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A Link to the Past · Jan 3, 2017

I mean seriously - we got two of the best Pokemon games ever (easily my second favorite Pokemon gen, if not my favorite), a great new Phoenix Wright entry, a new Rhythm Heaven, Picross 3D Round 2 (even if I think less fondly than other people do of it

), my favorite Kirby game since Super Star, another BOXBOY game, a solid pair of Fire Emblem games, etc. And that's not even nearly the full list of good games we saw on the system this year. With 2015, I was very convinced that the 3DS was done more or less. It had some good games, but the biggest tentpoles were ports and remakes. I'm definitely glad that the 3DS had one really good year left.

Megatron · Jan 3, 2017

Yeah, and we got snes vc! Portable earthbound!

culafia · Jan 3, 2017

It was a good year, but I'd argue Spirit of Justice is one of the worst entries in the series, and Birthright was not a good Fire Emblem game.

hamchan · Jan 3, 2017

Nintendo focused on its platform that's actually successful.

robotrock · Jan 3, 2017

Fire Emblem, Rhythm Heaven, and Picross 3D 2 released in 2015

Atheerios · Jan 3, 2017

Yeah. It definitely surprised me. 2016 was a pretty good year for the 3DS, and a perfect final year for it. However 2017 will be its last hurrah.

NinjaCoachZ · Jan 3, 2017

No kidding. I was fully prepared for this year to be barren and that everyone (Nintendo and third-parties) was all hands on deck for the Switch, but this was actually really damn good. Kirby: Planet Robobot was a great followup to Triple Deluxe, and Pokemon Sun/Moon may honestly just be my GOTYs. There's even plenty of cool stuff that came out in Japan that could stand to be localized (e.g. Monster Hunter Stories, Sega Classics Collection 3). I'm really pleasantly surprised with how 2016 turned out for the little handheld that could.

eojoko · Jan 3, 2017

A selection of on only some of the major 3DS releases in 2016:

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Final Fantasy Explorers
Fire Emblem: Fates
Pokémon Gen 1 on Virtual Console
Return to PoPoLoCrois
Hyrule Warriors Legends
Bravely Second
Langrisser Re:Incarnation
Sega 3D Classics Collection
Pocket Card Jockey
Rhythm Heaven Megamix
Kirby Planet Robobot
Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma
BoxBoxBoy!
Monster Hunter Generations
7th Dragon 3DS
...Metroid Prime: Federation Force
Picross 3D: Round 2
Shin Megami Tense IV: Apocalypse
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice
Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past
Yo-kai Watch 2
River City: Tokyo Rumble
Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice
Pokémon Sun & Moon
Mario Party: Star Rush
Super Mario Maker for 3DS

A very good year indeed!

A Link to the Past · Jan 3, 2017

Atheerios said:
Yeah. It definitely surprised me. 2016 was a pretty good year for the 3DS, and a perfect final year for it. However 2017 will be its last hurrah.

I'm just wondering how good a year 2017 will be. The only game I can think of off the top of my head for 3DS in development is Farewell BOXBOY!

Garraboa · Jan 3, 2017

I'm not saying list wars is needed to further emphazise the point here, but I need list wars.

random25 · Jan 3, 2017

It's funny how a lot here thought the 3DS would be dead by 2016. And it actually ended up having a better year with all the games that came out last year. It may be rough with the Switch coming this year, but damn it's still ending on a high note (in Japan at least) with Monster Hunter XX and Dragon Quest XI as its probably last big new games.

The12thGripper · Jan 3, 2017

A Link to the Past said:
I'm just wondering how good a year 2017 will be. The only game I can think of off the top of my head for 3DS in development is Farewell BOXBOY!

iirc (for NA), there's Ever Oasis, Dragon Quest 8, Mario Sports Superstars and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World

EDIT: I forgot about the 3DS Pikmin game and there's a digital-only tank game too.

Delusibeta · Jan 3, 2017

One of the major things that that the Switch will put an end to is Nintendo's policy of alternating most of its first party focus between it's home console and its handheld. The main reason why 2016 was so good to the 3DS was because Nintendo neglected the WiiU, and in turn the main reason 2015 was so bad for the 3DS is that most of the Nintendo first party attention was on the WiiU. Hopefully, moving forward Nintendo will be focused on the Switch full time.

7Th · Jan 3, 2017

A good final year but it won't survive Pokemon jumping ship.

A Link to the Past · Jan 3, 2017

The12thGripper said:
iirc (for NA), there's Ever Oasis, Dragon Quest 8, Mario Sports Superstars and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World

EDIT: I forgot about the 3DS Pikmin game and there's a digital-only tank game too.

Ah, okay, so I suppose there's definitely some decent stuff to look forward to. Dragon Quest VIII I just completely forgot about.

I hope 2017 has a Devil Survivor title, that'd be rad.

tmarg · Jan 3, 2017

Has it been announced if the west is getting MH stories?

NinjaCoachZ · Jan 3, 2017

tmarg said:
Has it been announced if the west is getting MH stories?

