
There was a period, in the Summer of 2011, when 'Nintendoomed' was a theme as plummeting sales for the 3DS were interpreted as the end times. As always there was a lot of exaggeration, but there were valid problems too. At the time the Wii was losing steam, and following the phenomenal success of the DS family of systems the struggles of its successor was surprising.
Nintendo acted quickly, identifying two issues at the heart of the slow uptake for the new hardware - pricing and games. A drastic price drop prompted Nintendo to give early adopters 20 retro games as an apology, while titles such as Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario 3D Land arrived in the 2011 Holiday season to accompany the cheaper hardware; in Japan Monster Hunter 3 G (later Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate in the West) also had a massive impact in that period. A mix of factors like these gave Nintendo that most precious of non-commodities - momentum.
Since then the 3DS hasn't really looked back, albeit from 2015 / 2016 onwards hardware momentum has started to fall back - Pokémon Sun and Moon certainly drove fresh demand late last year, however. As of 31st December 2016 the 3DS family of systems reached 65.3 million units sold; a long way off the DS figures, but we'd argue a defiance of the circumstances in which it arrived. While the DS was a revolution for the 'Touch Generation', the 3DS had to succeed as a standalone gaming portable in the age of smartphones and tablets, and it also saw off a conventional rival in the PS Vita.
As a system it's evolved a great deal - the angular original design made way for the smoother 3DS XL, and the 2DS was a clever budget option in a 'tablet' form that is pretty hard for young children to break. Most recently we've had the New Nintendo 3DS and its XL variant, which supports amiibo scanning out of the box, the 'C-stick' and more stable 3D viewing. For fans of the glasses-free 3D effect (like this writer) the New models finally deliver on its potential.
Over the years the system has amassed an impressive range of titles, first- and third-party, with various genres generously accommodated. There are some stone-cold classics in there, and a number within our team have a soft spot for the system and the memories it's helped to create. Nintendo insists the system isn't done yet, with the likes of a new Pikmin, Ever Oasis and the New 3DS version of Fire Emblem Warriors on the way.
We'll see what the future brings for the 3DS, but we think it deserves praise for its 6+ years - here's to the cheeky little portable system that defied the odds.
Comments 98
What's a 3ds? I didn't know Nintendo existed as a company before March 3, 2017.
In all honesty though, I have probably had more fun with my 3ds than any other Nintendo hardware and I'm old enough to have had the original NES a couple years after release. With the backwards comparability with DS there were just so many amazing games to play on that system. Hopefully in a few years I will revise this statement when the Switch has a full library.
My favourite console along with my PS3. Such great games and memories
Easily one of my favorite consoles of all time. For me, it's probably my favorite since the Game Boy and SNES. So many great, great games. Member 2013 and 2014? They were crushing it then.
It really was a good and fun console some of my greatest moments were on that thing. Now that I have my switch it has been collecting dust...
Great system, spent loads of time with it and had good memories, still play games like Smash on it, dunno my top 5 games would be, but talking about smash, the special demo is my fav demo on the 3DS, that alone caused so much hype, the Wii U never even got a public demo for smash.
And I'm still playing Animal Crossing New Leaf. Currently playing Monster Hunter 4/Generations as well.
The 3ds is great i have the new 3ds xl and love it but the switch is a whole different level imo.....i have the switch and have yet to dock it.....i spent so far 90+ hrs in zelda botw and love it in portable mode.....i think nintendo needs to put all its focus on switch and let this be the last year for wii u and 3ds because the switch is here to stay.....imo
One of my favorite systems of all time. The library is unreal!
I'd say the 3ds has been more or less coasting since the end of 2015 and needs to be quietly retired within the next year or two. Switch needs all of Nintendo's energy focused on it until third parties decide to start bringing retail releases to it.
I would love an updated 3DS with a higher resolution screen which is backwards compatible with all existing 3DS games and eShop Wii U games.
Recently had to fix mine due to loose internal connectors, I hope they release a new updated version with higher res.
3DS is one of my most cherished for two simple reaons
1. YEAR OF LUIGI. I wasn't going to buy it until I heard about that and then I bought the the hardware branded with the YoL logo and Mario and Luigi: Dream Team installed.
2. Backwards compatibility. ALL of the Dragon Quest games etc. from DS .... AND all the 3ds library.
Kill it...kill it with fire.
