What replaced the Nintendo DS?
As a life-long Nintendo fan and gaming industry analyst, I‘ve followed Nintendo‘s handheld consoles closely across decades of new models and generations. In 2011, Nintendo released the Nintendo 3DS as the official successor to their blockbuster Nintendo DS system.
In this in-depth guide, we‘ll explore the DS‘s wild popularity, the 3DS‘s new stereoscopic 3D tech, how the 3DS carried the DS legacy for another decade, and insights into the future of handheld gaming in a post-Switch world.
The Nintendo DS Was a Best-Selling Juggernaut
The Nintendo DS was a revolutionary handheld gaming console when first released in 2004. Featuring two screens (the bottom one being a touchscreen), WiFi connectivity, and an affordable price, the DS family of systems sold over 154 million units worldwide.
To put that into perspective, only the PlayStation 2 has sold more units of any single video game console. The DS outsold stalwarts like the Game Boy, PlayStation 1, Wii and PlayStation 4.
| System | Lifetime Sales |
|---|---|
| PlayStation 2 | 155 million |
| Nintendo DS | 154 million |
| Game Boy / Game Boy Color | 118 million |
| PlayStation | 102 million |
Bolstered by an incredible software library with titles like Nintendogs, Mario Kart DS, and New Super Mario Bros, the DS dominated the handheld and overall gaming industry for years. It appealed to casual gamers and children thanks to its approachable touchscreen gameplay, while still offering deep games for committed players.
The Nintendo 3DS Ushered In a Glasses-Free 3D Gaming Era
With over 150 million systems sold, Nintendo could have easily continued churning out DS variants. But in true pioneering fashion, they again shook up the handheld realm by releasing the Nintendo 3DS globally in 2011.
The 3DS retained the clamshell dual-screen design and touchscreen interface of the Nintendo DS. But its marquee upgrade was displaying stereoscopic 3D visuals on its top screen, no glasses required. This autostereoscopic 3D was enabled by parallax barrier tech which split the pixels into multiple offset images for each eye.
Compared to the DS, the more powerful 3DS hardware enabled better graphics, processing, and visually-impressive games:
| Specification | Nintendo DS | Nintendo 3DS |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | 67 MHz ARM9 and 33 MHz ARM7 | Dual-core ARM11 MPCore @ 268 MHz |
| RAM | 4 MB | 128 MB |
| Resolution | 256 x 192 pixels | 800×240 pixel (400×240 WQVGA per eye) |
| Cameras | None | Dual 0.3 MP cameras on front & back |
The 3DS retained backwards compatibility with DS games, helping convince millions of DS owners to upgrade. While the unique glasses-free 3D was divisive and caused headaches in some players, the wealth of great new games made the 3DS a continuing success. Titles like Super Mario 3D Land, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Pokemon X and Y continued Nintendo‘s iconic franchises into another generation with new graphical splendor.
Over its life span, the Nintendo 3DS family went on to sell over 75 million units worldwide – an enormous figure that proves the enduring popularity of dedicated handheld consoles.
The Nintendo Switch Has Surpassed the 3DS
Nintendo supported the robust Nintendo 3DS ecosystem until discontinuing it in 2020, an impressive near-decade run. While still a very capable device, the 3DS has now clearly been displaced by Nintendo‘s current-generation console, the Nintendo Switch.
Released in 2017, the Switch took a different approach as a hybrid home/handheld console. Its flexibility to switch between being played portably or docked and displayed on a TV gave it advantages over traditional handhelds like the 3DS.
The Switch featured much more processing horsepower, able to run visually stunning experiences like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild that far exceeded the 3DS capabilities. Its detachable Joy-Con controllers also made local social multiplayer easier.
As of December 2022, the Nintendo Switch has sold over 122 million units putting it on track to potentially outsell even the DS. Capable of delivering console-quality gaming experiences on the go, the Switch has succeeded the 3DS as Nintendo‘s flagship handheld device.
The Future of Handheld Gaming After the Switch
While the Switch still undoubtedly has several years left in its lifespan, Nintendo will someday release a next-generation successor. Where could handheld gaming go from here?
Based on patents, analysts predict features like holographic displays or glasses-free stereoscopic 3D could return on a future Nintendo handheld. Cloud streaming tech may allow Switch-quality visuals on weaker mobile device hardware.
Personally, I believe Nintendo will stick with the hybrid home/handheld approach of the Switch, evolving its display, joy-con controllers and processing power iteratively. This gives players flexibility while allowing Nintendo to focus development on a single platform.
I don‘t anticipate the company returning to a single-use portable device like the Game Boy or 3DS when the Switch concept has proven so versatile. But Nintendo has always been an innovator, so they may yet surprise us with what follows the Switch several years down the road.
For now, as a life-long Nintendo fan myself, I will enjoy experiencing both nostalgic DS classics and breathtaking new Switch adventures on my Switch‘s beautiful handheld screen. And one day pass down my beloved DS and 3DS systems to my kids as a history lesson in portable ingenuity.