It hasn't. The weirdest thing is the anime got a simulcast dub from Funimation. Maybe they're holding off for a Switch version? (It's cliche to say that but, I mean, have you seen the resolution in its trailers?)

Dr. Worm · Jan 3, 2017

Man God · Jan 3, 2017

2016 was the second best year of the system in the US. The best was 2013.

NoblesseOblige · Jan 3, 2017

It's the first Gameboy I've bought since the Advance SP. So... first gameboy in 13 years? I only got it because I wanted to see where Pokemon is at. I hadn't played it since Red/Blue.

Galang · Jan 3, 2017

The last Fire Emblem games feels so undeservedly forgotten.

vall03 · Jan 3, 2017

2016 was great for the 3DS. Played a lot of games and I haven't even bought all of them yet.

Just fucking give me Etrian Odyssey V localization please!

jwhit28 · Jan 3, 2017

Man God said:
2016 was the second best year of the system in the US. The best was 2013.

2013 was stacked. FE: Awakening, LoZ Link Between Worlds, Pokemon XY, AC New Leaf, EOIV, SMTIV, SMT Soul Hackers, MH3U, Rune Factory 4

EvilMario · Jan 3, 2017

Any year with Monster Hunter and Pokemon is a good year for me. Yeah, it was really solid in contrast to the pathetic Wii U showing. 3DS might be winding down soon, but it's not dead.

orthodoxy1095 · Jan 3, 2017

Rhythm Heaven really felt it had the lasting impact of a fart in the wind. I totally meant to buy it but completely forgot it even was coming out.

Lord of Ostia · Jan 3, 2017

Yeah 3DS had a good year, lots of great titles. Probably part of why WiiU had such an awful year, but if we can only get one, I'd pick 3DS.

Sterok · Jan 3, 2017

After the garbage that was 2015, I was expecting 2016 to just be Fire Emblem and not much else. Instead there was a constant supply of new and excellent games (from our perspective) that kept me busy the entire year. It was a little heavy on the RPG side, but even ignoring those we got Kirby, Rhythm Heaven, Monster Hunter, BoxBoxBoy, Phoenix Wright, Picross, Mario Maker, and many more games on other genres. A pity Federation Force turned out how it did, because otherwise 2016 could have been in the running for the 3DS's best year.

GamerJM · Jan 3, 2017

I think 2015 is kinda underrated despite not being very good at all, but yeah 2016 was really good. Fitting end to the platform. It was pretty much the only platform this year I really liked.

dreamlongdead · Jan 3, 2017

2016 was an excellent year for RPG fans in particular. Kirby: Planet Robobot, Style Savvy: Fashion Forward, Rhythm Heaven Megamix are a few of the standout non-RPG releases. I have been very happy with the games, but the variety has been lacking for the past two years.

The12thGripper said:
iirc (for NA), there's Ever Oasis, Dragon Quest 8, Mario Sports Superstars and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World

EDIT: I forgot about the 3DS Pikmin game and there's a digital-only tank game too.

The Etrian Odyssey V localization has not been announced yet, but I think it's only a matter of time before it happens. 2017 will be pretty dry, but my retail and eShop collection is quite robust at this point.

Man God · Jan 3, 2017

jwhit28 said:
2013 was stacked. FE: Awakening, LotZ Link Between Worlds, Pokemon XY, AC New Leaf, EOIV, SMTIV, SMT Soul Hackers, MH3U, Rune Factory 4

Yep. Barely missed getting Bravely Default (which Europe got) in the same early slot DQ VIII got in 2017.

I'm still clearing out my 2013 3DS backlog to this day. I think I bought right around 30 games on the 3DS that year.

entremet · Jan 3, 2017

Too bad many people couldn't buy them during the holiday season!

smh @ Nintendo.

ChrisD · Jan 3, 2017

It's no 2013, but it was pretty good. Pokemon was my main game this year.

ryseing · Jan 3, 2017

Galang said:
The last Fire Emblem games feels so undeservedly forgotten.

Something about it didn't click with me like Awakening did. Conquest definitely has better map design but I'm struggling to call it a better game, probably because characters are an important part of the franchise for me and Fates had some really forgettable ones on both paths.

Lord of Ostia · Jan 3, 2017

ryseing said:
Something about it didn't click with me like Awakening did. Conquest definitely has better map design but I'm struggling to call it a better game, probably because characters are an important part of the franchise for me and Fates had some really forgettable ones on both paths.

Fates has the worst narrative in the series, except for maybe FE1/Shadow Dragon.

Grief.exe · Jan 3, 2017

Trickle down Pokemon GO

matrix-cat · Jan 3, 2017

Between Pokemon Sun and Picross 3D 2 I've been on my 3DS in pretty much every moment of spare time this year. Just bought Ace Attorney 6 in the Christmas sale, too, and I still haven't started BoxBoxBoy.

TaterTots · Jan 3, 2017

Atheerios said:
Yeah. It definitely surprised me. 2016 was a pretty good year for the 3DS, and a perfect final year for it. However 2017 will be its last hurrah.

