For Nintendo, the generation of the Nintendo 3DS is nearly at an end. We look back at the 50 best Nintendo 3DS games of all time.
(List current as of December 22, 2017)
Updated intro: I first compiled this list on May 3, 2016. Even though, at the time, we knew the Switch would soon replace the Wii U, we didn’t comprehend the speed at which both the Wii U and 3DS would drop out off of Nintendo’s radar for new releases. When the Switch dropped, we published our list of 50 Best Nintendo Switch games and started replacing Wii U entries here with 3DS ones, but the 3DS games released quickly dropped in quality, and we found ourselves with a weird, hybrid list that didn’t make sense.
More app trigger: Best Nintendo Switch games out right now
The 3DS may not be officially dead, but it’s nearing the end of its days. So we’ve taken a look back at the 3DS’ glorious long life and corrected it to only include 3DS games, with the intention of updating it if another truly great 3DS title releases in the future. Our hope is that, once the platform is done for good, this will stand as a collective celebration of its best titles over its lifespan.
More app trigger: 50 Best Xbox One Games Right Now
This listing of the Best 50 Nintendo 3DS Games right now ranks titles based on multiple factors: graphics, design, gameplay, narrative where applicable, how much fun they were, and replayability. Staff experience was taken into account, along with the public’s reception to these games and how well they’ve stood up over the last few years if they were released earlier in the platforms’ life cycles. Remakes or remasters were not taken into consideration unless they added a significant enough amount of new content to warrant being called a separate title.
More app trigger: 50 Best PS4 Games Right Now
Enough preface–let’s get to the games!
Best Nintendo Games – #50 Culdcept Revolt
Developer: OmiyaSoft
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Synopsis: Culdcept Revolt follows a man named Allen who wakes up with no memories, though he quickly discovers he has powers as a Cepter. Cepters can control Culdcept cards and use their powers in great battles, but they’re currently being hunted down by an evil regime. As a new member of the Free Bats, Allen works to discover his powers and use them to ensure the freedom of the Cepters through strategic card-based battles.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Admittedly, Culdcept Revolt is a bit niche. If you’re not into strategy games or card games, you might find it challenging and inaccessible. But for those already into the Culdcept series or who just love a strategic challenge, this strange card game will instantly captivate. The detailed mechanics involved take some time to grasp, certainly, but there are enough cards, board styles, and challenges (even online) to keep you busy for a long time as you determine how best to free the Cepters and collect enough Magic to emerge victorious.
Best Nintendo Games – #49 Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate
Developer: MercurySteam
Release Date: March 5, 2013
Synopsis: After Gabriel Belmont’s tumultuous journey in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, Mirror of Fate serves as a bridge game to tie it to the sequel. You’ll take on the roles of Gabriel, Simon, Trevor, and Alucard as you learn about the complex connections between them and their unique roles in bringing down the darkness of Dracula and those associated with him. As a 3DS game, Mirror of Fate is more closely tied to the 2D platforming stylings of older Castlevania games, though its combat brings forward some of the innovations from Lords of Shadow.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Mirror of Fate was hit or miss for many. Some regarded it as a Chain of Memories style handheld bridge game that didn’t add anything necessary to the plot and did so with weird gameplay. But we loved it, finding the mesh of old and new Castlevania mechanics refreshing at a time when everything was going full 3D. The story with its multiple perspectives led us on a fascinating journey to see how everything connected and helped gear us up for Lords of Shadow 2. Sure, it was an unexpected piece of the Castlevania reboot, but we dig it.
Best Nintendo Games – #48 Kirby: Triple Deluxe
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Release Date: May 2, 2014
Synopsis: Kirby’s back, and he’s…taking a nap? Except during his nap, the Dreamstalk lifts his home, King Dedede’s castle, and other parts of Dreamland into the sky! Dedede himself is kidnapped, so Kirby must battle his way through another strange adventure, sucking up enemies and copying their powers for himself to defeat the wicked Queen Sectonia and restore peace to Dreamland. Enjoy a host of unique copy abilities and the familiar Kirby gameplay we’ve come to love.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Like many other Nintendo-published franchises, Kirby doesn’t innovate too often because the goofy pink puffball doesn’t really need to. Kirby: Triple Deluxe has enough copy abilities, lovely environments, and enjoyable platforming challenges to keep fans of the series and genre amused without doing anything too wild and wacky to spoil that familiarity. Come for the adorable Kirby, and stay for how much cuter he gets when he copies adorable enemies in Dreamland.
Best Nintendo Games – #47 Rune Factory 4
Developer: Neverland Co.
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Synopsis: When your character is hit on the head and chucked out of an airship, you land in the town of Selphia, which is looking for someone to run things. It falls to you to attract tourists and help the town prosper, all while developing your own life and building relationships with others. Rune Factory 4, as with other Rune Factory games, features a mix of sim activites and dungeon crawling aspects. The fate of Selphia and your own future are both in your hands.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: It’s truly a shame that Harvest Moon didn’t quite survive the transition to more modern platforms. But even as it struggles to make a home for sim games beside Animal Crossing, Rune Factory has seen some success and growth for its name. Combining the dungeon crawling aspects was an excellent move to attract people to its city builder stylings. Rune Factory 4 expanded marriage, one of the most popular aspects of the series, and added more in the way of stories for the marriage candidates and ways to interact with them. Even if it’s been awhile since Rune Factory 4’s release, we have hope that the excellence of 4 bodes well for the continuation of the series.
Best Nintendo Games – #46 Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
Developer: Level-5
Release Date: October 28, 2012
Synopsis: A city built by a married couple with a mask as its mascot. A mysterious man performing what seem to be miracles. Hidden treasures. Ancient ruins. And at the center of it all, Professor Hershel Layton, a curious man with an interest in archaeology and mysteries just like this. Layton and his friends are entangled in another strange occurrence surrounding the city of Monte d’Or, and must uncover what’s happening using object finding puzzles and solving riddles. Not everything is as it seems, and it will take your best sleuthing abilities to emerge triumphant.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: The Professor Layton games have taken the popular trend of object finding games and puzzle games on mobile and turned them into a handheld Nintendo system success. With that formula for success, there’s little need to innovate as long as players enjoy a wide variety of unique puzzles and an intriguing storyline held up by a quirky, memorable cast of friends. Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask delivers on all these points, setting the Layton games up for a future of Nintendo 3DS success.
Best Nintendo Games – #45 Golden Sun: Dark Dawn
Developer: MercurySteam
Release Date: September 15, 2017
Synopsis: Years after the events of Golden Sun and Golden Sun: The Lost Age, Isaac and co’s children have grown up … mostly. After Tyrell blunders into destroying an important device, he, Matthew, and Karis must go out on their own journey to repair it. Along the way, they’ll encounter shadowy figures reminiscent of their parents’ past, collect brand new Djinn, and explore the changed world of Weyard now resplendent with magical Psynergy.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: It’s difficult to look at Golden Sun: Dark Dawn without the rose-tinted glasses of its predecessors. The original Golden Sun games on GBA were incredible RPGs, and by comparison, Dark Dawn certainly has its weak points. But taken on its own, Dark Dawn is an interesting spin on RPG adventures with a unique storyline, gorgeous visuals, a curious collection and ability system in the Djinn, and fabulous music by Motoi Sakuraba. It may not be the Golden Sun game we wanted, but as the Golden Sun game we got, it’s not half bad.
Best Nintendo Games – #44 New Super Mario Bros. 2
Developer: Nintendo EAD Group 4
Release Date: August 19, 2012
Synopsis: How to distinguish one Mario game from all the other Mario games? New Super Mario Bros. 2 is keeping hold of the torch of 2D Mario even as the series moved to more 3D endeavors on the Wii U. It’s everything we already know about Mario games packed into 85 levels and a special new Coin Rush mode.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Nintendo knows they don’t need to reinvent the wheel to make a good game. Sure, if you were looking for an innovative new Mario title, New Super Mario Bros. 2 wasn’t it. But that’s the crux of it–many people aren’t looking for that. Mario is vanilla, white bread platforming that we can gravitate to again and again. More levels of that were necessary for Nintendo to keep adventuring into unknown territory in other titles, like Super Mario 3D Land and their Wii U offerings. New Super Mario Bros. 2 is great just by virtue of meeting our expectations of good platforming, coin collecting, and our favorite plumber.
