Ranking the 10 best 3DS games is no easy task, given just how big the install base was and how many titles were released throughout its lengthy lifespan. Our list covers only the top experiences that pushed the hardware (or handheld game design in general) with franchises people know and love.
That means Pokémon, Mario, Zelda, and many more series. It’s time to wipe the dust off your system and give it a try because these are the best 3DS games of all time.
Key Takeaways
- The best 3DS games include Pokémon Sun & Moon and Super Smash Bros. for 3DS.
- As well as the first 3DS, there was the 3DS XL, New 3DS XL, 2DS, and New 2DS XL.
- True to its name, the 3DS featured glasses-free stereoscopic 3D effects.
- The best-selling 3DS game of all time is Mario Kart 7 with nearly 19 million copies sold.
- You could also play DS games on the hardware as it was fully backward compatible.
- Show Full Guide
Best 3DS Games of All Time
10. Pokémon Sun & Moon
- Developer: Game Freak
- Publisher: The Pokémon Company; Nintendo
- Release Year: 2016
There’s no shortage of Pokémon 3DS games to choose from, but it’s Sun & Moon that ultimately wins out as the platform’s crowning achievement. Set on the tropical archipelago of islands called the Alola region, these two parallel games had a whole different vibe to everything that had come before, with a splash of color and flair reflected in the faster-paced and deeper gameplay when weighed up against the likes of X & Y.
The eighth Pokémon generated started with a bang. The three new starters, Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio, had exciting evolutions and tons of charm. It also helps that Sun & Moon is a beautiful adventure that pushes the 3DS console hardware to its limits, especially with the slider pushed all the way up. While Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon from the year after is arguably more feature-rich, we prefer the way the first iteration handled things.
9. Resident Evil Revelations
- Developer: Capcom
- Publisher: Capcom
- Release Year: 2012
As far as the best horror 3DS games go, few can rival what Resident Evil Revelations did on the platform. Released during a dark time for the stalwart survival horror shooter series, Revelations returned to the drawing board to deliver an exciting and frightening adventure that thrived on the handheld hardware. Set between the events of the fourth and fifth mainline entries; this game explains what Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine were doing while Leon Kennedy was busy saving the president’s daughter in Spain.
Resident Evil Revelations was so successful that it later received a complete port to consoles and PC, even later coming to the Nintendo Switch with its sequel the year the system launched. However, something must be said for the authentic, original experience—namely, the phenomenal 3D visuals and the intelligent touchscreen-based inventory management system. Additionally, having the map available at a glance made getting around much more straightforward, too.
8. New Super Mario Bros. 2
- Developer: Nintendo EAD
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release Year: 2012
It would never be easy for Nintendo to follow up on its landmark 2006 DS release considering how well it sold. Those fears were put to rest with New Super Mario Bros. 2 and its tighter level design that wasn’t afraid to make gamers sweat a little more. Your incentive this time around? Coins, and lots of them. There’s even a special reward for achieving the lofty goal of collecting a million bright, shining shards of gold, too. You’ll journey across 81 levels, each a step up from the previous DS and Wii titles, for the definitive experience seen until that point.
New Super Mario Bros. 2 isn’t an innovative title, but it is one of the best games on the 3DS for its consistently enjoyable content. In particular, the Coin Rush game mode remains a standout and one that (sadly) hasn’t returned in the newer Mario games. You’re thrust into three randomly selected levels and must sprint through the first six worlds to rake in the gold.
7. Super Smash Bros. for 3DS
- Developer: Bandai-Namco; Sora Ltd.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release Year: 2014
Having a straight port of Super Smash Bros 4 on Nintendo’s latest handheld would have been fine, but Bandai-Namco went the extra mile in differentiating this version from the one available on the Wii U. How exactly? Through not only exclusive game modes but also battlegrounds which gave this version its own distinct identity. Whereas the console edition featured levels as seen from home systems, the 3DS game primarily paid homage to Nintendo’s extensive handheld history instead.
Smash Run was an exclusive mode made for Super Smash Bros. for 3DS, which was (arguably) better than the Smash Tour, as seen from the Wii U versions. Without question, it’s one of the best 3DS games of all time, and it paved the way for what would eventually become Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a release that excels on the Nintendo Switch for both handheld and console gamers.
6. Mario Kart 7
- Developer: Nintendo EAD; Retro Studios
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release Year: 2011
We can’t discuss the best 3DS racing games without giving Mario Kart 7 its due. In addition to having 32 tracks (16 new and 16 returning), it was also brimming with single-player and multiplayer content that made the most of its portable nature. Through eight cups in the Grand Prix mode and 16 playable racers to choose from, there was no risk of you getting bored soon, but that’s only one side of the story.
Mario Kart 7 introduced aerial and underwater racing, as your vehicle could soar through the air and enter the watery depths. This new functionality would later be carried over into Mario Kart 8 (and later Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch), but it all started here. The 16 new tracks intelligently utilized what you could do outside of the standard racing experience, and even the returning tracks received new life, too.
5. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
- Developer: Nintendo EAD
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release Year: 2013
It had been over 20 years since the release of A Link to the Past when Nintendo decided to release a sequel for its then-current handheld system. The end result? One of the best 3DS ever made. A Link Between Worlds utilized an innovative new game mechanic where the playable character could go between Hyrule to Lorule, a darker version of the kingdom gamers were all too familiar with, thanks to the Ravio’s Bracelet used to merge as a painting.
A Link Between Worlds employed non-linear exploration with its overworld and dungeons that felt like an evolved version of what was seen from the top-down Zelda games of the time. Emergent player freedom was at the forefront, as you could play at your own pace. When the action did get intense, however, you had the smoothest gameplay seen in the handheld titles to date. Ravio’s Shop even meant you could “rent” items to find the play style that worked for you, too.
4. Metroid: Samus Returns
- Developer: MercurySteam; Nintendo EPD
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release Year: 2017
While the original Metroid 2 on Game Boy was solid for its time, the developers had to compromise to squeeze a full-size adventure on such a low-powered system. That’s the beauty of Samus Returns, as it utilized the full power of the 3DS to bring the (largely) forgotten sequel up to a modern standard. It looks and feels amazing, with a core gameplay loop that evolves the exploration that the franchise is so well known for. In particular, the melee counter, which makes Samus feel her strongest (when you can pull it off).
Thanks to its smooth gameplay, Metroid: Samus Returns is one of the best 3DS action games. The title served as the blueprint for what would become Metroid: Dread, one of the best Nintendo Switch games. It also happens to be one of the more challenging entries in the franchise, which should excite older gamers, provided you can map out where to go and what to do. This is a must-play.
3. Super Mario 3D Land
- Developer: Nintendo EAD
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release Year: 2011
It’s no secret that the 3DS had a troubled launch when it hit the shelves in February 2011. Redeeming the purchase for many early adopters was Super Mario 3D Land, an innovative new take on the classic platforming action. As its name suggests, you are no longer on a 2D plane but have more freedom of movement, akin to what was seen in Super Mario 64 on the handheld. As a showcase for the console, dialing that slider up can produce some incredible effects.
Yes, Super Mario 3D Land is one of the best 3DS games in 3D and the best way to play it. It was so revolutionary that it would later go on to inspire the sequel, Super Mario 3D World, which came to Wii U and then received a Switch port with the awe-inspiring Bowser’s Fury expansion. If you missed this game at the time, and you’re a fan of the series, then it’s well worth booting up in 2025 to see what you missed.
2. Fire Emblem: Awakening
- Developer: Intelligent Systems
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release Year: 2012
A bold new beginning for the long-running series, Fire Emblem: Awakening is easily the best 3DS RPG ever made, and it’s easy to see why. A tactile title, this game excels thanks to its deep gameplay, compelling cast of characters, exciting battle animations, and encompassing map, which makes exploration thoroughly enjoyable throughout the 30 to 50 hours it will take to run through the main narrative.
Fire Emblem: Awakening was incredibly ambitious and asked a lot of those who played it, considering the series’ long-established canon. Chrom and Robin became mainstays after their appearance here, both later arriving as playable characters in the Super Smash Bros. games. It’s fair to say that there was reverence for this title and its influence. It’s arguably the best Fire Emblem game to be released, and that’s no feat when considering the likes of Radiant Dawn, Shadow Dragon, Path of Radiance, Sacred Stones, and Mystery of the Emblem.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D
- Developer: Grezzo; Nintendo EAD
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release Year: 2015
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D is more than just a port of the iconic Nintendo 64 game to the handheld platform. Yes, there are enhanced graphics and immersive 3D visuals, but this release also brought in a wealth of quality-of-life improvements, making it the definitive way to experience the doom-and-gloom adventure game. This includes the new Song of Double Time, meaning you can skip ahead to any hour instead of every six hours, and smart revisions made to the Bomber’s Notebook for keeping track of what’s going on.
Majora’s Mask is a masterpiece, and the 3DS version meant you could also take it on the go. Link ends up in Termina after the Skull Kid steals Majora’s Mask from the Happy Mask Salesman and plunges the town into chaos. In three days, the moon will plummet and erase everyone. What follows is a dark adventure where you must reverse time to uncover the mystery and save this (seemingly) doomed city. It’s the best 3DS game of all time and plays best on the New 3DS, thanks to its second analog stick.
The Bottom Line
The best 3DS games show what the handheld was capable of and why it was so successful throughout its lengthy lifespan. While it’s since been surpassed by the wildly popular Nintendo Switch, the dual-screen machine was much more than just a DS with some stereoscopic glasses-free 3D effects. We saw enhanced visuals, sure, but also some compelling software. With nearly 76 million units sold worldwide and just shy of 400 million software sales, it’s easy to see why this handheld console was beloved for so long.