The 20 best Nintendo 3DS games in history

O Nintendo 3DS was a revolutionary handheld console. In addition to delivering the same formula Dual Screen do Nintendo DS, he brought a new world in which the three-dimensional effect it was highlighted and made the graphics “jump off the screen”. A classic console Nintendo that had a long life and that had several versions, in addition, of course, to deliver some of the best games ever made. Check out this special 20 best Nintendo 3DS games for you to remember, or even go back a little bit in time to get to know great and creative productions.

The 3D revolution

A Nintendo is known for revolutionizing the gaming industry, since the time when the arcade Donkey Kong was released in the US and innovated by captivating a wider share of players. This commitment to innovation and popularity among gamers has had great support in handheld consoles. Since Game & Watch, passing through Game Boy and getting on the line Nintendo DS, Nintendo tried to bring players together and take the experience of playing video games anywhere.

And behold, at the beginning of 2011, the Nintendo 3DS was released. He arrived to update some aspects of his previous video game, the Nintendo DS, but now consolidating itself as Nintendo's current handheld, dividing Nintendo's attention with the Wii and soon afterwards the Wii U, their desktop consoles at the time. Bringing features from the old portable system, such as use of two screens, including one of touch, the biggest innovation of the Nintendo 3DS was, in addition to greater graphic, sound and processing power, the adhesion of a 3D effect come out of your stereoscopic top screen and dispensed with the use of extra accessories or special glasses.

Mii connectivity!

Another great innovation that the Nintendo 3DS brought was connectivity with other devices of the same line: the service called street pass, and its complementation in the form of software — the Mii Square. Many must remember to take with them the dear 3DS for a walk and, upon returning, notice a green light signaling that another player (or players) with a Nintendo 3DS passed you too. 

O StreetPass became a fever among the players of 3DS and enabled interactions that went beyond simple game-to-console connectivity to data exchange. Now with him it was possible send and receive Miis (those same avatars started in the Wii era) on your console through the App Mii Square. In it, in addition to getting to know a little more about the respective owner of the 3DS "captured" in his video game, such as personal tastes, birthday and the 3DS games he likes the most, it became possible to use him in the minigames of the Square to win pieces and complete the famous game-themed boards.

Several other features came along in the package of 3DS, such as applications for exchanging letters, playing MP3s, photography (with the possibility of recording videos and taking 3D photos), AR Cards — which could be used in games and minigames that used the augmented reality feature — among others. In online terms, the service was also launched spot pass, which allowed the console, once connected to the network, to receive notifications, game data and updates, even when in sleep mode.

Different versions

As with other company laptops, the Nintendo 3DS it has, over the years, different versions, aiming to serve a greater portion of the players and to update some characteristics of the video game (which initially came in four colors). The first of these was the inclusion of wider models, as was already common in the line of notebooks. Nintendo DS. O Nintendo 3DS XL came to meet a more demanding audience, containing a 90% larger screen, in addition to a longer battery life. It established itself as the perfect update for notebook fans who wanted an experience, shall we say, broader and more immersive.

Then the Nintendo 2DS was released with a throwback yet innovative feel, aimed at gamers who didn't care about the visual and sound 3D effect (although it did bring stereo sound through the headphones and made it possible to capture 3D photos). Furthermore, it was a Lite version console, with a lower price, only split screen, and more aimed at children - since the 3D effect can be harmful to the development of vision in children under seven years of age.

However, the “new” and great revolution in the 3DS line came with the arrival of the models New Nintendo 3DS e New Nintendo 3DS XL, bringing new functions, such as the perception of the 3D effect at any angle, better processing power in the controls (with the inclusion of ZL, ZR and C Stick buttons), native compatibility with Amiibo, decorative covers, among others. In the same wave, the New Nintendo 2DS XL, which incorporated the functions of the New Nintendo 3DS with those of the 2DS. 

Many themed versions of Nintendo 3DS were also launched, including famous franchises such as The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Pokémon, Monster Hunter, among others. They always had some striking feature in the colors and artwork of the product, in addition to the inclusion, as a gift, of one of the respective 3DS games that were being honored in the edition. 

a valuable console

O Nintendo 3DS, like other handheld consoles, has lately gained an appreciation in its prices in the used game market. Much of this is due to the fact that these products are no longer produced and have a smaller market offer, in addition to the status and brand Nintendo have gained more and more prominence in the world of collecting. The fact is that this is a sector that has been growing and that it has a well-maintained video game with the quality Nintendo nowadays it is synonymous with ostentation, but also a guarantee of a lot of fun among retro players.