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #43 Fantasy Life
Developer: Level-5, Brownie Brown, h.a.n.d.
Release Date: October 24th, 2014
Synopsis: In the world of Reveria, anyone can be anything they want to be, whether that’s Cook, or Hunter, or Paladin, or Alchemist, or any of the game’s other twelve “Life” classes. Some involve gathering; others crafting; still others fighting monsters and exploring the world. The player can freely swap between any of these lives as they explore Reveria, aided by a Butterfly guide who may be more than she seems. There’s a storyline that will take you to all of Reveria’s major cities and dungeons, but you can pursue its end at your leisure while you level up one, two, or all twelve jobs to Legend rank, or Creator if you pick up the Origin Island DLC.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Fantasy Life packs everything lovable about a typical fantasy world into one cute bundle that boasts hours of gameplay spiking up into the hundreds for those who want maximum completion. The storyline itself isn’t the most compelling in the world, but it’s engaging enough to keep you pursuing the next objective as you chop rare trees, seek out elusive monsters, and hone your button-rhythm skills to craft the finest goods.
Reveria is full of quirky characters to meet and a wide array of quests, many of which are Life-exclusive. If you ever feel you’ve explored all Fantasy Life has to offer, try switching Lives to change the game completely. Fantasy Life can get boring after awhile due to the similarity of some of the Lives, but generally, that point doesn’t hit until long after the 40-hour mark when you’ve canvassed the world and maxed out several Lives.
Next: 42 - Shantae and the Pirate's Curse
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #42 Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse
Developer: WayForward Technologies
3DS Release: October 23rd, 2014
Synopsis: This third installment in the Shantae series sees Shantae, a former part-genie, must team up with her ex-nemesis Risky Boots to defeat Pirate Master and his army after they take over her hometown. Like the other Shantae games, Pirate’s Curse is a platformer. In this installment, Shantae has lost her genie powers, but can use pirate items and abilities to defeat the foes she encounters in each level. Items such as a pistol, a hat used for gliding, a scimitar, and dash boots are all included in Shantae’s arsenal and are generally gained in evil dens located on each island. The Evil Dens also house a boss with the map to the next area. Completing the game unlocks a New Game+ called Pirate Mode, which gives Shantae her entire repertoire of abilities at the start of the game.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: The Shantae series is a shining example of indies that made it big and continued to do so here. Pirate’s Curse, in particular, brought Shantae and her friends into the limelight. Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse features challenging platforming that may stump even seasoned players, but it’s never unfair or so difficult that a little practice won’t eventually pay off. Familiar, well-written characters return from the previous games along with quirky new faces in the pirate army that Shantae must confront.
The artwork and music both suit the charming characters and atmosphere, and secret areas add replay value and motivation to explore each level in depth, though speedrunners will find the Pirate Mode a treat as well. Though it suffers from a lack of an open world like in previous games coupled with some odd backtracking at times, Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse is a wonderful addition to a series we hope returns once again for the Switch.
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #41 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
Developer: Capcom
Release Date: October 24, 2013
Synopsis: With confidence in the courts shattered, it’s not just up to Phoenix Wright to save the day. Apollo Justice and Athena Cykes must also take on the role of passionate defense attorney again, each using their unique abilities and insight to investigate cases and argue them to ensure the innocent are spared and the guilty convicted. This was the first Phoenix Wright game on the 3DS and the first (as a result) to make use of 3D to bring its characters to life.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: The silly, whimsical world of Ace Attorney came back again for Dual Destinies, bringing some of the best cases and storylines in the series. Special abilities such as the Mood Matrix add color and variety to the gameplay as it switches between the three attorneys, helping keep things from growing stale as the plots and cases converse. Capcom had largely ironed out most of the series’ most glaring troubles, such as stymied investigations and weird logic by this point, making Dual Destinies one of the most intuitive and enjoyable Ace Attorney games to play.
Next: 40 - Mario & Luigi Paper Jam
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #40 Mario & Luigi Paper Jam
Developer: AlphaDream
Release Date: January 22nd, 2016
Synopsis: When Luigi accidentally opens a book and unleashes the entire universe of Paper Mario into the universe of Mario & Luigi, the resulting chaos brings both Mario & Luigi’s enemies and Paper Mario’s enemies together in a plot to kidnap both Princess Peaches and take over both worlds. Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario team up to traverse five different zones fighting off enemies through turn-based combat paired with timed button press actions.
As they make their way to Bowser’s castle, they must face various familiar enemies in both regular and paper forms, and solve puzzles along the way. Bosses encountered alternate between typical turn-based fights with additional attacks that must be dodged as a team, and Papercraft fights where you must pilot an enormous papercraft against a papercraft enemy on a trap-infested field, using charged attacks to knock enemies down and defeat them.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Paper Jam may not quite live up to the purported excellence of either pure Paper Mario games or Mario & Luigi games but, as a combination of both, it does very well. The timed button press gameplay for both attacks and counters is incredibly challenging but rewarding as you learn the rhythms required of you. While the two Marios and Luigi are fairly bland main characters, the dialogue is well-written and full of goofy puns and jokes that are worth frequent chuckles. The game is fairly long, and the brothers gain abilities to use in the field for puzzle solving that require you to revisit old areas and solve new puzzles. All this to a surprisingly epic soundtrack by Yoko Shimomura make for perhaps not the best Mario & Luigi or Paper Mario title, but certainly a crossover worth playing.
Next: 39 - Yo-Kai Watch 2
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #39 Yo-Kai Watch 2
Developer: Level-5
Release Date: September 30th, 2016
Synopsis: Nate (or Katie) is just an ordinary kid with an extraordinary watch…the Yo-Kai Watch. The watch allows him to see creatures called the Yo-Kai, mysterious and mischievous beings causing havoc in his hometown. In Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls, as in the first game, Nate must help his friends and other people who dwell in the town with their Yo-Kai problems by befriending the less obnoxious Yo-Kai he encounters, and using them to combat the most mischievous ones and defeat them in battle to stop them from causing more trouble.
As he befriends the Yo-Kai, they can eventually be summoned to battle against other Yo-Kai, leveled up, and evolved. As Nate explores the town of Springdale with his Yo-Kai friends, he’ll encounter greater and greater Yo-Kai threats. It’ll take all of his skills and trust in his ghostly partners to save the town.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: The original Yo-Kai Watch was an excellent game in its own right, but Yo-Kai Watch 2 takes the same formula and piles on the new features, sidequests, and collectible Yo-Kai. Since the plot is so similar, you can start the series at the second game without confusion and begin your Yo-Kai adventure. The town of Springdale is chock full of sidequests, hidden areas, secrets, and Yo-Kai to befriend. Though the main campaign is fairly short, it’s easy to spend hours running through the streets in search of rare spirits. Excellent online features including competitive battles, and a goofy, pun-filled sense of humor are the cherry on top of an all-around solid title.
Next: 38 - Steamworld Heist
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #38 Steamworld Heist
Developer: Image & Form
Release Date: December 10th, 2015
Synopsis: Side-scrolling strategy title Steamworld Heist contains a world full of steam-powered robots, pirates, and space cowboys surrounding the main character Captain Piper Faraday. Faraday and her robot friends that she recruits must move skillfully through various 2D levels and engage in shootouts with enemy robots to take over enemy spaceships and steal their plunder. Strategic elements revolve around movement and weapon use, including ricocheting trick shots off environmental obstacles. Abilities, weapons, and hats are all collectible and usable to customize your robot team–hats, in particular, are fun to collect, as they are gained by shooting them off your opponent’s head.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Steamworld Heist has been released on multiple platforms now, but its appearance on the 3DS may be its most solid performance due to the advantages afforded by the dual screen and the convenience of the handheld. The steampunk aesthetic and creative storytelling (steam-powered robots) of Steamworld Heist will easily charm players, and the fact that the general gameplay philosophy revolves around skill over luck may be a welcome distinction for this title when so many other games throw in chance or RNG elements to spice up gameplay. A release for the Wii U has been announced for an undetermined date in 2016–it will be interesting to see how Steamworld Heist fares on a console with a Gamepad. We’re betting it’s just as stellar.
