Nintendo is shutting down 3DS and Wii U eShop purchases late March 2023

[ultraluna]

Nintendo doesn't release physical games in Brasil since the middle of the Wii U/3DS generation. I think it's fair to think that the next Nintendo system probably won't support Switch games. I do believe there's a practicality in digital games, but when the only official way to buy a game is gone, what are you supposed to do? Pay $500 for an imported copy of Yoshi's Crafted World?
Edit: maybe something that a multimillion company doesn't feel the need to call the feds on me for downloading a 20-year old game. Maybe keeping their virtual stores online like their competitors I dunno.

 

[kc44135]

Not surprised at all, but very, very disappointed nonetheless. This is awful, and sets a terrible precedent for future Consoles (although I suppose it was already set with the Wii Shop's closure). It also shows that Nintendo's digital ecosystem is the absolute worst one to invest in, as they simply do not care about preserving access to your past purchases, on either new or old hardware (I'm sure some will point out downloads are staying for now, and that's true, but this is the first step towards removing them as well, and that will absolutely happen), and with Sony's new stance on maintaining the PS3 and Vita Storefronts (at least for now), they're really the only ones taking down old storefronts atm (as you can access most, if not all digital PSP titles through the PS3/Vita Stores to my knowledge, I don't consider Sony taking down the PSP store to be comparable at all).

It really makes Nintendo's ecosystem seem terrible and anti-consumer, and I'd say that's largely because it is. It's also a terrible blow for accessibility of older titles. There will be no easy or affordable legal method of accessing so many of these titles now, which is just shameful, and also serves to highlight just how poor Nintendo has handled legacy content thus far in the Switch gen. This is awful, and Nintendo should be ashamed.

 

[super moustique]

Nintendo sucks for this, 3DS isn't that old of a system. Will the prices go up for physical copies?

Click to shrink...

Definitely.

I am already dead. At least I used that digital deluxe program, Best Buy's GCU and a lot of eShop cards on sale….but still. I've actually been filling out my Wii U and 3DS physical collection the last few months. Seems I was going a tad slower than I should have been and I'll just grab whatever I can now. That Atlus sale really made me suspicious.

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Atlus sales happen pretty often, there's nothing suspicious about those! :D

 

[super moustique]

.

 

[Aurica]

I have a Japanese and an American 3DS. Is there a way to modify them to load all the games and dlc onto just one of them (and back up all the games, saves, and dlc)?

For Wii U, can I run all my games (including vc) with my saves on Cemu?

 

[Gaardus]

I have a Japanese and an American 3DS. Is there a way to modify them to load all the games and dlc onto just one of them (and back up all the games, saves, and dlc)?

Click to shrink...

Yep:

3DS Hacks Guide

A complete guide to 3DS (and 2DS) custom firmware, from stock to boot9strap.

3ds.hacks.guide

IIRC, use GodMode9 to dump games and DLC, FBI to install said backups, and Checkpoint (or other various save managers) to back up your save files.

 

[PAFenix]

Has this been shared yet? It really should have been if not.

 

[Deleted member 12867]

Alright, my 2ds xl comes in this week. Is there anything worth buying?

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I would get all the atlas games I can they aren't cheap physical.

 

[jwk94]

I would get all the atlas games I can they aren't cheap physical.

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Thanks!

 

[FrakEarth]

I'm less concerned about being able to buy new stuff than being able to download the digital stuff I bought years ago. I have to assume that my ability to keep doing that isn't going to be forever, but it's good that you can still download your purchased games and play them online... I feel like there a lot of posts in here that don't seem like they realise that.

Even as someone who owned and loved the system - I wouldn't touch it much these days for buying stuff. Killing Miiverse hurt more.

This whole thing has reminded me - I sold my Wii U years ago, and was thinking about picking one up again. I've got an email from a Nintendo rep that seems to suggest they can tie my account and purchases back to another console if I get one if I raise a ticket with the new serial no... I really need to do that and get these things downloaded.

