3DS - Timeline
Wednesday22nd Nov 2023
Anniversary Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Is 10 Years Old Today
Worlds apart
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds on the Nintendo 3DS is celebrating its 10th anniversary today. Released in North America and Europe on November 22nd, 2013, the 3DS title represents one of few instances in which Nintendo created a direct sequel to one of its Zelda games. Directed by Hiromasa Shikata and produced by Zelda...
Sunday12th Nov 2023
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Hey! Pikmin
Hey! Another brawl
Hello everybody, and welcome to the latest edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we took a look at Kirby Mass Attack for the Nintendo DS. It wasn't quite as close as we were admittedly expecting, with the North American version easily beating the competition with 65% of the vote. This week, we're skipping ahead to the 3DS and the...
Tuesday31st Oct 2023
News Surprise! The 3DS Is Getting A Brand New Physical Release Next Week
VBlank's Shakedown: Hawaii returns
Just when we thought the 3DS generation had finally come to an end, another company goes and announces a new physical release. This time it's a hard copy version of VBlank's Shakedown: Hawaii title. This game will be arriving next week on 6th November with pre-orders open on the same day. It will be priced at...
Sunday29th Oct 2023
News Newly Discovered Nintendo Filing Shows Off "Dual-Screen, Detachable Device"
Sending Switch successor rumours into overdrive (again)
Switch successor rumours have got louder in recent months and now some new Nintendo filings have been discovered. New ideas and designs from Nintendo, which were originally filed by the Japanese video game company on 11th November 2022, have been discovered on the 'World Intellectual Property...
Thursday12th Oct 2023
Soapbox Pokémon X & Y - The Series' Greatest Paradoxes
You can’t be groundbreaking without leaving a few cracks
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Andy looks back at a pivotal juncture in the Pocket Monster series which hinted at the path it would take over the following decade...
Anniversary Happy Birthday To Nintendo's Ugliest, Most Indestructible Console
Slated
It's that time of year when video game anniversary enthusiasts can enjoy the birthday of a significant game or console nearly every day of the week. It's the turn of Pokémon X & Y which turns 10 today (look out for a feature on that coming up a little later), but it's also a decade since one of Nintendo's lowest-key console launches...
Friday6th Oct 2023
Video How Does Detective Pikachu Returns Compare To Its 3DS Predecessor?
Pikachu The Electric Mouse Detective
Detective Pikachu returns in the aptly-tilted Detective Pikachu Returns... today! If you've snapped up the game for yourself — whether you're a first-time detective or you're coming back for a second cup of coffee — you might be wondering what the differences are between the 3DS original and this Switch...
Thursday5th Oct 2023
News Pokémon Bank Users Encouraged To Transfer Pokémon To Pokémon Home ASAP
Bank's online service may end "at some point in the future"
Yesterday, Nintendo announced it would be ending "online play and other functionality" for the 3DS and Wii U in "early April" next year. Although a lot of different parts of the 3DS online service will be impacted, one that won't be in the foreseeable future is Pokémon Bank for the 3DS...
Wednesday4th Oct 2023
Random Following 3DS/Wii U Online Shutdown, Fans Look To Create More Public Servers
"We have begun discussing our development road map internally"
Pretendo Network, the fan-run group that has developed an open-source replacement for online servers for the Wii U and 3DS, is discussing plans to "accommodate" the shutdown. In a statement shared on social media, Pretendo Network said that it had been "made aware" of the company's...
Guide When Does 3DS And Wii U Online Shut Down? Nintendo Online Closure Guide
The hows and the whys
It seems only yesterday that Nintendo shut down the eShop functionality for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, doesn't it? After stating that online functionality would remain for the "foreseeable future", the firm has confirmed that 3DS and Wii U online services will be discontinued in "early April 2024". So what does this mean for...
News 3DS And Wii U Online Play Ends In "Early April" 2024
Nintendo officially confirms
In news that's been a long time coming, Nintendo has announced it will be ending "online play and other functionality" that uses online communication for both the 3DS and Wii U as of "early April" 2024. Here's the official confirmation: Nintendo: "In early April 2024, online play and other functionality that uses...
Monday25th Sep 2023
News 3DS Turn-Based JRPG 'The Legend Of Legacy' Is Getting Remastered Next Year
Relive the legacy
Update: NIS America has opened pre-orders for a limited edition version of the game for $79.99. You can head to the NIS store to pre-order it right now. Original article: Dungeon Encounters and Opoona developer Cattle Call's 3DS RPG The Legend of Legacy is getting an HD Remaster on Swit
Friday22nd Sep 2023
Random AMOLED 3DS Concept Shown Off At Tokyo Game Show 2023
Includes 90Hz refresh rate
Over at the Tokyo Game Show this week, Japanese hardware firm Tassei Denki has been showing off some hardware prototypes that could potentially give us a glimpse into the near future. One of these is of particular interest to us and appears to be a new concept for the Nintendo 3DS. The two units on display are powered by...
Sunday3rd Sep 2023
News Nintendo Looks To Be Updating Its Smash Bros. amiibo Packaging
There's supposedly "no mention" of Switch
Nintendo's amiibo line might not be quite as busy as it once was, but there are still new figurines arriving on a regular basis. With this in mind, there are reports of updated packaging for Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate amiibo series. A recent post from a Famiboards forum member shared some photos...
Monday7th Aug 2023
News Service For Dragon Quest X Online On Wii U And 3DS Will End Next Year
End of an era for the Japan-only release
Dragon Quest X Online might have never left Japan, but the game has come to a whole host of different platforms since its 2012 launch on Wii including the Wii U, 3DS, Switch and mobile. Service for the game ended on the original console a few years back and now Square Enix has announced that the Wii U and 3DS...
