Topic: Should Nintendo stop making 3DS exclusives?

This is not about ending 3DS support entirely

This will be controversial posting this very idea on the 3DS forum but...

In my opinion, Metroid: Samus Returns should have been the first game to be released on both 3DS and Switch. I think it's nice that 3DS owners (without a Switch) are still getting new games to play, but as someone who owns a Switch, this is definately a very preferable way for me to play games. Both my brother and I found it a strange choice that there's a new Luigi's Mansion remaster (or remake) but it's exclusive to 3DS. I think that if these new 3DS games were released on both consoles, it would be better both for Nintendo as a business and also better for gamers.

Ideally, they should have made it possible to buy the game once and play it on both. They could have done this by making them digital exclusives, with the option of transfering the game from 3DS to Switch. Alternatively, they could have made a cartridge with both versions, and an adapter to insert it into a 3DS,This way, 3DS owners wouldn't hold-off buying the 3DS version in-case they ever get a Switch. But even if they didn't go through the trouble to do this, I think it would be nice to have a 3DS and Switch version for these games.

It would take more effort from a developers perspective to have both versions. However, it is easier if they know from the beginning that they are making it for both platforms, rather than making it for 3DS only and porting it to Switch after the fact. They don't need to be fancy and make separate graphics for each version (like for Smash Bros), as that takes much more effort. Even if the graphics were mostly unchanged from 3DS (maybe just higher resolution textures), the games would be prettier and more enjoyable on the Switch with the higher resolution.

EDIT: I think it's reasonable to make them 3DS exclusive if a game is just too difficult to put them on Switch (as in WarioWare Gold). But some games (such as Metroid: Samus Returns and to a lesser extent Luigi's Mansion) would take far less effort, and I think they would be worth putting on Switch.

They kind of already did.

The main thing that angers me most about Nintendo's more recent 3DS outings is that most of them do not contain stereoscopic 3D. I don't mind how they handled Fire Emblem Warriors because the game did not support 3D in the 3DS version, so consumers can opt for convenience and affordability (3DS) or versatility plus local multiplayer on the fly (in which case the Switch version is far superior, even though it has a disproportionately high price tag to match).

With other games, such as New Style Boutique 3 and Hey! Pikmin (both of which lack 3D), I think Nintendo should have either released these games exclusively on Switch (which would have helped them expand their portfolio with established IP within the first year of the Switch's lifespan) or as a multiplatform release in order to capitalise on the 3DS's established audience.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a unique case in which the 3DS version supports 3D, so I feel obligated to buy both versions; the 3DS version for the stereoscopic 3D and the Switch version for the HD visuals and local multiplayer mode. The fact that the game is budget-priced (meaning that buying both versions will cost me about the same as a single full-priced AAA release) makes me feel less irksome about having to buy both versions in this particular instance, though I would prefer to buy a single version in instances where the 3DS version is clearly inferior and has no notable advantage over the Switch release (as was the case with Fire Emblem Warriors).

I'm okay with Nintendo continuing to release multiplatform games (e.g. Captain Toad and Sushido) for the 3DS, but I would like them to stop making exclusives for the platform unless the experience cannot be wholly replicated on the Switch, such as WarioWare Gold, however Nintendo have taken such a ridiculously long time in releasing this for the 3DS that I would rather that they forfeited any microgames that utilise the microphone (and possibly the camera) and repurposed the game for the Switch instead.

I have my doubts that the game will contain 3D, though I would love to be proven wrong. I have been waiting over 7 years to see Wario and the gang in glorious 3D.

@Electric-Gecko
Let Nintendo keep going with 3DS new games.

They can't sever support of the sole system that plays Pokémon! That would be madness. If Switch Pokémon is late this year, early next then of course the 3DS will be supported till then (and past while they resolve any cross over.) As for cross platform games, I assumed some of the news about them merging studios was meant to make this easier. If the Switch is set for a 6-7 year life cycle, they will have exhausted WiiU games by this time next year so may have to switch to 3DS ports? Lol, no idea!.

Why does that matter? The 3DS has got all the Pokemon it's gonna get. Anyone interested in it has surely bought the system by now, and/or any new releases in another series are probably unlikely to convince someone putting off for so long.

I personally think it's time that Nintendo pulled the plug on 3DS development. Maybe it's worth having 3DS versions of a few smaller titles, but I don't see why Nintendo shouldn't focus all of its effort on the Switch.

@Electric-Gecko it seems like you're forgetting 3DS and Switch are totally different systems... Something with detachable JoyCons vs. dual-screen? Resolution possibilities? Processing power? Maybe you should review the specs and unique characteristics of both systems again and then read your own post sentence by sentence. You'll see that almost all of what you'd want and find logical from a user perspective, is totally unmanageble from a business and technology perspective.

