Nintendo has announced that it will be closing the eShop for WII U and 3DS consoles on Mar. 27th, 2023. As of now, all the games are still available to purchase and can be bought so long as the player has money in their Nintendo account. Since players cannot add money directly to the Wii U or 3DS anymore they can put money into their Nintendo Switch and that same balance will be usable.
There are many essential games that players should get before the eShop leaves as the Wii U and 3DS contains some games that are nearly impossible to obtain physically or digitally.
Pokémon Bank & Poké Transporter (3DS)
The Pokémon Bank & Poké Transporter are two of the most essential games, especially for Pokémon fans. Gamers will remember that these apps allow them to move their Pokémon around to the games they desire.
The drawback of the Pokémon Bank has always been that it cost subscriptions, however, this will no longer be in effect soon. Players should download these two games for free before they disappear for good but should remember not to pay any money for Pokémon Bank‘s subscription.
Nintendo Land (3DS)
Nintendo Land was the spiritual successor in many ways to Wii Sports. It embodied the same concept of minigames using Miis while also combining elements of classic Nintendo titles into the gameplay and areas like Mario and Zelda.
Wii Sports has often been a difficult game to get a hold of and this will soon be the case for Nintendo Land too. Players should take the opportunity now to get this great multiplayer game before it’s too late.
The Legend Of Zelda: Oracle Of Seasons & Oracle Of Ages (3DS)
Most of Zelda‘s games are fortunately relatively easy to access thanks to Nintendo adding classic games to the Nintendo Switch. However, Oracle of Seasons & Oracle of Ages are in an awkward area and original copies of the game are incredibly difficult to obtain.
These games are only available digitally for the 3DS and there’s no way of knowing whether the Nintendo Switch will ever add GameBoy Color games to their libraries or eShop but the chances seem unlikely.
Kirby: Triple Deluxe (3DS)
Kirby: Triple Deluxe is one of the best Kirby games and is only available on the Nintendo Switch. The game has a great story with some fun new abilities that Kirby can copy along the way.
One feature fans really took to was the Kirby Fightersmode which played extremely similar to Super Smash Bros. except all the characters are Kirby. This is a perfect selection for newer fans of the Kirby franchise who just got into the games via Kirby and the Forgotten Land. As always, the game is vibrant, colorful, and beautiful.
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey Of The Cursed King (3DS)
Dragon Quest boomed in popularity thanks to Dragon Quest XI, and sadly it will soon be difficult to access the older games. Dragon Quest VIII is one of those examples and is the perfect game to play for those who loved Dragon Quest XI.
The game’s combat is relatively similar, though the world is of course not quite as breathtaking to explore. Regardless, Dragon Quest VIII is one of the best Nintendo 3DS RPGs for a reason with an excellent story and score with some truly extraordinary characters to play with.
New Yoshi’s Island (3DS)
New Yoshi’s Island was the game that fans of the original Yoshi’s Island had been waiting for. It takes place narratively within the events of the other Yoshi’s Island games and features relatively similar gameplay as the other games where Yoshi takes Baby Mario through each area.
The game has the same sort of charm and atmosphere as the original Yoshi’s Island with its pastel watercolor art and a wonderful soundtrack. While the gameplay itself can sometimes feel a bit lacking it’s the ideal game to snatch for Yoshi and Mario fans before it’s gone for good.
Golden Sun (Wii U)
The Golden Sun series has long since been well-loved games and is an abandoned RPG franchise that needs to return. The first two games can still be purchased on the Wii U. The game is difficult to find outside of this so players who’ve been desiring to get into the franchise for a long time shouldn’t waste any more time to get it.
The game features an excellent story with typical turn-based combat. Despite doing what so many other fantasy RPGs have done the game feels fresh and unique with its own twists on turn-based RPGs.
Pokémon Yellow & Crystal (3DS)
While Pokémon Red, Blue, Gold, and Silver can all be purchased on the 3DS as well, players should keep their attention primarily on Pokémon Yellow and Crystal. These are the best in their respective trilogies and have more content than the others.
These Pokémon can also be placed into the Pokémon Bank, so players don’t have to feel that they’re wasting their time by catching as many Pokémon as they want. The games are truly thrilling and are the best representatives of the first two generations of Pokémon. These are the best games to jump into for players who have always wanted to see what all the hype was about with the older games.
The Legend Of Zelda’s Remastered Games (3DS/Wii U)
The Legend of Zelda franchise has been quite busy with remastering its old games in the past few years. So far, every major 3D Zelda game, which all consist of some of the best Zelda games, aside from Breath of the Wild has received a remaster and the latter will likely obtain one when Nintendo receives a new console.
Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask‘s 3D remasters can both be purchased on the 3DS and their original games can also be bought on the Wii U (though these games are part of Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack). The HD Remasters for Wind Waker andTwilight Princess can be bought on the Wii U and will likely be next to impossible to obtain in the future physically. Right now is the perfect time to get into the Zelda franchise before it’s too late for those who haven’t already.
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (Wii U)
The first two Fire Emblem games ever released in the U.S. were Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade (titled only “Fire Emblem” in the U.S.) and Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones. Both of these amazing games are available on the Wii U, but the Sacred Stones is definitely the superior game. This game is a necessity for any gamer who liked any of the Fire Emblem games.
It’s easily one of the best in the franchise and heavily inspired the gameplay and bonus features of Fire Emblem: Awakening. The story is incredible, and it features primarily two different routes, something new Fire Emblem fans have become familiar with in games like Fates and Three Houses.
