tho I still really liked it. I see why they kept it active for a while.
@bobzbulder
Yeah, comparing the effect the assassination of a president has with the expected demise of a gaming system, no matter how great, is tasteless.
Top 3 console and I still play it! New Leaf will never die!!
What I loved is the 2d and 3d games that both seemed to come to the 3ds. We have 3d switch games and got mario maker. Hopefully 2d versions of zelda and metroid come in addition to the 3d releases.
Looking back, my ds/3ds/3dsxl/n3dsxl family of consoles dominated my gaming for over a decade. I played plenty of pc/console games, but my 3ds was always with me. Until March 2, 2017...RIP 3ds, I still haven’t even finished Samus returns.
As ever, my 3DS time was mostly playing Pokémon. I got into 4 figures with hours played. Getting the Game Boy games and being able to transfer up to Bank was brilliant too.
After not liking Wild World very much I loved New Leaf and bought it 3 times.
Out Run 3D was a highlight and of course Fire Emblem as well. Oh, and Bravely Default.
the 3D effect was mind blowing and still is today
I was madly in love with 3DS in its heyday, even preferring it above Wii U and PS4 at the time.
Of course, I’m even more madly in love with Switch now than I ever was with 3DS, but I still love that handheld. So many great games, and the 3D was genuinely immersive. Never understood the people who marginalized its impact.
Fire Emblem Awakening is still the highlight of the system. That and Shin Megami Tensei IV, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and Zelda Link Between Worlds. Oh, and Metroid Samus Returns. And Star Fox 64 3D. And Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D and Majora’s Mask 3D. Those were the highlights for sure, but there were also scores of other great games.
Won't be missed by me because i will still be playing games on it although i mainly use it for randomized Pokémon
@Dragonslacker1 can you (or anyone else) explain what's going on in that picture?
Is she playing something, and hit home for the overlay on to combine the two?
Super Mario 3D Land may well be my favorite Mario game...after Galaxy 2 anyway. It has so many incredibly fun levels. There's so many other fantastic games on the console too.
I'm playing Mario and Luigi Dream Team right now and having a fantastic time. Currently in Somnom Woods. The music is gorgeous. So is the 3D effect. I wish glasses free 3D had kept being a Nintendo thing into the future...
I still play my SNES 3DS daily. I have been a fan of the DS/3DS family since the beginning and it will always have a special spot in my heart. The Switch is nice but it does not scratch that unique gaming itch that the DS/3DS family does.
The 3DS was the thing that saved Nintendo from plummeting due to the Wii U's failure, and it certainly was able to keep me enticed for some amount of time. Even though the stupid hardware barrier between the original and New 3DS was off-putting, and even though some of the games were already available on the Wii U, I still found nostalgia for this console, especially when it comes to Super Mario 3D Land and Ocarina of Time 3D.
I still remember its midnight launch, buying Lego Star Wars along with it. (Clone Wars? Can't remember) So many great memories. My sister eventually bought one just for Fire Emblem Awakening!
It will be sorely missed, but not just the console specifically. Completely dedicated handheld gaming will be missed. As said before, so many wonderful games were designed specifically for handheld consoles like the Game Boy's and even PSP. Chain of Memories, Knights in the Nightmare, TWEWY, Elite Beat Agents, and infinitely more.
I owned many games for this console but I wasent fond of any of them at the time. Sold it.
Just recently upgraded to a New 3DS from my old XL model a couple months ago and the improvements to 3D are amazing.
Decided to play Majora's Mask for Halloween and I'm reminded how much I loved my 3DS. It was my primary gaming device for a couple years.
Kate Gray explains why this dual-screen wonder will be missed
Oh I won't miss it. I am still playing it and I don't think that will end anytime soon. I did buy a new one when they dropped to $100 and it hasn't been opened. Otherwise I have a Galaxy N3DS XL and a Black and Turquoise N2DS XL.
Most importantly, it was the system that carried Nintendo through the first half of the previous decade, when the Wii U was flopping like a fish out of water.
