Best Nintendo 3DS Games: 15 Essential Games for the Console

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

If I had to pick one Zelda game as an introduction to Nintendo 3DS, I'd start with A Link Between Worlds. It's a top-down adventure in which Link explores Hyrule, works his way through dungeons, and eventually reaches another world, Lorule.

The coolest ability here lets Link turn into a drawing on a wall, and you need it all the time. Imagine two platforms separated by a gap. You can't cross directly between them, but both touch the same wall. Turn into a painting, move along the wall over the gap, and you'll pop out on the other platform. The same trick lets you slip around corners and squeeze through narrow gaps.

Items are handled in an interesting way too. You can rent the bow, hammer, and other equipment from Ravio, then buy them later. That means many dungeons can be tackled in whatever order you choose. The catch is that rented items are taken back if you die.

The game looks great, controls well, and its puzzles make good use of Link's wall-merging ability. At some point you start inspecting walls on purpose: could I slip through there somehow? And you don't need to spend ages learning menus or memorizing dozens of moves.

Super Mario 3D Land

In Super Mario 3D Land, Mario runs through 3D levels, but the goal is familiar from the older games: reach the flag, collect coins, and try not to fall into a pit. The levels are fairly short, so it's easy to play even if you only have a little time.

The levels themselves are very varied. One moment you're jumping between moving platforms, the next you're running from enemies along a narrow path or hunting for a hidden route. There's also the Tanooki Suit. It lets Mario attack with his tail and fall more slowly after a jump. Very handy when you land just a little short of a platform.

Each level hides three Star Medals. Some are almost in plain sight; others make you look carefully or risk your life. That gives you more to do than simply run to the end.

3D Land is fairly easy at first. But after the first completion, Special Worlds open up, and they stop going easy on you. So I wouldn't judge the whole game's difficulty by its first few levels.

Mario Kart 7

Mario Kart 7 feels like a very simple racing game right up until you start getting hit in the head on a regular basis. You can take every corner well and pull into the lead, but your rivals have shells, lightning, and plenty of other ways to ruin your race.

In this installment, karts can glide and drive underwater. Hit a ramp and a glider opens, letting you fly over the track for a while. Underwater, a propeller comes out. These sections are built right into normal races, so there is no separate flight mode to select.

You can build a kart from different bodies, wheels, and gliders. They affect its stats, so the choice isn't just cosmetic. There are 32 tracks in total: half new, half returning from earlier games. Plenty to race on.

To get good results, you'll need to learn drifting, remember shortcuts, and use items at the right moment. Of course, one random hit right before the finish can still ruin your mood.

Official online races no longer work. But cups against the CPU and local multiplayer with friends are still available.

Luigi’s Mansion 2

Luigi is once again sent somewhere he absolutely does not want to go. This time he has to explore several haunted mansions armed with a flashlight and a special vacuum cleaner. In North America, the game is called Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon.

Catching ghosts takes a few steps. First you stun them with a flash, then switch on the vacuum and try to hold on while they struggle. Some ghosts hide behind objects or protect themselves, so you can't just vacuum up everything in sight.

But the mansions themselves are the most interesting part. The rooms are packed with things you can interact with: vacuum up a sheet, pull a cord, rummage through furniture, look for hidden money. There's also a special lamp that reveals vanished objects. You walk into a room and immediately want to check every corner.

Luigi himself is great too. He gets scared, moves cautiously, and clearly wishes he were doing almost anything else. He's fun to watch.

The downside is that the game is split into missions. Finish one and you are sent back to the professor, then dispatched to the mansion again. Those breaks can get annoying, especially when you just want to explore the house at your own pace.

Fire Emblem Awakening

In Fire Emblem Awakening, you create your own hero and join Prince Chrom's group. From there you get wars, mysterious visitors, and a big story involving time travel. But most of your time will be spent in turn-based battles.

Units move across a grid, and each one has to be positioned so the entire enemy force doesn't wipe them out on the next turn. A pegasus rider, for example, can fly over obstacles with ease, but leaving one near an archer is dangerous. A healer is best kept well away from anyone who can reach them.

Characters can also fight in pairs. One acts as the main unit, while the other supports them, boosts their stats, and may join in attacks or defenses. The longer they fight together, the stronger their relationship becomes. New conversations open up between battles, and some relationships end in marriage.

Eventually you start pairing people up for more than just practical reasons. You simply want to hear what these two will say to each other next.

If you don't want to lose characters forever, you can choose a mode where defeated allies return for the next battle. In Classic mode, you'll have to watch them much more carefully. Losing a strong unit because of one careless move near the end of a long fight hurts.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf

In New Leaf, you arrive in a small town and are mistaken for its new mayor. Since that's how things turned out, you might as well settle in: meet the neighbors, furnish your house, and decide what else the town needs.

