The Best 3DS Games (Updated 2023)
Introduction
The Nintendo 3DS remains one of the most popular handheld game consoles ever released, having sold over 75 million units globally since its launch in 2011. While the Nintendo Switch has largely replaced the 3DS in the current market, the 3DS library still offers countless classics that remain outstanding experiences on the system over a decade later. In this article, I will highlight 15 of the absolute best 3DS games that I believe every owner of the system should play based on my personal experience with each title over many hours spent gaming. The games are separated into top recommendations and honorable mentions to provide a guide for those still discovering gems on this beloved platform.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
One of the definitive local multiplayer party games available on any system is, without question, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. Featuring classic Nintendo characters like Mario, Link, Pikachu, and more duking it out in over-the-top platform combat, Super Smash Bros. 3DS delivers vibrant visuals and tight controls optimized for its smaller screen. While the roster isn’t quite as large as the Wii U version, it makes up for it with deep customizable controls and gameplay perfectly tailored for fast-paced portable battling anywhere. Whether playing alone against challenging CPU opponents or with friends in local wireless multiplayer, Super Smash Bros. 3DS remains the best pick-up-and-play fighting game on the go.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Taking place within the same world as the Super Nintendo classic The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, A Link Between Worlds brings the top-down Zelda formula into beautiful fully-realized 3D. Link gains the ability to merge into walls to access new areas and puzzles in truly innovative ways. With an open world structure that encourages experimentation and nonlinear progression, A Link Between Worlds combines addictive combat, charming dungeon design, and an enchanting soundtrack that has resonated with fans and critics alike. The visual fidelity achieved on the 3DS hardware is also particularly impressive, making this one of the best-looking Zelda titles on any system.
Fire Emblem: Awakening
The Tactical-RPG series that put strategy-driven combat and endearing characters front-and-center, Fire Emblem: Awakening took the revered franchise to new heights of popularity and acclaim. With an engaging story that makes meaningful decisions impactful, turn-based battles requiring shrewd unit placement and resource management, and a robust character customization system, Fire Emblem: Awakening delivers an epic yet personal experience that appealed to strategy and narrative fans. While maintaining the franchise’s traditional difficulty, Awakening also implemented casual and Phoenix modes for more forgiving gameplay. This accessibility brought in new fans to become engrossed in the rich world and memorable roster of allies and enemies.
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
Representing one of gaming’s most dedicated hardcore communities is Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, a celebration of intense boss battles against massive beasts. Using an array of weapon types from greatswords to insect glaives, hunters must study enemy attack patterns to find openings and deal heavy blows. While the initial learning curve is daunting, overcoming challenges through coop multiplayer is profoundly satisfying. With gorgeous rendered environments, a bestiary of uniquely designed monsters, and wonderfully tactile combat, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate immerses players for hundreds of hours in its rewarding hunts and advancing character progression. The portable 3DS provided the perfect platform for taking the series on the go for gathering quests or local area multiplayer sessions anywhere.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Another 3DS game known for its immense longevity and low-key charm is Animal Crossing: New Leaf. As the mayor of a quirky village, players can spend virtual real-time customizing their town, completing tasks for colorful residents, collecting furniture and outfits, fishing and bug catching for profit. While seemingly lacking traditional goals, Animal Crossing: New Leaf offers a zen experience of gradual community improvements that relaxes and entertains over weeks, months, and beyond. Visiting the dream addresses of other player’s villages online became a joyful pastime, making each town filled with unique personalities feel like a second home for many dedicated fans of this laidback life simulator.
Shovel Knight
A loving tribute to 8-bit platformers of yore, Shovel Knight tells an original story with beautifully hand-crafted stages, devious traps and peril, all rendered in lush pixelated visuals. Players utilize the multifunctional Shovel Blade to dispatch foes, smash obstacles, bounce over hazards, and platform with precision across expansive non-linear levels. With challenging combat, hidden secrets, local and online coop for extra mayhem, and a fully-orchestrated chiptune soundtrack, Shovel Knight revitalized the retro genre with modern conveniences while staying faithful to classic mechanics. Both newcomers and long-time fans of Mega Man and DuckTales gleaned countless hours perfection platforming bliss from this endlessly replayable modern masterpiece.
Pokémon Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire
Bringing new life to the original 3rd generation entries, Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire celebrated Hoenn’s expansive region and legendary stories with beautifully enhanced visuals. While retaining the core gameplay of previous Pokémon titles in challenging gyms and champion battles, catching and trading hundreds of creations, these remakes offered exciting post-game content and quality of life upgrades. Features like soaring through the skies on the back of flying Pokémon, enhanced Battle Frontier challenges, and the ability to catch every legendary in one game drew in players both new and returning alike. With deep systems for competitive play and collection completionists as well as accessibility for children, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire remain among the most well-rounded and fan-pleasing generations.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies
Bringing the quirky courtroom mysteries and turn-based logic puzzles of the Ace Attorney series to its visual peak is Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies. Picking apart witness testimonies for inconsistencies, presenting incriminating evidence, delivering dramatic objections, and unveiling the truth through masterful deductions define this franchise. Dual Destinies expands the investigative areas outside of trials with 3D environments while maintaining its characteristic anime art style and zany cast of characters. With an engrossing overarching story spanning multiple interconnected cases and the series’ signature blend of humor, intrigue and sudden plot twists, Dual Destinies is the definitive entry point into one gaming’s most beloved legal adventure franchises.
Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright
A dream collaboration between two of Level-5’s most beloved series, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright combined the puzzle-solving of the Professor Layton adventures with the courtroom drama of Ace Attorney. Players must not only solve mysteries and point out contradictions in court, but also use Layton’s signature stylus puzzles to deduce new clues, gather information from witnesses, and piece together the full narratives. With charming interactions between the contrasting yet complementary casts of both worlds, this hybrid approached new heights of clever writing and twisty storytelling that longtime fans of each cherished. While more of a love-letter than fully delivering on each component in isolation, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright remains a special one-of-a-kind crossover experience.
Kid Icarus: Uprising
After decades of absence, Pit the angel finally returned to dazzle in the beautifully visual and brilliantly chaotic Kid Icarus: Uprising. Taking place across ancient Greek-inspired realms, players traverse terrain, avoid traps, and battle an array of mythological enemies—all through stylistic dual-stick shooting segments mixed with melee attacks. While the controls took adjusting to the untraditional joystick setup, Uprising compensated with some of gaming’s richest lore, most endearingly eccentric characters, and humorously self-aware storytelling. With its top-tier production values, addictive 20-stage campaign, and deep multiplayer modes for local wireless dogfighting, Kid Icarus: Uprising stands among the 3DS’s most technical achievements and creatively shining exclusives.
Ultimate NES Remix
Offering challenge runs of 16 classic NES games in bite-sized doses accompanied by dynamic leaderboards, Ultimate NES Remix distills retro sessions down to speedrunning efficiency. Players sprint, jump and battle through remixed stages with modifiers like character swaps or remixed level layouts. Focusing on mastery through repetition rather than long-form experiences, Ultimate NES Remix provides thrills for high-score chasers and speedrun aficionados looking to optimize their skills. Its pick-up-and-play format also lent well to short sessions on-the-go. While somewhat lacking for those seeking fully-fledged retro replays, Ultimate NES Remix offered top-class execution of its high octane “greatest hits” concept.
Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater 3D
An acclaimed stealth-action title redone in beautiful stereoscopic 3D, Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater 3D transported players back to the jungles of 1964 through a visual tour-de-force. Featuring all the intrigue, suspense