Had it not been for the 3DS, it could very well have been that Nintendo would have had to go third-party like Sega did, despite the executives insisting otherwise.
So let's all raise our glasses to the 3DS, the system that singlehandedly helped Nintendo survive it's worst years as a video game company. Cheers, my old friend. May you rest in peace.
Bought it when it came out i was like 5 or 6 and i played on it for about 7 years....one of the best consoles off all time hands down.Super mario 3d land rllly hit different and now im super hyped for 3d world to come to switch next year 😁
animal crossing new leaf was my entire social life for a good while. good times. Also got me introduced to so many great games and series. Good times
Nintendo 3DS was here ✊
@AstroTheGamosian No chance. Even in their worst times, Nintendo remain and always will do, a very rich company indeed
It is easily my favorite console of all time, and I am still buying DS and 3ds games for it. My daughter desperately wants a Switch (my wife and I are getting her one for Christmas), but I still have so many games to play and love on my 3ds, that I won't be making the "Switch" any time soon...
E3 videos of kid icarus uprising and gamestop videos of mercenaries 3d sold me on the 3ds. Got my 3ds around the time that revelations kid icarus and heroes of ruin came out and those games sold me on the 3dses awesomeness.
Last year around january, before i got my switch, I think I got lbx and it became one of my most favorite games of all time on one of the greatest consoles of all time.
Freedom wars and killzone mercs are proof the vita had the right stuff and could have succeded but sony and third parties just refused to take the risk that would have allowed that to happen. I feel bandai namco not doing physical releases on popular titles didnt help the vita's situation either.
Chuck me onto a desert island, it's the console I would take. A marvel in its own right, and able to play DS games as a very welcome bonus? Thousands of hours spent in it, and the stack of shame still awaits...I will play all those awesome JRPGs on day!
@Sculptor I got a Japanese New 3DS soon after release so I could play games on it (such as the then-not-localized Yokai Watch 1 and 2, which I still need to work on my language skills for reaching my goal of actually playing through them... even though I got the English versions of 1 and 2. But, still, the goal.)
But anyways, after seeing how much better the N3DS screen was as a secondary effect of buying the console, it was like "wow, if they could've released that in the first place maybe the 3D effect would've taken off".
But yes, I like others couldn't take more than about five minutes of the 3D on Ocarina of Time on the OG screen.
@Chozo Tough choice though. Most Nintendo portables, aside from maybe the Game Boy Color (since it was a stopgap to the GBA, it only got about two and a half years of attention from devs) were all amazing in their own ways.
3DS has that technical prowess but can't resist that simple play aspect of the Game Boy (though I guess I could see the appeal of using a flashcart for legit means of not carrying around a hundred carts that would be considered impractically large by current standards. If one were to carry it around in public these days and not like me, leave it in the bedroom to whip out and play in boredom, with a couple boxes filled with games next to it.)
@shazbot I think that there was a mega drive wallpaper you could download , and then it looks like they are playing Zelda and hit the home button, so they overlap. It’s a great picture and had to do a double take! Hope that helps! X
Superb article! What a great console. Diverse, Nintendo at its best and long may it reign! It may not be in production anymore but there are still so many fabulous games to be played!
I liked playing the Sega Game Gear games on the 3D. I just wished they had released Tails Sky Patrol and Sonic Chaos.
I wish the Circle Pad was better. I recently had the rubber part come off (I do say a bad word): https://twitter.com/RadioTails/status/1300910032922513409
I have got myself a replacement. So that's good. Currently playing Rayman 3DS.
I've actually put way more time into my Switch yet still if you asked me my favourite console I would say my 2DS. So many fun memories. A lot of them involving Streetpass.
3ds had some amazing gems and access to the DS library but aside from wishing Nintendo would make some sort of tv out device for it I won’t miss it. That was one of the joys of the wiiu, the chance to play old ds games on the tv.
I held off buying one until the price drop as I couldn’t justify a purchase for a device that had a main feature that I could not use. The switch for me just did too many things better. Larger screen, region free, tv connection, joysticks and procon connection. I’ll certainly be using my 3ds systems for the games that are locked on the system but I would hold it more fondly in my heart of there had been a tv out option.
