The Nintendo 3DS put eye-popping graphics into players hands everywhere when it first released, and today, people are still purchasing units. Thanks to its popularity, Nintendo's latest handheld device and its larger twin (the Nintendo 3DS XL) have tons of entertaining games to go alongside them, and, yes, they've also sold like crazy.
While there are tons of incredible games created for the Nintendo 3DS, we're here to check out which titles have sold more than the rest. Unsurprisingly, most of the most-purchased games have come from popular series like Pokémon, Super Mario, and Animal Crossing, but let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet. It's time to get your game on: here are the best-selling Nintendo 3Ds games of all time.
10 Tomodachi Life
Tomodachi Life was the zany life simulation video game that starred your Mii look-alike. He or she moved into an apartment on an island where they could eat, try on clothing, participate in activities, and fall in love. The further players' relationships with other Miis developed, the more fun they unlocked.
Though gameplay could get repetitive and some minigames were criticized for being too simple, the wacky game was more often praised for being funny and unique. It sold over 6 million copies. There's something uniquely Nintendo about the whole experience.
9 Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
The enhanced version of Pokémon Sun and Moon was the final main-line Pokémon game to be released for the 3DS. It contained an updated storyline and various improvements, with characters portraying a young Pokémon Trainer in the Hawaii-based Alola region.
Though some critics found it too similar to the original game, this wasn't that much of a problem for Nintendo. After all, the inaugural edition was wildly popular, so the updated game was just as entertaining and sold 8 million copies.
8 Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS brought the beloved crossover fighting series to Nintendo’s newest handheld device. The fighting was fine-tuned to be faster than that of the Wii’s Brawl without becoming as chaotic as that of the GameCube’s Melee.
The game battled its way to selling over 9 million copies. Even without a story mode and a handful of online play issues, the game was just as engaging as its predecessors.
7 Animal Crossing: New Leaf
New Leaf put a fresh spin on the beloved Animal Crossing series in which a human villager moves to a town filled with friendly anthropomorphic animals. This time around, they were made mayor of the town and were given the additional responsibility of helping residents stay happy and making life there more rewarding.
The game also happened to add two new animal types (hamsters and deer), as well as two new villager personalities including “smug” and “uchi.” New Leaf sold over 12 million units and was praised for stepping up the already fun features of its Wii predecessor.
6 Super Mario 3D Land
This title combined elements of a side-scrolling Mario quest with features of a free-roaming 3D Mario game. The unique gameplay was praised, which ultimately resulted in over 12 million copies being sold.
Additional fun was added in the form of all sorts of transformations. Boomerang Mario, Statue Mario, and Fire Mario, just to name a few, were all part of the gameplay. The new and wild worlds also helped keep the story fresh.
5 New Super Mario Bros. 2
This 2D side-scrolling quest had Mario and Luigi embark on yet another mission to save Princess Peach from Bowser and the Koopalings. This time, the gameplay centered around coin collecting, and the nine worlds ensured there were lots of opportunities to rack up the cash.
Though the sequel wasn’t that different from the one that came before it, critics remained impressed by the level design. Over 13 million copies adventured their way into the hands of players.
4 Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
This set of Pokémon games were advanced versions of the Game Boy Advance’s Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. The main goal of the game was to defeat the eight Gym Leaders and capture the vast number of Pokémon.
The titles were praised for featuring beautiful 3D graphics and the Super Training mechanic. The problems with the originals were resolved, and though the game wasn’t without its kinks, it sold 3 million copies within its first day of sale. It ended climbing the ranks by having sold over 14 million copies so far.
3 Pokémon Sun and Moon
If you thought this game’s 2017 remake sold a lot of copies, you haven’t seen the numbers for the original yet. Sun and Moon sold a whopping 16 million copies.
As in the previously-discussed Ultra versions, players navigate across Alola's islands to catch Pokémon and battle other trainers. The game's modified format and fresh design were loved, even though the story was deemed average. No need to worry about that, though. As previously mentioned, Nintendo had reason to create a second version.
2 Pokémon X and Y
The first installments in the sixth generation of the Pokémon RPG series sold over 16 million copies. Though the concept of the game borrows from its predecessors, the location is totally new. The story takes place in the Kalos region, which is based on France.
In addition to challenging other Pokémon Trainers, players also try to take down the sinister plans of the criminal organization Team Flare. The game’s 3D world was praised, alongside the updated animations, characters, and battle changes.
1 Mario Kart 7
The 3DS’ Mario Kart installment raced itself to first place with over 18 million copies sold. While Mario Kart 7 contained many elements of its predecessors, it added 16 new tracks, three new items, and the option to customize karts. The game was also notable for being the first to let players hang-glide on tracks.
Mario Kart 7 received generally favorable reviews, with critics believing the new innovations outweighed the diminished character roster. The game was succeeded by Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and of course, there are more titles in the series to come.