Sunday9th Jul 2023
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
The bros are back in town
It's time for another edition of Box Art Brawl — let's get ready to rumbllllllle! Before we get into this week's match-up, let's see how things panned out last time. We took a look at the GameCube's Donkey Konga, with a whopping three different designs to choose between. It was the Japan cover that walked away with the...
Tuesday4th Jul 2023
Random Sakurai Explains Why True Twin-Stick Controls Weren't Possible For Kid Icarus: Uprising
And yes, he still wants that Switch port
In his latest video in the 'Game Concepts' series, Masahiro Sakurai once again goes back to Kid Icarus: Uprising. This time, the legendary game designer breaks down the game's "unique" control scheme and explains the difficulties that the team had in developing the title. Part on-rails shooter, part...
Saturday1st Jul 2023
News Nintendo "Currently Have No Specifics To Share" About Other Legacy Platforms For Switch Online
Sorry, GameCube fans
Nintendo's Switch Online service added Game Boy games in February this year, but there are obviously requests for even more platforms, so is there a chance of other legacy systems being added? According to the company's president Shuntaro Furukawa, Nintendo "currently have no specifics to share". He responded with this classic...
Sunday25th Jun 2023
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - WarioWare Gold
VOTE!
Welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl. Before we dive into the competitors, let's take a look at what went down last time. Last week, we asked you to choose between a whopping three regional covers for Puyo Pop Fever and it ended up really rather close. It was the Japanese cover that walked away with the win on that occasion,...
Thursday1st Jun 2023
News Dillon's Rolling Western & Kirby Developer Vanpool Shuts Down
"We have decided to disband"
In some surprising news, it's been discovered Vanpool, the independent Tokyo-based development team behind the Dillon's Rolling Western series, has shut down. As of 31st May 2023, the studio is no longer in operation. It shared an official statement on its website confirming this. Here's part of a translation:...
Tuesday23rd May 2023
News 3DS System Update 11.17.0-50 Is Now Live, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
Ultra stable
Nintendo has issued a surprise update for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. This bumps the system up to Version 11.17.0-50. As usual, it's another "stability update" - with improved system stability to further enhance the overall user experience. Dataminer 'OatmealDome' also notes how the system settings, eShop app and internet...
Tuesday4th Apr 2023
PSA 3DS And Wii U eShop Download Codes Can No Longer Be Redeemed
"Thank you for playing"
Last week, after ending 3DS and Wii U eShop sales, Nintendo announced it would be extending the period to redeem a code to make up for certain technical difficulties. The new date was extended until 4th April 2023 in Japan, and that means this extra time to redeem codes has now also ended here in the west. This marks the end...
Sunday2nd Apr 2023
Zion investigates
The start of this week saw the closure of the 3DS and Wii U eShops, a sad time for all of us, many of whom spent last weekend feeling a little sentimental about all of the brilliant games that we would be losing as we attempted to download as many titles as possible (not speaking from personal experience, of course). But what does...
Saturday1st Apr 2023
News More Indie Developers Are Giving Away Free eShop Codes For Wii U & 3DS
Update: WayForward joins in on the fun
Update [Sat 1st Apr, 2023 03:05 BST]: Mighty Switch Force developer WayForward has joined in on the free giveaway fun sharing codes for Mighty Switch Force 2 on Wii U and 3DS throughout the day. It seems Shovel Knight developer Yacht Club Games was also giving out some codes earlier this week:
Thursday30th Mar 2023
News SteamWorld Series Creator Admits 3DS eShop Closure Is A Little Bit "Upsetting"
A DSiWare classic is gone
It seems Nintendo's closure of the 3DS eShop has been just as upsetting for game developers and publishers. Speaking to 'Kit & Krysta' recently, SteamWorld series creator and Thunderful Group co-founder Brjann Sigurgeirsson admitted it was sad seeing 3DS owners lose access to the 2010 DSiWare origin title SteamWorld:...
Wednesday29th Mar 2023
News Limited Run Teases One Last Physical Release For Nintendo 3DS
"Days like that remind us why we do what we do"
It's the end of a generation, with Nintendo yesterday calling time on the 3DS and Wii U eShops. Now that digital sales and physical production have come to a halt, the Switch creator is essentially done with these older platforms, but that doesn't mean everyone is.... Physical distributor Limited Run...
News Nintendo Extends Code Redemption Deadline For Wii U & 3DS eShops
You've now got until April
The global shutdown of the 3DS and Wii U eShops was technically yesterday, but it seems Nintendo has thrown a lifeline out to anyone who still has any codes left to redeem on these digital storefronts. As highlighted by the company's official Japanese customer support account on Twitter, Nintendo has extended the period...
Tuesday28th Mar 2023
News Two 3DS HOME Themes Are Now Free To Download (North America)
Stars, dots & stripes
If you happen to be located in North America, there's apparently a small eShop goodbye gift from Nintendo in the form of "free" 3DS HOME menu themes. Users in this region can currently claim a 'Dots & Stripes: Yellow & White' theme and a 'Stars: Gold & Black' theme from the Theme Shop. These themes previously cost...
News The 3DS & Wii U eShops Have Officially Closed, Purchases "No Longer Possible"
You can still download your existing library, but that's about it
Today officially marks the end of the 3DS and Wii U eShops. While you'll still be able to download your existing purchases, you can no longer buy or redeem new games from these digital storefronts. Free content including demos are also off limits. Now that the digital shops have...
PSA Pokémon Bank Is Now "Free To Use" On Nintendo 3DS
Update: Poké Transporter issues resolved
Update #2: The login issues appear to have been resolved, and everyone with the Poké Transporter installed on 3DS should now be able to access it. Update #1: We've had a slight development, with word quickly spreading online that the Poké Transporter is not working for some users. We booted up the...
