Which do you want?

We recently looked at which final Wii U games we'd like to see make the transition to Nintendo Switch, the other natural candidate for ports is Nintendo 3DS, which is now deep into the twilight of its lifespan.

So, before we put our 3DS consoles into long-term storage, I started thinking about which games from its vast library might be worth porting over to Switch, so we can all continue to enjoy them anytime, anywhere.

This author has had a mixed relationship with the 3DS over the years; not being the biggest fan of handheld gaming I feel like I've missed out on a number of 3DS games. Looking at the library of games available, I've selected a handful of titles that I'd personally welcome on Nintendo Switch and, critically, are feasible.

The Nintendo 3DS received a bunch of games that were ported down to 3DS resolution, but only a few that were ported up to console resolution, such as Resident Evil Revelations, which of course began its life on 3DS. I'm not a game developer, so can't vouch for how realistic it is to port some of these games, but I can dream, OK?

It's also worth noting at this point that the argument of "no more ports" doesn't really make sense - if you don't want to buy a port of a game you already own, you don't have to buy it. More often than not this kind of ports are given to either smaller studios or small teams within larger studios and can be a great way for new(er) developers to learn a system, I don't believe they have a negative impact on the number of new games that are developed.

1. Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS)

My first choice is a strong one – Metroid: Samus Returns, the "remake" of the original Metroid II Game Boy title. I feel it is one of those games that deserves to be presented in 1080p on the big screen. Also, with Metroid Prime 4 on the Switch schedule, you can expect Nintendo be re-releasing a number of previous Metroid games, so why not start with this one?

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2. Detective Pikachu (3DS)

Another obvious choice, with the (in)famous movie just around the corner, I'd be surprised if Nintendo didn't want to capitalise on its universal appeal. It would be an open goal, given the incredible amount of publicity that will surround the upcoming Hollywood flick. I feel that this title would really benefit from a Switch visual upgrade, too.

3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS)

Depending on what day of the week you asked me, A Link To The Past could be my answer to the devilish question, "Which is your favourite Zelda game?". A Link Between Worlds breathed new life into the world from the SNES classic and in many ways is the perfect sequel; it takes everything that made its predecessor so essential and adds its own unique elements. With that in mind, it certainly deserves the upscale treatment and could become the Switch's second Zelda best-seller.

4. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (3DS)

When Luigi's Mansion first launched the Nintendo GameCube it was met with a muted reception, probably simply because it wasn't a Mario game. The 2013 sequel was well-received on 3DS and sold enough to convince Nintendo to commission the development of Luigi's Mansion 3. Since then, the original GameCube game has been ported to handheld, and I'd love to see Dark Moon get the HD treatment.

5. Nintendogs + Cats (3DS)

Remember Nintendogs? I do and feel it's time to bring it back on Switch. The anytime, anywhere ability of the console makes it the perfect system to take care of your cute little puppy or kitten, and while the 3DS version was welcome, the time feels right for a full-blown revival of this underrated and often overlooked series. Yes, it's a throwback to Nintendo's 'casual' days, but it was so much fun I don't care. At least I didn't ask for Brain Training!

6. Chibi-Robo!: Zip Lash (3DS)

Chibi-Robo! is one of those franchises that was massive during the GameCube era but has struggled to replicate that success in the years since. The game received a slightly unexpected (and arguably underrated) 3DS sequel before Nintendo used the character to tease the internet in a tweet; this plucky robot is clearly part of Nintendo's plans somewhere, so surely little Chibi-Robo's 3DS outing deserves another chance on Switch?

7. Ever Oasis (3DS)

Ever Oasis was developed by Grezzo and is the brainchild of Secret of Mana creator Koichi Ishii; it was one of the games released in the 3DS' later years, and reviewed really positively. As a new IP, I feel this one would be a great candidate to port over to Switch – especially as I have the sneaking suspicion that it was unfairly ignored because it came so late in the console's lifespan and everyone was going potty over the Switch.

8. Metroid Prime: Blast Ball (3DS)

Got you! I'm just checking you are actually reading these descriptions, because we often post these lists and people leave comments which suggest they haven't read any of the words on the page. Of course we don't want Blast Ball on Switch – sorry Nintendo!

That's my list. Now, obviously I've skipped out a number of games that are too reliant on dual screens, either already available (Mario Kart), or announced (Animal Crossing), on Switch in one form or another, but if you had the choice of playing some 3DS games on your Switch, which would you want? Let us know in the comments below.