Of course, the subject retro games appreciation is an issue that deserves more attention and investigation, however some of the points that can value not only portable video games, but also the Nintendo consoles and games are due to an audience more interested in exclusive games and to the players' trust in the brand, which has been on the market for several decades.

The best Nintendo 3DS games

And let's get to the most interesting part: the 3DS games. Select a list with the 20 best 3DS games is not an easy task, and we therefore count on the help of rankings from specialized sites such as Metacritic, IMDb and the global American portal focused on games IGN, inaugurated in 1996 and today present in 110 countries, including brazilian website br.ign.com). 

In addition, lists of best or worst always have a touch of personality from the author. Therefore, dear reader, if you do not agree with any placement or lack of it in this list, feel free to write in the comments located below, indicating the reasons that make the game worthy of being here as well.

We consider the American release date of the 3DS games, as it is the version used in Brazil. Although some premieres on Brazilian soil came exclusively, with gloves (cardboard poster reproducing the cover of the game) in our language, and have themed gifts, the cartridges and the model of the 3DS Brazilian follow the pattern American native (USA).

Animal Crossing: New Leaf

Metacritic: 88 | IMDB: 7,5 | IGN: 9.6

A new life awaits you on the first journey of Animal Crossing for 3D laptop from Nintendo. Here you will control a new resident in the village inhabited by the friendliest animals in the electronic world. Tidy up the rooms in your house, customize your clothes and accessories, hunt for insects or fish for different species of fish and interact with the inhabitants on festive dates that sync with the real-world clock and calendar registered on the laptop.

Gradually, you will be so immersed in your virtual life that you won't even notice the time passing, especially with new assignments like Mayor — the new position granted to him and highlighting New Leaf. In this prominent position, you have control over the structure and new constructions of the city, in addition to the task of guiding the local population to well-being in hundreds of hours of gameplay that the game will provide you.

Launch: 09 / 06 / 2013

BOXBOY!

Metacritic: 80 | IMDB: 7,5 | IGN: 8.2

Simple, but fun and very creative, BOXBOY! it's that game that will make you break your head in monocolored settings but full of content and possibilities. You take control of Qbby, a box boy who must use his ability to reproduce in 2, 3 or more blocks to access new locations and dodge obstacles such as lasers, spikes, buttons, magnets, mats, among others. All this in more than 20 worlds, including some unlockables, of pure brain training! 

A game beyond interesting, which has already won some sequels such as BOXBOXBOY! (2016) BYE-BYE BOXBOY! (2017) and Boxboy! + BOXGIRL! (2019), and whose Amiibo bears the mark of being one of the rarest and most valuable items in the NFC-powered doll collection by Nintendo.

Launch: 14 / 01 / 2015

Fire Emblem: Awakening

Metacritic: 92 | IMDB: 8,8 | IGN: 9.6

Innovating in the tactical RPG genre, Fire emblem awakening “awakens” the best in the franchise and stands out for the enormity of the content it presents. THE relationship between the characters gains greater focus here, resulting in strategic moves across battlefields. And what battles! The game presents the combats in an incredible way in stunning graphics and with the appreciation of the 3D features of the laptop.

Iconic characters and beautiful cutscenes add a touch of adventure in which the script focuses on the prince Chromium and the kingdom of to Ylis, whose peace was shaken when the neighborhood of Plegia decided to get the artifact Fire Emblem. A 3DS game complete, with gameplay features and art direction very well built and intertwined.

Launch: 04 / 02 / 2013

Kid Icarus: Uprising

Metacritic: 83 | IMDB: 8,3 | IGN: 8.5 

Fly through the skies and defeat many enemies in this newest adventure of Kid Icarus revamped and reviving the franchise - which draws heavily from the mythological legends of Greece — two decades after its last release. The game has many qualities, with beautiful graphics, 3D effect, orchestral music and voiced characters, in addition to implementing a lot of content in the game.

Among the novelties presented, Kid Icarus: Uprising brings many challenges (Awards) to be completed to "platinum" it in land and air battles (with the power of Palutena, the Goddess of Light). New weapons grant new skills and Pit will use this entire arsenal to save the kingdom of angels from darkness. He also accompanies Special AR Cards and a base support to improve gameplay, as well as doing very well in local or online multiplayer modes.