Seriously the 3ds was a great little machine, however it has been long in the tooth for sometime. The sooner devs make the Switch the better. Let the 3ds lay down its burdens.
After the large library of games I had for GBA and original DS, the 3DS has been pretty lackluster for me. I have greatly enjoyed Pokémon Y, Alpha Sapphire, A Link Between Worlds, Stella Glow, and Kirby Robobot, but that's really it. All of the other big games just seemed like budget versions of console games.
A great console. I remember how smart of the move to slash the price and have the ambassador program and how it basically saved the 3ds. Oh Nintendo, you blew your opportunity with the Wii U and could have really changed it's fate.
Unfortunately with college demanding more of my time what little video games I play are usually on home consoles so I haven't touched my 3DS in quite a while. That said, it's one of my favorite systems right up there with the SNES.
A wonderful system, one that I'm still spending loads of time with. That said, I'm still rocking an original red 3DS that I purchased back in February 2012, and I finally had to order a replacement battery for it (which should be arriving today). I plan on upgrading to a N3DS in about a year or so. As there's nothing wrong with my current 3DS though, I'll likely keep it around as a backup.
3DS is the Best Nintendo Video Games that I ever have.
Best design, Best color variation, Widely game library (Even there are some Girlie games like Style Savvy / Nicola Kanshu / Barbie / Cooking Mama, genre that almost never used by 3rd party developers).
Happy 6th Anniversary !
If it weren't for OoT3D, I'd never purchase a 3DS and would continue to spend $ on games for my iPhone. The 3DS made me realize that no matter how powerful a smart device is, it cannot replicate the joy of precise controlling that only physical buttons and joysticks bring.
The 3DS is an awesome system! I'm hoping the Switch will be the same in years to come
Great machine and its still going, can't be bad. I prefer the GBA, it let's me take DOOM 1&2 on the go, even though they are shoddy ports. Loved luigi's mansion though
Quite possibly my favorite gaming device of all time going all the way back to the Atari 2600. The launch was rough, and I honestly felt pretty silly buying one right away. I started with the original black, then XL red, XL Zelda gold, and now the New XL black.
Over all these years, and thanks to the plethora of RPGs, I've racked up [pokes calculator] 6,176 hours total playtime with the following games at top 5:
1 - Kid Icarus: Uprising - 790 hours
2 - Animal Crossing: New Leaf - 417 hours
3 - Fantasy Life - 377 hours
4 - Bravely Default - 260 hours
5 - Rune Factory 4 - 233 hours
And then 17 (!) other games with 100+ hours.
There are still many games I'm looking forward to (DQ XI, FE: Valentia, Ever Oasis, RPG Maker Fes, Radiant Historia) and a couple I haven't played yet (Majora's Mask, no idea why I haven't yet, and Zero Escape 3)
The 3DS is not only the best handheld I have ever played, it is one of the best systems I have ever played.
How else would I describe a system that has a portable Smash Bros game, a remake of Dragon Quest VII, two of the best games in the Fire Emblem series, an awesome 3D Mario platformer game, a virtual console that offered NES, Game Boy, and Game Gear games, and all the other awesome features of the 3DS.
As much as I like my Wii U, I ended up playing my 3DS more. The 3DS was Nintendo's flagship system this generation, and much like its older brother the Game Boy Advance, ended up saving Nintendo's bacon during the lean years of the post-DS and Wii era.
The 3DS is Nintendo's best handheld ever, and is only behind the SNES as their second best system ever made(its close).
It feels like it's been going for longer than 6 years. Anyway, it's impressive how well it's still going even in its old age.
I remember I was 7th grade when I picked up my blue 3DS back on launch day. My mom aloud me to miss that day of school to go get it, considering it was the only thing I was talking about for months. Now I'm a freshman in college, wondering where the time has gone (I think most of it went on Animal Crossing).
@Ryu_Niiyama And what about 3DS owners like me who are not getting a Switch anytime soon? I don't see why both machines can't be supported.
I'd have to say that the 3DS has been one of my favorite consoles. So many great games and with me being on the go a lot from 2011 to 2016, it was easier to have time to game in between classes. I originally had a red 3DS, then traded in for a black New 3DS. And this console was able to bring Smash Bros on the go, which had been something I had hoped for but had people always telling me it wasn't possible. Plus being able to play my ds games was nice to have. So many hours poured into this system, and still putting more hours in.
