The Nintendo 3DS is one of the greatest handheld consoles in gaming history. Not only is its own library fantastic and full of modern classics, it also has access to the entirety of the DS library, as well as many great retro titles. Those titles are available via the Virtual Console, Nintendo's attempt at porting over most of its classic vintage library.
With the tragic news that the 3DS eShop will be shutting down in 2023, now's the most pertinent time to ensure that you have some of these games downloaded onto your system. Here are some recommendations for those who aren't where to start or what to buy next.
9 Defenders Of Oasis
Defenders Of Oasis is a JRPG that was originally launched for the Sega Game Gear. Much of the Game Gear's library is wildly underrated, generally due to the fact that the handheld system sold only a fraction of its biggest competitor, the Game Boy. However, if you're a classic JRPG fan, then you shouldn't miss out on this hidden gem. It repeats a lot of the common tropes and mechanics of the day, with the twist of the game having an Arabian setting. Genies, djinns, and monster scorpions await you on this rare Middle Eastern adventure.
8 Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
If you're a fan of Soulslike games and want a retro title with just as many difficult monsters and dreary environments, this may be the game for you. Castlevania III is often considered the most difficult in the long-running series, although the addition of save states makes the game much more manageable. The same could be said for many of the games on this list. The first four Castlevania games are all on Virtual Console, with the first, third, and fourth all highly recommended by Castlevania fans as classic games. The second? Not so much.
7 Earthbound
If you're a JRPG fan then Earthbound is a must-play game. This is not only one of the greatest JRPGs of all time, it's also terribly rare to find a physical copy. This means that buying the game for your 3DS might be one of the only options you have for playing it. It's a charming, humorous, and endlessly strange adventure, told through an artistic Japanese interpretation of 80s America. To that end, it almost hits the uncanny valley for Americans who play. If you've often wondered about the origins of beloved Super Smash Bros. character Ness, give Earthbound a try and see what the hype's about.
6 F-Zero
Speaking of Super Smash Bros. characters with obscure origins, F-Zero is the Super Nintendo game that gave us Captain Falcon. Although his role in this original title is extremely small, the game does not suffer in quality as a result. It's a fast-paced racing game that pushed the render capabilities of the Super Nintendo to its limit at the time. If you're a fan of racing games, or are interested in the origins of one of Super Smash Bros. most iconic characters, then F-Zero is a solid purchase you'll have a lot of fun with.
5 Pokemon Gold & Silver
Nintendo surprised everyone when they announced that the first two generations of the main Pokemon series would be ported onto the Virtual Console. This is the first and only time, so far, that Game Freak has done ports of their older games rather than remakes.
If you missed playing the oldest and most classic Pokemon titles, or if you're just nostalgic to revisit your favorite childhood game, then this is a great way to do just that. Also, you can port every Pokemon you catch in these games over to Pokemon Home on Nintendo Switch, from the first generation to the latest.
4 Mega Man 1-6
Capcom furiously pumped out Mega Man games during the NES days, and they're all now available on the 3DS Virtual Console. Most Mega Man fans prefer the earlier games, with Mega Man 2 having the general consensus as the best in the series, but each game comes with its own merits. They're also all fairly similar, hence the reason Capcom was able to produce so many in such a short span of time. This means that if you like one, you'll probably like them all, and there's a lot of Mega Man to enjoy on your 3DS.
3 The Legend Of Zelda: Link's Awakening
There are so many Legend Of Zelda games on the 3DS eShop. If you're a fan of the series, there's no better system to get your fill of puzzle-solving and adventuring than the 3DS.
Link's Awakening was Nintendo's first foray into a handheld experience for this franchise. On top of Link's Awakening, there's the fantastic Oracle Of Seasons and Oracle Of Ages. It would also be shameful to forget the remakes of Majora's Mask and Ocarina Of Time, that all come together to put almost the entirety of Link's games from the 90s and early 2000s at your fingertips.
2 Kirby's Dream Land 2
Kirby's Dream Land 2 is one of the greatest Kirby games of all time. It's the first handheld Kirby to utilize the Copy Abilities that Kirby is known for. The game is simplistic, but endless fun. As is common with Kirby, the game is no huge challenge, although some of the bosses will certainly test you. There's a wide variety of stages and enemies to keep things interesting from beginning to end. Plus, Kirby gets to ride a fire-breathing hamster. Many lackluster games could benefit greatly from the inclusion of a fire-breathing hamster.
1 Sonic Triple Trouble
Sonic Triple Trouble is a lesser-known Sonic title, but not one to be taken lightly. Like Defenders Of Oasis, the major reason Sonic Triple Trouble isn't so well known is that it's a Sonic the Hedgehog game originally on the Game Gear, and it just happens to be one of the best games on that system. Sonic Triple Trouble has all of the classic features from Sonic's best games on the Genesis, turned up a notch, with brand new features that can make the game a tad easier but nonetheless fun.