Yea, 2017-2018 are the last years imo. Too many sales as of late for Nintendo to abandon it.

diaspora · Jan 3, 2017

Lord of Ostia said:
Fates has the worst narrative in the series, except for maybe FE1/Shadow Dragon.

Fates has the worst story across any video game I've played in recent memory.

Bronetta · Jan 3, 2017

2015 surprised me with the amount of quality releases 3DS got when you thought itd be winding down

Fire Emblem Fates
Kirby Planet Robobot
SMT4 Apocalypse
Bravely Second
Pokemon Moon

Theyre all lengthy games too.

Opa-Pa · Jan 3, 2017

Looking back, I didn't really realize how much worse last year was, probably thanks to the many Sega 3D Classics releases on the eShop and a couple of highlight games like Majora's Mask 3D, MH4U and Yokai Watch. I think I cleared a lot of stuff from my backlog too and that helped.

But god damn, was 2016 just fantastic for the 3DS, it was definitely my main platform. Hyrule Warriors Legends, Yokai Watch 2, Pokemon SuMo, Rhythm Heaven, Ace Attorney 6, River City Ransom TR, and my GOTY and favorite RPG on the system: SMT4 Apocalypse. Too damn good, and I still have to play Bravely Second, Robobot and Dragon Quest VII.

I don't think it'll be its last breath tho, this year is shaping up pretty decently and there's a couple of still unlocalized games I'm expecting like Etrian Odyssey v. Crossing my fingers for YW Busters, YW3 and MH Stories...

But yeah, I'm expecting the little thing to survive until early 2018.

Man God · Jan 3, 2017

This year should probably be worse than 2016 and better than 2015. It really depends on exactly what gets brought over and what is skipped/moved over to Switch.

stuminus3 · Jan 3, 2017

Opa-Pa said:
Looking back, I didn't really realize how much worse last year was, probably thanks to the many Sega 3D Classics releases on the eShop and a couple of highlight games like Majora's Mask 3D, MH4U and Yokai Watch. I think I cleared a lot of stuff from my backlog too and that helped.

But god damn, was this year just fantastic for the 3DS, it was definitely my main platform. Hyrule Warriors Legends, Yokai Watch 2, Pokemon SuMo, Rhythm Heaven, Ace Attorney 6, River City Ransom TR, and my GOTY and favorite RPG on the system: SMT4 Apocalypse. Too damn good, and I still have to play Bravely Second, Robobot and Dragon Quest VII.

Most people were glad to see the back of 2016, you seem to be stuck in it.

ar4757 · Jan 3, 2017

jwhit28 said:
2013 was stacked. FE: Awakening, LoZ Link Between Worlds, Pokemon XY, AC New Leaf, EOIV, SMTIV, SMT Soul Hackers, MH3U, Rune Factory 4

For sure

And nice RF4 mention

Unicorn · Jan 3, 2017

OP sleepin' on Monster Hunter. 2015 MH4U was the best in the series with amazing post-release content. 2016 had MHG (which I didn't play outside of the demo) but was basically a greatest hits in terms of included monsters.

I'd be down for 2017 and 2018 to continue having releases, but everyone is already on the narrative of it being dead all because of Switch.

ryseing · Jan 3, 2017

Lord of Ostia said:
Fates has the worst narrative in the series, except for maybe FE1/Shadow Dragon.

diaspora said:
Fates has the worst story across any video game I've played in recent memory.

Agreed 100%. IntSys needs to step away from the self-insert avatars as their inclusions handicap storytelling to an unfortunate degree.

Devilgunman · Jan 3, 2017

People predicted 2016 to be a bad year for 3DS were high. How could it be bad when we knew a new Fire Emblem, DQVII, and Monster Hunter are coming out?

Unicorn · Jan 3, 2017

Also the Animal Crossing: Welcome Amiibo update is legit as fuck

nearly 800 new items, tons of QoL improvements, new daily/weekly tasks to earn new currency, fuckton of storage that triples what a closet can hold, 2 amazing minigames you can play in your house a la NES games from GC AC, and the HHD room editing that makes rearranging easy and enjoyable. It feels like a true expansion - for free. Best update to a game since Burnout Paradise had the huge free update.

That said, there are still tons of games I'd love to come west-side:
Mon-Hun Stories
Dragon Quest Monsters Remake
Dragon Quest Monsters 2 Remake
and other stuff I can't think of right now.

Sgt.Pepper · Jan 3, 2017

entremet said:
Too bad many people couldn't buy them during the holiday season!

smh @ Nintendo.

Really? The only out sold 3ds shipment I heard about was the 99 usd deal from Amazon.

NOLA_Gaffer · Jan 3, 2017

Really regret not loading up on 3DS software during Best Buy's B1G1 sale, but I was trying to limit my spending this year.

Glass Rebel · Jan 3, 2017

If you're into RPGs, this might have been the best year of the system.

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3DS had a bizarrely good 2016 considering its 2015.

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