Arguably the best handheld with an amazing library - I had lots of good times with this thing, though I believe it's time for Nintendo to shift the bulk of their focus to the Switch. I want to Switch to not only rival but surpass the 3DS's overwhelming catalog.
As of right now it's my favourite gaming platform ever. Sure, I could nitpick about the archaic online and interface, but when it comes to pure gaming, nothing has it beat!
I was frustrated at first by the original, it was too small. Then they came out with the XL, and that was much better, but the 3D would go out of focus...then they released the New 3DS and it is pretty much perfect, but man, I had to blow $xxx to finally get what I should have gotten in the first place?
Honestly, if the games weren't so darn good, I'd be upset.
@Caryslan The system is six years old. You are are acting like I am petitioning for the system to be sunset after a year on the market. There is a huge library already in place for the 3ds with support lasting at the very least into early next year. However, devs are going to want to transition with the new system and take advantage of the current sales momentum. Nothing wrong with you as a consumer sitting on an older system, yet there is nothing wrong with seeing the need to transition to current, more robust hardware. You want to wait out the Switch? Go ahead, you have tons of games to play and I wasn't dismissive of that. I just bought a few new games for my 3ds myself. However my sentiment still stands. Let the old guard rest. However if Nintendo wants to toss out a 3ds player/tv out while they are at it, I won't complain...not gonna happen but hey if wishes were horses right?
@NintySnesMan Doom II on GBA is not a shoddy port by any means, it's propably the most complete port of the pc version on any console to that date. It's merely limited by the GBA hardware yet plays very well on the system.
My first nintendo handheld was the GBC with Legend of zelda: Links awakening DX, only had a couple of games for that but then the GBA came out and I now own about 35 games for that system and about 20 for the DS. some of my love for the 3DS is in some of the exclusive titels but mostly because it has become a bit of a portable gaming library with NES games, SNES games and Sega arcade classics.
While my friend is a Pokémon fanatic, I've yet to complete Moon, unlike him, instead spending lots of time with Wii and Wii U games before the Switch enters the house. Pokémon was the first Nintendo franchise that I ever got into (through a 2008 annual I found at a school car boot sell) and I really want to complete the game like him but I'm spending much more time with the Wii U. My sister hogs the DS with her New Style Boutique game, which is off putting. It feels like it's hers and not mine now! And when I get a Switch, I have 3 consoles to juggle my time between!
Like a lot of other people are saying, the 3DS is easily one of my favorite consoles of all time. The library is truly incredible and the games for felt like a nice transition from "smaller portable games" to "full console games on the go". It's also always been by my side throughout my transition from middle school to high school to college. Growing up is beat, but it's nice to always have my Nintendo nostalgia by my side. Thanks Nintendo and I'm excited to upgrade to a Switch this summer!
Nintendo have done well to keep it going and support you so well but I'm going to go against the grain and say it's a long way from my favourite Nintendo system. The interface and display just irritate me these days (the Vita made it look like a GBA back in 2012) and Nintendo haven't released anything I personally have enjoyed since Majora's Mask 3D (I haven't played Mario Maker but probably won't given how much it costs and that I have a Switch).
It has enough keen users to warrant more support in the short term but I hope it gets retired soon and Nintendo can realise the dream of having all their output for the next few years on one machine.
Six years old and I am still having a blast with it. Just picked up kirby triple deluxe over the weekend! Amazing game!
You have to ask yourself if Nintendo would bother with a successor to the 3DS now that the Switch is in the wild! 🤔🤔
Wow, 3ds had a rocky start but it turned out great. Easily my favorite handheld gaming console of all time.
It is a great piece of hardware and I sure as hell had fun with it, but still I think this portable is the first "incomplete" one in a long series of awesome portables from Nintendo.
And it wasn't all their fault, by incomplete I mean that at least 2 key franchises, Castlevania and Megaman (lets forget Metroid for a moment here) weren't there. Aside from that questionable Mirror of Fate game there wasn't a decent normal entry in any of those franchise which is baffling because since the GB there was at least one game representing.
Still having a portable Smash made it an easier pill to swallow.
The 3DS will easily go down as one of the top 10 greatest gaming consoles.