Next: 37 - Kirby Planet Robobot
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #37 Kirby Planet Robobot
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Release Date: May 10th, 2016
Synopsis: Similarly set up to its predecessor, Kirby Triple Deluxe, Kirby Planet Robobot features an outsider menace (this time robots) descending upon Dreamland to spoil Kirby’s pleasant nap in the sun. Kirby traverses through levels sporting his usual copy abilities (over 25, including several new ones) as well as the ability to repurpose a mech suit for his own use. Kirby in the mech can also copy enemy abilities for even more destruction, using the mech’s size and pure power to solve even greater puzzles.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Kirby Planet Robobot continues in the vein of Triple Deluxe by being a bog-standard Kirby game–even the robot does little to shake up the formula. But for its lack of innovation, it’s a really good standard Kirby game. The puzzles are interesting and appropriately challenging, the copy abilities are fun to manage and are offered so liberally you’re rarely without a hat. The boss fights are cool; the ending is appropriately epic. Most exciting of all is the use of the 3DS’s 3D to render background obstacles and enemies in such a way that the 3D is all but necessary to play the game. Lazers move from back to front, sharks chomp at you from the background, and enormous ice cream cones splatter the screen. It’s a visual delight, and one of Kirby’s best adventure.
Next: 36 - Skylanders SWAP Force
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #36 Skylanders SWAP Force
Developer: Vicarious Visions, n-Space (3DS), Beenox (Wii U)
Release Date: October 13th, 2013
Synopsis: Before there were amiibo, there were Skylanders, and Swap Force does not deviate too far from the formula set down by its predecessors, Spyro’s Adventure and Giants. Skylanders figures can be tapped into the game for use in the action-adventure platformer. Each copy comes with at least one figure, with more available in bundles or sold separately. Each Skylander has different abilities it can use to traverse obstacles or fight enemies, but the key distinction of SWAP Force is the ability of the Skylanders to swap their top and bottom halves with other figures for new combinations of powers.
There are sixteen total characters whose halves can be swapped, making up to 256 different combinations possible. Certain areas of the game are only accessible with the correct “bottom half” equipped, making it even more imperative to collect several of the figures.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Skylanders may cross multiple platforms, but it’s always seemed particularly appropriate to a Nintendo audience that already loves platforming, quirky cartoon characters, and collectibles. Though it’s easy to frown at Skylanders for requiring so many additional pieces to access the entirety of the game, such a model has worked well on the target demographic–a younger set who are just as content collecting a few new Skylanders to swap out as they are getting a new game entirely. Gradual collection means the game is constantly changing, adding lots of replay value to an already excellent adventure title, and the mixing and matching were fun additions, even if the feature made older Skylanders obsolete. Hopefully, such a drastic change in model won’t be necessary for upcoming titles.
Next: 35 - Kid Icarus: Uprising
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #35 Kid Icarus: Uprising
Developer: Project Sora
Release Date: March 23rd, 2012
Synopsis: Set in the same mythological world as Kid Icarus, Uprising makes use of the 3DS’s dual-screen to provide a unique handheld shooter experience alternating between airborne rail shooter segments and ground-based, third-person segments. The bottom screen displays the main character, an angel named Pit, in relation to his environment, while the top screen is used to aim and shoot his bow and arrow or use whatever other weapons he happens to have equipped at the time, with a total of nine types available. Using his angelic abilities, Pit must seek out and defeat Medusa and Hades at the behest of the light goddess Palutena, and save the world from the invasion of darkness that threatens it.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Kid Icarus: Uprising is another excellent example of Nintendo’s attempts at innovation earlier in the life cycles of its platforms this gen. Granted, the controls for the dual-screen shooter didn’t go over perfectly. As we’re relearning with games like Star Fox Zero, alternating attention constantly between two screens can be frustrating and difficult for design teams to get right. And yet, Uprising was not dragged down too much by the struggles of the control scheme.
The storyline, light-hearted with just enough gravity, kept its audience hooked until the end, the six-person multiplayer inspired friends to play together in true Nintendo style, and the soundtrack is simply breathtaking, boasting multiple famous composers including Motoi Sakuraba and Yasunori Mitsuda. Overall, Kid Icarus: Uprising was a brave move for Nintendo since the 3rd person shooter genre isn’t a route they typically take for new IPs. It was one that paid off, and one we hope to see again.
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #34 Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy
Developer: Level-5
Release Date: February 28, 2014
Synopsis: Professor layton is back in action for the final segment of his prequel trilogy and the last Layton game with Professor Layton himself at the helm. Just like before, the focus is on solving puzzles to connect and progress visual novel aspects of the story. Layton is confronted with a strange organization looking to use the power of the Azran Legacies for their own gain.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: If you like Layton games, you like Layton games, and you definitely like Azran Legacy. As the final Professor Layton game to feature him, it’s also the most polished and features the most puzzles. Level-5 perfected their formula by the time Azran Legacy dropped, so there was no need to do anything more than write a great narrative (which they did, one that sets up Luke as Layton’s assistant by the end) and include more exciting and varied puzzles. Though you’ll need to play the predecessors to understand the setup, Azran Legacy is probably the definitive Professor Layton game.
Next: 33 - Hyrule Warriors
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #33 Hyrule Warriors
Developer: Omega Force, Team Ninja
3DS Release Date: March 25th, 2016
Synopsis: With their powers combined, Dynasty Warriors and The Legend of Zelda are Hyrule Warriors, a hack and slash title populated with characters from Hyrule. In Legend Mode, a sorceress named Cia is manipulated into resurrecting Ganondorf, and summons monsters from all the various space-time realities of Hyrule–but the heroes show up, too. Link, Impa, and Lana each lead campaigns to different realities of Hyrule, fighting their way through hordes of monsters using each character’s unique abilities, and recruiting new friends along the way from all the various Legend of Zelda franchises.
Combat is augmented by each character’s abilities, choices of weapon, and items found along the way. Adventure and Challenge modes are also available, asking the player to complete specific objectives on a Hyrule map in the former, and collect as many rupees as possible in the latter.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: It’s not often that we get a really solid spin-off of sorts with Legend of Zelda, so it’s always a nice change of pace for fans of both genres to experience the combined might of a crossover. Hyrule Warriors’ combat shone with all the polish of a good Dynasty Warriors game, and the variety of possible fighting styles and combinations was praiseworthy, especially in light of all the new characters added both as DLC in the release of the 3DS version. While cutting through endless hordes of enemies as Link or Midna or Ganon sounds as though it would get boring after an hour or two, Hyrule Warriors maintains its momentum well into the campaign and after–certainly enough to warrant its handheld counterpart.
Next: 32 - Bravely Second: End Layer
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #32 Bravely Second: End Layer
Developer: Silicon Studio
Release Date: April 15th, 2016
Synopsis: Bravely Second: End Layer is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Bravely Default, and returns the player to the world of Luxendarc to join a cast of heroes both new and returning to save Pope Agnes Oblige from the mysterious Kaiser Oblivion and his armies. Yew Geneolgia, the main character, is joined by Magnolia Arch and two other friends on their adventure through towns and dungeons both familiar and new. Twelve new job asterisks are introduced to spice up the turn-based battle system (along with eighteen returning jobs), and the Brave/Default system makes a comeback as well, enabling players to risk everything in battle or take a more defensive approach to save their attacks. The game also uses the StreetPass system to restore Magnolia’s hometown of Fort Lune, just as its predecessor did with Norende.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: We loved Bravely Second. Though Nintendo’s offerings lately have been fewer and far between, the RPGs this year have been stellar, with this title being no exception. Bravely Second strikes a wonderful balance between old, familiar places and characters to make the player feel right at home, and new adventures to keep them interested. Yew and friends are a charming bunch, laughing (and eating) their way out of sticky situations while saving appropriate thematic gravity for the darker moments of the story.