Thank you to the OP for acknowledging the marketing towards women and girls. It used to annoy me because it felt like Nintendo was like “here have some fashion and puppy games that you can play, oh it fits in your purse.” Just show women and girls playing any game, we will figure out which ones we want to buy. It’s like 90s marketing never left sometimes.
It won’t be missed by me, because I still play mine every single day. I have over 650 games (literal cartridges) that will play on it and 7 systems (between all versions of ds & 3ds). This is my favorite system of all time, and I will continue playing it the rest of my life. 💖
I'm currently playing through 3D All Stars and after that it's going to be Galaxy 2 on Wii and 3D Land on the 3DS, in anticipation for 3D World + Bowser's Fury, so yeah, still gonna play my little midnight purple og 3DS for a while.
With all that said, I'll definitely miss the age of dedicated portables. RIP 3DS and also Vita.
I hope they add original DS games for download similar to the Wii U shop. I'd easily drop $100+ in the first few days & keep dipping back in for more every month
In its time my favourite handheld ever. Now I play the Switch much more obviously, but I still can't say the Switch is my favourite EVER. Both are among my 5 favourite consoles ever in any case.
After a good 3DS game, every other game on every other platform feels... Flat.
I had hoped the ds line would be continued forever with each new iteration being backwards compatible with all ds consoles. Maybe the switch will manage to pull that off.
Absolutely loved 3DS. I made some of my most long-lasting friendships because of the StreetPass feature (something that I wish Nintendo had kept on the Switch & could be easily brought to the system through a firmware update). I forgot about its AR feature but it's funny just how early Nintendo was to that and only now smartphone manufacturers are jumping onboard with AR in a big way. The games on this system were classic but the system itself was also home to classic games getting new life (through Virtual Console - another service I wish Nintendo had brought over and invested heavily in to on Switch to better fill out that library....or at least give us more regular updates to classic games on Switch Online). I still play my 3DS to this day and for anybody who's still interested in picking one up, don't bother turning to eBay. Retailers still have ample supply of new 3DS and 2DS systems, many bundled with games as well. Perfect especially as many of us who were buying 3DS' in our college years now have kids or nieces/nephews of our own who are now old enough to get in to amazing gaming that only Nintendo with dedicated portable gaming hardware can deliver.
What a touching article. Personally, I'm not sad but that's because I never stopped playing the 3DS. In fact, last night I had to force myself to not spend money on Badge Arcade, which I feel needs to get more attention.
I would like a new ds
The still like 3ds over the switch as a handheld
Plus the 3d's has a great library of games
And with back compatible will th original ds is great as well
And it's got resident evil revelations maid for 3d's at the time
Zelda , sonic, kid icarus, dead or alive and a lot of others
That I never would have thought to be on a hand held
Just hope one day there will be a new one.
Its specifications left a lot of headroom for an upgrade, so it's a shame they stopped it.
Love the 3DS. Pre-ordered before launch and waited anxiously for my package from Amazon. My first games were Pilotwings, Steel Diver, Ridge Racer and Street Fighter IV. Less than 3 months later the eShop launched and we had like one week to download Excitebike 3D for free. Meanwhile I got 20 free games for being an early adopter who bought the system at full $250 before it dropped to $180 (ambassador). Years later got a New 3DS XL (the last system Iwata launched). Just last month I bought a 2DS and I am redownloding many games in a non-Nintendo account system. I like the 3DS better than the DS. Excellent system!
One of the best things about my 3DS is that it is also a DS. With the backwards compatibility in a GBA and a 3DS you can play 31 years of handheld history on just two devices; everything from Gameboy up to Switch.
I have the same experience, 3DS was my first midnight launch and I also picked the aqua blue. Great handheld memories, it served me well on many long train journeys.