Happy Anniversary, 3DS! It saddens me that some people are quick to wish death upon the system in an article that is meant to celebrate the handheld's accomplishments. While I understand the wanting to focus on the Switch, we should be able to take a moment to appreciate the 3DS for what it was and what it is without wanting to put it out to pasture. It is home to many great games and some amazing memories (thanks to Streetpass and some Streetpass groups I've been to), and it also single handedly kept Nintendo in the public eye with solid sales in a time when the Wii U was floundering. I think it is a great "comeback" story given how bad the launch was, and I will always look back on my 3DS as one of my favorite consoles - handheld or home - ever.
@khululy
Yes your right about Doom 2 Bro, I was referring more to the first 1 really. Still great to have them on the go though, I still take them with me nowadays. I also have Duke Nukem advance and eks vs sever 2.. I do have a gripe with the GBA doom games though and that's the green blood
@Ryu_Niiyama I will never understand why anyone would want to stop development for a console with a large, established base, immediately after a new console comes out. That's just bad business. The market for NS is still tiny, whereas New 3DS easily still has a couple years left in it.
@PlywoodStick Exactly. Nintendo probably won't be making major titles for the 3DS anyways so it's not going to have a huge affect on the Switch. Give the Switch time to actually take off before rushing to put all of your eggs in one basket.
I just wish they could make a console as successful as their handheld line. I'm going to miss Nintendo now that they have abandoned consoles.
@PlywoodStick Where did I say "immediately"? Nintendo is going to give the system another year of support minimum; which I mentioned already. However, how long are devs supposed to hold on before they begin transitioning projects to the new hardware? Until every 3ds owner buys a Switch?
@shonenjump86 I just brought Animal Crossing a few days. Very addictive.
@Ryu_Niiyama "The sooner devs make the Switch the better. Let the 3ds lay down its burdens."
Implies retiring 3DS ASAP. The old 3DS is definitely obsolete, but New 3DS is more than adequate. Considering some outlets like Best Buy have about 50 copies of BotW hogging shelf space in some of their stores, while Nintendo struggles to produce and distribute consoles for those games... Well, it's not exactly a good market to release an NS game into for a while yet.
The new 3ds really really helped to extended the longevity of the system.
However, the old 3ds model is really dragging it down IMO.
They should just make it obsolete and make subsequent games be new 3ds exclusive.
However, it seems there are more old 3ds models than new ones, and it's a market that can't be ignored... but it annoys me some title could have better performance or features but they are limited due to the old model still being relevant.
@NintySnesMan Doom 2 in my GBA micro is a blast to carry with me, also Mario golf tour or something and I am not a golf fan even.
I hope the 3ds will go on I wish it become a system for really great games.I got my red one in September 2011 then got my XL in august of 2014 and my new 3ds xl in 1/1/2016
@Gridatttack Just not practical. A relatively small minority of people that bought a 3DS also bought a New 3DS. The same is true for any mid-generation revamp. Your PS4 Pro and XBox One S will be the same. Look at the Wii U, just the mere perception of it being a mid-generation revamp (because of it's unfortunate name) led it to disaster. If they abandoned the old for the new, they would suffer badly.
2DS was a huge improvement on the 3DS line. It's no surprise that the "3DS family" started selling more and getting more games after 2DS's release.
@joey302 I'd be interested in a New 2DS. But I'm not interested in Switch. It's a simple choice for Nintendo: do they forfeit my money or not?
Ranking Nintendo's handhelds (not counting the Switch yet), I'd probably put 3DS second to the GBA. Still remember getting Street Fighter on launch day and watching the 3D really pop in that game. It took a while for Nintendo to really get the system going but when Mario Kart 7, Super Mario 3D Land and Resident Evil: Revelations hit not long after one another the purchase was more than worth it. Kid Icarus, despite the clunky control scheme, remains one of the highlights for me. It was great to see that series comeback and it was awesome with the 3D turned all the way up. Wouldn't mind seeing it get ported to Switch at some point with updated controls obviously. I'd take the trade off of no 3D for an even more enjoyable gameplay experience.
@PlywoodStick Doesn't imply that all and again I never said insta drop. Just that devs need to transition sooner rather than later. That still takes time and will require most current projects to be completed. You are trying to pick a fight for no reason. You don't want the 3ds to be insta canceled? Great, because that isn't what will happen nor is it what I said.