Launch: 23 / 03 / 2012

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Metacritic: 75 | IMDB: 8,1 | IGN: 8.5  

Mixing the deductibles final Fantasy e Disney, Kingdom Hearts also features a great action RPG for the handheld Nintendo 3DS. You are introduced to a new world, with new friends and enemies, in a storyline that puts on the agenda the realms of darkness and light, the opening of keyholes, creatures dream eaters and new movements such as the Flow Motion and reality shift, which add more fluidity and new commands in battles.

A Square Enix did a great job adding new sets, beautiful visuals and soundtrack for everyone to experience. Sora and Riku, taking full advantage of the notebook's 3D usage. Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance continues the events of Kingdom Hearts II and Re:Coded and adds a lot of content to the already vast universe of the franchise. Full plate for the fans!

Launch: 31 / 07 / 2012

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon

Metacritic: 86 | IMDB: 7,8 | IGN: 9.3  

Luigi back to stardom in this horror game, continuation of the debut title of GameCube, bringing more challenges, new mansions and a touch of unparalleled creativity, capable of awakening the ghost hunter that lives in all of us. dark moon (or Luigi's Mansion 2, for those close to you) incorporates elements of the old game and adds new features such as the new poltergust 5000, which now has a sensor that reveals hidden objects, as well as a multiplayer mode local and online for up to four players.

In history, the Professor E. Gaad request the services of Luigi after a strange and paranormal event strikes Evershade Valley and destroying its natural satellite (the Moon) in six pieces, causing chaos to the local spectral creatures and causing a lot of disorder. It is then up to Luigi Solve all that mess in fun new puzzle-packed challenges using your entire anti-ghosting arsenal. But, of course, all of this washed down with the character's characteristic fear and humor that are revealed in cutscenes very high quality.

Launch: 24 / 03 / 2013

Mario Golf: WorldTour

Metacritic: 90 | IMDB: 7,8 | IGN: 8.6  

Enter the green (or colored) fields of Mario Golf: WorldTour and travel on a lively sports adventure with Mario and the gang. The golf game Nintendo protocols for 3DS carries many touches of the franchise, adding, in addition to animated and characteristic scenarios, such as Peach Gardens, Yoshi Lake and Wiggler Park, collecting items and exchanging them for accessories. 

Another great attraction is the effects that can be applied to the ball to allow new directions for your shots. Mushroom, Bullet Bill and Boomerang Flower are just some of the various accessories available that add new features to the game's strategy. There is also the possibility to create tournaments and compete in online mode, in addition to purchasing a DLC which adds characters and fields to enhance the game.

Launch: 02 / 05 / 2014

Mario barth 7

Metacritic: 85 | IMDB: 8,1 | IGN: 9 

The seventh installment of Mario and the gang's famous racing franchise lands on the Nintendo 3DS with a great title full of news. Mario barth 7 brings players from Nintendo 3D portable great new 16 tracks (in addition to 16 classic), new items (fire flower, lucky seven e Super Leaf) and the addition of a paraglider and a propeller Kart to be able to fly over the tracks and also navigate through places immersed in the water in moments that will take the breath away of the players. 

Beautiful scenarios accompany the game that brings many well-known characters from the franchise, between available and unlockable, to compete for first place and collect many coins. THE kart customization is another great novelty and allows the player to “tune” the vehicle from the items acquired during the races. As it could not fail to exist, here also reigns the multiplayer mode, both locally and online, the target of disputes between friends even from other regions, or in heated races in StreetPass locations.

Launch: 04 / 12 / 2011

Metroid: Samus Returns

Metacritic: 85 | IMDB: 8,1 | IGN: 8.5 

Make a comeback in this remake of the second game in the Metroid franchise, Metroid II: Return of Samus, and relive the classic with fresh air. The environments, items and characters have been fully transposed to a new dimension on the planet SR388. New Abilities and Powers — Scan Pulse, Lightning Armor, Beam Burst and Phase Drift — are also present, giving the protagonist Samus a more complete and current arsenal. 

considered one of best 3ds games, Metroid: Samus Returns carries the best in the franchise Metroid and can be considered one of the last great games of the Nintendo 3D portable. The forgotten game of GameBoy it was completely reimagined and filled a gap in the series' titles that hadn't seen the light of day (or the darkness of the sets) for a long time.

Launch: 15 / 09 / 2017

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate

Metacritic: 86 | IMDB: 8,1 | IGN: 9

Get ready to hunt, fight and adventure in an immersive world filled with natural environments and colossal monsters to fight. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate brings many of the best features that the series has, such as several new weapons, items and enemies, as well as improvements to the combat system. Explore the vast map, alone or in the company of three other friends online, and fight the dangers of the region to find the mysterious virus responsible for all the chaos that has been caused.

