Nintendo 3DS accessories and games recommendations

Yeah, the 3DS never got GBA VC - it’s not fast enough to do accurate GBA emulation, and the Ambasador Program games run by putting the system into DS mode, so they don’t have any VC features.

Honestly, my recommendation would be to play the original freeware version of Cave Story on PC and then replay Super Metroid for the rest of your life. The rest of that genre is just so disappointing in comparison.

Oh, the Metroid game available through the ambassador program was Fusion, not Zero Mission. It doesn’t really matter though, because you can’t get it outside of that program anyways.

For my money, Cave Story had a little too much fiddly execution bits, and the world didn’t really have a sense of place for me, it was just sort of confusing video game levels. It also has a sort of weird traversal mechanic, where you use your gun to sort of jet-pack around, which is where some of the fiddly execution comes in. I think it has a reputation for being very hard, but IIRC that’s basically only if you want to 100% it. It’s perfectly do-able to beat normally. But overall, it started as a Japanese PC doujin game, and it really feels like it.

As noted, the original DS Castelvanias are good. I’d probably skip the first one (Dawn of Sorrow), because that had some stupid 1st gen DS game stylus stuff in it. But the later ones (Portrait of Ruin, Order of Ecclesia) are pretty good, Ecclesia being the last and probably best one. Those games are basically direct successors to the GBA Castlevanias, which were in turn a kind of direct offshoot of Symphony of the Night. I don’t really know how the GBA ones would hold up now, but I suspect they’re fine, if outside of your 3DS requirements.

I would also recommend Steamworld Dig, which looks kind of low-rent, but is actually really very good. Also easily available on eShop.

I’ve played through the various Shantae games available, and while I finished all of them, I can’t particularly recommend them. They use the basic WayForward engine, which has pretty unsatisfying physics and feels like a super mediocre licensed platformer (which makes sense, as its been used for many of them). They’re also super linear, with some very basic lock + key mechanics for the various powers and locations. There’s no real sense of discovery or surprise anywhere.

I do think that some of the MegaMan ZX games push some metroidvania-y buttons, but they’re ultimately more MegaMan X than anything else. They’re also pretty punishingly hard.

Ah, Fusion is actually the only other Metroid game I’ve ever completed, back on the GBA.

Which reminds me I should really get back to work on the Prime trilogy on my Wii U, forget all this 3DS gaming!

You’ll be better prepared for Prime 4 next year. :)

Seriously though, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia is your best bet. It’s awesome.

Cave Story is a great suggestion for anyone who wants to reminisce about the gameplay stylings of the older Metroids. It’s a masterfully created game, considering it was all made by one guy (the original, not the enhanced edition released on the 3DS, which is a good upgrade). That includes all the art and music. Definitely worth your time.

The Shantae games are also really enjoyable platformers with stupendous animation work.

I broke down and ordered a New 3DS XL when Gamestop put all their refurbs on sale last week. I’ve never had a DS or 3DS and I may have gone a little overboard buying up games to build a library, but luckily Toys R Us had a sale with every 3DS game $10 off and Amazon was price matching a bunch of them.

Games I have so far:
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call
Bravely Default
Bravely Second
Codename STEAM
Ghost Recon Shadow Wars
Project X Zone
Final Fantasy Tactics A2
Crimson Shroud

Games still on the way:
Dragon Quest VIII
Mario Kart 7
Legend of the Legacy
Monster Hunter Generations
Fire Emblem Echoes
Valkyrie Profile Covenant of the Plume
Dragon Quest IX

I think that’s probably a pretty good start, but I’ve got an eye on the Strange Journey and Radiant Historia remakes coming out soon, plus Etrian Odyssey V.

Always good to start a nice little backlog on a new platform. What’s that there, around 1000 hours of gameplay? :)

Yikes, I think I’d get JRPG burnout if that were my queue.

On Etrian Odyssey? Yes.

You’ve got hours of gameplay there and some awesome stuff, but one game I think people don’t think about that shows off how 3D can help you and one of the most fun Mario games ever due to its kind of perfect difficulty level is Super Mario 3D Land. If you play one Mario game, make it that one.

Also, the Sega 3D Classics are brilliant updates of their back catalog.

What’s the best 3DS Kirby game? I feel like this franchise is a big hole in my gaming experience. I’ve literally only ever played him (her? it?) in a Smash Bros game.

I recall Kirby: Planet Robobot was rating really well, though I didn’t pick up.

Kirby’s Dreamland (GB) is on the virtual console. I think that was pretty good, but it’s been a long time since I played it. Robobot has a demo in the store you can try. There’s also a new F2P Kirby game.

That’s New 3DS only though, right?

Nah. Works on any 3DS. There’s only really one New 3DS game and that’s Xenoblade Chronicles. The SNES virtual console is the other thing.

Kirby’s Blowout Blast hits the eShop next week, too.

There’s only really one, but quite a few indies - generally any titles developed in Unity won’t be on the old 3DS as it doesn’t export to that platform. So Isaac Rebirth for example.

The upcoming Fire Emblem Warriors will be New only.

Here’s a list (thanks to this thread on NG):

  • BlockForm
  • Box Up
  • Brick Race
  • Color Cubes
  • Cup Critters
  • Fire Emblem Warriors
  • forma.8
  • Futuridium EP Deluxe
  • Galaxy Blaster
  • Hit Ninja
  • Hyper Light EX
  • Lifespeed
  • Mini Mario and Friends amiibo Challenge (Require amiibo to play)
  • Pink Dot Blue Dot
  • Pirate Pop Plus
  • Pixel Hunter
  • Runbow (retail)
  • Shoot The Ball
  • The Binding of Isaac Rebirth
  • Wind Up Knight 2
  • Xenoblade Chronicles 3D (retail)

Hell yeah! Q was excellent.

But to echo the usual refrain - I wish it were coming for the Switch. :)

I hadn’t previously played an DS games on my 3DS, but I played some A2 last night and I’m really impressed at great it looks, even on the XL screens. I shot a 15 second clip (off-camera with my phone) to give a general sense of it, but I have to say I may need to look into more DS classics I miss or missed out on.

I use my 3DS for DS games all the time for my DS library of about 25 games of which I’ve finished maybe 3!

The DS was such a great JRPG machine. Started playing Radiant Historia recently which I only picked up about 2 years ago (started it just in time for an enhanced port to be announced for the 3DS!). And have unfinished games of Dragon Quest 5 and 6 (and stupidly just started playing DQ7! I need professional help).

Don’t like the soft, slightly blurry look of DS titles on the larger 3DS XL screen but not a bad tradeoff for increased size.

And i occasionally pull out the DS to play GBA titles. Never did finish my play throughs of FF5, Metroid Fusion, Metroid Zero Mission and others. I really need to finish a game, some time.

I actually plan to get a DS Lite soon, so I can use both DS and GBA games. While I own a 3DS, 99% of the games I play are DS games. Such an amazing library.