Of course, it being Bravely, there’s plenty of meta-moments nearer the middle and end of the game that may make your jaw drop. Since we’re sure to see a Bravely Third at some point in the future, Bravely Second is a must-play for anyone who loved the first game.
Next: 31 - Mario & Luigi Dream Team
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #31 Mario & Luigi Dream Team
Developer: AlphaDream, Good-Feel
Release Date: August 11th, 2013
Synopsis: While on vacation at Pi’illo Island, Mario and Luigi uncover a plot by Bowser and the bat king Antasma to obtain the Dream Stone, which would grant them endless wishes and surely cause disaster for both Pi’illo Island and the Mushroom Kingdom. Similar gameplay from prior entries in the Mario & Luigi series returns, including controlling each brother with a different button and the combined might of Bros. Attacks. Dream Team’s primary gimmick is the existence of a Dream World where Mario joins Dreamy Luigi to interact with and overcome various obstacles called Luiginary Works. This involves use of the touchscreen to perform actions such as tickling Luigi’s nose to make him sneeze and blow blocks out of the way, or to take command of a stack of Luigis called a Luiginoid to progress.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Arguably the best Mario & Luigi title yet, Dream Team perfected the systems already in place from previous entries while adding touches of its own in the form of the dream world. The use of the 3DS and all its parts (touchscreen, gyro sensor, dual screens) to manipulate the environment gave the game added flavor and would become a staple for future games, such as Paper Jam. Dream Team’s primary downfall was its slow introduction with far too many tutorials, but once the game got rolling, Mario and Luigi’s adventures in Pi’illo Island became a story to remember.
Next: 30 - Mario Golf: World Tour
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #30 Mario Golf: World Tour
Developer: Camelot Software Planning
Release Date: May 2nd, 2014
Synopsis: Just what it says on the tin–Mario Golf: World Tour is a golf game featuring all the popular Mario characters, along with the self-insert Miis. A wide variety of courses are available for play including some modeled off real life courses and other featuring environments from the various Mario games. Each character has a unique stat pool that affects various factors such as shot distance and shot shape, and different pieces of equipment or golf balls can be used to influence stats, too. A single player campaign is available, though short, but online multiplayer includes a tournament system enabling you to compete with players around the world for the best scores.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: The rather short and weak single-player experience (especially compared to the GBA Mario Golf) of Mario Golf: World Tour is readily made up for by its excellent multiplayer, provided you either enjoy anonymous online competition or have friends to play with. That sounds like quite the caveat, but with such solid and comfortable gameplay as World Tour provides, it would be a shame to pass it up once the single player is done. All mechanics–from the swings to the putts to the way stats and equipment interact with one another to customize a character make for an excellent golfing experience–plus, the visuals and music were lovely, too!
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #29 Super Mario Maker
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: December 2nd, 2016
Synopsis: The nearly infinite creative capabilities of Super Mario Maker are now able to travel on the go in the 3DS version of 2015’s biggest hit. Sans the daily time gating of new features, instead Super Mario Maker features new tutorials from Yamamura and Mary O. that illustrate basic and advanced features alongside design ideas to help you create your courses. Though a lack of online sharing features means you’ll need the console versions to show your best courses to the world, there’s still plenty to play if platforming is your preference. The 100 Mario Challenge, various online challenges, and hours of achievements will keep you plenty busy.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Gutted of its best online features, you’d think the handheld Super Mario Maker would fall flat on its face, yet Nintendo pulls off a miracle again by adding enough new magic to keep the creativity flowing wherever you take the game. You don’t want to skip the tutorials from Yamamura and Mary O. even as a seasoned veteran, because you’ll learn new design techniques and philosophies as well as unlock new tools at a rapid pace. You’re taught how to create by playing, a concept which successfully unites Super Mario Maker’s two primary features into a tightly-knit whole. And there are still ways to get in on the platforming fun with 100 Mario Challenges and unlockable levels, so you’ll have plenty of fun between your creative bursts.
Next: 28 - Pokemon X and Y
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #28 Pokemon X and Y
Developer: Game Freak
Release Date: October 12th, 2013
Synopsis: Pokemon X and Y takes place in the new Kalos region, where the protagonist begins his or her Pokemon adventure to catch, battle, train, and trade as many Pokemon as possible while defeating eight gyms, an Elite Four, a champion, several rivals, and an evil organization. Apart from the obvious differences brought to the series by its movement into 3D, Pokemon X and Y introduced smooth online features for both trading and battling, easy training modes for competitive battling, trainer customization, and the new Mega Evolution all served to reinvigorate the series as it made its transition onto the Nintendo 3DS.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Pokemon needed X and Y. No game since Pokemon Gold and Silver has innovated the series so much as X and Y did, and arguably these games transformed it even more. The visual transition into 3D brought the game to life in new ways, filling the adventure with color and allowing for much more interesting environments to explore. The plot edged just a tad closer to the darker, more serious story that many older fans are looking for. Mega Evolution and changes to how the meta-game worked and could be prepared for made it more accessible to more people.
Best of all was the introduction of online features such as Wonder Trade and the GTS. For the first time, not only were there over 700 Pokemon available, but you really could catch ’em all with enough patience and some clever trading with both friends and strangers. Pokemon has always been a series about forging connections with other humans through shared love of Pokemon. X and Y took the gameplay one giant step closer to fully realizing that idealistic creativity.
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #27 Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan
Developer: Atlus
Release Date: February 26, 2013
Synopsis: Challenging dungeon crawls are the name of the game for the Etrian Odyssey series, and Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan, brought those loved adventures to the Nintendo 3DS in an incredible way. This time, the Guild sponsors a group of explorers to venture to the roots of the Yggdrasil tree and see what treasure and mysteries lie there. Most notable in IV, alongside the improved graphics and more party options, is a new Casual Mode to entice series newcomers to try the game.
Why it’s one of the best Nintendo 3DS games: Admittedly, if you easily get overwhelmed by the complexities of RPGs, Etrian Odyssey in any form isn’t for you. But for those willing to take on a fresh challenge or who just love the series, Etrian Odyssey IV is perhaps the culmination of what’s great about the games. Rich dungeons, beautiful environments and music, plenty of party possibilities, and an inviting casual mode for those who keep scratching their heads over tricky encounters make Etrian Odyssey IV a must-play on 3DS for anyone interested in the genre.
Next: 26 - Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #26 Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call
Developer: Square Enix 1st Production Department, indieszero
Release Date: September 16th, 2014
Synopsis: Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call is similar to the previous Theatrhythm Final Fantasy. It’s a rhythm game centered around Final Fantasy titles and characters, featuring songs from a myriad of Final Fantasy titles and spin-offs, including several new songs associated with some of the games that aren’t present in any of the actual titles. The game primarily features three modes: Field Stages, Event modes, and Battle songs. Field stages involve control of one character to the beat of a town or field song from a game as the character transverses the environment. Event stages feature songs against a moving backdrop of scenes from the music’s source material. Battle songs pit four characters at once against a boss monster and generally feature battle themes from the games.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: It’s games like Curtain Call that make us wish there were more rhythm games for 3DS. The touch screen controls are just too perfect for this style of game, and the Theatrhythm games distinguish themselves from Rhythm Heaven in using the touch screen over the buttons. A whopping total of 221 songs and 60 characters are available on release, with even more available through DLC. And since the Final Fantasy games are well-known for their stunning soundtracks, you know you’ll have some good tunes to jam through as you work your way through all those songs at various difficulty levels as you increase your skills.
It also serves as a wonderful reminder of great games that didn’t get nearly enough love, such as The World Ends With You. Who knows? Maybe they’ll release a sequel in time for the next Theatrhythm. They’ll have to work hard to top the goodness of Curtain Call.