I've also had a N3DSXL and N2DS but thinned the herd to my still working 3DS and N3DS. The biggest mistake Nintendo made was making a handheld region locked which just defies logic. Other niggles were short battery life and you could not have an account on 2 different systems even though they made like 6 different versions.
Idk if it's just nostalgia, but the feeling of DS era pokemon games on a 3ds or ds is something special
I'm keeping my MASSSSSSIVE 3DS game collection, the 3DS is hands down the best console I've ever had the pleasure of owning.
If you're feeling adventurous, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. goes for around $3 nowadays. That is a great game few played--a high recommendation, especially if you have some FE amiibo.
My favorite handheld system. I went through some rough years around the time the 3DS was released and I can't tell you how many nights I spent laying in bed playing games that just took me away like Zelda OoT 3D, Animal Crossing New Leaf, Mario Kart, and all of the old DS games.
I really miss the online/offline networking features of the 3DS, notably Streetpass! Streetpass was amazing at conventions but I also always passed by Nintendo Zones (!) every day to pick up additional Streetpasses. At the moment I seem to have 1907 Mii characters (apparently you can keep up to 3000?) in my plaza, nearly all of them from Streetpass. The peer-to-peer nature of Streetpass was something special, and I enjoyed being able to magically get game data (e.g. view homes or get villagers in ACNL) from other players just by walking near them. And sending/receiving greetings and "fantastic" ratings. I really enjoyed StreetPass Mii Plaza and all of the minigames (always got a lot of game coins from carrying the system around.) I also liked Spotpass for Mii Plaza and gold pants Miis from Nintendo - I still have my Iwata, Reggie, and Aonuma Miis,
Download play was a great feature, allowing local multiplayer with a single cartridge/copy of the game! I wish they would bring that back.
MiiVerse was cool as well - I thought the drawing-based forum idea was great, and I always enjoyed seeing what people had drawn and posted. It was sad to see all of that creativity lost when it shut down.
I also remember Nintendo Video (and its voting mechanic) and SwapNote. I was sad when Nikki stopped sending me letters. ;-(
The 3DS has a case for best console of all time. It's the only console that plays both the best turn-based RPG ever (Dragon Quest VIII) and the best action RPG ever (Zelda: Ocarina of Time). When you go through all the genres of videogames, you'll find that the 3DS has the best game in almost every genre, especially if you count its backward compatibility with DS games.
I have an original black 3DS, a blue New 3DS XL and the Samus New 3DS XL. The blue XL is still my main one and recently got into New SMB2 after it was heavily discounted. After migrating from my original 3DS to the blue XL, I still play Pokemon Shuffle on it and the blue XL. Both have clocked in well over 1000 hours. I check in everyday and clear all levels, including S-rank, without spending money. It only requires patience. Although, for just over a year, it has been more generous with rewards and coins. They stopped the updates and left it a permanent cycle of rolling through a set of rewards and special stages. Otherwise, Mario Kart 7, Animal Crossing (got into that only January 2019) and Star Fox 64 3D are some of my most played games.
PS: I'll probably by a New 2DS if I see one floating around cheap. My only complaint about my blue New 3DS XL is the metallic paint is peeling on the back where it rests on your hands. Even though it's taken many years of use to show such wear, I don't want it happening to my Samus edition if I ever need to migrate off my blue XL.
The 3ds, A game system that had the most port's out of any system such as Mario maker, legend of zelda ocarina of time, And I think hyrule warriors. They have much more but is all I can think of.
Had some amazing times with my 3DS. Got one on launch day with Street Fighter and Ridge Racer. I ended up getting a large collection of DS games dirt cheap off eBay to play on it over the years as well. The 3DS is still so much more comfortable to play and hold than the switch.
My favourite game? Chibi Robo Zip Lash. I know it got panned a little bit, but for some reason its old school 2D platforming just clicked with me. Felt like a Megadrive game (in a good way!). Obviously loved the usual classic games as mentioned in many other comments too, and some fantastic JRPGs.
