Yes, You Can and Should Still Play Your 3DS in 2024

As an avid Nintendo gamer and content creator since the 1980s, I can definitively say the 3DS remains a worthwhile system to play even after the recent eShop closure.

The 3DS enjoyed one of the longest and most game-rich lifespans of any Nintendo handheld. Now into 2023, let‘s break down what the future holds and why playing 3DS still brings tremendous value.

Breaking Down the eShop Closure

On March 27, 2023, after over 12 illustrious years of service, Nintendo ended digital purchases on the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShops. This means you can no longer buy new games or DLC on either system.

To put this shop‘s tenure into perspective, the Wii U eShop lasted just 5 years before discontinuation, while the 3DS eShop operated for over a decade.

According to publicly available sales data, the 3DS eShop amassed nearly 400 million software downloads in the US alone during its lifespan. These unprecedented volumes reflect the 3DS‘s popularity and pioneered digital distribution for Nintendo‘s handheld gaming.

While the eShop will be missed, for most gamers, its closure does not significantly impact enjoying previously purchased 3DS or DS games. And suffice to say, between the two libraries, thousands of stellar game options await players in 2024 and years beyond.

Why You Should Still Play 3DS This Year

Even with digital purchases shut down, compelling reasons remain to buy, play, and collect for the Nintendo 3DS this year:

My Top 10 Must-Play 3DS Exclusives

This is my personal list of 3DS exclusive games with the highest recommendation

With so many first-party Nintendo masterpieces and underrated gems on this list alone, the 3DS game library remains an immense asset carrying strong enduring play value.

direct head-to-head value comparison versus modern systems:

Considering the affordability to collect a sizeable game library, from a cost perspective, the 3DS provides outstanding entertainment relative to buying the latest generation of consoles.

Backwards compatibility with an extensive DS game catalog only further improves its impression value ratio.

Multiplayer Community Life Expectancy

While the eShop closure seemed sudden, Nintendo historically provides ample heads up for discontinuing online multiplayer services. For example, they announced over a year in advance before ending online play for the Wii U and previous generation 3DS.

As a gaming industry analyst, based on these trends, I predict we will still have at least 2-3 years before any 3DS multiplayer or network functions are retired. Nintendo undoubtedly has another major paid online service transition planned before that happens, which I discuss more in the final section.

So fear not, as Circa 2023, 3DS online communities remain vibrant and we‘re only partway through this handheld‘s viability lifecycle.

For collectors and Nintendo fans like myself determined to complete the entire 3DS set, we‘re in an opportune moment with more fluid availability and affordable pricing across physical games and console variants based on current market data:

I advise interested shoppers to act sooner than later, as supplies are still sufficient in 2024 but dwindling as times goes on.

Setting Up and Maintaining a 3DS in 2024

For newcomers just jumping on board the 3DS train this year, you picked a truly ideal time with the homebrew community flourishing and added flexibility through custom firmware installs.

Based on my firsthand experience modding over a dozen 3DS systems, the latest Custom FirmWare upgrades enable enhancements like:

• Streaming game footage directly to YouTube
• Running emulators for SNES and other legacy systems
• Installing fan mods and translations
• Unrestricted access to DLC, themes, and out-of-region content

I walk through full detailed setup guides over on my channel [Link Here], but the process has never been simpler for both beginner and advanced users alike.

This added versatility also future-proofs your 3DS functionality and mitigates concerns around eventual online service discontinuations. Just be certain to keep firmware updated as recommended for maximum security and compatibility.

For users with physical game collections, I suggest the New 3DS XL or New 2DS XL models boasting faster processors and additional controls that best showcase these titles. As the name implies, the "New" series of 3DS devices essentially act like hardware refreshes analogous to the Xbox One X or PlayStation 4 Pro for their respective console generations.

What Now for Pokémon Fans?

With Pokémon Bank & Transporter services confirmed to close sometime in 2024, transferring old Pokémon forward has a countdown timer.

Once the closure date is announced, players will have approximately 1 month to complete any desired data transfers using the paid app before it is discontinued entirely. Consequently, you should initiate migrations for special event Pokémon, competitive teams, or shining hunting hauls stored in Gen 6/7 boxes within the next 12 months just to be safe.

Unfortunately, after the shutdown goes into effect, transferring anything from 3DS Pokémon game cartridges forward to Switch titles (or cloud-based Pokémon Home storage) becomes permanently unavailable. So collectors like myself aiming to preserve our complete National Pokédex living dexes cannot delay too long lest we risk losing access to mythicals and obscure species stuck on those game cards.

Having been an avid Pokémon player since Red & Blue‘s launch over 25 years ago, this Bank service retirement marks the end of an era. I still fondly remember eagerly awaiting Bank‘s western launch in tandem with Pokémon X back in 2013 just to sample Kalos‘ wave of new creatures.

Even back then, veterans relied on Transporter to carry their treasured teams forward from the DS titles. So while bittersweet, Pokémon Bank‘s decade run federalized storing our pocket monster collections across generations and represented a keystone for the franchise we‘ll never again take for granted.

Honoring an All-Time Great Handheld

Reviewing retrospectively across Nintendo‘s last three handheld generations using recorded sales figures:

While the Nintendo DS retains the trophy for highest volumes, the 3DS demonstrated impressive longevity too, significantly outselling the Game Boy Advance.

Personally, I have fond memories across every Nintendo handheld dating back to playing Tetris on the original Game Boy during long car rides. The 3DS in particular stands out for finally realizing glasses-free 3D technology – long rumored dating back to the Virtual Boy yet excellently executed at scale for the first time here.

Between the SNES-quality remakes upgraded with depth, alongside portable entries from my favorite franchises like Zelda and Fire Emblem, the 3DS game library knockout any skepticism regarding commitment to its distinguishing 3D tech.

Heads-up stereoscopic gaming never quite caught mainstream buzz the way touch controls did last decade, so seeing the concept retired saddens me a bit. Nonetheless, the 3DS catalog provides a fittingly stunning sendoff for eye-popping portable play.

Much like the Game Boy name defined mobile gameplay throughout the 90s, the impact of the Nintendo DS and 3DS tandem cannot be understated moving the industry leaps forward. While the Switch grows as Nintendo‘s leading hybrid device, for over 15 years these clamshell handhelds unquestionably dominated on-the-go play.

Conclusion

I cannot yet eulogize the 3DS when such promising potential lies ahead in 2024 and beyond. Core hardware functionalities remain entirely in tact and catalog depth & value proposition stay irresistible as games become more affordable and increasingly scarce.

Never has there been a better opportunity to snag New Nintendo 3DS XL or 2DS XL units along with physical software releases before availability dries up. Players who still missed out on all-time greats like A Link Between Worlds or Fire Emblem Awakening receive a second chance to experience these masterpieces for themselves.

Vibrant modding and collector communities further elevate fond farewell tour hype – recapturing nostalgia while documenting living pieces of video game history.

So whether experiencing must-play exclusives for the first time or transferring your prized Pokémon one final time, savor these remaining moments while you still can! Revisit the outstanding outings on my Top 10 list or explore over a decade of essentials yourself.

I award the Nintendo 3DS line my coveted lifetime achievement accolade befitting the unmatched portable pedigree it maintained to cap off Nintendo‘s unmatched handheld hardware dynasty! Bravo on broadening gaming possibilities yet again while transitioning the medium forward into its next evolutionary phase. Job well done 3DS – we salute you!