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #25 Ever Oasis
Developer: Grezzo
Release Date: June 23rd, 2017
Synopsis: A desert world infested with monsters of chaos provides little refuge for its peaceful inhabitants until you step forward. As one of the last Children of the Great Tree, you make a pact with a water spirit named Esna to establish an oasis in the desert to protect those within its bounds from Chaos and restore life to the world. Your time will be balanced between caring for and managing your oasis, and adventuring into the wild desert to fight monsters, rescue new residents, and beat back chaos once and for all.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: As the potency of the Nintendo 3DS wanes, Ever Oasis brings a bit of refreshment to the handheld’s lineup. By mixing city management gameplay with dungeon crawling, action RPG adventure, Ever Oasis has a bit of something for everyone. Its enjoyable dungeoning stems from the ability to swap party members quickly to use for different combat weaknesses or to solve certain dungeon puzzles, and more party members are gained by managing your oasis effectively. All systems work together to benefit the rest, and the game is supported by a gorgeous soundtrack and an enjoyable storyline rife with sidequests and goofy characters.
Next: 24 - Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #24 Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire
Developer: Game Freak
Release Date: November 21st, 2014
Synopsis: Trainers return to the region of Hoenn in these full remakes of the original Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, but in bright, vivid 3D and with more features than we could have dreamt of when the original games released. Along with the usual eight-gyms/catch ’em all gameplay you’ve come to expect from Pokemon are all the perks of Pokemon’s sixth generation, such as PokemonAmie, the GTS and Wonder Trade, online battles, and the National Pokedex. Pokemon ORAS also includes an extra “Delta Episode” at the end of the main story with new characters and opportunities for legendary Pokemon, a multitude of Mirage Islands for more legendaries, and a new take on flying with the Eon Flute where the player controls the Pokemon in the air.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, strange yet wonderful in their initial release, got the remakes they deserved with Pokemon ORAS. Not only is the Hoenn region splendid with the updated graphics, but Game Freak added just enough tweaks to the script to fix the awkward plot from the original games and surprise its audience with the Delta Episode when the main action was all done. Mirage Islands, Secret Bases, and GTS connectivity with Pokemon X and Y added hours of replay value to the titles, even without the longed-for Battle Tower.
Pokemon ORAS was a fitting button on the end of the sixth generation of Pokemon–for Pokemon Sun and Moon capping off the 3DS Pokemon titles, Pokemon ORAS, and X/Y will be tough games to beat.
Next: 23 - BoxBoxBoy!
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #23 BoxBoxBoy!
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Release Date: June 30th, 2016
Synopsis: BoxBoxBoy! is similar to its predecessor, BoxBoy! in aesthetic and basic gameplay. You play as Qbby, a cute box creature who must progress through various platforming levels by using his ability to spawn more boxes, used to cross platforms, block obstacles, or in other creative ways. In BoxBoxBoy!, Qbby can spawn two sets of boxes at a time instead of just one.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: BoxBoxBoy! is one of the best deals for an excellent platformer out there. It’s stupidly cheap on the eShop, and you’ll get to enjoy hours of some of the most intelligent, engaging platforming and puzzles on a Nintendo device. The game includes 79 main levels, dozens of challenge stages, and three playable characters, so there’s plenty to do, and strikes a perfect balance of teaching the player exactly enough to be able to figure out each new puzzles on their own and feel great about it. The second set of boxes ups the ante from the original game, adding even more options for switch, obstacle, and platforming puzzles that will tease your brain. BoxBoxBoy! is one of the hidden Nintendo gems that deserves much more recognition than it’s gotten.
Next: 22 - Mario Kart 7
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #22 Mario Kart 7
Developer: Nintendo EAD Group No. 1, Retro Studios
Release Date: December 4th, 2011
Synopsis: Mario Kart! We were lucky enough to get both a handheld and console Mario Kart this generation–Mario Kart 7 came first and brought plenty of new features to the series with it. The traditional “Mario characters racing karts” format gained added spice with vehicle customization for weight, tires, and choice of a new feature, hang gliders, that affected gliding portions of courses and helped with certain shortcuts. For the first time, all karts could not only travel through the air but also underwater–some courses were even partially submerged!
Then there was the new first-person racing POV, which may not have returned in Mario Kart 8 for a reason, but was still an incredibly nifty way to view the course and the race. Mario Kart 7 included seventeen characters (four new, plus Miis), 32 tracks (sixteen new, sixteen remakes from prior games), and a total of 1,190 possible kart combinations with customization of their three parts.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: It’s fairly hard to get Mario Kart wrong after the series has time and time again proved how enjoyable it can be. Racing multiple tracks on multiple difficulty levels is good fun on its own when they are as well-designed as Mario Kart’s tend to be, but throw in the online and local multiplayer and Mario Kart 7 becomes a title you return to again and again. The new additions of underwater racing, hang gliding, and kart customization improved on the existing formula without breaking it. Kart customization in particular stands to become a staple of all future entries in the series to come. While not necessarily groundbreaking, Mario Kart 7 is strong enough to stand on its own as one of the better titles on the Nintendo 3DS.
Next: 21 - Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #21 Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon
Developer: Next Level Games, Nintendo Software Planning & Development
Release Date: March 24th, 2013
Synopsis: As if Luigi didn’t get enough ghost wrangling in Luigi’s Mansion, Professor E. Gadd has called him back to equip the Poltergust 5000 and suck up ghosts as he explores multiple haunted mansions and retrieves the Dark Moon fragments hidden inside. Instead of a single house open for exploration like in the previous game, Dark Moon is mission-based and takes place across several different locations. Luigi will be sent to a house with a goal, such as defeating a boss or retrieving an item, and is free to explore as much of the house as can be unlocked with his current arsenal until he accomplishes the mission. Upgrades to the Polturgust offer the ability to uncover new secrets and unlock rooms that may have been bypassed the first time, for collectible rewards and secrets.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Finally, a good ghost game for those of us who can’t handle the spook. Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon is so very charming. Exploring the same mansion over multiple missions sounds dull, but in practice with each new upgrade unlocking a new area or inspiring a return to an old one to open a new door, the structure of the game is a lot of fun. The ghost fights are just difficult enough to prove a challenge (having to restart the entire mission if you die is a bit of a drag, though) and E. Gadd consistently gives you only just enough hints to go on, forcing you to explore every nook and cranny to solve the puzzles before you. Luigi is such a charming hero, too, with his adorable idle animations and whistling. It’s a shame that ghost busting is all the green guy gets to do by himself.
Next: 20 - Shin Megami Tensei IV
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #20 Shin Megami Tensei IV (3DS)
Developer: Atlus
Release Date: July 16th, 2013
Synopsis: Main character Flynn, along with three of his friends, has just become a samurai, a warrior who fights and controls demons. Then, disaster strikes. A mysterious Black Samurai appears distributing cursed books that turn their readers into demons. As Flynn works to find a way to defeat this strange enemy, he must use his abilities to recruit demons by negotiating with them in some way, and use them to battle other demons and enemies. Battles are turn-based with the added twist of turns being added or taken away based on whether a hit was landed or not. Demons can be leveled up, evolved, or fused together to grow more powerful in battle, and can be traded via the 3DS StreetPass system.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Shin Megami Tensei’s returning demon systems remain strong in their own right, with helpful hints available for those new to the series and a gentle enough difficulty curve for most of the game. The over 400 unique recruitable demons provide an interesting twist on the “catch em all” mentality promoted by Pokemon and Yo-Kai Watch in their negotiation systems where you can bribe, flatter, or threaten the demon to join you. It’s the storyline that is the true draw to any Shin Megami Tensei game, though, and IV does not disappoint in its intricacies and urgency. Decisions made throughout the game influence which of three endings you can get, and each has at least one gut-wrenching twist that may make playing the other optional routes more tantalizing.
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #19 Pushmo
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Release Date: December 8, 2011
Synopsis: Mallo, a round creature, visits Pushmo Park, where he discovers that all the children of the park have gone missing. In order to track them down, he must climb up large, block, playground structures by pushing in and pulling out block pieces up to three “spaces” forward to create climbable staircases. These puzzles grow increasingly complex depending on the size and shape of the blocks.
Why it’s one of the best Nintendo 3DS games: Such a simple concept, for such a brilliant game. Pushmo is a kind of puzzling game we haven’t seen before, well-suited to the 3D capabilities of the 3DS that let its blocks pop out even more than they do on a flat screen. But even without the visuals, the puzzles of Pushmo are almost universally interesting and challenging. And with handy rewind features and the ability to reset or skip puzzles as needed, there’s little punishment to annoy you as you climb your way through Pushmo Park. Just relax and enjoy the adorable genius of Pushmo.