I still use my 3ds far more than my switch. The library on it is just amazing and that's not even counting when you add in the ability to play gba, ds, nes, snes, and ps1 along with it. It's the almost perfect little machine
@WaveWitch To each their own, but I could not disagree more. While 4K is a far cry from the leap from SD to HD, the leap from SDR to HDR (particular with screen technology such as a OLED, which enables true blacks) is at least as meaningful as that original transition. I immensely enjoy a good HDR implementation, as it goes a long way to support my suspension of disbelief, enabling me to really engage with these virtual worlds on an emotional level. In the simplest words: a sunset in-game resembling a sunset in real-life is a powerful thing.
VR is far from ready from primetime. The headset are expensive, but they are also everything but comfy. That is before you realize you wear glasses and a prone to sweating ... on your face I do think there are games that really benefit from the immediacy that VR offers, while for others it feels tacked on. I really loved what Ace Combat 7 was doing (though I would have loved a VR-enabled campaign more) and RE7. At the same time, I felt there was such a thing as too much immersion. Point being, whenever we were debating videogame violence the first and last line of defense was and still is this: we know it is not real!
With VR I can see how people will more readily forgo said suspension of disbelief and just start to blend VR as a form of seperate reality. We are not there YET, but the writing is on the wall, hell that is after all the mission statement of any good VR company: We will make you forget, that all of this is just fake.
So far the execution is far too clumsy: expensive, uncomfy headsets, demand for high-powered machine, very limited libraries, motion sickness, eye strain/Headaches, finicky setup ... also the lack of HDR obviously
Do I want to feel truly immersed in RE7? Is it better that way? I dunno, frankly, some of the artistic genius of RE1 was the way the limtations of the hardware translated to game philsophy: dispowering the player instead of empowering him. Limited movement, limited visibility, limited inventory and so on and so forth. Substituting all of that with a stronger emphasis of more immediate audio-visual horror ... I dunno if that necessarily makes for a better game. More heartstopping moments? Probably! but whether that is really what everyone is looking for, is a different question. Suspense and horror are not really identical after all.
@WaveWitch So yeah, question like these ... how to use the technology? How to marry it with different genres and desgins? How to use it ethically when it comes to violence? ... will have to be answered, once the technology is really "there", affordable and all eyes turn to content.
Also, what has felt like a step backwards to me is the focus on photorealism in games, with the strong emphasis on Raytracing and such. There is nothing wrong with any of that by itself, but I had figured where had moved beyond that point, where good games = good graphics and good graphics = realistic graphics. The 2010s and on brought forth so many smaller, indie and not-indie projects that thrived on, for example, beautiful hand-drawn art, but this time mixed with 3D elements, such dynamic particle effects, and presented in ultra-hd for a sense of depth uncommon for such productions in the past.
VR in view is unkind for artistic expressions other than 3D rendering, for pretty obvious reasons. Hence I think VR is further poised to limit what games can look like to be "taken seriously" and commercially succesful. At least for the time being.
TO be fair though, I did buy a New3DS a while back, because there are many games I enjoy the 3D in, and I loved the stereoscopic 3D on my old Panasonic Plasma, stuff like Wipeout and Lion King was truly something to behold ... and yeah, I got myself a VR headset, but out of all these experiences, I found it the least engaging, because it is still the most cumbersome. People annoyed by shutter glasses can steer clear entirely. Not to mention that "everything" VR pretty much makes ideas like couch-coop and such entirely obsolete and just, as games that focus on different 2D visual styles, I am not willing to abandon any of that anytime soon.
@Judal27 Being able to play NDS games on the 3DS means that it easily has one of the best, if not the best library of any system - period. If you like jRPGs for instance, it's pretty much the 3DS and PS2 sitting on top of everything else. But the 3DS also have tons of games that you don't see on other systems, or only very rarely. It was a unique system, cheap to develop for with a huge installbase, not unlike mobile, but with an audience that was willing to pay $40 for singleplayer game, which is unthinkable on the Appstore. That gave birth to a lot of good stuff
I love my original 3ds. Have about 20 games for it. But; I love the switch more. I have 40 he's it. More than any other game console I own/ed
The 3ds was a console in its own right, as were the Wii and Wii U.
