Whether you haven’t picked up a Nintendo 3DS at all or you’ve been a day-1 owner of the system, the New Nintendo 3DS XL has plenty of good things going for it that should be more than enough to convince you to get one. This list will mostly cater to those of you in the former category who haven’t dived into the 3DS family at all, but if you’re looking to upgrade your system, check out number 4 on the list. That said, let’s get this show on the road!
Number 5: Gaming on the Go
I wanted to put this item as close to the beginning of the list as possible so you can read the rest with this in mind: the New Nintendo 3DS XL offers great gaming on the go, so long as you’re willing to carry it around with you, as it’s quite large. It’s well worth the effort, though, when you’re able to pull the thing out any time, anywhere and play some of the games I’ll be mentioning below…
Number 4: New Hardware Features
As you may already know, the New Nintendo 3DS XL adds 2 new buttons (ZL and ZR), a C-stick for camera control, face-tracking 3-D, and more powerful processing power to the features already present in the 3DS systems that preceded it. I’ve tested out the C-stick firsthand in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, and it works like a dream (plus it makes carrying the massive circle pad pro attachment unnecessary, thank goodness). I’ve also tested out face-tracking 3-D, and it works quite well, believe it or not!
The New 3DS’s faster processing power will be absolutely necessary to play at least one game, Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, but it cuts down on the loading time of games like Super Smash Bros. and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate noticeably. Plus, if you missed out on the fabulous Xenoblade Chronicles for Wii, all I can say about that game is this: it’s worth buying a system for, all on it’s own.
Number 3: DS Games
I sure hope backward compatibility isn’t becoming obsolete, because buying a system with two separate game libraries built-in is highly appealing. If you have any Nintendo DS games lying around, they’ll play in your New Nintendo 3DS XL (because I know you’re getting one after you read this). If you don’t have any DS games lying around, don’t worry, it’s not that hard to get ahold of the good ones used. Some of my favorite DS games include Rhythm Heaven, Tetris DS, New Super Mario Bros. (the original remains my favorite), Elite Beat Agents, pretty much any Pokemon game, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, and Mario Kart DS. Some well-regarded DS games I haven’t played, or have played very little of, are The World Ends with You, Kirby Super Star Ultra, the two Mario & Luigi games on the system, the Castlevania titles, the Professor Layton games, and many more.
Number 2: Nintendo eShop Games
There are a slew of games available for download on Nintendo’s digital store, the 3DS eShop. eShop-only 3DS games I love are Shovel Knight (on the go!), Gunman Clive, Gunman Clive 2, Pushmo, HarmoKnight, and Mutant Mudds. Others that are worth considering include SteamWorld Dig, Cave Story, VVVVVV, 1001 Spikes, and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies. The eShop also allows you to buy and download most retail games on the 3DS. Virtual Console games from the NES, GameBoy, GameBoy Color, and Sega Game Gear round out the Nintendo 3DS eShop selection.
Number 1: Exclusive Games
Whether you like it or not, any Nintendo system is worth owning almost solely for the first-party line-up, and the Nintendo 3DS is no different. The New 3DS XL is a great way to gain access to the latest and greatest portable entries in Nintendo’s most famous franchises. Mario Kart 7, Super Smash Bros. for the 3DS, and Kid Icarus: Uprising offer plenty in both single- and multiplayer modes. Pokemon X and Y represent one of the greatest graphical jumps in the core Pokemon series. Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon is a charming, memorable experience. And fans of Animal Crossing shouldn’t miss out on New Leaf.
The 3DS library offers some great entries in the Legend of Zelda series. Ocarina of Time 3D is a fantastic remastering of one of the most highly-praised games of all time, and its successor, Majora’s Mask, just received a similar remake on the system. The 3DS’s exclusive entry in the Zelda series, however, A Link Between Worlds, is what makes the system a must-own for Zelda fans.
Fire Emblem: Awakening is the 3DS-exclusive game I cannot speak highly enough about, though. It’s an absorbing strategy game that warrants the purchase of a New Nintendo 3DS XL on its own, plus the game’s developer, Intelligent Studios, is currently working on another Fire Emblem game only for 3DS.
First-party games aren’t the only great 3DS exclusives. The recent Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate from Capcom is sure to suck you in with its online, co-op gameplay. And Square Enix has a couple of worthwhile offerings on Nintendo’s handheld, including Bravely Default and Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. Level 5 has put a couple of Professor Layton games on the system, including crossover Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. And Fantasy Life is another underrated game from that studio.
So there you have it! There are many, many other great 3DS games that I didn’t mention, but that’s only because this post would be absurdly long if I did! …Okay, a couple more: Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Super Mario 3D Land, Code of Princess, Crashmo, New Super Mario Bros. 2, Tomodachi Life, and the upcoming Codename: S.T.E.A.M.
When all’s said and done, any fan of portable gaming, or gaming in general, would not be remiss in picking up the New Nintendo 3DS XL.