@toiletduck Yeah; they do have different capabilities. What I should have suggested is that all new 3DS games get a Switch version as long as they don't require dual-screen. For games that are on both platforms, there would need to be some UI adjustments between the dual-screen (3DS) version and single-screen (Switch) version. But for most games, this wouldn't be too difficult. For Metroid: Samus returns, the map would only be viewable when paused in the Switch version. However, there are some games where making both versions would nearly double the effort (Warioware Gold), and in those cases, they can just leave it on 3DS.

@GrailUK Off-topic. This isn't about ending 3DS support entirely. It's about whether the 3DS should receive new exclusives. My suggestion is that new 3DS games should also get a Switch version.

@Electric-Gecko 3DS owners are people too. Of course they should get some stuff that makes them feel valued too. (They can always be brought to the Switch later)

The platform of choice will be based on several factors: Cost of development, what the hardware offers, target audience, available resources, etc. Despite the Switch's success its total sales remain less than 1/3 of the 3DS at this point and development costs are lower.

Also, "adaptors" and any other sort of hardware will only drive R&D and manufacturing costs up increasing sale requirements and complicating things for users.

We all have a desire for everything to be on our system of choice but the reality is a platform is chosen based on multiple factors and we have to face facts that it will depend on what will enable maximum returns for the publisher.

I fully agree with what you're saying. One nuance though: even though currently Switch's sales remain at 1/3 of 3DS' sales, development costs can probably be divided over a larger target audience (inclulding 'expected future installed base').

They should probably just continue what they're doing at the moment. Continue releasing a series of low budget ports and remasters for the 3DS for the next few years.

Although I'll repeat for the 20th time: they should've made Mario 3D Land 2, which just reuses the assets of the first game.

@Dezzy I would of bought that in a flash.

@1UP_MARIO

Most people would. It'd be incredibly cheap to make if they just reuse the same engine and assets and it'd sell a good 5 million copies.

@Dezzy easily and similar to the Wii’s galaxy 2 situation

@FX102A @toiletduck Good points - but also consider that it's probably more difficult to sell a game for a near-decade-old system than on a hot new one. The 3DSs are out there but their users may have lost interest / they may be in the second-hand market / an "outdated" looking 3DS game may be ignored in favour of a HD game.

I would prefer Nintendo especially to focus on the Switch exclusively for now. I like my 3DS, but it would be a choice which one I would take on the go. I don't really think that choice should be necessary now.

Install base is important but it's not everything. If it were Nintendo would have never stopped supporting the DS as it had 2x the install base the 3DS has now. The metric that actually matters in this context is the current and projected rate of software sales. Nintendo doesn't really care so much that you own their platform, they're more interested in which platforms you're going to buy new games for

To put it simply, executives of every game developer are looking at the numbers. Specifically they're looking at them with millions of dollars on the line gambling on which platform they should support. And when you look at the numbers, see bellow as a graph using numbers taken from Nintendo's most recent financial report, I think it's pretty obvious where the smart money would be going....

I say they should continue making exclusives for the 3ds. Mostly because the switch and 3ds have their own strengths and weaknesses and the switch will probably get some games once deemed exclusive overtime.

WIth luigi's mansion port or remake if the switch gets virtual console then luigi's mansion being a first or second party game it will likely get a digital re-release on switch anyway, so a partial or semi exclusive luigi's mansion which may or may not make use of its second screen or 3d wouldn't be so bad in the long run. Plus if a new luigi's mansion(2) or the next entry in the series is made, it just might be a switch exclusive anyway.

WIth metroid 2 yes its a remake/enhanced port that could do just as well or probably better on the switch but in terms of metriod games the switch will get metriod 4 which could potentially blow any possible 3ds metriod game out of the water.

It's also worth noting that the switch could still just get a brand new 2d exclusive switchmetroid anyway with a world triple or even quadrouple the size of that which was present in metroid 2 remake on 3ds, so if you look at that way then some remakes being released for the 3ds exclusively for a limited time helps give the 3ds its role to play especially with 3d features and. Meanwhile the switch potentially getting 3ds exclusives later on anyway, but in the meantime the switch could just focus on new games.

Although Metroid and Luigi's Mansion are special cases since they are remakes or ports. Breath of fire might be a better example as a third party game. A traditional breath of fire game, lets just say BOF 7, could be an exclusive for 3ds. Yes on the switch more can be done and it could just get a simuntaneous release anyway but if 3ds got it exclusively then the 3ds and its exclusive features like 2 screens, one of them capable of 3d, could give the 3ds its time to shine while showing Breath of Fire fans something new but also familiar, meanwhile when the switch finally gets its exclusive breath of fire game it could be something that expands even further on the games traditional mechanics of turn based rpg.

My point is I believe the switch will do its thing regardless of the 3ds. So would it really hurt for 3ds to have a few more exlusive moments in the spotlight?