Love my N3DS! Fantasy Life, Fire Emblem, Animal Crossing, Etrian Odyssey, the list goes on! I'm thankful for a big backlog of 3DS games to complete since I have no plans to purchase a Switch.
My only gripe with 3ds is that there were no 'New 3DS' exclusives I wanted, not now and not the announced ones.
I love my 3DS, I love it so much I bought three of them over the years. I was one of the crazies who bought one on launch day, then a few years later I got the Animal Crossing XL version, then just over a year ago I picked up a regular sized New 3DS when one I liked became available in the States. I have never bought more than one iteration of a console before, so yeah. I really like the 3DS. I have over 70 physical games for it and at least 50 download games. It was some good times. I've been playing my Switch like mad since that came out, but that doesn't mean I'm not still looking forward to titles like Ever Oasis. I think the NEW 3DS still has some life to it - but not a long life.
@Mahe well I just don't see them doing it. Switch is portable and so the focus should be Switch. They should also encourage all 3DS third parties to swing over to Switch. If they do do a successor to the 3DS I'd be surprised as it would compete for Switch sales.
I still love my Launch day Cosmo Black 3DS!
Lol, I've purchased 12 3DS systems in 6 years, so I guess that's one every 6 months.
@ledreppe fire emblem warriors
@Bsham yeah, you will get hooked on it. Tons of stuff to do.
@Anti-Matter
My n3ds would explode if a Barbie game ever came near it.
Majora's Mask is my 'girlie game'.
I picked up my 3DS at launch and it might just be my favourite Nintendo handheld. If only it was region free it would be perfect.
I love my new Switch, but hope the 3DS as a few years left in it yet.
I, like many others that I know love the 3DS system it is an incredibly awesome fun little system and if you have never played or owned a 3DS you really are missing out at this point. I play my new 3DS XL daily I was an early adopter of the 3DS I purchased one about a week into its existence on the market and have never regreted it at this point its my all-time favorite system there are so many ways to personalise the system as well as having an endless supply of great games I could go on and on about it, my only hope at this point for the 3DS system is this I really hope Nintendo gives it's little system that could a true and proper successor and my main two reasons for this are 1., I love the clam shell design its an awesome design. And 2., I love love the 3D effect it's amazing and adds so much to the gaming to be had on the system I really hope Nintendo continues onward with the glasses free hand held 3D it truly is something special but even with that said I am happy to go along another year or two with my 3DS Long Live the new king of hand held gaming .
I was in 9th grade when I got my 3ds on launch day. I think I'm already getting old... I was so excited, but I didn't even get a game at first. I just played the built-in AR games. Now I've played many, many hours of amazing games!
@k8sMum
Eh...
As a 32 years old male gamer, I have several Girlie games both on 3DS and NDS.
I have Cooking Mama 2 + 3 NDS, Cooking Mama 4 + 5 3DS (Will add Cooking Mama Sweet Shop on April 2017 later), Gardening Mama NDS, Crafting Mama NDS, Camping Mama NDS, Super Princess Peach NDS, Style Savvy Fashion Forward 3DS. Disney Magical World 2 3DS is considered as a Girl games despite having a Boy character inside (Even the instructions always show the Girl player by Default).
No, I don't play Barbie games because almost (or Always) their games are suck in almost every aspects.
@SpacemanSpiff

Speaking of Animal Crossing New Leaf gameplay hours...
That's my record. Pretty neat, huh ?
Not an ambassador but I have two 3DSXL's, one 2DS, and one New Nintendo 3DS XL.
I had 3 DS lites and a DSiXL so I had 4 of those systems that I bought new too. I also got a used DS phat and acquired another DS lite by accident.
@Ryu_Niiyama That wasn't my intention at all, I'm sorry if you feel that way...
When I first got the 3ds the library was not that impressive.
But after mk7 and super Mario 3D land. They just cranked out the titles from there! And we r still going to get great title this year.
But the 3ds is easily one of my favorite portable game consoles.
When you can also download NES to SNES and GAMEBOY, gameboy COLOR. The library and game hours on the 3ds still blows my mind of how much I've played on the thing.
@PlywoodStick Alright, I'll tell you what. I'll meet you half way. I still don't think what I said or what you quoted in any way implied that I wanted the 3ds despite its age to be dropped immediately because again, dev transitions take time. Still the process has to start somewhere.
