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[Linkstrikesback]

Reading your list and it seems the DS was the last bastion of cart-based sprite based. Kinda sad.

My assumption was Nintendo and third parties dropped it either because spriting costs more than 3d modelling now, didn't work easily with the 3D the system was pushing (they said earlier on the 3D classics they made took a lot more effort than they expected), or some combination of both.

It's probably not coming back.

 

[Aostia]

I agree Op
I even struggle to identify my favourite game due to the many masterpieces I loved

 

[Roguey1Kenobi]

Agreed. 3DS is my favourite ever system from Nintendo & I've been around since before the NES came out.

Superb library of games.

 

[Qwyjibo]

A Link Between Worlds is what brought me back to Nintendo (SNES being the last Nintendo console until that point). The 3DS line is amazing. Regardless of it's huge technical limitations nowadays.

I would say my 3DS gets equal use to my PS4 (with PC getting the most). The RPG library for it is almost overwhelming. I've already put in insane amounts of hours into SMT4, Devil Surivovr 1 and 2, Xenoblade Chronicles, FE Awakening and still have a huge backlog (Dragon Quest 7 and 8, SMT Apocalpyse, both Bravely Default games, and a couple others).

The 3DS being so good and still supported scratches both the Nintendo and portable itch where I have zero desire to blow money on a Switch any time soon.

 

[Shifty1897]

The 3DS is a great system but the price of games for it is insane. Like, how are 6 year old games still selling on the eShop for full MSRP? Most places at retail, too. I bought into the 3DS lifecycle late because I was hoping to play a lot of amazing games at a $20 or less price point but I never thought everything would still be $40.

 

[Jonneh3003]

The 3DS is a great system but the price of games for it is insane. Like, how are 6 year old games still selling on the eShop for full MSRP? Most places at retail, too. I bought into the 3DS lifecycle late because I was hoping to play a lot of amazing games at a $20 or less price point but I never thought everything would still be $40.

Nintendo games rarely lose their value unless Nintendo publishes them in the Selects line.

 

[Chopper]

It's library doesn't even compare to any of Nintendo's former portables, let alone one of the best ever lol

Whatever the 3DS did, the GBA and the NDS did three times over.

I agree with NDS. But GBA? Hell no.

 

[Dangansona]

It's library doesn't even compare to any of Nintendo's former portables, let alone one of the best ever lol

Whatever the 3DS did, the GBA and the NDS did three times over.

That's the truth.

 

[entremet]

The 3DS is a great system but the price of games for it is insane. Like, how are 6 year old games still selling on the eShop for full MSRP? Most places at retail, too. I bought into the 3DS lifecycle late because I was hoping to play a lot of amazing games at a $20 or less price point but I never thought everything would still be $40.

Nintendo tax. Check out the Nintendo Selects line. Not every game in on the Selects line, but quite a bit of good one.

 

[Peltz]

I definitely think ALBW uses 3D the best. It's not too intense like some games.

3DS, from a first party perspective, has been great. It's also been bad in some cases.

The 60fps helps a lot with making the 3D effect easy on the eyes.

 

[Realeza]

It's fucking sublime, and with the Atlus games still in the horizon, it's not even on its final form.

 

[Snacks the sober sea lion]

I've never played any of the Etrian Odyssey games though.

what should i do

 

[Drek]

The NES library was directly responsible for re-introducing video games into both the American and Japanese mainstream.

The Gameboy's library was the basis upon which the very concept of handheld gaming was effectively built.

The SNES is considered by many to be the all-time greatest gaming library ever.

The DS had basically all the highlights of the 3DS taken to 11.

The 3DS falls into the same niche as the N64, Gamecube, and to a lesser extent the Wii U. Strong first party support, a few 3rd party standouts, but the list of truly great games gets shallow really quickly.

It's a great litmus test for how firmly someone view the world through rose tinted glasses though.

Kid Icarus is an outright failure in handheld game design beyond even the MonHun claw grip on PSP levels and yet people in this thread are claiming it's an all-time great title.

DQ8 is an across the board presentation downgrade one what remains one of the best audio-visual JRPG experiences out there, but "Quality of Life" things like no random battles make it better? I'm sorry but when did random battles become an inherently bad thing in a JRPG?

And the 3DS popularization of Fire Emblem came at the expense of what many fans liked about the franchise (meaningful strategic choice) and at the same time effectively killed another great franchise in Advance Wars. No AW is one hell of a black mark.

The very OP of this thread in both text and in the game image included effectively touts inferior versions of multi-plat games as a highlight with Steamworld Dig, Snake Eater, Mario Maker, SFIV, Virtue's Last Reward, etc..

The 3DS lives in a very specific niche. If you like a blend of Nintendo first party titles and the traditional Japanese handheld IPs (MonHun, Etrian Odyssey, Layton, Wright) it has value. I personally do but I'm not about to argue it remotely compares to the DS or SNES in overall library. It is more comparable to the PSP and the GBA, the later largely a product of it's incredibly short lifespan.