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #18 Fire Emblem Echoes – Shadows of Valentia
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Release Date: April 20th, 2017
Synopsis: Alm and Celica were childhood best friends, but fate separates them when they are still young and sets them on vastly different paths: Alm becomes the leader of a band of revolutionaries struggling to take back their homeland, while Celica seeks out a goddess and a peaceful solution to the conflict. The two must traverse all of Valentia with their friends, fighting their way through an evil nation and a dark society of magic-users to, hopefully, save both countries and themselves.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Intelligent Systems knew what they were doing when they decided to create a remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden for worldwide release. By adding just enough new features and polish to make the game an enjoyable new experience, while skipping out on overdoing it with features from recent titles, Fire Emblem Echoes shines as a polished, if incredibly challenging, Fire Emblem entry in its own right. Nintendo has promised paid DLC throughout 2017 to offer continual incentive to return to Valentia and re-experience the challenging, strategic combat Fire Emblem fans have come to adore.
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #17 Metroid: Samus Returns
Developer: MercurySteam
Release Date: September 15, 2017
Synopsis: In this retelling of Metroid II: Return of Samus, Samus must venture into Planet SR388 to destroy the Metroids menacing the planet. Along the way, she’ll pick up new suit and weapon upgrades and slowly uncover the mystery of the planet, as new features and secrets blend with the classic Metroid II styling that many will remember.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Metroid: Samus Returns isn’t so much a retelling of Metroid II as it is a glorious tribute to 2D Metroids of all stripes. Though the story remains mostly the same, the game borrows design ideas from other Metroid titles, including more secret, branching areas to further exploration, and a wider roster of power-ups and upgrades. The most notable addition is the 360-degree Free Aim Mode, that allows Samus more combat versatility and control. Metroid: Samus Returns offers plenty of promise for Metroid fans who have missed the series for years, and is a must-play in the waning hours of the Nintendo 3DS.
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #16 Resident Evil: Revelations
Developer: Capcom
Release Date: January 26, 2012
Synopsis: Resident Evil Revelations splits the story between two pairs of FBC agents: Parker Luciani and Jill Valentine go to search for Chris Redfield and Jessica Sherawat, though they’re initially thwarted by a Veltro trap. Revelations follows the stealth horror gameplay we’ve come to expect from the series while putting together a bridge game between Resident Evil 4 and 5, connecting the events and filling in gaps for those willing to play an RE game on 3DS and risk getting spooked in public areas.
Why it’s one of the best Nintendo 3DS games: With excellent graphics and an interesting RE-universe tale, Resident Evil: Revelations is one of the best games the 3DS has to offer. Its drawbacks are few and depend on the player: the 3DS isn’t especially designed for the kind of nerve-wracking stealth play Resident Evil fans love, and thus may kill the atmosphere a bit. The story also got a bit busy with its constant character flip flopping. But if you can overcome those hurdles, Revelations is an excellent choice for any fan of the series.
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #15 Monster Hunter Generations
Developer: Capcom
Release Date: July 15, 2016
Synopsis: In many ways, Monster Hunter Generations is identical to what came before it. The same weapon types from Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate return alongside a new mode that lets you play as a Felyne (a cat creature). It also introduces Hunter Arts, which are powerful abilities that must be charged before they can be used, and Hunting Styles, which vary the types of attacks your different weapons can perform. Though not dramatically distinct from the games that came before it, why fix what isn’t broken?
Why It’s One of the Best Nintendo 3DS Games: Don’t mess with excellence. Capcom understands this well, so they gave the piles of Monster Hunter fans with 3DSes something they already knew they loved, just with some more bits and bobs to mess with to add to the technical strategy of play. And it worked. Some may have been disappointed that Monster Hunter Generations was more of the same and didn’t surprise anyone. But in the waning years of the Nintendo 3DS, Generations is a testament to what the system can handle well.
Next: 14 - Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #14 Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
Developer: Square Enix 1st Production Department
Release Date: March July 31, 2012
Synopsis: With their final battle imminent, Sora and Riku must take a test to prove themselves as Keyblade Masters by diving into a series of dream-like worlds to reconnect them to the remainder of the worlds restored at the end of Kingdom Hearts. While journeying through the worlds separately, the two heroes encounter Spirit Dream Eaters, strange dream creatures that they can raise to fight for them and combat the Nightmare Dream Eaters. Sora and Riku play in alternate versions of the same world, influencing one another’s universes and connecting with different characters.
The same action-based battle system from Kingdom Hearts returns, but instead of Donald and Goofy, the main characters use Dream Eaters to fight by their sides. A new movement system called Flowmotion enables each character to travel swiftly across their environments using objects such as rails, buildings, or enemies, and a Reality Shift system alters environmental objects in world-specific ways to solve puzzles.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo 3DS Games: As skeptical as you have every right to be about the direction of the Kingdom Hearts series, it’s hard to deny that Dream Drop Distance was one of its better entries. Almost every playable world in the game was brand new to the series, meaning no obnoxious rehashing of old Disney stories. The Dream Eater Spirits were adorable, and customizing, obtaining, and leveling them proved an interesting take on the generic progression system from every other Kingdom Hearts game.
Each area was expansive enough for exploration to matter, too, and Shimomura’s soundtrack complimented the levels appropriately. Admittedly, the overall story outside of each world is still fairly obtuse if you haven’t been following the series closely (there’s far too many Ansems, officially), but as you soar across Traverse Town using flowmotion and smash through enemies with your Dream Eater companions, it gets hard to worry too much about Ansems or Organizations or any other obtuse plot devices.
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #13 Cave Story 3D
Developer: Nicalis
Release Date: November 8, 2011
Synopsis: The protagonist Quote awakens deep in a cave with amnesia. He quickly encounters the Mimigas, strange native creatures to the planet who are being kidnapped by someone called the Doctor. As he investigates, Quote is pulled into a far more dangerous plot than he thought he signed up for, one that branches into multiple endings. Cave Story 3D takes the familiar puzzle platforming of the original and brings it into 3D, but with an extra Sanctuary Time Attack mode unlockable, remastered music, and various other additions to the game.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Cave Story’s influence on indie gaming and gaming in general is profound, and it’s been widely ported to various systems. But Cave Story 3D brought it to life in a new way, and on a system perfectly suited for its adventure and eccentricities. The new soundtrack is one of the highlights of Cave Story 3D, and the gorgeous new environments are worth exploring even if you’ve already played the original Cave Story. Simply by virtue of the platform, Cave Story 3D is one of the best versions of Cave Story.
Next: 12 - Super Mario 3D Land
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #12 Super Mario 3D Land
Developer: Nintendo EAD Tokyo
Release Date: November 13th, 2011
Synopsis: Super Mario 3D Land was intended as a transition game from the typical 2D Mario platforms we had seen before, to the coming 3D of the Wii U console’s Mario titles. The same memorable platforming style from prior titles remained the focus of 3D Land, but with movement in 3D possible up and down each level’s platforms, further shaking up the puzzle design. Along with the newfound platforming puzzles and challenges afforded by the additional dimension, Mario also gained several new abilities such as a barrel roll and a roll jump, and new items like the Propeller Box and the Boomerang Flower.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Change is scary, so it’s hard to blame the audience of die-hard Mario fans who shook their heads initially at 3D Land’s transformation of Mario into a three-dimensional plumber. The level design, amount of content and difficulty settings were so inviting that players were willing to give the new format a shot. And the 3D worked! Adding a third dimension increased the variety and creativity of puzzles available for each level while still being functional outside of the 3DS’s 3D mode, though turning on the 3D certainly made the game pop.
A perfect balance of nostalgia and innovation, Super Mario 3D Land paved the way for future Mario games, throwing the doors open wide for the delightful shenanigans we’d see a year or two down the road in Super Mario 3D World and New Super Mario Bros U.
