Best 3DS games

While the 3DS might have had a rocky start, the system has more than proven its worth in the months after release. Within a short period of time the handheld’s library was plump, full of unique experiences to enjoy, and we’ve gathered the ten best for anyone looking to fill out their library.

Super Mario 3D Land is everything we want from a Mario game. With fantastic use of the 3DS’s 3D capabilities and some clever nods to the franchise’s history, the game is certainly a release worthy of the character’s legacy. It expertly builds on franchise history, has tons of clever ideas, and stands tall in the realm of 3D platformers, especially compared to the paltry library of games the 3DS currently has.

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Mario Kart 7 is single-handedly worth the asking price of the system. Alone or with friends, the game is an absolute treat. It's one of the best showcase yet for the console's 3D screen, too, and plays better than the home console versions have since N64. It's full of fan-service gold, yet also attractive to those with zero gaming experience – what more could you ask for? If you’re looking for the perfect Mario Kart, look no further. It’s here, and it’s fantastic.

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The twenty-plus year wait was worth it. Kid Icarus: Uprising is a very impressive game. Although there’s an initial adjustment period for its controls, each stage is masterfully designed, rewarding exploration and experimentation, plus it’s surprisingly deep. Like Metroid Prime, Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time before it, Kid Icarus: Uprising marks another Nintendo franchise that successfully transitions to three dimensions.

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You know Ocarina of time, the most popular, successful and beloved Zelda game of all time? It’s all here, every dungeon, item, secret and Skulltula, now in the palm of your hand. But it’s not a hasty port – this is a thoroughly prettier and smoother experience than the 1998 original, making it the best version of this already legendary experience. From obvious graphical touches to minor gameplay tweaks, Ocarina 3DS updates an aging classic and makes it presentable to an entirely new generation of adoring fans.

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Out of everything available on the 3DS, Resident Evil Revelations is a high profile effort that stands above most of the software you’ll find out there. The thoroughly M-rated adventure fulfills nearly every desire of RE fans, simultaneously fitting the new handheld perfectly thanks to a new episodic approach to storytelling. It’s not a huge leap forward for the series, but it does prove that even on a handheld, Resident Evil can still be a good time.

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Cave Story 3D is Cave Story unencumbered. It's Pixel's dream realized on a new platform for the masses, and in a form anyone can appreciate. While the new graphical style might lack the charm of the original's it's in no way bad – just different and, in a way, more appropriate. It's the definitive version of the game, with more content than ever before (even if it's only just barely more), leaving you no excuse not to pick up one of the most charming Metroidvania-style games of all time.

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It’s remarkable that it has taken this long for there to be a proper fighting game on handhelds, and yet, here it is. This portable version of this fantastic console fighter is a commendable achievement, and absolutely contains everything that made the console version great. Even with some frustrations with the game’s online functionality the result is still arguably one of the best portable fighters of all time and undoubtedly a showpiece title for 3DS.

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Though it’s not a stunning update, Devil Survivor Overclocked is still the same game we loved on the DS. If you’re looking for a graphical powerhouse, you should buy something else, but Overclocked is something novel in the 3DS field: a deep adventure lasting dozens of hours. It’s a great example of its genre, and even those that played it before have enough to pull them back in. If you’re an RPG lover waiting for something worth grinding on for the 3DS, the wait is over.

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Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars avoids the series’ typically dry nature by presenting a commando squad that would make Hasbro lawyers squint in suspicion. Yup, it's a G.I. Joe-inspired ghost team comprising one-word codenamed operatives like Haze, Banshee, and even Duke. Best of all, it plays like Advance Wars or Fire Emblem, bringing some stratedgy gaming to the system from a franchise we never would have expected to thrive on a portable.

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One of the first games shown for the 3DS Metal Gear Solid 3D keeps most of Kojima's genius game intact after being ported to the handheld. The 3D visuals pop, the full voiceover sounds great on the cartridge, and as long as you have a Circle Pad Pro, the controls are great. It may not be better than the multiple console versions of the game, but if this is your only way to experience it, this is a must buy game.

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Curious how games on other Nintendo handhelds rank? Check out our other lists detailing Nintendo's portable history.

Best DS games | Best Game Boy Advance games | Best Game Boy Color games | Best Virtual Boy games | Best Game Boy games | Best Game & Watch games