Being mayor does not free you from everyday chores. A new bridge costs money, and so does expanding your house. So you grab a fishing rod, catch fish, gather fruit, and sell whatever you can find. You can also catch bugs and dig up fossils. The best finds make you want to donate them to the museum, even though the money would be useful too.

It's easy to get absorbed in some small project: collecting furniture for a room, planting trees in just the right places, or catching a fish that's still missing from your collection. Then a neighbor asks you to bring something over, and off you go across town again.

The catch is that time passes alongside the real world. Visit at night and it's night in the game too, with some shops already closed. As mayor you can adjust the schedule a little with a town ordinance, but you can't turn New Leaf into a game where everything happens instantly. Its slow pace takes some getting used to. On the other hand, it's nice to come back and see what changed during the day.

Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon

Of the Pokémon games on Nintendo 3DS, I'd pick Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. I really enjoyed this adventure across tropical islands. There are beaches, palm trees, the ocean, and small towns.

You explore the Alola region, catch new Pokémon, train them, and gradually move from one island to the next. Instead of the usual Gyms, there are local trials. These give you different tasks to complete and especially powerful Pokémon to battle.

And the Z-Moves are ridiculously flashy. They look genuinely epic: instead of a little splash of water, your opponent gets hit as if a real tsunami just crashed down on them. For Nintendo 3DS, it looks impressive.

Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon also have plenty to do besides regular battles. You can go Mantine Surfing, for example, riding a Pokémon that looks like a giant manta ray across the waves, jumping and pulling off tricks. Or you can travel through Ultra Wormholes into other worlds in search of rare Pokémon.

Kirby: Planet Robobot

In Planet Robobot, invaders arrive on Kirby's home planet and start turning it into one enormous machine. There are mechanisms, metal structures, and robots everywhere. Kirby gets a robotic suit of his own, so he can deal with all this machinery on equal terms.

Kirby can still inhale enemies and copy their abilities. Swallow the right opponent and you get a sword, fire, or another power. Now the robot armor can scan enemies too and change its weapons. It can even turn into a flying machine, kicking off a shooting section.

The robot is also used for puzzles. It can lift heavy objects, smash obstacles, and operate machinery that little Kirby couldn't handle on his own. The levels keep switching between regular platforming and sections in the armor, so it never has time to wear out its welcome.

It's a beautiful, enjoyable platformer. The main story isn't especially punishing, but finding the hidden Code Cubes means exploring levels carefully and bringing the right abilities. The extra boss challenges are noticeably tougher too. You wouldn't guess it from Kirby's cute face.

Metroid: Samus Returns

Samus Returns retells the story of Metroid II for Game Boy. Samus travels to planet SR388 to wipe out the Metroids and gradually descends deeper into its caves.

Along the way you find new abilities, increase your missile and energy capacity, and return for items you couldn't reach before. The map is always displayed on the lower screen. That's very convenient in a game like this: you don't have to stop every time you want to check where you've already been.

Free aiming and a counterattack were added to the combat system. When an enemy lunges at Samus, you can parry at the right moment and then unload on it while it's stunned. It looks good and Samus feels great to control. The problem is that you have to repeat this move pretty often against regular enemies. Sometimes you just want to keep running, but instead you're waiting again for the local wildlife to leap at your face.

There are plenty of fights with Metroids themselves, and some feel similar to each other. But exploring the caves, hunting for upgrades, and returning to old areas with new equipment all work exactly as they should. Especially when you finally find a passage you've run past several times before.

Kid Icarus: Uprising

Kid Icarus: Uprising opens as a fast, energetic rail shooter. Pit races through the air while explosions, enemies, and enormous monsters fill the screen. You aim, shoot, and dodge while the game carries him along a set route.

Then Pit lands and you have to move through the level yourself. Melee attacks, dodges, and more room to explore come into play. There are lots of weapons: bows, staffs, claws, heavy clubs. They differ in range, speed, and how they behave in combat. One works well for shooting from a distance; another makes you want to get close and hit the enemy properly.

The characters also talk constantly. Pit argues with the goddess Palutena, comments on what's happening, and somehow finds time for jokes in the middle of a fight. Their banter can be just as entertaining as dealing with the next enemy. If you're reading subtitles, though, it can be hard to follow the dialogue and the action at the same time.

The biggest problem is the controls. With the standard setup, you move Pit with the analog stick, fire with the L button, and aim with the stylus. Meanwhile, you still have to figure out how to hold the console. You can get used to it, but not everyone will call the position comfortable. That's a shame, because the game itself is colorful, varied, and has excellent music.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate

In Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, you travel with a caravan and hunt monsters. You turn the materials you collect into weapons and armor, then head out after an even more dangerous target. Good equipment isn't enough, though. You also have to learn each monster's movements.

You swing a heavy sword, and the monster has already moved away. Try to drink a potion right in front of its face and you get smacked. Gradually you learn which attacks leave an opening and when it is better to let the monster rage without getting in its way.