However, I will acknowledge that perhaps I took your tone to be argumentative and hostile because I can't see the implication that you did (since that wasn't my intent and I edit and re-edit the heck out of my posts here so I'm not misunderstood) and I reacted defensively instead of objectively listening to you. So let's shake on it and agree that we misunderstood each other and enjoy our Monday shall we?
@Ryu_Niiyama Sounds good! Sorry about the misunderstanding.
Also, It's getting warmer here again, and it's good biking weather, so it shouldn't be too hard to enjoy it. I got done everything I needed to at work today, so now I have that "Daytona USA" feeling!
@Anti-Matter
It's fine that you like the genre. I don't care for the labeling 'girly games' as it sounds, imho, denigrating.
Its difficult enough in some quarters to be a female gamer. 'Girly games' sounds as if we only want pink and fluffy games, ergo we are not to be taken seriously.
I'm not calling you out for the term as much as making a comment on labeling in general.
@SpacemanSpiff i would have continued to play Kid Icarus to this day if it didnt screw up my hand so bad. I'm left handed and their solution for left handed players is a joke.
I wouldn't have minded it if they just had a different control scheme for the on foot sections. I seriously know a bunch of other people that would have loved to play it too. The story, the weapons, the characters... Damn you controls!!
Sure, the Switch is portable, but its games are tailored to the home console side of things. It's not a console meant to be used in short bursts, but instead for long plane/car trips and big parties for local multiplayer. The 3DS is still the primary handheld console due to its ability to be played in short bursts for just minutes at a time, yet still give the same amount of enjoyment. The 3DS is still the king of handhelds, no doubt about it.
Just curious, but why wasn't there an a 6th year anniversary article for the 3DS in EU on the 25th? Isn't this a UK site?
@3dsgeek333 Wait a minute...
3+3+3 equals 9.
9 divided by 3DS is 3DS.
Coincidence? I think not. But is that all? Let's dig deeper.
The 3D image of the 3DS forces you to use your 2 eyes to create 1 image. The eye of the Illuminati pyramid also has 1 image, due to having 1 eye. Your avatar is a triangle with one eye relaxing by the fire.
Could that be it? No, that would be way too easy. Better buckle up, because it's about to get greasy.
Look closer: the triangle with 1 eye in your avatar is wearing a bowtie. That has 2 triangles. The arms and legs are positioned so that it looks like 3 triangles are being formed. The log that is on fire in the fireplace, from the point it is visible, has 1 triangle. That's 6 triangles.
But how is this all connected? Each triangle has 3 sides. 6x3 equals 18. You have to be 18 to legally become an adult, vote and join the military. You also need to be 18 to not be an underaged worker while earning money.
Money. The one dollar bill has the pyramid with 1 eye. The Federal Reserve prints one dollar bills. The feds relax in comfort while everyone else toils until they die.
The triangle with 1 eye in your avatar is with the Feds. The Federal Reserve is not actually federally owned, it is privately owned by the central banks. The Illuminati controls the central banks.
3dsgeek333 is Illuminati confirmed.
I literally can't even see 3D - only one of my eyes works, so I have no stereo vision at all. And this is still my favorite video game platform of all time. The perfect size, perfect form factor, perfect compromise between power and affordability, and a library of so, so, so many great games.
My current 3DS is an N3DSXL which is such a beautiful machine, but sadly is getting a little wonky after banging around the world with me. I still love it, but I'm a bit conflicted now because the Switch, while not quite as portable and still lacking all the great games the 3DS has been blessed with, makes the 3DS look and feel like a toy. And I know that the two machines can't coexist for long, no matter what Nintendo say. They just cannibalize eachother's sales. It's not sustainable.
But I'm not getting rid of my 3DS anytime soon. Live long and prosper, 3DS!
The best gaming system of all time
Six years old, wow!! Good system. I never owned one because I don't like sliders for analogs. But it's good to give due credit.
Time for a replacement! Or a smaller Switch.
My favorite of all time! The first year was kind of Frustrating then the RPG's started to flow......I am so backlogged on 3DS its sick. To be honest im still backlogged on Playstation 2 haha. 3DS is my favorite system of all time. I have this feeling that Switch might move into that position if it can go along the same road of the 3DS. We will see. I still play my 3ds quite often But Breath of the wild has been eating up most of my time lately. I hope the 3ds can keep on going another 2 to 3 years at least. I love it
The Switch is too expensive to replace the 3DS right now. Nintendo needs a cheap entry point at all times. This could take awhile.
