Next March, Nintendo will discontinue the eShop for 3DS, which will make it impossible to purchase digital games for the beloved handheld. While players will still be able to play their digital purchases for the system, they’ll have to turn to physical copies to get anything new, which can be both expensive and quite a hassle.
With the closing of the eShop in mind, here are five 3DS games that gamers should purchase before their digital editions disappear from the storefront. As a note, this list is not exhaustive and excludes games that have a significantly enhanced or more definitive edition. As the 3DS had a number of fantastic eShop exclusives, this list gives those that will become permanently unavailable precedence, but does not include only them.
Pushmo
Developed by Intelligent Systems, Pushmo released in 2011 and is a puzzle game exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS. The game takes place in Pushmo Park and sees players helping to rescue a bunch of trapped children by solving block puzzles. Pushmo also allows players to create and share their own puzzles, meaning that the game can be played for pretty much ever. Pushmo received a ton of praise upon release and currently holds a 90 percent on Metacritic. Due to the game’s success, there have been two sequels 2012’s Crashmo and 2014’s Stretchmo.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
The fifth installment in the Ace Attorney series, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney — Dual Destinies is a visual novel game that released in 2013. Taking place after Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, Dual Destinies sees players taking on the role of Phoenix Wright, Apollo Justice and Athena Cykes to defend their clients in court while also investigating crime scenes.
Dual Destinies holds an 81 percent on Metacritic. While the game is also available on mobile, a lot of people don’t enjoy gaming that way, and so the 3DS eShop is the only real way to get Dual Destinies on a proper console. There is, though, a good chance developer Capcom will eventually port or collect Dual Destinies, since Phoenix Wright is a deeply popular title, and it seems unlikely to let a beloved installment disappear for good.
Crimson Shroud
Developed by Level-5, Crimson Shroud is a lesser-known RPG that released on the 3DS in 2012. The game, essentially, takes its cues from tabletop games, as it uses dice rolls to determine outcomes. Crimson Shroud‘s story follows a Chaser named Giauque as he investigates the mystery of the titular object.
Crimson Shroud holds a 76 percent on Metacritic. While that’s lower than a lot of games on this list, Crimson Shroud is well on its way to cult classic status as it remains relatively unknown, but there are a lot of people who really love the game. The game is also a 3DS eShop exclusive, so those who don’t own Crimson Shroud when the eShop closes won’t be able to play it.
Fire Emblem Awakening
When Fire Emblem Awakening hit the 3DS in 2012, the game revolutionized the tactical RPG franchise in a big way and brought a whole new generation to the series. The game follows player character Robin, who teams up with Prince Chrom and a variety of eclectic characters to defend the land of Ylisse from the undead Risen and the nation of Plegia.
Fire Emblem Awakening holds a 92 percent on Metacritic and is one of the best-reviewed games on the platform. While the title is not an eShop exclusive, Fire Emblem Awakening is an absolutely fantastic entry in the franchise that’s good for series newcomers and veterans alike.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Released in 2013, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is essentially a sequel to 1991’s A Link to the Past, which released on the SNES. The game, which takes place after A Link to the Past, sees players traversing Hyrule and Lorule and working to stop the sorcerer Yuga from resurrecting franchise antagonist Ganon. A Link Between Worlds breaks from previous entries in the franchise in really interesting ways and allows Link to essentially merge with walls to get through dungeons.
A Link Between Worlds holds a 91 percent on Metacritic. Like Fire Emblem Awakening, physical versions of the game are also easily obtainable. However, due to its extensive use of the system’s dual screens and 3D, it’s hard to imagine a port of A Link Between Worlds is coming anytime soon.
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