With the “overwhelming power” of the Switch, it is sometimes nice to get lost among the best games that have made even small consoles like the Nintendo 3DS great
Since the time of dear old Game Boy the best thing about this type of console was that you could always have your favorite videogame adventures in your pocket enclosed in a nice row of cartridges. In short, the cross and delight of every avid gamer and every self-respecting collector!
Obviously, the world of portable consoles has also moved on together with the home ones and today, although we are in the golden years of the “hybrid” Switch, sometimes it is better to look a little behind us with those we can consider some of the best games for the Nintendo 3DS.
Before going on, we need to make some clarifications
Of course we would like to clarify how it is literally impossible to put within a few lines all the best of the stock of the Grande N portable console, but we try anywayso you will need one second part sooner or later.
Another “caveat” concerns the fact that the order of these titles means nothing. There is no better or worse, for that there is the title of those virtual dogs or the special special on the most disappointing sequels, but simply those that made the stock of securities of the console in question.
A console that, like all laptops, has seen many titles made “just for” and even one endless string of cartridges with a hundred titles in one. Needless to say, most of the times these either didn’t work or they were a re-proposal of the same, but it happens. But now we’ve talked enough so it’s time to kick off the dance!
New Super Mario Bros. – Nintendo 3DS: some of the best (portable) games
It was practically impossible not to start with this authentic jewel of the 2006 which takes up the deeds of our favorite plumber of all time in two dimensions and above all pocket-sized, the last time it happened in the early 90s with Super Mario Land 2 per Game Boy. Again Mario will have to try to save the Princess Peach kidnapped for the umpteenth time by Bowseramong colorful levels, hidden worlds, exceptional power ups, always spot on music signed by Kōji Kondō and many references to his countless past adventures. A few years later the following, but it must be said that he did not take too much and was criticized a lot by the players also for his excessive ease and the almost non-existence of the game over by dint of stars upon stars. Obviously the first historical chapter does not fight, but you can always pay homage to it!
Donkey Kong Country Returns – Nintendo 3DS: some of the best (portable) games
Arrived after the splendid Country trilogy for the SNESwe have dedicated two appointments to the first two chapters and we hope to do the same with the third, this title immediately brings us back to the Caribbean atmosphere of Donkey e Diddy. The most famous pair of primates of all time, this time, will not have to contend with the Kremlings, but rather with the members of the tribù on Tiki Tak what else are they but gods anthropomorphic musical instruments that hypnotize other animals and scrub all their bananas. Guess who will join the fray? A really interesting chapter especially if we consider that it was the predecessor of Tropical Freeze! By the way, it’s also time to see a new chapter for our trusty primate, don’t you agree too?
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS – Nintendo 3DS: some of the best (handheld) games
If there is one thing that absolutely could not be missing, even in the portable version, it was the possibility of beating with both hands in a series of no holds barred clashes between the characters, and the most beloved locations of the Big N and beyond! Also released on the ill-fated Wii U, this title of the Super Smash Bros. saga was the predecessor of the mammoth Ultimate and really manages to defend itself great. Have a couple of meetings and workouts to see it with your own eyes, always trying to keep in mind that you are talking about the “limits” of a portable console.
Mario Kart 7 – Nintendo 3DS: some of the best (portable) games
One of the craziest and most incredible mariesque racing sagas certainly could not fail to appear on this one as well portable consolewe remember that in 2001 Mario Kart: Super Circuit was released for the Game Boy Advanceand the seventh chapter seems to have been the good one especially for the possibility the enjoy the races firsthand. Here in fact appear most of the elements that would later be seen on the fantastic eighth chapter for Switch such as the ability to customize your kart up to the tires, flying on a hang glider and even returning to old tracks.
Luigi’s Mansion 2 – Nintendo 3DS: some of the best (portable) games
More than ten years have passed since the first chapter of the saga started on GameCube, we have already talked about it more in depth here, but it seems that the ghostly adventures of the good Luigi are far from having an end! This time a Dark Moon, which is able to keep ghosts good so the professor Strambic can study them, it is broken into several pieces and then Luigi will have to get back into action by returning to save Mario and cabbage with the new Poltergust 5000 and other bizarre tools. Obviously, behind all this, it is hand of King Boo it is more than evident, but it will be again the task of the very green Luigi to stop him!