Launch: 13 / 02 / 2015

New Super Mario Bros. two

Metacritic: 78 | IMDB: 7,6 | IGN: 8.5 

Gold, lots of gold! This is the first thing that will cross anyone's mind. New Super Mario Bros. two for the first time and its large amount of coins in all advertisements about the game. And the truth is that, the game wastes coins in its phases and platforms typical of the franchise Super Mario. In this new challenge, Mario will come across power ups known and many activation blocks to go through levels and more levels in search of the long-awaited coins, towards the 1 million mark! 

Some very welcome new features are also included here, such as the coin rush, in which the player must go through three random stages in order to collect as many coins as possible and score more than the opponent found through the StreetPass of the 3DS. a way cooperative multiplayer is also included here and allows up to two players to have fun locally through levels filled with golden elements.

Launch: 19 / 08 / 2012

Paper Mario: Sticker Star

Metacritic: 76 | IMDB: 5,6 | IGN: 8.3  

Paper Mario: Sticker Star added a new mechanic in the adventure of Paper Mario, with the inclusion of the stickers, the Window Stickers, as well as bringing elements from previous games in the series. The script tells that, while waiting for the Sticker Comet, able to fulfill anyone's wishes, the evil Bowser ends up destroying him by trying to catch him before everyone else. In this process, he ends up breaking it into several parts that are fired in different places by the mushroom kingdom.

It should be explained that the use of Window Stickers in the game — found in different corners of the map — as a main mechanic added new features to the battle system and to solving puzzles and discovering secrets. It is a fun adventure with the signature of Big N which uses and abuses beautiful graphics and a great soundtrack, in addition to bringing a lot of creativity to the use of the paper element in the series.

Launch: 11 / 11 / 2012

Pokémon X / Y

Metacritic: 87/88 | IMDB: 7,9/8 | IGN: 9

A new world to explore and new monsters to capture. Pokémon X / Y adds many new features to the franchise and inserts it into a revolutionary new adventure in the region of Kalos, a place inspired by the France real life, with locations similar to Carnac, Lyon, Reims and Paris. Beautiful and characteristic settings — amenable to a beautiful photo that can be taken in the new Shooting mode — do justice to the revolution in 3DS, inserting new 72 pokemon to join the 450+ available here.

All in Pokémon X / Y is beautiful and revolutionary, from the animations in the battles, inserted in this way for the first time in the franchise, the use of 3D graphics (leaving 2D sprites aside), the inclusion of new fairy type, battles with more than one Pokémon, possibility of character customization with new clothes, movement in eight directions, among many other novelties. The highlight also goes to the multiplayer mode with the use of Player Search System, where you can audio chat with other players over a Wi-Fi connection.

Launch: 12 / 10 / 2013

Professor Layton and The Azran Legacy

Metacritic: 81 | IMDB: 8 | IGN: 8.5  

In his latest adventure in the famous puzzle series, Professor Layton embark on a journey with your friends and adventure partners Luke e Emmy on board the ship bostonius to unravel the secrets and mysteries of ancient civilization azran. Many new features accompany this new adventure and the inclusion of daily puzzles, in addition to the innovative use of StreetPass in modes such as treasure hunting, they give the series a boost and increase its value, closing with a flourish the adventure of LEVEL-5.

In a new world full of puzzles (which total around 500), the already traditional use of the point and click and creative news in 3D, the sixth adventure of Layton is also considered the largest in the franchise and closes the prequel trilogy — consisting of the two games Professor Layton and the Last Specter (DS) and Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask (3DS), in addition to the movie Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva that falls between the two — released after the original trilogy (as happened in the famous series Star Wars).

Launch: 28 / 02 / 2014

Resident Evil: Revelations

Metacritic: 82 | IMDB: 7,3 | IGN: 8.5  

The most famous horror game franchise also occupies a position on our list of best 3DS games. Resident Evil: Revelations unites quality and a return to the more closed and luxurious environments that cause a sense of fear and that the series was missing — but without leaving aside the action in open environments. On board an abandoned ship, the player will be aware of graphics that compare to a launch for a desktop console, in addition to the use of the Circle pad pro, to the classic 3DS model, which enhances the experience.

The debut of this game in Nintendo 3DS has yielded very welcome features, such as the touch cloth — which added the ability to quickly access weapon switching, scanner usage, and the full map view — as well as a autosave and chapter subdivisions, for those shorter runs on the subway or before bed. Such quality of the game rendered it different ports for various consoles, including PS3, PS4, Wii U, Nintendo Switch, XBox 360, XBox One and PC.

