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Nintendo 3DS

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This article is dedicated to the 3DS and Wii U eShops, which closed on March 27, 2023. Thank you for your twelve years of service.


Nintendo 3DS
<tabber>Nintendo 3DS =
This time, 3D gaming worked.
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: February 26, 2011 (Japan)
May 2011 (worldwide)
Predecessor: Nintendo DS
Successor: Nintendo Switch
Competitors: PlayStation Vita
Generation: Eighth generation


The Nintendo 3DS is a handheld console developed by Nintendo, and the successor to the Nintendo DS line. It was released in Japan on February 26, 2011 and released worldwide in May 2011.

Why It Makes Touching Even Better in 3D

  1. As the console's name suggests, the top screen of the system uses stereoscopic 3D effects without the need for 3D glasses or other accessories. The 3D effects can also be adjusted or turned off completely, effectively solving a major problem that Nintendo's previous attempt at a 3D console had suffered.
  2. The StreetPass feature allows a 3DS to connect wirelessly to other 3DS devices in the near area for multiplayer gaming and collecting Miis. Some games also use the ability for other functions. An example of this is that the use of StreetPass in Bravely Default and Bravely Second: End Layer' collects new villagers to help rebuild Norende or the moon, and also fight Nemeses/bust Ba'al ships.
  3. It also has augmented reality (AR) features the are used in the built-in 3DS game AR Games and several others as well.
  4. The SpotPass feature allows the use of hotspots to collect StreetPass tags when not near an area. Sadly, it has been discontinued after the Nintendo Network shut down.
  5. The 3DS has a pedometer (step counter) built into it. For every 100 steps taken, 1 Play Coin is obtained, which acts as a currency for many 3DS games. Players may obtain ten Play Coins per day, and a maximum of 300 can be held at a time.
  6. The console has its own Virtual Console, which allowed users to buy older games digitally.
  7. The introduction of the Circle Pad allows for better 3D movement than the DS, which only had a +Control Pad.
  8. All models use the same charger, which is the same one used for the DSi and DSi XL.
  9. All models are also completely backwards-compatible with DS Game Cards and DSiWare games and software.

Early buyers could purchase certain NES and GBA games in the 3DS Ambassador Program, which could be transferred to later revisions.

  1. Offers YouTube streaming services.

Sadly, the older models shut this service down, so it only works on New models nowadays.

  1. A large number of good and/or decent first-party games were released, most of which are designed for the 3DS console rather than just being watered-down ports of home console games. These will be listed in their own section.
  2. There are also a variety of good and/or decent third-party games, which will be listed below.
  3. There were numerous models, including the 3DS XL, 2DS (which plays 3DS games without 3D in exchange for a lower cost than other models), New 3DS, New 3DS XL and New 2DS XL (which is just like the 2DS, but with a flip screen and New 3DS features).
  4. The New 3DS models have extra features, such as a second analog stick nub, customizable face plates, a built-in NFC scanner and more powerful hardware than the original, which allowed for newer style games.
  5. The 3DS also came in many variations, such as Hyrule Gold Edition and The Year of Luigi Edition, which had a digital copy of Mario & Luigi: Dream Team pre-installed.
  6. It uses standard or micro SD cards, depending on the system, meaning that their price is lower than the Vita's memory cards.
  7. The 2DS and New 2DS XL lack 3D mode and are lower-priced, meaning that they are easier to produce and safer for children's eyes. Although the DS is criticized for lacking hinges, it is more durable as well.
  8. Although not the best, it uses dual-camera technology, something that wasn't popularized until it was used in high-end smartphones in the late 2010's. Back then, however, dual cameras were only used by the 3DS, which ended up being a fad.