 

[D.Lo]

The 3DS is a great system but the price of games for it is insane. Like, how are 6 year old games still selling on the eShop for full MSRP? Most places at retail, too. I bought into the 3DS lifecycle late because I was hoping to play a lot of amazing games at a $20 or less price point but I never thought everything would still be $40.

Nintendo games maintain their value because unlike most the rest of the industry they aren't chasing the front-loaded mega hype blockbuster model.

It actually makes it feel less stupid to buy a game at launch or early, even if you don't have time to play it much right away, because you know it will maintain value for years, or maybe even forever. Unlike when you buy a big hyped PS360/PS4Bone game, and get to it a year later and realise you wasted $50 because it is now $5 in the bargain bin.

 

[Spieler Eins]

I agree with NDS. But GBA? Hell no.

GBA was way overloaded with ports and remakes, but I still commend Nintendo for launching several new IPs like Warioware, Golden Sun and Mario & Luigi, while having Fire Emblem and Advance Wars firstly localised.

3DS is just sequels and at best some new stuff in the eshop.

 

[Draconian]

Amen to this thread. It also reminds me that I still need to get a Link Between Worlds. Just got Metroid and am looking forward to the Mario and Luigi remake and Radiant Historia. Hopefully we'll get Dragon Quest next year too. What a library indeed.

 

[kunonabi]

yeah, it's up there for me too. It's their best handheld library, although you could certainly make a case for the DS, and i'd certainly rank it above the GC, N64, and Wii U even if the latter two had higher highs. I'd probably put it third behind the Wii and SNES. Not sure about the NES since I still have a bunch of stuff to work though on the Famicom side of things.

 

[PensivePen]

I've never played any of the Etrian Odyssey games though.

what should i do

There's a demo for Etrian Odyssey V on the eshop, give it a try. If you like it the saves will transfer over to the full version.

 

[chrisPjelly]

Yep. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the 3ds waaaay more than I did with the DS.

 

[Biske]

Crimson Shroud.

Perfection.

My man!!!


When we some day get the Ogre Battle March of the Black Queen on VC, the world will be perfect.


OP lost me at Kid Icarus though. Game was a hot mess.

 

[Plinko]

GBA is easily the most overrated handheld library. I'll never understand the high praise for it.

 

[rahji]

Give me a good deal for a EU 3DS XL and I will buy one gladly.

 

[Snacks the sober sea lion]

There's a demo for Etrian Odyssey V on the eshop, give it a try. If you like it the saves will transfer over to the full version.

Is there an ideal one to start with?

 

[Ashby]

GBA is easily the most overrated handheld library. I'll never understand the high praise for it.

Hell, if for no other reason, it doesn't compete just because of how short-lived it was.

 

[nicolasacmf]

Good to see OP give Kid Icarus Uprising some recognition. Fantastic, underrated game. One of Nintendo's best.

 

[TwistedFreeze]

Hell, if for no other reason, it doesn't compete just because of how short-lived it was.

For how short lived it was, it's library is damn good. I'd argue the 3DS has better games but the GBA has more good games

 

[Megatron]

The title says it has one of Nintendo's best libraries, but then the OP includes some third party games. I think it does have a really great first party lineup, but this was the gen when Nintendo's third party woes caught up to them. I think 3ds first parties are better than the daughter first party titles, but the de 3rd party titles are better an the 3ds's.

Also, I would like to see the op add another row of games to the image. He's missing donkey long country returns, paper jam and the yooka I watch games.

 

[Fularu]

I own all but 3 of the titles in the OP's picture

So yep

 

[seady]

Imo the 3DS is just a shadow of the NDS and not as good. All the great games that are on it are sequels to the innovation that started out on the NDS.

The NDS was the one that was truly great and innovative.

 

[Aters]

I think NES, SNES, GBA, NGC,WII, DS, 3DS all have a great library and you can make a case for any of them having the best one.

 

[Jonneh3003]

The title says it has one of Nintendo's best libraries, but then the OP includes some third party games. I think it does have a really great first party lineup, but this was the gen when Nintendo's third party woes caught up to them. I think 3ds first parties are better than the daughter first party titles, but the de 3rd party titles are better an the 3ds's.

Also, I would like to see the op add another row of games to the image. He's missing donkey long country returns, paper jam and the yooka I watch games.

I could have added another 10 rows if I had all day

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

OP says Nintendo libraries. No GBA. No N64. No GC. A small selection of SNES.

Besides, can you tell me with a straight face a 3DS game would land in anyone's top 10 list? The barebones online functionality should disclose most already.

You're right, online functionality was where the GBA, N64, and GC shone the brightest

 

[NMFried]

My pride and joy.

 

[cireza]

I prefer the GBA and the DS to the 3DS.

 

[Tom Nook Sawyer]

I prefer the GBA and the DS to the 3DS.

Same.