The Switch's best feature is also its biggest problem. Not all games look good docked and when played in handheld. An obvious example is the text which can be unreadable on the small screen, but there are many more examples which we've all experienced.
@OneBradley13 I bought Chibi Robo was cool too.
I think the 3ds will always have some appeal to me. It has a nice classic feel to it and while it doesn’t have exceptional graphics, it is good enough that you don’t feel like you are playing an ancient machine.
I can still remember buying the Aqua Blue one too. And the getting to join the Nintendo Ambassadors club or whatever they called it and got all those free games ... pretty sure that was just because they dropped the price pretty quickly because no-one bought it 🤔
It's going to be a sad day when Mario Kart 7 online gets shut down. I hadn't gotten a game console since PS2 and GameCube. Mario Kart 7 wow'd me so much, I knew I had to get the Switch for Mario Kart 8. So, I got a Switch at launch.
I still like playing MK7 online, but don't do it often - Summer was the last time I played it. I play MK7 local wireless with my nieces at the beach, and whenever we visit each other.
@blecch I loved Streetpass too. I wish once they stopped supporting it, they just let us play the games without coins and finding people...
I played the hell out of my 3DS from 2011 up until the Switch arrived in 2017. oddly enough, I have picked it up again as of recent and have been re-playing some classics!
it’s a toss up for me as the Switch and 3DS are my top two favorite Nintendo consoles.
Right up there with the PS2 as my favorite console of all time! Such a great little system, its a shame its sales weren't greater.
Wish they would make the Switch as portable as the 3DS.
I don't need 3D or Dual Screen, but the Clamshell design is amazing to fit in a pocket!
The 3DS is arguably Nintendo's last great console.
The WiiU was not a great idea and the Joycons are the most unreliable product Nintendo ever made. My mates Virtual Boy still works ffs!
The 3DS had everything: reliable, innovative hardware. Clever reasons like Streetpass to take it out with you even in the age of the smartphone. Hardware iterations that improved each time. It's own social network!
And the games! 3x Zelda's. a top Metroid Remake. an impossible port of Xenoblade. The best Animal Crossing.
The 3ds I preferred over the switch as a hand held
The games are great and its more compact than the switch.
I would like a new 3ds console please
The 3DS/2DS family sold really well when you consider that smartphones took over the casual market (just see how little the Vita sold - 1/5th of what the 3DS/2DS did).
And even though I think the Switch Lite is a decent alternative to the 3DS (or at least to nothing), I do still think that for me personally the 3DS' library is still better than Switch's.
The Switch has quite a lot of remasters of classic (and many more not so classic) games and I have enjoyed those. But I must admit that I use the machine less and less and the 3DS a lot still (150 hours out of 500 in total in 2020 is not bad for a 10 years old machine - Switch Lite more than 200 hours - bought it in march, but going downhill as I said).
I even play with 3D effect on, on my New 3DS XL from time to time and think it's great if not for too prolonged times.
The UI is simple (but still customizable); there's a log to keep track of your play time which I like; there's small tunes to most of the apps (options etc.); even the eShop had different (and nice) tunes that changed from quarter to quarter (or maybe even according to the mood Nintendo as a company was in - or maybe it just me )
One of the best systems ever together with the PS1 and the ZX Spectrum 8 bit home computers IMO.
Literally just got back to the 3DS for the first time in a few years over Xmas. Easily a top 3 console of all-time.
@WaveWitch I love your enthusiasm
Frankly, the screendoor effect does not bother me all that much even with PSVR, I dunno, my brain seems more than willing to just "gloss over" it after a few moments. I'm thankfully also not terribly sensitive to motion sickness, though I do admit that spinning around my own axis in Ace Combat is ... unsettling, but that even holds true for plain old viewing on TV ^^ And yeah, the "wheels-off" options for VR games, such as RE7, are almost always a no brainer, otherwise you are really just experiencing half of what there is on offer.