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass – Nintendo 3DS: some of the best (handheld) games
A very interesting chapter for the endless adventures of our good old Link, and that we have already seen in a special dedicated to the most successful sequels, which take place again at sea. Direct sequel to the magnificent The Wind Waker for GameCubein this title we see Link who will try to save Dazel kidnapped by a shadowy ghost shipFlying Dutch style so to speak, together with the scary and superb Linebeck. An interesting element will then be the customization of your vessel and the use of the console’s internal microphone to solve some puzzles on the various islands that characterize this “Liquid Hyrule”.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker – Nintendo 3DS: some of the best (portable) games
We also return here to the world of friends, or colleagues if you prefer, of the good mustachioed Mario whose deeds will appear in one way or another anyway. The undisputed protagonist of this much more “bizarre” title is Toad who, in the guise of explorer, will have to load a very heavy backpack to wander through semi-labyrinthine environments and collect the stars. Here our dear mushroom will then have to save Toadette from Wingo’s clutches juggling, without jumping, in these environments that refer to Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario Odyssey. Then, if you want to try it, then, we remind you that there is also for the Switch stock park.
Mario Party DS – Nintendo 3DS: some of the best (handheld) games
Of course the Mario Party saga, started on the famous 64 bit and continued up to the most recent chapters for Switch, could not miss. After all, what better option for a portable console than to make it even more “cute” thanks to many mini games in the company of dear old people Mario, Peach, Luigi, Daisy, Wario, Waluigi, Yoshi e Toad? This time our heroes have been made microscopic due to the Bowser Shrinker and to return to normal they will have to overcome the various boards and collect fragments of a meteorite, recently crashed in the Mushroom Kingdom, called “Cosmic Crystals”. So roll the dice and go with the fun mini challenges!
Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon – Nintendo 3DS: some of the best (handheld) games
Although these are two games in their own right, when it comes to the pocket creatures created by the good Satoshi Tajiri now more than twenty years ago, it is impossible not to treat them together. In short, a bit like Sword and Shield, Shining Diamond and Shining Pearl, the upcoming Scarlet and Violet or Sun and Moon of which these titles are the natural evolution as well as improvement. Here our coaches will move to the wonderful Alola region and among the main antagonists will be the Legendary Pokémon Necrozma and the Team Rainbow Rocket which is a kind of “best of” of the villains of a few generations ago starting from Giovanni di Rosso. Needless to say, get ready to stock up on Pokémon.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D – Nintendo 3DS: some of the best (portable) games
Obviously we have already talked about Link’s exploits above, but it was impossible not to mention, at least in this first part, the pocket version of one of the largest chapters that make The Legend of Zelda saga even more magical. Basically this is the repurposing in portable sauce, and improved especially in terms of commands and graphics, of that giant that landed on the 64-bit of the Kyoto house at the end of the nineties. We also point out that, at the end of the game, you can also choose the “Mode” Master Quest! Of course, now this game has also arrived on Switch, including the dark one Majora’s Maskand it seems that you can also play it on PC, but you want to play it with a console that fits comfortably in your pocket?
Animal Crossing: New Leaf – Nintendo 3DS: some of the best (portable) games
A lot of water has passed under the bridge since a curious title for the never too celebrated 64-bit landed for the first time in Japan. A curious “simulator” where, simply, they tried to live a much more peaceful and carefree life. Initially known as Animal Forest and then made available to the whole world under the name of Animal Crossing, the series has known several consoles including this laptop. In this chapter, for the first time, the protagonists were more human and the possibility of customization had expanded, for example with clothes, even the plants and animals were more similar to their real counterparts, the use of the amiibo and so on. Furthermore, here we were not a simple inhabitant, but rather the mayor! If you enjoyed the recent New Horizons chapter, and related DLC like Happy Home Paradise, we suggest you take a look at this chapter too!
Storing console, stylus and cartridges
In conclusion this was the first part of the best titles for the Nintendo 3DS, have you tried them all or is there still someone missing from your videogame experience? In any case, we hope to bring the second part to the pages of this site, also because there are so many titles, and we also hope to be able to play them in a new guise.
Since, some time ago, leaks suggested the arrival of titles for the good old Game Boy on the Switch, let’s say that it would not be a bad thing to be able to take advantage of the “Hybrid” of the Grande N to reproduce these fantastic portable adventures on his screen or on that of television. What do you think? Would you play with it?
Anyway, if you want too to retrieve…