The 3DS launched♓ in 2011, and despite its rocky start, it has since become one of the most beloved consoles of all time. Its portability, wide array of game genres, multiplayer and social aspects, and charming clamshell design all contributed to the console's massive popularity.

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Despite 𒊎the 3DS and Wii U eShops shutting down in 2023, the 3DS still remains one of the strongest handheld consoles ever, with dozens of amazing games released throughout its lifetime. Below, we'll take a look at the best game for each year of the 3DS's supported life, from 2011 to 2019.

9 2011

Mario Kart 7

Mario, Luigi, and Bowser racing in Mario Kart 7
Mario Kart 7
Racing
Action

Released
December 1, 2011 🌄
ESRB
e
Developer(s)
Ninten🍬do, Nintendo EAD, Retro Studios
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Engine
havok𒁃 engine
How Long To Beat
8 hours

The 3DS's launch year was filled with several games that have since become staples of the console, including Super Mario 3D Land, Ocarina of Time 3D, and Star Fox 64 3D. But undoubtedly the best game to come out in the same year as th꧅e 3DS was Mario Kart 7.

Mario Kart 7 remains the best-selling 3DS game of all time, and it's easy to see why. Mario Kart has an everlasting universal appeal; it's easy to grasp, easy to pick up, and tons o🍌f fun with friends.

8 2012

Kid Icarus: Uprising

Pit flying with his bow and arrow.
Kid Icarus: Uprising
Third-Person Shooter

Released
🍌 March 23, 20🌊12
ESRB
E10+ For🧜 Everyone 10+ due to Comic Mischꩵief, Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes
Developer(s)
Sora Ltd.
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Engine
Unreal Engine 4 𒁃
Multiplayer
💛 🤡 Local Multiplayer

2012 was a relatively light year as far as 3DS releases go, but it did see two major games that shaped the future of the console, those being New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Kid Icarus: Uprising. We've given this spot to Kid Icarus due to its ingenuity, ma🥂king full use of the 3DS's capabilities with its 3D effect and touchscreen shooting.

While Kid Icarus still sadly remains a forgotten ser♏ies, it was at least able to go out with a bang with this game.

7 2013

Fire Emblem Awakening

fire emblem awakening art

Fire Emblem: Awakening

Released
February 4,🅺 2013
ESRB
𒁏 T For Teen due to Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes 🐓
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Engine
Unity
Platform(s)
3DS

The 3DS's titanic rise continued into 2013, when we saw the release of Fire Emblem Awakening. While Fire Emblem was definitely popular in its own right,♈ it wasn't until Awakeningღ that the franchise found widespread appeal.

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Fire Emblem Awakening bridged the gap between hardcore and casual players, offering a tactical RPG that all kinds of players can enjoy. From there, the series has only gotten more po⭕pular, but its popul🐠arity is largely due to 2013's Fire Emblem Awakening, making this a must-play 3DS game.

6 2014

Fantasy Life

Fantasy Life official art showing a knight on a horse overlooking fields with animals and plants.
Fantasy Life
RPG
Life Simulation

Released
ඣ October 24, 2014 🌌
ESRB
E10+ For Every🌞one 10+ Due To Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
Developer(s)
Level-5
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Engine
𝕴 Unreal Engine
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer ဣ
How Long To Beat
30 Hours

Fantasy Life is an action RPG and life simulation game where you play as one of 12 different jobs, with the option to freely chꦆange your job at any time to better suit your current goals. Despite releasing in the same year as the remakes of Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, there's nothing else quite like Fantasy Life on the 3DS, earning this spot for uniqueness.

Fantasy Life remains a cul🅷t classic, and its charming world and characters are still a joy to revisit, even now.

5 2015

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Promo cover art featuring Tigrex
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
Action RPG

Released
Februa𝕴ry 13, 2015 𝓀
ESRB
T For Teen Due To Blood, Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence 𒈔
Developer(s)
Capcom
Publisher(s)
Capcom
Engine
MT Framework Mobile ꦡ
Platform(s)
3DS

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is the expanded and upgraded version of the original game, and remains one of the best games in the Monster Hunter series. The cast of monsters available to hunt is not🤪hing short of massive, and you can find yourself immersed in its world for hundreds of hours.