Launch: 07 / 02 / 2012

Rhythm Heaven Megamix

Metacritic: 83 | IMDB: 7,9 | IGN:- 

Rhythm games are a hit on the most varied consoles, whether portable or not. It's the 3DS could not fail to win a version of one of the most popular rhythm games of its time. Rhythm Heaven Megamix brings a set of more than 100 rhythm challenges, in a collection that brings together new minigames and includes classics from previous versions (from GBA, DS and Wii) to bring one of the most complete editions of the game to the palm of your hand.

The style similar to the series' microgames WarioWare brings simplicity and combines precision by requiring the player to trigger commands at the right times along with the rhythm of the music, to make everything even more fun. Also, the game offers new game modes, including a Coffee to unlock minigames and compete with other players via StreetPass.

Launch: 16 / 06 / 2016

Super Mario 3D Land

Metacritic: 90 | IMDB: 8,2 | IGN: 9.5  

New Super Mario adventures are always a hit and with Super Mario 3D Land it couldn't be different. the new adventure of Mario No. 3DS came full of challenges in platform phases that combine the 2D gameplay and a 3D, mixing open worlds but also inserting more linear paths, all with many references to previous titles in the franchise. A novelty is the use of flower boomerang, which, along with several other items, will transform Mario to go further, and in different ways, in the stages.

The game hits the nail on the head by presenting beautiful graphics and ideas, including the fundamental use of the element 3D view at times. Many levels, full of collectibles and plenty of extra content complete the package of this great portable game, which stands as one of the first most important titles released on the Nintendo 3D portable.

Launch: 13 / 11 / 2011

Super Smash Bros. for 3DS

Metacritic: 85 | IMDB: 8 | IGN: 8.8  

Brother of the Wii U version of the game — Super Smash Bros. for Wii U —, Super Smash Bros. for 3DS elevates the series by bringing, for the first time on a portable, a title from the franchise Smash Bros., giving players the ability to trade blows against Nintendo's stars on the go. Here comes new features such as the customization of moves and the customization of fighters, as well as the use of miis. And speaking of characters, the 3DS version has 49 of them, including those from other companies, such as mega-man, Sonic e Pac-Man.

The stages fit perfectly in terms of the screen aspect ratio of the 3DS, with its differentiated and consistent characteristics for a portable video game. Still, it's a vast content game, with unlockable fighters and stages, lots of trophies, smash runmode Online fluid and a sound environment with remixes of songs that are a show apart. 

Launch: 03 / 10 / 2014

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call

Metacritic: 83 | IMDB: 6,6 | IGN: 8.5  

Another rhythm game on this list for fans of the genre, and also for fans of the soundtrack of one of the most iconic series in the gaming industry: final Fantasy. The second edition of the game Theater Final Fantasy adds new songs, totaling more than 200 of them to the complete repertoire, originating from several games in the franchise, including lesser titles and the latest releases.

music and theater are well represented in this game, which places visual scenes complemented by the player's rhythmic commands. The game also uses and abuses the Stylus (laptop pen) and puts on stage intelligent stages, divided into parts of wanderings through the countryside (Field Music Sequence), battles (Battle Music Sequence) or at special times (Event Music Sequence). Choices of song durations, special powers, multiplayer, rankings and many collectible extras are the strengths of this game that brought even more news to fans of the title.

Launch: 16 / 09 / 2014

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

Metacritic: 91 | IMDB: 8,8 | IGN: 9.4 

A new adventure arrives Nintendo 3DS and relive all the glory and nostalgia in challenging and epic scenarios for our hero Link. With stunning graphics and a great soundtrack, the new 3DS game of the saga The Legend of Zelda follows the franchise line with the use of items, exploration of a wide world and creative dungeons, in addition to the walk towards combat against a great villain. Now our hero will have to confront the sorcerer Yuga, which has characteristics gerudo and kidnapped the descendants of the Seven Sages. 

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds give the character Link a unique and innovative feature in the series: the possibility of turn into painting to walk along walls and, thus, be able to overcome some obstacles and access crevices, some that lead to the inverted world of lorule, where reigns the princess Hilda. Only then can you see a great resemblance to one of the best Super Nintendo games The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and their worlds Light World e Dark World. Finally, another complete and perfect game of the saga!

Launch: 22 / 11 / 2013

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And then, enjoyed our special about the best Nintendo 3DS games? Stay with us to also read a special with the 20 best games for the Wii U!

Sources: Nintendo, nintendo blast, Nintendo Life, Kotaku, Den of geek