 

[SchuckyDucky]

If anyone is looking to checkout the 3DS library, the 2DS XL Refurbished is back on Nintendo's store.

 

[julian]

Definitely.



Atlus sales happen pretty often, there's nothing suspicious about those! :D

Click to shrink...

They often have sales but I don't remember one being that extensive.

 

[chrominance]

Going through the web version of the new Nintendo eShop, and man it's worse than I expected. I already knew that the Wii U stuff was just disappeared into the ether, so for that I'll have to use my actual Wii U. But paging through the 3DS games is a huge pain because of how it handles pagination, as a poorly optimized bit of Javascript rather than just normal page loads (and trust me, trying to hack the URL to go to different pages breaks after a while). It's also missing some games that appear on sale in the 3DS storefront, for some bizarre reason. Worse, the site doesn't give you any indication that you're on the US version, so you have to pay attention to the prices and realize you're in the wrong place.

But the nastiest part? Even after you switch to the correct regional store (in Canada at least), prices still show up in USD. You can go all the way to the detail page with the "Direct Download" purchase button and see this lower price. It's only when you hover over the button that the price changes to the correct CAD price, which is very much a blink-and-you'll-miss it operation.

Who built this? This is somehow even worse than what Sony did to their webstore for PSN.

 

[arsene_P5]

Do I think they're doing this too soon? Yes. But this is the eventual fate of all digital media. When you go all-digital this is the assumption you take on.

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The assumption depends on the timeframe we are looking at, because physical media isn't usable for eternity either. Cartridges and other physical media degrade over time. As you said Nintendo closing down the store is to soon and I appreciate the work other companies put in to keep those stores online.

I believe companies like Nintendo should do better, especially when they got a closed platform. More for accessibility reasons and less about preserving games, because preserving digital media is absolutely possible right now depending on the platform. Just plug in a card or a external HDD and store your digital purchases that way. You can even copy that data to different drives, so if one fails you are still good and your games preserved.

 

[Tavernade]

I was concerned that redownloads would stop working but at least that's not a worry.

I'm (stupidly) hopeful that GB/GBA will come to NSO prior, and 'maybe' Wii. Hopefully they have some idea of how to get DS/3DS games onto future consoles because I really have no idea how they'd port/emulate them with the Switch.

 

[Aurica]

Yep:

3DS Hacks Guide

A complete guide to 3DS (and 2DS) custom firmware, from stock to boot9strap.

3ds.hacks.guide

IIRC, use GodMode9 to dump games and DLC, FBI to install said backups, and Checkpoint (or other various save managers) to back up your save files.

Click to shrink...

Thanks a lot!

 

[IceMarker]

If anyone is looking to checkout the 3DS library, the 2DS XL Refurbished is back on Nintendo's store.

Click to shrink...

And damn, already sold out.

 

[RedSwirl]

Oh they're already taking the old games down from the web store? Damn.

Edit: so the games are still there but you can't filter out Virtual Console?

 

[Bulk_Rate]

And damn, already sold out.

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Yeah I spend 90 mins on their webstore and I all ended up with is a CC authorization but no order

 

[APOEERA]

I'm probably going to get some of the Virtual Console games like the remaining Zelda games and the digital 3DS games that are more expensive as physical copies before May 2022.

 

[Cess007]

I didn't know that Nintendo actually puts efforts into avoiding legal preservation beyond commercial access

 

[delete12345]

Edit: Nevermind. I thought the tweet is gone.

 

[prodyg]

I didn't know that Nintendo actually puts efforts into avoiding legal preservation beyond commercial access

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They are probably the most aggressive company in terms of this

 

[Deleted member 81119]

Does anyone know the easiest way to keep track of 3DS sales? I'd like to pick up stuff over the next year on the cheap.

