10 Best 3DS Games of All Time of 2026

A Link Between Worlds takes first place because it combines the deepest single-player design on this list with a fair used price and no reliance on online features. Nintendo describes it as a new story in Hyrule that follows on from the 1992 Super NES game A Link to the Past. Its signature idea is that Link can merge into walls and walk along them like a painting, which turns the dungeons into fresh spatial puzzles. From a certain point the order of the dungeons is up to you, and Ravio's Shop lets you rent or buy key items such as the Hookshot, bow and hammer near the start. Nintendo also points out that the 3D effect makes floor levels clearer. It is a one-player game rated PEGI 7, so the April 2024 end of 3DS online play does not touch it. DKOldies lists a used cartridge at $49.99 before sales. The trade-off is that it offers nothing for groups.

Mario Kart 7 is the best group game on the 3DS and one of the cheapest. Nintendo's listing counts 32 courses spread over eight Cups, mixing new and retro tracks, with sections where karts take to the air or drive underwater. You build a kart from a frame, tyres and a glider, and coins collected in races open up more parts. Besides Grand Prix and Time Trials there are Balloon Battle and Coin Battle, plus the Super Leaf and Lucky 7 items. Up to eight players can race using one Game Card through Download Play, as long as each has a 3DS family system. Online racing ended when Nintendo discontinued online play for 3DS software on April 8, 2024, so groups now need to be in the same room. DKOldies lists a used cartridge at $29.99 before sales.

Super Mario 3D Land is the cheapest way to own one of the 3DS's defining games. Nintendo describes it as a 3D Mario game that plays like a 2D one: compact levels that end at a flagpole, with the 3D effect helping players judge the distance to the next platform or question block. The Tanooki Suit returns with its tail attack and slow float, and new enemies include Goombas with tails, stacked Goombas and a Piranha Plant that spits ink to block your view. Nintendo calls it accessible and challenging in equal measure, with hidden shortcuts and secrets for players who want more. It is single player and rated PEGI 3. DKOldies lists a used cartridge at $29.99 before sales, tied for the lowest price on this list. It ranks second, behind Zelda, because it offers less depth and no multiplayer.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf is the 3DS game people keep coming back to daily. Nintendo describes a town where you end up as mayor after a mix-up by Isabelle, with powers to add bridges and buildings through public works projects and set ordinances that change how the town runs. There are no goals, no story and no ending, and the in-game clock follows the real one, so each day brings something new. You can shop, expand your home, build museum exhibits and design your own patterns. Up to four people can live in one town on a single Game Card, and a free Welcome amiibo update added amiibo support. Several social features, including online visits and the Dream Suite, depended on online services Nintendo ended for 3DS software on April 8, 2024, while StreetPass still works. DKOldies lists a used cartridge at $49.99 before sales.

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, sold in Europe as Luigi's Mansion 2, is a cheap and well-made puzzle adventure. Nintendo describes it as the first sequel to the 2002 GameCube launch game, with Luigi clearing several haunted mansions using his Poltergust vacuum. Ghosts now need to be stunned with a strobe of light before he can pull them in, and the Poltergust can also strip wallpaper and suck up leaves to uncover treasure and new areas. Nintendo says it has more puzzles than its predecessor. The Scarescraper mode lets up to four players clear a tower of 5, 10 or 25 floors together, with adjustable difficulty; local play still works, but online play ended on April 8, 2024. DKOldies lists a used cartridge at $29.99 before sales, and Nintendo also sells Luigi's Mansion 2 HD for Switch.

Fire Emblem: Awakening is the strategy game to own on 3DS. Nintendo's page sets it in a world where Prince Chrom tries to stop a war between Ylisse and Plegia while undead soldiers called the Risen spread across the land. Battles are turn-based, and Nintendo stresses that positioning, weapon types, classes and co-operative attacks all matter. Characters who fight together build bonds that strengthen their joint abilities, and a large cast of extra characters can be recruited. Newcomer Mode lets units defeated in battle return for later stages instead of being lost permanently, which lowers the barrier for first-time players. Double Duel offers co-op with a friend over Local Play, and StreetPass brings in characters from other players' armies. DKOldies lists a used cartridge at $54.99 before sales, the third highest price here, which keeps it out of the top five.

Pokémon X and Pokémon Y brought the main series to 3DS and into 3D. Nintendo's page describes the star-shaped Kalos region, from the streets of Lumiose City to remote wilderness, and a choice of three new starters: the Grass-type Chespin, Fire-type Fennekin and Water-type Froakie. New Pokémon include Sylveon, an Eevee evolution, and Gogoat, plus the Legendary Xerneas in Pokémon X. Nintendo calls it the first handheld Pokémon title with a new style of 3D gameplay. It supports 1 to 4 players for local battles and trades; online battles and trades ended when Nintendo discontinued online play for 3DS software on April 8, 2024, although Nintendo kept Pokémon Bank running as an exception. DKOldies lists both X and Y at $69.99 used before sales. It scores high on capabilities, but the price puts it seventh.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate offers the most hours per dollar on this list, but it asks the most of new players. Nintendo's page describes a narrative adventure where you join a travelling caravan as its hunter, track large monsters and defeat them with a mix of weapons and tactics. Terrain is more vertical than in earlier entries, so you can attack from above and hang on to a monster while striking. There is a large range of weapons and armor to forge and customize. Up to four hunters can team up through Local Play; online hunts ran on Nintendo Network, which Nintendo shut down for 3DS software on April 8, 2024. On New Nintendo 3DS systems the built-in C Stick gives full dual analog control. DKOldies lists a used cartridge at $39.99 before sales. It ranks eighth because of its learning curve, not its depth.

Bravely Default is the 3DS's strongest classic-style RPG. Nintendo's page tells of a Great Chasm that tears the world of Luxendarc apart and darkens its four elemental crystals; Agnès, vestal of the Wind Crystal, and Tiz, sole survivor of Norende Village, set out to restore them. Battles are turn-based, but the Brave and Default system lets you store turns or spend several at once, and the Bravely Second system can freeze time. Nintendo calls the battles instantly accessible. A demo with a side story once let players carry items into the main game, but the 3DS eShop stopped selling content on March 27, 2023. It is single player and rated PEGI 12. DKOldies lists a used cartridge at $49.99 before sales. It ranks ninth because it demands a long time commitment and has a learning curve.

Kid Icarus: Uprising is the most unusual game here and the most expensive. Nintendo's page credits Masahiro Sakurai, creator of Kirby and Super Smash Bros., and his studio Project Sora. Pit, an angel, battles Medusa and her Underworld Army in the air and on land, mixing flight, shooting and melee. The control scheme uses the Circle Pad in the left hand and the stylus in the right, and every copy came with a stand to hold the 3DS on a flat surface; the Circle Pad Pro offers a left-handed layout. There are 9 weapon categories, and the Fiend's Cauldron lets you bet hearts to set the Intensity anywhere from 0.0 to 9.0 per chapter for better rewards. Nintendo lists 1 to 6 players. DKOldies lists a used cartridge at $92.99 before sales, and the controls are demanding, so it ranks tenth.