The Nintendo 3DS had a rough start, but eventually became one of this company’s most beloved systems. After a bad launch filled with mediocre games, things started picking up once Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, and other major titles appeared. While support for the system ended a while back, remasters like Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster prove this handheld was something special.
It might also be the last “true” handheld gaming console. Because the Switch and Switch 2 are hybrid consoles, they essentially killed off an older generation of handheld gaming as we knew it.
Before Nintendo ever thought of making hybrid consoles, handhelds like the 3DS would always be home to more bite-sized games. From Super Mario 3D Land to Kirby Planet Robobot and Fire Emblem: Awakening, these titles were meant for short sessions that gamers could come back to at any time. These games were also less powerful than what was on Nintendo’s main console, but they made up for it with charming art styles and addictive gameplay.
Everything changed when the Wii U bombed and Nintendo realized that handheld gaming was their specialty. After seeing how much the 3DS carried them during that generation, Nintendo decided to make their next system the hybrid console we talked about. With the Switch, we now had console gaming wherever we went, and it was an immediate success.
Seeing games that were meant to be on powerful consoles look and play so well on a handheld changed everything. It didn’t take long for Valve and other companies to capitalize on that system’s success by making their own handheld PCs like the Steam Deck. But this also kind of killed how handheld gaming used to be.
On one hand, it’s pretty great having a hundred-hour Zelda game that plays incredibly well on the Switch. However, that also means not having more bite-sized Zelda games like Link Between Worlds, which were great for trips. While not every game on the Switch is a long one, each one needs to feel like a console experience now, slowing things down for better or worse.
click to enlargePlatformers like Super Mario 3D Land immediately put you in the action after one cutscene. While Super Mario Odyssey is an incredible game, there is an introduction level that eases players in, which feels a bit slow. We miss some of the fast pace these handheld titles used to have.
There are plenty of indie games that keep the 3DS’ more fast-paced nature alive. Hollow Knight, Hades, Stardew Valley, and other titles are there to immediately give players some action. Some 3DS ports have also made it to the Switch and other consoles, so all hope isn’t lost.
Still, we can’t help but miss some of these bite-sized Nintendo experiences that were on the 3DS.