 

[super moustique]

Does anyone know the easiest way to keep track of 3DS sales? I'd like to pick up stuff over the next year on the cheap.

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psprices has a 3DS category but I'm not sure how good it is for that console.

Just so you know, nowadays, it's mainly Capcom and Atlus doing sales from time to time.

 

[Zombegoast]

Nintendo straight up removed the ability to purchase Wii U games through the browser. That was the 1 thing I was afraid and completely unnecessary

 

[RedSwirl]

It's kinda crazy to think: in 2008 I got an iTunes copy of The Dark Knight that I can now watch in 4K at no additional cost.

 

[Love Machine]

Wth... I haven't touched my 3DS in a while, but this is kinda sad :(

I feel like I should buy some stuff for me or my kids to maybe pick it up one day and have a good time.
It'd be great if this becomes a recommendation thread.

 

[Goddo Hando]

I didn't know that Nintendo actually puts efforts into avoiding legal preservation beyond commercial access

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rooting hard for Frank & Gang here. Putting pressure on other big gaming companies has worked recently, hopefully the voices are heard.

 

[Cooliofunk]

Glad I picked up a bunch of atlus games from that recent sale! There are some other 3ds games I'd like, better get on them I guess. What's considered the best yokai watch game on the system? Never tried a game before and would like to.

 

[super moustique]

Glad I picked up a bunch of atlus games from that recent sale! There are some other 3ds games I'd like, better get on them I guess. What's considered the best yokai watch game on the system? Never tried a game before and would like to.

Click to shrink...

Last version of YW2 or YW3.

 

[Khanimus]

Nintendo sucks for this, 3DS isn't that old of a system. Will the prices go up for physical copies?

Click to shrink...

I'm staring at my stack of unopened 3DS Atlus games and wondering if I should put them somewhere extra safe...

 

[Watershed]

Is the Mario Puzzle and Dragons game worth playing?

 

[TheXbox]

I hope this is the last time we have to consign an entire console's library to the second-hand market. I understand the Wii U and 3DS have unique architecture that makes porting/emulating their games difficult, but this is a terrible industry practice. It has to end.

 

[RadicalR]

Is the Mario Puzzle and Dragons game worth playing?

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Very much so.

 

[E.Balboa]

Hopefully there's a sale on Sega 3d Ages titles...

 

[Zyrokai]

Hopefully there's a sale on Sega 3d Ages titles...

Click to shrink...

Allow me to save you some trouble:

SEGA 3D Classics Collection - Nintendo 3DS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B1KEER...t_i_8CEXVRR8B81H9DN19CFT?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[OverTheMountains]

This closure is doing the worst things possible for my backlog. This weekend I spent way too much money buying a bunch of games, and realized that my "wanted" list was far too long and expensive, so I built a bit of a scorecard to help me shorten the list. So here's where I'm at:

Games I've bought:

Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons

Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages

Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright

Fire Emblem Fates: Revelations

Pushmo World

Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber

Paper Mario

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Golden Sun: The Lost Age

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

Fire Emblem

Golden Sun

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Metroid Fusion

Taking me to a current total of just under $200 CAD.

My remaining purchase plans (after the scorecard bit) include:

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentía

Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past

Pokemon Bank

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux was

Crashmo

Pushmo

Stretchmo

Attack of the Friday Monsters: A Tokyo Tale

Professor Layton vs Pheonix Wright

professor Layton and the Azran Legacy

Pocket Card Jockey

Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask

Kid Icarus Uprising

Advance Wars: Dual Strike

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Affordable Space Adventures

That would be a total of nearly $500 CAD.

I'm debating adding in Rhythm Heaven Fever (Wii U), and Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move (3DS).

Yikes. This list is still nonsense!

 

[julian]

Allow me to save you some trouble:

SEGA 3D Classics Collection - Nintendo 3DS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B1KEER...t_i_8CEXVRR8B81H9DN19CFT?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Click to shrink...

