Nintendo · 2011Handhelds
Nintendo 3DS
History & context
After the triumph of the DS, Nintendo decided that the next step would be into the third dimension — and quite literally so. The Nintendo 3DS (2011) brought glasses-free stereoscopic 3D: thanks to a parallax barrier, the top screen could render depth just like that, simply by looking at it. It was a bold, slightly crazy idea that ultimately became more of an interesting bonus than the main draw — because the real treasure of the 3DS turned out to be, just like with the DS, its library. Despite a rocky start (a high price that Nintendo soon slashed dramatically), the console sold tens of millions of units and hosts some of the best games of its generation.
The 3DS built on the DS with its pair of screens and touch input, but added a hefty performance leap, a 3D camera, motion sensors and an online ecosystem. And crucially it was backward compatible with the DS — the entire huge DS library can be played on it too.
Technology: glasses-free 3D and decent performance
At its heart is a dual-core ARM11 paired with a PICA200 graphics chip, which handles full 3D with lighting and effects — that's why games like Super Mario 3D Land, Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D or Monster Hunter look surprisingly rich on the small screen. The top display (400×240 per eye, twice that for the 3D effect) shows a stereoscopic image, while the lower 320×240 one is a touchscreen. The strength of the 3D effect is adjusted with the 3D Slider — it can even be turned off completely, which most players ended up doing over time anyway.
Connectivity: StreetPass, SpotPass and online
The 3DS had clever social features. StreetPass exchanged data with the consoles of passers-by (Mii, moves in Puzzle Swap, ghosts in games), while SpotPass downloaded content over Wi-Fi in the background. Online play through the Nintendo Network served for multiplayer as well as the eShop store (which was closed in 2023, though games already purchased remain playable). Local wireless play and Download Play worked much like on the DS.
Models and revisions
The family is varied: the original 3DS was followed by the large 3DS XL, then the cheap 2DS (a flat wedge without the 3D effect, ideal for children), the elegant New 3DS / New 3DS XL (2014) with a second stick (the C-stick), a more powerful chip and colourful interchangeable covers, and finally the New 2DS XL. Some later games (e.g. Xenoblade Chronicles 3D) ran only on the "New" models.
Clones and homebrew
Official clones don't exist, but the homebrew scene is exceptionally lively: via entry points like ninjhax and later the Luma3DS custom firmware, the community opened the door to its own applications, emulators, translations and improvements. The 3DS thus also became a popular "pocket emulation" console for older systems.
Where to play the 3DS today: emulators and consoles
The 3DS is more demanding to emulate than the DS, but today it's a solved problem. On PC, Citra reigns (or rather its successors and forks after the project was discontinued — Lime3DS, Azahar), which handles most games even with upscaling to high resolution and smoothing — paradoxically making the games look better than on the original. It also works on powerful Android (Citra MMJ and its successors), so Android handhelds like the Retroid Pocket or Odin run it decently. Weaker Linux handhelds (Anbernic H700, R36S) basically can't handle the 3DS — this is the domain of more powerful hardware. The most authentic experience is of course offered by the original console with custom firmware, where you can additionally run the entire DS library.
Why you should know it: The Nintendo 3DS combined a crazy idea (glasses-free 3D) with one of the strongest game libraries of its generation — from Zelda through Pokémon to Monster Hunter — and on top of that it can run the whole DS catalogue too.
Games on this platform (132)
Star Fox 64 3D
A meticulous remaster of the legendary Nintendo 64 rail shooter with stereoscopic 3D.
Dead or Alive Dimensions
Celá historie bojovnic Dead or Alive se poprvé vešla do kapesní 3D konzole.
No game in this genre.