I have no tried an Oculus since the original one, and I have currently no plans on making any significant investments there, but at the time I felt the PSVR was actually one if not the most comfortable headset out there. Sure, you got that one cable, but I mostly only play stationary VR games anyways, since I just lack the space for a dedicate "playroom" of sorts ^^
Unfortunately, all of that not withstanding, I still tend to get a bit of headache after 30 or so minutes. It's almost certainly just physical discomfort, as it does not matter whether I watch a movie or play something. I also never had any issues with neither passive nor active 3D glass, being able to watch movies for several hours.
I do have high hopes for PSVR 2 for sure. I think the lower resolution on PSVR still holds it back, even though of course the PS4(Pro) could not sustain higher resolutions at the necessary framerates anyways. But the truy old moves are definitely a big concern with there missing joysticks and such, still having been originally designed to be used with a navigon controller.
I played all the games you mentioned with the exception of Moss, though it is on my list. Oddly enough I actually enjoyed the Iron Man Demo. The control scheme took some getting used to, but it I I felt it was a sold match between controller limitations and well, the way Iron Man actually navigates using his thrusters. It felt genuinely build around the technology available, and the actual combat was not half bad.
@WaveWitch
I know alot of people rave about Astro Bot, but I dunno, I find it hard to really get into. To be fair though, I am NOT a huge fan of platformers in general, so I put most of the blame there.
I did like Blaster Masters and Beat Sabre though, also REZ, Wipeout and such.
The problem though is that gameplay wise, these are not games I am typically hugely invested in. This is my biggest conern then. These types of Arcade games are fun in VR. First person games like Ace Combat benefit from VR, as do games like RE7 (maybe even too much!), but I have a very hard time seeing some favourites of mine like ...
Persona 5, Spider-Man, God of War, Ghost Of Tsushima, Fire Emblem, Gears Tactics, Ori and so on and so forth
... benefiting from this. I like Forza Horizon, I can imagine that like Ace Combat, being a good time in VR, in fact Dirt Rally was a cool proof of concept there, just as Drive Club. Neither of them I enjoy as much as games as I do Forza though.
Anyways, point being, even if the technology works itself out and even if it is used ethically (I really do not want to read about honest to good schoolshootings that used the next VR version of America's Army to train themselves .. though that is almost certainly inevitable), I don't see the benefits all that much to 3D action-adventure games, RPGs and tactics games.
I played Persona 5 for like 140 hours. I'm not gonna do that in VR, even if the headsets become 10x as comfortable as they are now and even assuming they somehow make it a worthwhile addition.
While I appreciate the immersiveness of 1:1 controls for instance, I'm gonna say that which I've said back in the Wii days: great for some games, a totally burden for others. I don't want nor need 1:1 motion control for simple tactics games. The very thought sounds exhausting. If I want a workout after a long day of work involving games, I start up Ring Fit adventure
Stuff like PSVR Worlds is great, but it does have the "themepark ride" feel to it, which is totally fine, but again, only lends itself to very specific content.
I don't want developers to invest significant ressources into the question of "how can we make this benefit from VR!?". If ideas lend themselves to it naturally sure, but I am not looking forward to playing many games in VR. This also goes way beyond RPGs and such. I don't see the benefit for Fifa and the likes neither. Basically, these are fixed camera games for the most part anyways.
Star Wars Squadrons is btw another one like Ace Combat, that does really shine in VR imho. But like Ace Combat it really demands STRONG VR sealegs, something I think, that will automatically disqualify many people, even among those that would be willing to make the investment.
Hence, I doubt VR has the potential, as many have stated, to become the next kind of "platform". I might be wrong, and maybe the technology will progress to a point where it is so unintrusive and the controls so intuitive no matter the content, that it will be a defacto standard, but that seems a very long way off.