It doesn't have all the Sega 3D releases like Gunstar Heroes or Streets of Rage.

I was checking out their new website and it has some interesting changes, but also some weird bugs. The account pop up is nice and it has a quick QR code to let you scan yourself in you're at a Nintendo event. 3DS games are a mess. They have Direct Download buttons even if you can't download them which do nothing. I also can't seem to wishlist them. The heart will change and then revert after a moment.

 

[E.Balboa]

Allow me to save you some trouble:

SEGA 3D Classics Collection - Nintendo 3DS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B1KEER...t_i_8CEXVRR8B81H9DN19CFT?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Click to shrink...

Thanks! Does it include all of the games?

 

[qaopjlll]

Thanks! Does it include all of the games?

Click to shrink...

Nope, there were a total of 3 physical compilations released in Japan and this is the only one that came out in the west. (It's actually the second of the 3 Japanese compilation cartridges.)

The first compilation cartridge contained the following:

Title	Version
Ecco the Dolphin	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Brothers	Arcade
Out Run	Arcade
Out Run 3-D	Sega Master System
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Space Harrier	Arcade
Space Harrier 3-D	Sega Master System
Streets of Rage	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive

and the third compilation contained the following:

Title	Version
After Burner II	Arcade
Alien Syndrome[SUP][6][/SUP]	Arcade
Champion Boxing	SG-1000
Columns[SUP][7][/SUP]	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Girl's Garden	SG-1000
Gunstar Heroes	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Sonic the Hedgehog 2	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Streets of Rage II	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Super Hang-On	Arcade
Thunder Force III	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Turbo OutRun	Arcade

So you won't be able to purchase the games listed above for your 3DS after the eShop closes, unless you have a Japanese 3DS and are willing to shill out for the stupidly expensive Japanese cartridges.

Most of the Arcade and Genesis titles included in these compilations can still be purchased standalone on the eShop, but Thunder Force III and Turbo Outrun (EDIT: and Alien Syndrome) were only ever available in the Sega Archives 3 compilation, which is outrageously expensive to purchase the cartridge second hand (although compilation is also available on the Japanese eShop where it can be purchased for the "low" price of 5489 yen)

 

[Zaiven]

People criticizing Nintendo for not caring about game preservation are missing the point. They do care about game preservation--but it's going to be on their terms. They want people to pay for their online subscription service in order to get access to whatever old games that Nintendo decides to put on there. People will do it, too, so Nintendo will be rewarded for doing this.

People have been wanting Nintendo to embrace the online ecosystem for years. Well, guess what? This is how Nintendo's going to do it. Be careful what you wish for.

 

[qaopjlll]

Nope, there were a total of 3 physical compilations released in Japan and this is the only one that came out in the west. (It's actually the second of the 3 Japanese compilation cartridges.)

The first compilation cartridge contained the following:

Title	Version
Ecco the Dolphin	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Brothers	Arcade
Out Run	Arcade
Out Run 3-D	Sega Master System
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Space Harrier	Arcade
Space Harrier 3-D	Sega Master System
Streets of Rage	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive

and the third compilation contained the following:

Title	Version
After Burner II	Arcade
Alien Syndrome[SUP][6][/SUP]	Arcade
Champion Boxing	SG-1000
Columns[SUP][7][/SUP]	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Girl's Garden	SG-1000
Gunstar Heroes	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Sonic the Hedgehog 2	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Streets of Rage II	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Super Hang-On	Arcade
Thunder Force III	Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Turbo OutRun	Arcade

So you won't be able to purchase the games listed above for your 3DS after the eShop closes, unless you have a Japanese 3DS and are willing to shill out for the stupidly expensive Japanese cartridges.

Most of the Arcade and Genesis titles included in these compilations can still be purchased standalone on the eShop, but Thunder Force III and Turbo Outrun (EDIT: and Alien Syndrome) were only ever available in the Sega Archives 3 compilation, which is outrageously expensive to purchase the cartridge second hand (although compilation is also available on the Japanese eShop where it can be purchased for the "low" price of 5489 yen)

Click to shrink...

