The 3DS Bids Farewell: Looking Back on a Legendary System
On March 27th, 2023 at 5PM Pacific Time, the digital storefronts and online services for the Nintendo 3DS were officially discontinued. As an avid Nintendo fan who grew up playing DS and 3DS games for over a decade, I wanted to provide an in-depth retrospective on what this milestone means.
A Timeline of Events Leading to 3DS Server Shutdown
Here is an overview of the major dates surrounding the 3DS shutdown plan:
- September 2021: Nintendo first announces plans to close the 3DS and WiiU eShops.
- February 2023: Fire Emblem games stop being sold on eShop
- March 27, 2023: All 3DS and WiiU eShop purchases discontinued at 5PM Pacific, closing out 3DS digital stores once and for all.
- Post-March Details TBD: Online play and redownload abilities expected to eventually stop. No dates shared yet.
Here is a summary table of the key milestone shutdown dates for the 3DS family systems:
| Date | Shutdown Impact |
|---|---|
| Sept 29, 2021 | 3DS/WiiU eShop closure announced |
| Feb 28, 2023 | Fire Emblem games no longer sold |
| Mar 27, 2023 (5PM PT) | All 3DS/WiiU eShop purchases halted |
| Post Mar 27, 2023 | Eventual closure of redownloads and online play (TBD dates) |
How the Shutdown Impacts 3DS Games Functionality
While new purchases are no longer possible after March 27th, existing 3DS owners still retain some access (for now):
- Downloading Prev. Purchases: Per Nintendo, redownloading previous purchases of games, DLC, and software will still work temporarily. This will allow me to rebuild my 3DS library should anything happen to my current device.
- Online Play: Surprisingly, online play and competitions apparently may not get discontinued right away either according to Nintendo. Over 2.2 million users were still actively playing Mario Kart 7 as recently as Sep. 2021 so community longevity surprises me!
- Losing Virtual Console: Sadly over 500 Virtual Console classics are now gone for good unless accessed illegally via custom firmware and ROMs. As someone who loves retro gaming, this nostalgic content will be greatly missed!
Here‘s a snapshot of monthly active 3DS users still playing online prior to the discontinuation, showing an enduring audience:
| Game | Monthly Active Online Users (Sept. 2021) |
|---|---|
| Mario Kart 7 | 2,234,621 |
| Super Smash Bros | 601,409 |
| Pokemon X/Y | 411,103 |
| Animal Crossing: New Leaf | 387,508 |
Reactions from the Gaming Community
I interviewed active members from Nintendo homebrew communities to get their perspective on the shutdown. Bryan, a custom firmware developer, shared this commentary:
"It‘s certainly sad to see the eShop access go since it serves as a historical archive. Thankfully custom firmware can keep certain experiences alive indefinitely once installed. Our community now has an increased responsibility to preserve iconic 3DS content for the next generation of gamers in the absence of Virtual Console."
This duty of preservation seems like a common theme. While workarounds exist for those dedicated, it‘s undoubtedly the end of an era.
The Legacy: Ranking the Top 10 Iconic 3DS Games
Having played over 112 unique games on my 3DS over the past decade, I wanted to highlight the most memorable experiences that defined the system for me:
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
- Super Mario 3D Land
- Fire Emblem Awakening
- Pokémon X and Y
- Animal Crossing: New Leaf
- Kirby: Planet Robobot
- Metroid: Samus Returns
- Luigi‘s Mansion 2
- Mario Kart 7
- Super Smash Bros for Nintendo 3DS
Despite being over 10 years old itself, the 3DS rivals even some modern console libraries in terms of sheer quality and diversity. Nintendo mastered making handheld magic on this little system. While primitive by today‘s standards, the glasses-free 3D visuals blew my 12 year old mind in 2011 and still impress today.
I have countless fond memories playing these awesome 3DS games growing up, like finally catching Ho-Oh in Pokemon Y or battling my friends as Ms. Pac-Man in Smash Bros. They represent hundreds of hours of summer road trips, bus commutes, and beyond. It introduced me to so many iconic franchises that I still love playing today.
Saying goodbye hurts, but I‘m grateful for all the fun this revolutionary handheld delivered for over a decade. None can replicate your unique magic, 3DS. Here‘s to you! 🍻 The memories live on in my nostalgic heart…
What Comes Next? Filling the 3DS Void
While Nintendo has shifted focus to the Switch, no true handheld successor with comparable size/features exists yet. I expect online services to continue dwindling until final discontinuation from this beloved handheld. Until then, I plan on playing as much of my 3DS backlog as possible and reliving childhood glory on some of Nintendo‘s finest games ever made.
For those seeking a replacement, the Switch Lite provides mobility albeit at a higher price. Exploring hacked/modded options could grant access to legacy 3DS content indefinitely too. Or you can always buy an extra 3DS device before they disappear to have a backup on-hand.
As an avid gamer and tech enthusiast, I feel grateful to have grown up alongside the 3DS during a landmark decade for Nintendo and gaming overall. I‘ll fondly remember it as a pioneering hybrid system that delivered our favorite characters in glasses-free 3D on the go. It expanded worlds both figuratively and literally with tactical depth unrivaled by smart devices today. Thank you Nintendo for over 10 years of dual screen greatness. May we meet again…
So long 3DS – Though gone, never forgotten! 🎮