@Paddle1 The problem is, it's too expensive to replace the Wii U. You are paying for a screen and battery that aren't usable as a console. So it doesn't replace anything really.
@JasmineDragon I'm in the same boat. Missing one actually. I look at it this way...no 3d makes the battery last longer.
@k8sMum You know I still think the barbie games wouldn't suck so much if they actually, just maybe focused on gameplay. However they suck as games on top of the terrible subject material so it is lose, lose for girls that get hit with the social indoctrination stick too...isn't barbie supposed to be anything? No reason why they can't make a game franchise in several genres (although if somebody figures out how to make a barbie FPS even I will buy it.) that is actually fun. I turned all my barbies into ninjas as a kid anyway...I would play a 007 type game where the vapid barbie persona is actually a front for a Kim Possible type super agent.
@N8tiveT3ch yes, well... I would expect a system that has been around for over 6 years has a more impressive library than the switch (which is less than a month old) Funnily enough the switch still had a more impressive launch lineup than the 3Ds.
I can't believe it's been six freaking years. Man, I'm behind on my Nintendo.
I don't own a 3DS, but I've wanted one for a while. Unfortunately all of the early 2010's systems came out when my finances were utter garbage. I'll get one someday, even if Switch makes it obsolete.
@3MonthBeef There definitely is time left, yeah. One recent game I'm hyped for is Fire Emblem Echoes, and I'd love to get it. I'm pretty sure there's other good stuff in the future, but I'd likely be spending the next few years playing catch up!
There were so many 3DS games that needed to be Wii U titles instead, but I have and love both systems. I havent touched either all month due to my Switch and Breath of The Wild, but they are loyal systems with giant libraries I will certainly revisit. I would agree with a few on here that the 3DS needs one more final upgrade. After so much time with the Switch, I'd love to enjoy my 3DS titles with a true second analogue and better screens.
I came to the 3DS party later in it's life cycle, but I've picked up a number of the older DS consoles on the cheap. The design is superbly clever (dual screen, touch screen + button controls, clamshell), and there's a real charm to seeing the various iterations/forms it's taken over the years.
Love the sturdiness of the original phat DS, the sleekness of the DS Lite and then the DSi (the camera had crap resolution, but the photo editing and photo frame software was magnificent).
And the improvements and refinements over the years with the CL screens, 3D with facetracking, Augmented reality, etc. The res is starting to be a little too aged and low end, but if they released a higher res, affordable, and more significantly improved 3DS (as opposed to the slighter 'new' models), I'd be interested in checking it out.
Though right now, it's Switch time. If any new 3DS came out, I'd want it not to interfere with Switch games / success, and I'd still prefer previous portable only games (i.e. mainline pokemon, phx wright ace attorney, etc) to make the Switch. But the DS/3DS line has been pretty solid, so, give it a couple years, and I may still be interested in another generation or 2 of it.
The 3DS proved that the games define a system. The 3DS has hardware inferior to basically everything ever, and yet 6 years on and Nintendo still can't make enough to satisfy demand. Amazing.
The 3DS has had such a good run despite all it's competition and has gas left in the tank yet to keep our eyelids glued to our 3DS screens. Keep on chugging little buddy
The 3DS is absolutely amazing and deserves all the love it gets. I will remember the clamshell design fondly. Dual screen gaming was a blast, and it's a shame it's likely over with now.
The only machine that did 3D right. It has a fantastic library of games. I have spent hundreds upon hundreds of hours across many iterations of the 3DS and loved every minute.
3DS will be remembered as one of my favourite consoles of all time.
@Ryu_Niiyama
You make a great point. Remember the fiasco of Barbie saying 'Math is hard!'?
I think they are influenced by the whole Disney Princess crap. I grew up with 3 brothers, no sisters. I only had a couple Barbies, but they were kicking ass with boys' GI Joes.
Games trying to grab the girls need to focus on gameplay, just like every other game.
@PlywoodStick I'm worse than the illuminati; I'm Bill Cipher. Would you like me to shuffle the functions of all the holes on your face?
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