Nintendo 3DS: JP: February 27, 2011 EU: March 25, 2011 NA: March 27, 2011 March 31, 2011 IND: April 5, 2011 BRA: July 9, 2011 KOR: April 28, 2012 HK: September 28, 2012 Nintendo 3DS XL: JP/EU: July 28, 2012 NA: August 19, 2012 AU: August 23, 2012 BRA: September 3, 2012 KOR: September 20, 2012 HK: September 28, 2012 CHN: December 7, 2012 Nintendo 2DS: WW: October 12, 2013 CHN: October 19, 2013 KOR: December 7, 2013 JP: February 27, 2016 New Nintendo 3DS: JP: October 11, 2014 AU: November 21, 2014 EU: January 6, 2015 (Ambassador release)/February 13, 2015 (regular release) KOR: September 10, 2015 NA: September 25, 2015 New 3DS XL: JP: October 11, 2014 AU: November 21, 2014 NA/EU: February 13, 2015 KOR: May 1, 2015 New 2DS XL: AU: June 15, 2017 JP/KOR: July 13, 2017 NA/EU: July 28, 2017
The Nintendo 3DS is a handheld gaming console developed by Nintendo and the successor to the Nintendo DS line. It was released in February 2011 and discontinued in September 2020, being succeeded by the Nintendo Switch.
As the console's name suggests, the top screen can provide 3D effects without the need for 3D glasses or other similar peripherals. You can even adjust it or turn it off, thus solving a major problem that the Virtual Boy had.
The StreetPass feature allows the 3DS to wirelessly connect to other systems in the area around it to collect Miis and play some multiplayer games. Some games also use it for other functions, such as Bravely Default and Bravely Second using friends for Summoning/Sending for Friends, as well as rebuilding Norende/Magnolia's Moon Base.
The SpotPass feature allows for StreetPass gameplay without being in the immediate area, which allows you to connect with others from around the world.
There are augmented reality (AR) features that are used in the built-in game AR Games and several others, such as the opening cinematics of Bravely Default.
The 3DS has a built-in pedometer, which tracks how many steps the player takes. They are rewarded a Play Coin for every 100 steps they take, which can then be used in several 3DS games; up to 10 Play Coins can be obtained per day, and a maximum of 300 can be obtained at one time.
The inclusion of the Circle Pad makes 3D movement much easier than it was on the DS.
It is completely backward-compatible with any DS Game Cards and DSiWare games and software.
The 3DS has a large selection of first-party games (both good and bad), most of which are made for the console rather than just watered-down ports of home console games. They are listed in their respective sections.
Many third-party titles (again both good and bad) were also created for this system. They are listed in their respective sections.
There were many 3DS models, including the 3DS XL, 2DS (which plays 3DS games only in 2D, but costs less than the 3D models), New 3DS, New 3DS XL and New 2DS XL (which is the same as the 2DS, but with a clamshell design and New 3DS features).
The New 3DS/2DS models have extra features, such as a second analog nub, custom face plates, a built-in NFC reader, and more powerful hardware than the original, which allowed for newer-style games.
Meanwhile, the 2DS and New 2DS XL lack the 3D mode and are lower-priced, making them easier to produce and easier on children's eyes. Although the original 2DS was criticized for lacking hinges, it was also more durable.
The Circle Pad Pro and NFC Reader/Writer accessories for the original 3DS give it more capabilities, such as reading amiibo and having extra buttons and another Circle Pad that could be used with some games.
All models came in several variations, such as Hyrule Gold Edition and the Year of the Luigi Edition, which had a digital copy of Mario & Luigi: Dream Team pre-installed.
The console uses standard or micro SD cards, depending on the model, meaning that they are lower-priced than the Vita's memory cards.
Although it may not be the best, it uses dual-camera technology, something that wouldn't be popularized in smartphones until the late 2010s. Back then, however, dual cameras were only used by the 3DS, which ended up becoming a fad.
Bad Qualities
Overall
The cameras have several issues:
Images taken with the New 3DS's inner cameras will have a strange purplish tint in some lighting.
Videos recorded with the cameras (particularly the original) suffer from choppy frame rates (some as low as 5fps) and low resolution at 240p.