Bad Qualities

Overall

  1. The cameras have several issues:
    • Images taken with the New 3DS's inner camera tend to have a strange violet tint in certain lightings.
    • Videos recorded in the 3DS camera (especially the original) suffer from choppy frame rates and low resolution.
  2. Sadly, the 3DS eShop has been shut down since March 27, 2023, meaning digital-only games are no longer legally obtainable. This page is dedicated to that fact.
  3. Nintendo focused on the New 3DS models a little too much, basically persuading people to abandon their older models in favor of the newer ones.
  4. Unfortunately, the plastic used for the casing isn't very good, since it collects a lot of sweat and condensation can occur after playing for a long time.
  5. Unlike most Nintendo handhelds, this console has region-locking, while its competitor, the Vita, has no such issue. You can play DS games of any region, however.
  6. You can only have up to 300 digital titles simultaneously on the same console. On top of that, only 30 save backups can be stored on any SD card at a time, meaning you'll need to sacrifice your save data if you have more than 30 games and you delete one.
  7. Some people may suffer headaches and eye strain from overuse of the 3D mode (the manual does warn about this, however), so you have to use Parental Controls to turn off the 3D switch, especially for children 6 and under. Fortunately, the New 3DS/2DS looks less blurry and sharper.
  8. Unless you live in a high-population area, such as Japan, the StreetPass feature barely works properly.
  9. Many games that released late in the 3DS's lifespan don't play in 3D and didn't sell as well due to the Switch being out for two years since then.
  10. Despite being backwards compatible with DS games, none of the 3DS models have a GBA cartridge slot, meaning that, like the DSi and DSi XL, they are not compatible with GBA games. The only way you could get GBA games (of which there are around 10) was if you bought a 3DS before the price drop.
  11. PictoChat, a feature that was big on the DS family, is not available on the 3DS. However, the system does have two equivalents known as SwapNote and SwapDoodle.
  12. As of April 2024, online play has been discontinued, meaning it's now almost impossible to play multiplayer unless played locally.

Nintendo 3DS

  1. The battery life leaves something to be desired, lasting around 4-6 hours, although you can get 6-8 hours when playing DS games.
  2. It doesn't have a very good Circle Pad, and the rubber used on it can easily break off if you play roughly with it.
  3. It launched at a relatively high price. Fortunately, it got a price drop months later and people who bought the system prior to this received 10 free NES and GBA games each.

Nintendo 3DS XL

  1. Just like the DS Lite, the hinge connecting the screens can get loose and eventually break.
  2. The speakers are of a much lower sound quality than most other 3DS models.
  3. This model can take a while to turn on/off.

Nintendo 2DS

  1. Although it is cheaper and has the 3D feature removed, there are still some extra charges and downsides to it:
    • It loses the stereo sound to the $129.99 price tag, which can bother some people; however, it does support stereo sound through a headphone jack, similar to the Game Boy.
    • It lacks the clamshell design that the DS and 3DS families are well-known for, so you can't put it in your pocket.
    • It's more vulnerable to screen-cracking, which is especially problematic, given that this system was aimed at children.
    • Games such as Super Mario 3D Land may be harder since some of the optical-illusion puzzles utilized the 3D mode.

New 3DS/New 3DS XL

  1. Sadly, they weren't very successful sales-wise (especially the original model), selling less units than even the Wii U, due to Nintendo trying too hard to push the New models.
  2. It doesn't come with a charger (except for the New 2DS XL), meaning you will need to buy or already have a charger.
  3. For some strange reason, the SD card slot is located where the battery is, meaning that you'll have to unscrew the plastic cover to replace the SD card, which can be quite a chore.
  4. The ZL and ZR buttons can be hard to reach.
  5. The standard model wasn't available at launch and was only released in special bundles in North America.
  6. The XL model doesn't have swappable face plates.
  7. The C-stick's placement is very odd and it requires jamming your thumb into it to use it.
  8. Same issues as the original 3DS and 3DS XL.

New 2DS XL

  1. Like the original 2DS, it loses stereo sound. It also has the speaker in the bottom right corner, making it easy to obstruct with your hand.
    • As if the speaker placement isn't bad enough, both the front and back cameras are on the bottom screen rather than the top screen. While the front camera's placement is fine, the back camera might get covered by your fingers sometimes.
  2. Due to the refined design, it can be mistaken for a DSi.
  3. Same issues as the New 3DS and New 3DS XL.
  4. The edges of this model are really sharp and can be uncomfortable for you palms when playing for a relatively long session.

Reception

All models of the Nintendo 3DS received largely positive reviews, with many deeming it a worthy successor to the DS family. While the New 3DS models underperformed sales-wise, the console overall sold over 75 million units.

Good/Decent Examples of 3DS Games

First-Party Titles

Third-Party Titles

Bad/Mediocre Examples of 3DS Games

First-Party Titles

Third-Party Titles

Comments

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