 

[Hale-XF11]

Not as good or as diverse as DS, but pretty good.

 

[ZangBa]

I was thinking of getting a 2DS XL after the power was out from the hurricane just to have something to do at night while I was melting away, but there isn't a single game in the OP's image I'd actually want to play besides Monster Hunter 4. I miss my PSP :/.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Yeah, the 3DS ended up being one of my favorite systems of all time. It's weird. It sure as shit didn't have a good start, but man did Nintendo turn things around.

My favorite game on the system is probably A Link Between Worlds... favorite hidden gem would be Stella Glow. But there are dozens of great games I'd wholeheartedly recommend people on there.

 

[solarus]

DS crushes it.
Ouendan bitches

 

[Man God]

They killed it last generation with the 3DS and Wii U. Some of the best Nintendo games ever made.

They basically supported the Wii U single handily enough to make it one of my Top Five home consoles. Impressive feat.

 

[gogojira]

Now that Samus Returns has me playing my 3DS again, I think I'm going to have to take a look at some of the classics I missed. I feel like I played a decent number of the more iconic 3DS games, but I've definitely missed some, too.

 

[VDenter]

They killed it last generation with the 3DS and Wii U. Some of the best Nintendo games ever made.

They basically supported the Wii U single handily enough to make it one of my Top Five home consoles. Impressive feat.

Man i couldn't have a more different view than that. The Wii U era to me was Nintendo at their lowest point.

 

[Duxxy3]

That screen though... man, that screen was just awful.

 

[Firemind]

You're right, online functionality was where the GBA, N64, and GC shone the brightest

Strip away the online features in Animal Crossing and it's basically the original GC game, yes.

I'm excited about the prospect of the first fully realized online capable Animal Crossing on the Switch though.

 

[Stone Ocean]

GBA is easily the most overrated handheld library. I'll never understand the high praise for it.

It had a fuckton of high quality first party games, including the start of several great franchises and a bunch of great exclusives.

 

[phanphare]

I don't even think you have to limit it to just Nintendo

the 3DS has one of the best gaming libraries of any console ever

thing is a beast

 

[starmud]

I'm not really sure why people separate the DS and the 3DS. It's the same ecosystem, the 3DS was never a true "new" platform. The OS and eshop were natural progressions from the DS and DSiWare. I can buy DSiWare today from the eshop that was released eons ago much less use the same charger.

I see the DS much like the game boy. we had revisions and technical upgrades that weren't compatablie with previous revisions. the platform slowly progressed and built upon each new release and shed little of the older features along the way. Carts did still change.

I find a lot of gamers hold onto their nostalgia for the DS and the first time experiencing it and what it had to offer. it's hard to see the 3DS as better. other than the flop 3D effect and vastly better graphics, it's the same concepts left to surprise you.

It also hurts that almost every popular DS franchise slid over to 3DS, many didn't bother following the series they enjoyed on DS and see the 3DS as receiving scraps that were already played out. Other than graphics many didn't progress and waned out on the 3DS.

That said, the 3DS is my favorite portable because it's the pinnacle of the DS's run and I don't miss DS graphics lol

The catalog of content is easily top 3 of all time. As for nintendo content only, it takes first place for me.

 

[phanphare]

I'm not really sure why people separate the DS and the 3DS. It's the same ecosystem, the 3DS was never a true "new" platform. The OS and eshop were natural progressions from the DS and DSiWare. I can buy DSiWare today from the eshop that was released eons ago much less use the same charger.

I see the DS much like the game boy. we had revisions and technical upgrades that weren't compatablie with previous revisions. the platform slowly progressed and built upon each new release and shed little of the older features along the way. Carts did still change.

I find a lot of gamers hold onto their nostalgia for the DS and the first time experiencing it and what it had to offer. it's hard to see the 3DS as better. other than the flop 3D effect and vastly better graphics, it's the same concepts left to surprise you.

It also hurts that almost every popular DS franchise slid over to 3DS, many didn't bother following the series they enjoyed on DS and see the 3DS as receiving scraps that were already played out. Other than graphics many didn't progress and waned out on the 3DS.

That said, the 3DS is my favorite portable because it's the pinnacle of the DS's run and I don't miss DS graphics lol

The catalog of content is easily top 3 of all time. As for nintendo content only, it takes first place for me.

people separate the DS and 3DS for the same reason they separate the PS1, PS2, PS3, and PS4

because they're different console gens

 

[Zoibie]

This thread just made me remember I haven't played Ace Attorney 6 yet and I desperately want to find the time to do so. Also Layton vs Ace Attorney, but I'm not as enthused about that.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

This thread just made me remember I haven't played Ace Attorney 6 yet and I desperately want to find the time to do so. Also Layton vs Ace Attorney, but I'm not as enthused about that.

I'm in the same boat with Layton. I have the game... had it for years, actually. Never got around to playing it. I really should -- I'm not necessarily into the Layton series proper, but I do love AA.