Overall, 2015 was a great year for 3DS games, making this a difficult choice. We wouldn't blame you if you preferred Majora's Mask 3D, Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, Yo-kai Watch, or a෴ny of the dozens of amazing games that came out in 2015, but Monster Hunter's lasting impact and improvements over time have earned it𝕴self this spot.

4 2016

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse

The cover art for Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse
Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse

Released
♊ September 20, 2016 𝐆
ESRB
M For Mature🌜 17+ Due To Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Violence ♏
Developer(s)
Atlus
Publisher(s)
Atlus
Engine
Unreal Engine 4 ꧅
Platform(s)
3DS
How Long To Beat
44 Hours
Metascore
84

2016 was a great year not just for 3DS games, but for RPG fans in particular, with the releases of Pokemon Sun and Moon, Dragon Quest 7, Yo-kai Watch 2, Bravely Second, and Fire Emblem Fates, jus🍷t 🌄to name a few. While the 3DS has always been one of the best consoles for RPGs, this year in particular stands out.

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Shin Megami Tensei 4: Apocalypse is a sequel to Shin Megami Tensei 4, making quality-of-life improvements and tweaks to the gameplay for an overall better experience. Sh📖in🎉 Megami Tensei 4: Apocalypse is one of the most atmospheric and immersive entries in this massive series, solidifying its place as one of the best games on the 3DS.

3 2017

Pokemon Ultra Sun And Ultra Moon

Image of Dusk Mane Necrozma & Dawn Wings Necrozma
Pokemon Ultra Sun
RPG
Adventure

Released
ജ November 17, 2017
ESRB
e
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Multiplayer
ꦜ Online Multiplayer
Franchise
Pokemon
Metascore
84

Despite the 3DS winding down from 2017 on, largely due to the release of the Switch, there are still several notable games that came out in the console's later years, including Poke🌠mon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. These two entries are expanded versions of the seventh generation of Pokemon games, bringing players back to the Alola regioꦓn.

Ultra Sun and Moon made several improvements to the base games, with more catchable Pokemon, an expanded story, quality-of-life improvements, more mini-games, post-game content, and much more. The 3DS had several amazing Pokemon games during its life, and Ultra Sun and Moꦯon were a great send-off.

2 2018

Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology

Radiant Historia Perfect Chronology Cover
Radiant Historia Perfect Chronology Cover
Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology

Released
🐬 February 13, 2018 🅺
ESRB
T For Teen Due Toꦺ Fantasy Violence, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
Developer(s)
Atlus
Publisher(s)
Atlus
How Long To Beat
30 Hours
Metascore
85

Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology is an updated and expanded version of the original DS game. Despite releasing near the end of the 3DS's officially supported years, Radiant Historia is an outstanding eꦇxperience that shouldn't be missed.

You play as Stocke, a soldier who wields the White Chronicle to travel between past, present, and future, searching for a way to prevent t⛦he end of the world. Radiant Historia is a rare example of time-traveling mechanics that still give the player agency to explore 🍌where they want, searching for answers in different timelines.

1 2019

Etrian Odyssey Nexus

The main characters from Etrian Odyssey Nexus
Etrian Odyssey Nexus

Released
🔯 February 5, 2019
ESRB
t
Developer(s)
Atlus
Publisher(s)
Atlus
How Long To Beat
70 Hours

With the 3DS finally in its twilight years, releases definitely started to slow down, and by 2019 only a few new games were launched for the console. Throughout꧒ the 3DS's life, no series saw consistent success like the Etrian Odyssey series.

Etrian Odyssey Nexus is a capstone adventure to this dungeon-crawling RPG series, featuring dungeons, characters, and classes from all previous games in t♈he series. Etrian Odyssey thrived on the 3DS platform due to the touch screen, which is integral for drawing your own maps while exploring, and Nexus was the perfect send-off𒆙 for this series on the 3DS.

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