Nintendo put too much focus on the New 3DS models, basically forcing players to abandon their old models to spend money on the newer ones.
You can only play Super Nintendo games on the New 3DS models.
Unlike most Nintendo handhelds, this console has region-locking, while its competitor, the Vita, had no such issue. However, you can play DS games from any region.
Unless you live in a high-population area, the StreetPass feature barely works properly.
Despite having backward compatibility with DS games, there is no GBA cartridge slot on any of the models, meaning you can't play GBA games on your 3DS, just like the DSi and DSi XL.
You also can't play games that require the use of the GBA cartridge slot, such as the Guitar Hero: On Tour series.
PictoChat, a feature that the DS family had, is not available on the 3DS. However, before the eShop's closure, you could buy equivalents known as Swapnote and Swapdoodle, even being able to attach badges from Nintendo Badge Arcade.
Having been discontinued in late 2020, many of the handheld's online services have been closed down since then, similarly to the Wii U:
The YouTube app was discontinued on August 30, 2019.
The Nintendo 3DS eShop closed on March 27, 2023, making it impossible to legally buy digital games, especially those that were exclusively released digitally (which are now permanently lost to time aside from obtaining them via external methods).
As of April 8, 2024, the Nintendo Network has been shut down, so it's now impossible to play multiplayer games unless they are locally played. Thankfully, Pretendo Network can be used as a substitute for the original Nintendo Network.
Original Model
The battery life leaves much to be desired, lasting around 3-5 hours. However, it is possible to get about 5-8 hours when playing DS games.
The 3DS doesn't have a very good Circle Pad and the rubber can easily come off if you are playing too roughly with it. Also, the shoulder buttons are prone to giving out, just like the DSi and DSi XL.
It launched at a relatively high price, costing about $250 (the highest price of any Nintendo handheld at the time). Fortunately, it got a price drop to about $170 later, and people who bought one prior received ten free NES and GBA games.
Nintendo 3DS XL
The speakers have very low-quality sound.
Just like the DS Lite, the top screen's hinge can get loose over time and eventually break.
The system can take a while to load or turn on/off.
Nintendo 2DS
While the 2DS is cheaper than the normal 3DS, there are still charges and downsides to it:
It loses the original 3DS stereo sound to the $130 price tag, although it still supports stereo sound through the headphone jack.
It lacks the clamshell design that the DS and 3DS families are well-known for, so you can't put it in your pocket.
Its screens are more vulnerable to cracking, which is especially problematic considering that the system was designed for younger children.
Games such as Super Mario 3D Land may be harder, since some of the optical-illusion puzzles utilized 3D capabilities.
New 3DS
Sadly, the New 3DS models weren't very commercially successful, selling fewer units than even the Wii U, due to Nintendo trying too hard to push them.
It doesn't come with a charger (except for the New 2DS XL), meaning you will need to buy one or have already owned one.
For some strange reason, the SD card slot is located where the battery is, meaning you will have to unscrew the plastic case to replace the SD card.
The ZL and ZR buttons can be hard to reach.
The standard New 3DS model wasn't available at launch and was only released in special bundles in North America.
The 3DS XL models don't have customizable face plates.
The C-Stick's placement is very odd and requires jamming your thumb into it to use.
Many of the same issues that the 3DS and 3DS XL had are still here.
New 2DS XL
Like the original 2DS, it loses stereo sound. It also has the speaker in the bottom right-hand corner, making it easy to obstruct with your hand.
As if the speaker placement wasn't bad enough, both the front and back cameras are on the bottom screen rather than the top screen. While the front camera's placement is fine, the back camera might get covered by your fingers sometimes.
It suffers from many of the same issues that the New 3DS and New 3DS XL had.
The edges of this model are sharp and can be rather uncomfortable for your palms when you play with it for a relatively long session.
Reception
The Nintendo 3DS hardware has largely received positive reviews, with the use of 3D effects and its overall more powerful hardware being praised, but the low battery life was a point of criticism.
Over 75.96 million units have been sold worldwide as of September 30, 2020. While it may not enough to outsell its predecessor, it is the 12th best-selling console/handheld of all time.