This installment puts more emphasis on climbing and attacks from above. You can leap from a ledge onto a monster and, under the right conditions, mount its back. While it tries to throw you off, you have to hang on and keep attacking until you finally knock it to the ground.

There are 14 weapon types. The Insect Glaive, for example, lets you vault using the weapon and send out an insect to collect buffs. It feels completely different from slowly swinging a huge sword. If one weapon type doesn't click, it's worth trying another.

Grinding for materials can be a drag, though. If the part you need does not drop, you have to hunt the same monster again. The opening, with its simple errands, is pretty slow as well. But once you find a weapon that suits you and start understanding the hunt, it gets much harder to stop.

Bravely Default

Bravely Default has four heroes, crystals, jobs, and turn-based battles. At first glance, it looks like a fairly traditional Japanese RPG. But it lets you do some interesting things with your turns.

The Default command makes a character defend and save up action points. Later, Brave lets you spend them to take several actions in a single turn. You can wait out a dangerous boss attack, for example, then strike several times or quickly heal the party.

You can also spend points you don't have yet. Launch a string of attacks right away and hope to finish the battle quickly. If the enemies survive, you'll have to skip turns until the debt is paid off. Now they get to hit you freely while you can't do anything back. Against weak enemies that risk often pays off; with bosses, you need to be more careful.

There are lots of jobs, and their abilities can be combined. That makes you want to experiment with different party setups instead of simply leveling everyone up. The towns are also beautifully drawn, and the music is excellent.

But there is one major drawback. In the second half, the game makes you return to familiar events and battles. There is a story reason for it, but that does not make the repetition any less tiring. The battle system is still fun by then, but the story itself can start to wear you down.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

Another Zelda, but a completely different one. Here Link explores a 3D Hyrule, travels between childhood and adulthood, and tries to stop Ganondorf. It's a remake of the Nintendo 64 game, and the 3DS version noticeably improves the graphics and item controls.

Most of your time is spent exploring the world and clearing dungeons. You get a new item, figure out how to use it to open the way forward, and reach the boss. The Hookshot, for example, lets you latch onto certain points and pull yourself to places you couldn't reach with a normal jump. Later you might remember a similar spot elsewhere in the world and go back for a secret.

The map and inventory are moved to the lower screen. It is especially nice that the Iron Boots can now be assigned like a normal item. In the Water Temple you constantly put them on and take them off, and doing that without endless trips through the menu is much more convenient.

The game's age is still noticeable, though. Sometimes it's unclear exactly where to go next, and traveling through familiar areas takes time. But the dungeons, music, and Link's coming-of-age story are still worth experiencing. Especially if you missed the Nintendo 64 original.

Resident Evil Revelations

In Revelations, Jill Valentine and Parker Luciani head to a cruise ship to look for Chris Redfield. The vessel seems abandoned, but it quickly becomes clear that something is still on board. And these creatures are definitely not interested in welcoming guests.

You move through narrow corridors, find keys, open new rooms, and try not to waste all your ammo on the first monster you see. There's also the Genesis scanner, which helps you find hidden supplies and examine enemies. Sometimes it's worth stopping to search a room carefully.

For a Nintendo 3DS game, it looks excellent. The ship's interior is especially impressive: behind the next door you might find a beautiful hall or a thoroughly unpleasant creature. The story does occasionally switch to other characters and louder firefights, though. Those episodes aren't always as interesting as exploring the ship itself.

There's also Raid Mode. Here you play through separate enemy-filled stages, level up, and find more powerful weapons. It's easy to spend a long time tweaking your gear and trying to beat a familiar mission more efficiently. And you can play the mode solo.

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D

Donkey Kong's banana hoard is stolen, so he sets out after the thieves. The premise may not be very serious, but the game itself is tough. Under the cute graphics is a platformer where one bad jump can easily cost you several lives.

You run through jungles, leap between platforms, ride mine carts, and fly on a rocket-powered barrel. The levels keep changing, too. In one place the ground collapses under your feet; elsewhere you have to time jumps from one barrel cannon to the next. You don't always get a chance to stand still and look around.

Diddy Kong's jetpack lets you stretch a jump a little farther. Even with it, though, some sections have to be learned by heart. Mine-cart rides are the worst offenders: miss once and you're already falling into a pit.

This is a port of the Wii game. The 3DS version adds eight new levels and a more forgiving mode with extra health and useful items. It fits the game well. But if you want to finish everything and collect the hidden puzzle pieces and KONG letters, it still won't be an easy ride.

Where to Start?

For a first introduction, I'd pick A Link Between Worlds, Super Mario 3D Land, and Kirby: Planet Robobot. They make it easy to understand what you're supposed to do and get you to interesting levels almost immediately. If you want a bigger game that will last a while, go with Fire Emblem Awakening, Pokémon, or Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate.

Every game on this list runs on the standard Nintendo 3DS and 2DS, as well as the New models. You don't need to enable stereoscopic 3D to play them.