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #11 Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward
Developer: Chunsoft
Release Date: October 23, 2013
Synopsis: You, Sigma, have been kidnapped. So have eight other people, who are now trapped and forced to play something called the Nonary Game with you in order to escape. Each character has a bracelet that displays a point value. Nine points will earn freedom, but you can only gain points by allying with or betraying others around you. Can you make the decisions necessary and solve the escape room-like puzzles to win your freedom from Zero and the Nonary Game?
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: The sequel to Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors tones down the spook elements to welcome in a wider audience, resulting in an incredible accessible and unique 3DS title. Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward creatively blends escape room puzzling with visual novel sequences and choice making for a suspenseful, dramatic plot that may not always be the same from playthrough to playthrough. Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward may have flown under the radar for many, but it’s worthy of far more attention than it gets on the 3DS.
Next: 10 - Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #10 – Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice
Developer: Capcom
Release Date: September 8, 2016
Synopsis: Once again, Ace Attorney has you following the titular Phoenix Wright, this time as he journeys to the religious land of Khura’in, where defense attorneys are looked upon with scorn and divination seances are all that are needed to determine a guilty verdict. While visiting his assistant Maya as she completes her Spirit Medium training, Phoenix accidentally ends up defending a client, with his own fate tied to the accused. If he cannot gain an “innocent” verdict, both of their heads are on the chopping block.
You’ll also step into the shoes of young Apollo Justice back in the states, where he partners with Athena Cykes to solve cases in a more familiar and traditional manner.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: What Dual Destinies stumbled over, Spirit of Justice mends. It adds just enough novel gameplay to the tried and true Ace Attorney formula to keep things fresh. While in Khura’in, you’ll use Divination Seances to glimpse a victim’s final moments. Textual queues clue you in as to the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings of the victim, indicating which are felt the strongest. Phoenix will use this, along with your usual testimonials and other tools, to uncover the truth and get that innocent verdict you know the accused deserves. Other series staples, such as Athena’s Widget, become important when playing Apollo’s side of the story.
The polished gameplay is well-supported by the characteristic, goofy writing that the series is famous for. Capcom packed Spirit of Justice with punny names, witty banter, and over-the-top witnesses as usual. The mix of cold, calculating logic and absurd scenarios will have you chortling in even the most apparently tense situations–with no objections to be made.
Next: 9 - Fire Emblem Awakening
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #9 Fire Emblem Awakening
Developer: Intelligent Systems, Nintendo SPD
Release Date: February 4th, 2013
Synopsis: Fire Emblem: Awakening continues the well-known tactical RPG series on the Nintendo 3DS, but with new additions such as the option to turn off permanent character death, a relationship system that unlocks new conversations with certain characters, and multiple adjustable difficulty levels. The player character is a customizable Avatar, who serves as a tactician. You begin the game with amnesia and confronted by a mysterious masked woman styling herself Marth. While the story is told in cutscenes between battles, the primary gameplay involves moving different types of units across a battlefield to combat the enemy, taking into account strategic elements such as the environment, weapon types, and magic.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Until Fire Emblem: Fates was released in 2016, it seemed inevitable that Fire Emblem: Awakening would stand tall as the best game of the series yet. Fates had a tough opponent to beat in that regard–Awakening’s story of neighboring kingdoms and deities at war, time travel, and familial ties delighted and surprised its audience, while the adjustable difficulty and ability to shut off perma-death helped the series appeal to a wider range of players than ever before, many of whom found previous entries too difficult or frustration had they never played a tactical RPG before.
The relationship system is an interesting point of contention between those who enjoyed the additional depth it added to the series (and ability to marry and produce children to fight for you), and those who found the system cheesy and awkward. But since the system was largely avoidable by those who weren’t interested, it (along with the other new systems and polish of familiar gameplay) ended up helping Fire Emblem: Awakening achieve heights much greater than thought possible from a tactics game once known and loved solely in Japan.
Next: 8 - Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #8 Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
Developer: Capcom
Release Date: February 13th, 2015
Synopsis: Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate lets you step into the shoes of the titular Monster Hunter, who travels out into various environments and fights the powerful monsters that inhabit them for rewards such as currency, buff items, and crafting supplies used to make better and better weapons. The combat is the meat of the gameplay–while your player does not grow in strength, your weapons do as you upgrade them. A total of twelve weapon types are available to swap out and upgrade; each of them excels at a different style of fighting, whether that’s aerial combat, ranged, close quarters, or other different styles. The primary challenge of this, as it is in most Monster Hunter games, is to determine the enemy’s weakness and use a combination of strategy and skill to defeat more and more challenging monsters to glean rewards.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Easily the best title in the Monster Hunter series, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate polished the combat system established in prior games to glowing, and brought in the online multiplayer to capitalize on that precision so that teams of players could take on the game’s biggest and baddest monsters together. Monster Hunter 4 emphasized 3D movement, making aerial combat a must for several different monster types and offering wall-climbing and the ability to mount monsters to further augment this change.
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate does include a storyline to help carry the player through the different environments and ease them into the extreme challenge of the game’s tougher monsters. But, as with previous games, you’ll be eager to get out of town and into the field to try your latest weapon against the big, scary thing with claws just down the road.
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #7 Super Smash Bros
Developer: Sora Ltd., Bandai Namco Games
Release Date: October 3rd, 2014
Synopsis: Nintendo’s greatest all-stars return to the battlefield for the fourth time to duke it out in a contest to see who is the greatest fighter of them all. Super Smash Bros. for 3DS gathered a roster of 58 total playable characters (including a customizable Mii Fighter) from various Nintendo franchises for players to use in battles against one another. Alongside the traditional Smash battles with up to four players, it also allowed for online play in For Fun and For Glory matches. Single-player brings back Classic Mode, a series of fights against AI characters at an adjustable difficulty level for currency rewards used to purchase collectible trophies.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Super Smash Bros. stands as one of the most important franchises for Nintendo, responsible for selling consoles, inspiring competitions, and bringing families and friends together around a console in true Nintendo style–cheerfully, until someone wins and no one wants to be their friend anymore.
How can we appropriately praise Super Smash Bros. for 3DS, a game that was nearly everything it should have been whether you got your desired character added to the roster or not? The combat brought back the frantic pace of Melee that we missed in Brawl. The roster was simply enormous and DLC served to augment it further. Multiple game modes kept players engaged even when all their friends weren’t over to try the chaotic 8-player Smash. The sliding difficulty for Classic Mode offered a continuous challenge no matter how skilled you were at Smash.
The only downside to Super Smash Bros for 3DS was its occasionally weak online connective play, and the fact that it just hasn’t aged well. Despite being an excellent handheld version of the game, there’s just something about playing on console that’s far more attractive, even with the Wii U’s lackluster sales. It’s a great game, you just might struggle to find folks to play with on handheld.
Next: 6 - Pokemon Sun and Moon
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #6 Pokemon Sun and Moon
Developer: Game Freak
Release Date: November 18th, 2016
Synopsis: You’ve just moved to the sunny islands of the Alola region, and are almost immediate whisked away on your Pokemon adventure by Professor Kukui. Instead of facing eight gyms, you’ll instead be tackling the Alolan Island Challenge, which takes you to seven trials on four islands. You’ll battle, of course, but you’ll also solve puzzles, answer quiz questions, take photos, and explore the gorgeous region in your quest to become Alola’s champion. Along the way an evil, Pokemon-stealing team and a mysterious girl named Lillie will add both struggle and magic to your quest.
Why it’s one of the best Nintendo games: Pokemon Sun and Moon is not only one of the best Nintendo games out right now, it’s also one of the best Pokemon games ever. Never before has the series featured such a strong storyline, such interesting characters, or such a fabulous cast of Pokemon partners to discover and train. Quality of life updates and UI adjustments from prior games help streamline Pokemon training like never before. Its few flaws (a slightly weak endgame and a few framerate issues) are easily outshined by how much fun it is to play. If you’re looking either to return to the Pokemon series, or even if you just want a solid RPG, Pokemon Sun and Moon is the way to go.