That said, the thing about 3DTVs to me was that some of the best experiences came from the most unlikely of places. I really LUV Lion King 3D and Beauty and the Beast 3D. Maybe something similar will happen with VR, stuff I am not seeing yet that will benefit in a huge, yet unexpected way
@Ralek85 exactly the main reason I bought my 3ds. As a JRPG fan, i can't see how anyone would think it's not a must own. I still have so many games to get through on it. Easily one of my favorite consoles
@bobzbulder Yeah, that's a doozie! JFK getting shot is far enough in the past, I don't think anyone will honestly be offended, but it's a really weird reference for video games.
Absolutely love the 3DS, one of my favourite consoles. I've only ever had XL versions having liked the original DS XL, and it makes reading the text easier for my aging eyes! Started off with a nice red 3DS XL (I remember taking a few 3D pics at the London Olympics with it!), got a blue New 3DS XL, left that on a plane, now I've got the SNES, Animal Crossing HHD and another blue New 3DS XL (in varying states of softmoddedness) and a bag full of brilliant games.
As tremendous as the Switch is, I'm sad to see the 3DS finally dying - hopefully mine won't for some time though!
The Nintendo Switch still has a lot to learn from the 3ds family, that's for sure. cough Folders cough Customizable UI cough
Internet Browser*cough*Eshop Music*cough*
Man, there must be a bug going around or something?
Literally, as I’m typing this right now, I’m looking at a poster on my wall. A poster of “Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.” A quick glance to the right, and I see my current New Nintendo 3DS, resting on its laurels (as in, a large game case of 3DS games). I’ll admit that I have almost entirely shifted my focus to the Switch, but the 3DS is such an important chapter of my hobby.
I can practically see a montage right now: The time when I first got my 3DS; The time when I finished moving into an apartment, and took a break to play Super Mario 3D Land, as I sat on the floor and rested against boxes; That dangerous time when I was hospitalized, and the 3DS was one of my dependable companions before and after my stay; That night when I was invited to a friend’s wedding, and even though it was the best wedding I’ve ever been to yet, and although we all had fun with the celebration, it happened to be the launch night of Pokémon X&Y, and so some of us downloaded either game at 9PM, since we were in the Pacific; The first time I ever fell in love with Professor Layton; And the night when I drove to a Nevada desert, started a bonfire, and danced a rain dance in order to make a new Kyle Hyde/Hotel Dusk/Last Window sequel happen!
The last part didn’t actually happen, at least, physically. I have begged and pleaded for such a game mentally, for years and years. Ah, CiNG. Well, the 3DS has meant an awful lot to me, and I will always be grateful for it. I’m clearly affectionate and sentimental, as you can tell, but it REALLY mattered so much to me, before the Switch got my focus. With all of that having been said, I still occasionally play my 3DS. And the last new game I ever bought for it was WarioWare Gold.
closes the 3DS, making that iconic sound
@SeantheDon29 Amen to that!
What is a HMV ? Is it something typical from the UK ?
His Master's Voice. Originally a record label/company, I think, then for many years a chain of very large music stores (vinyl - later CDs and videotapes, DVDs, books maybe).
I'm not sure if it exists anymore, I'm not from Britain myself.
@popey1980 I had totally forgotten about the Ambassadors Club! I think that's how I managed to play Minish Cap for the first time.
@KateGray one of the OG’s 🙌🏻😂
The 3DS was a natural successor to the DSi and the GameBoy Advance SD, and so many more before it, going back to the original GameBoy. (I owned them all, and I still play my GameBoy Micro from time to time!) I remember saving up all my money from my first job at the age of 14 to get more games for my GBA, including Minish Cap, one of my faves. While I suppose the Switch is a natural progression from the 3DS, we still don't have apps which the 3DS had and lack of customization for the Switch seems to be a step backwards for me as an OG classic gamer. The 3DS will definitely be missed! Go download your games while they're still available. Word on the street is Nintendo is slowly dropping 3DS titles in the shop. The 3DS was and still is an amazing device that I use every once in a while, probably about as much as my Switch at this point since I've moved on to 8 bit 80's gaming at this point. DEF one of the best on the OG systems! xx
@nessisonett i agree
I love that picture on top. The one with the New Nintendo 3DS XL and Super Mario 3D Land. It looks so cool.
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