Next: 5 - Bravely Default
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #5 Bravely Default
Developer: Silicon Studio
Release Date: February 7th, 2014
Synopsis: In an attempt to provide a combination reboot/counter to the Final Fantasy franchise, Square Enix handed the reigns to Silicon Studio to create Bravely Default. It’s an RPG that made use of the same turn-based battle system that made Final Fantasy famous, but used new characters, a new world, and a unique Brave/Default system that allowed players to either risk everything in a few turns of battle, or conserve their energy in defense for several turns to unleash their power later. The new take on an old battle system served to carry the game both thematically and mechanically as Tiz, Agnes, Ringabel, and Edea traveled the world of Luxendarc guided by a fairy named Airy to restore the four elemental crystals and save the world.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: It turns out that when you take Final Fantasy, “reboot” it essentially, and throw in a slight variation on the battle system, things turn out pretty spectacular. The ability to save up or excessively spend turns in battle added an entirely new element of strategy to a battle system grown stale, along with the numerous job asterisks available to customize your party in hundreds of different ways as you mixed and matched abilities and equipment. This wouldn’t have been so extraordinary were the boss fights not so well-designed. While many decried the monotony of the final four chapters of the game, we loved the twists and variations on the battles as asterisk holders mixed and matched their combat partners for devastating combos, forcing the player to strategize well with their lineup in each match.
Then there was the matter of the plot, which followed the traditional RPG formula for the first half of the game, but broke into meta mind games in the second half, all leading up to an epic finish that left us hungry for a sequel. Though we hope that Square won’t milk the Bravely series quite the way they’ve done with Final Fantasy, we certainly wouldn’t mind a third title to wrap up the few tantalizing loose ends left by Default and Second.
Next: 4 - Shovel Knight
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #4 Shovel Knight
Developer: Yacht Club Games
Release Date: June 26th, 2014
Synopsis: Shovel Knight and Shield were once the bravest adventurers in the land until a cursed amulet stole away Shield Knight and sent Shovel Knight into despair. But when an evil Enchantress and the Order of No Quarter threaten the peace of the land, Shovel Knight must take up his trusty shovel and adventure across the land in a platforming adventure hearkening back to old Metrovania titles, complete with graphics and sound reminiscent of the era.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Shovel Knight remains to date one of the best examples of Kickstarter campaigns done well. All the elements of Shovel Knight have combined since the start of its fundraising to create a wonderful experience. The idea, a platformer based on old Metroidvanias but with a fresh (and slightly silly) concept, was easily received by an audience who missed the old school gameplay of the consoles they grew up with.
Yacht Club executed their visions effectively–Shovel Knight is both fun to play and replay, and the constant stream of DLC since launch was a welcome reward where so many similar campaigns don’t even reach the stage of a complete game. We contend that the 3DS version of Shovel Knight remains one of the most fun to play due to the dual screen and how comfortable the title seems on a handheld, though we acknowledge that the Nintendo Switch Treasure Trove may give it a run for its giant, sparkling gem money.
Next: 3 - Fire Emblem Fates
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #3 Fire Emblem Fates
Developer: Intelligent Systems, Nintendo SPD
Birthright/Conquest Release Date: February 19th, 2016
Revelation Release Date: March 10th, 2016
Synopsis: Fire Emblem: Fates features the same tactical role-playing mechanics from prior Fire Emblem games, with some new mechanics and a new take on the storyline that arches across three different games. The main character, a customizable Avatar, must choose between either his birth family, Hoshido (Birthright), and his adopted family, Nohr (Conquest) after the first few chapters of the game. Each side of the story has a completely different plotline and distinct challenges, with Birthright being the more straightforward, traditional Fire Emblem experience and Conquest upping the difficulty and eliminating level grinding.
A third path, where the Avatar chooses neither side, is available through an additional add-on title called Revelation that provides the conclusion and true ending to both storylines. The split storyline is a new feature for the franchise. Fates borrowed much of its gameplay from the wildly successful Fire Emblem: Awakening, but new features such as a Phoenix Mode that allows dead units to be revived on a subsequent player turn and the My Castle function allowing for shopping and relationship-related interactions were new additions.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Thank goodness Nintendo didn’t call it quits with Fire Emblem after Awakening, because Fates is the cream of the crop. Though some found the game’s split into three parts a disappointing money grab, far more found that each version of the title was a full and unique experience with its own gameplay and storyline separate from the others, and thereby deserving of its own cartridge and price tag. Fates didn’t fix what wasn’t broken coming out of Awakening, but instead augmented its relationship systems and added more strategic and challenging elements on the Nohr side of the field for those Fire Emblem veterans lamenting that Awakening opened the gates too wide to a general audience and made the game too easy.
Complex character interactions, a well-written and thrillingly connected story, and the best of Fire Emblem’s tactical genius combined in Fates to make the best Fire Emblem game we’ve seen so far.
Next: 2 - Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #2 Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Release Date: June 9th, 2013
Synopsis: Life will be easy in the peaceful town you’re moving to, far away from the bustle of the city, or so you think until a miscommunication makes you mayor and forces you to sleep in a tent. The stress is over quickly, though, as you adjust to life in a sleepy little village populated by adorable, quirky animals who spend all day fishing, catching bugs, exchanging gifts, and changing their clothes. You can choose how you spend your days–collecting items for the museum, decorating your house, befriending the neighbors, or just going for leisurely strolls around the town to see what happens. As mayor, you can build Public Works projects to enhance the town and enact ordinances that require a store to stay open later or keep the town clean if you want, but at the end of the day, how you play Animal Crossing: New Leaf is entirely up to you.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: Animal Crossing has always had a sweet perfection to it, but New Leaf stole the show in almost every way. It took the already excellent gameplay from Wild World and City Folk and added needed new customization features in the public works projects and the ability to customize your character, home, and various designs even further. Your neighbors have vastly improved dialogue, and you can even fit more of the cute little guys in your town for maximum friendship fun. An additional island reachable by boat added more ways to play with friends than just puttering around one another’s towns in the form of mini-games involving activities like fishing and planting flowers.
The slower progression to unlock buildings and the sheer number of possible villagers helped add a lot of life to New Leaf. Nintendo should also be praised for continuously supporting the title–they’re still adding new items to the North American version to this day via Wi-Fi. The recent Welcome amiibo update has added even more longevity to a game we’ve already been playing for over four years, and can’t seem to stop…even if Pocket Camp temporarily holds our attention.
Best Nintendo 3DS Games – #1 The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Release Date: November 22nd, 2013
Synopsis: One day, as Link tries to run a simple errand for the blacksmith he serves, he gets caught up in a plot by the sorcerer Yuga to resurrect Gamon by capturing the Seven Sages and turning them all into paintings. Link inadvertently gains the ability to transform himself into a painting, too, and back again, enabling him to merge with walls, fit through small gaps, and move across flat surfaces to new areas. Link must free all seven sages by traveling back and forth between portals to and from Hyrule and Lorule and clearing dungeons full of traps and enemies in each world.
Series staples such as most of Link’s arsenal (bow and arrow, torch, and more) return, along with familiar enemies and locations from Link to the Past, but with the added 2D portions of gameplay and item rental from a squatter in a rabbit costume that adds a challenge to dungeon adventures.
Why It’s One Of The Best Nintendo Games: The Legend of Zelda: Link Between Worlds is a brilliant homage to A Link to the Past, the game with which Link Between Worlds shares its setting. But it also stands on its own as a brilliant 3DS title. Nintendo’s puzzle design is spot-on as always, with the item rental system allowing a certain level of player agency regarding dungeon difficulty. Do you rent the bow and arrow to make the dungeon easier, or do things the hard way and save your rupees? Boss encounters (for the most part) presented a challenging test of your abilities picked up in the dungeon that boss guarded.
Link Between Worlds also presented a great balance between nostalgia for a world many players already knew well, while adding new secrets and pathways to keep players exploring and interested in what was around each corner, or behind each bombable cracked wall. In a world where Breath of the Wild exists, it seems impossible to love any “lesser” Zelda game. But Link Between Worlds represents the best and most modern take on the top-down Zelda design, and reminds us why it’s worthy of celebration alongside the bigger, open world adventure.