Having said all that, the 3D collection that got released is still well worth buying if you haven't downloaded most of the included standalone games from the eShop already (or perhaps even if you have) - it includes probably the 3 most impressive showpiece titles for stereoscopic 3D in Galaxy Force, Thunderblade and Power Drift (the latter of which is only available for US 3DS via the collection -- it only saw a standalone eShop release in Japan), along with a few other outstanding titles like Sonic the Hedgehog and Fantasy Zone

 

[E.Balboa]

Grabbing it now. Thanks.

 

[Marz]

Fates dlc cant be bought without getting to chapter 5?

 

[bananab]

Folks that were thinking of picking up the Phoenix Wright games might take a look. The original trilogy is on sale for $12 and the others are $5/ea.

 

[Iggy500]

It's now 2023, meaning that the Wii U and 3DS eShops will be closed for new purchases in just under 3 months.

There is one thing I should also point out. I don't know whether this was discussed in the thread last year or not, but according to Nintendo of Japan's official support page, they have stated that in the future, they will be ending all services related to the 3DS and Wii U eShops, including downloading software updates and redownloading previously purchased software. In other words, it's basically the Wii Shop Channel and DSi Shop closure all over again. You can't purchase anything after 3/27/23, and the full closure of the 3DS and Wii U eShops will happen at a later date.

ニンテンドー3DSシリーズおよびWii Uの「ニンテンドーeショップ」サービス終了時期に関するお知らせ ｜サポート情報｜Nintendo

ニンテンドー3DSシリーズおよびWii Uの「ニンテンドーeショップ」サービス終了時期に関するお知らせです。

www.nintendo.co.jp

 

[AHA-Lambda]

they have stated that in the future, they will be ending all services related to the 3DS and Wii U eShops, including downloading software updates and redownloading previously purchased software. In other words, it's basically the Wii Shop Channel and DSi Shop closure all over again.

Click to shrink...

I really don't know how Nintendo gets away with this shit

 

[fiendcode]

It's now 2023, meaning that the Wii U and 3DS eShops will be closed for new purchases in just under 3 months.

There is one thing I should also point out. I don't know whether this was discussed in the thread last year or not, but according to Nintendo of Japan's official support page, they have stated that in the future, they will be ending all services related to the 3DS and Wii U eShops, including downloading software updates and redownloading previously purchased software. In other words, it's basically the Wii Shop Channel and DSi Shop closure all over again. You can't purchase anything after 3/27/23, and the full closure of the 3DS and Wii U eShops will happen at a later date.

ニンテンドー3DSシリーズおよびWii Uの「ニンテンドーeショップ」サービス終了時期に関するお知らせ ｜サポート情報｜Nintendo

ニンテンドー3DSシリーズおよびWii Uの「ニンテンドーeショップ」サービス終了時期に関するお知らせです。

www.nintendo.co.jp

Click to shrink...

Worth noting the Wii and DSi Shop Channels are still up and fully functional for redownloads. They went down earlier last year in March (and were assumed done for good) but then went back up a couple months later in June with everything working as usual.

I expect the Wii U and 3DS eShops will continue up for quite awhile tbh.

 

[Deleted member 12867]

It's now 2023, meaning that the Wii U and 3DS eShops will be closed for new purchases in just under 3 months.

There is one thing I should also point out. I don't know whether this was discussed in the thread last year or not, but according to Nintendo of Japan's official support page, they have stated that in the future, they will be ending all services related to the 3DS and Wii U eShops, including downloading software updates and redownloading previously purchased software. In other words, it's basically the Wii Shop Channel and DSi Shop closure all over again. You can't purchase anything after 3/27/23, and the full closure of the 3DS and Wii U eShops will happen at a later date.

ニンテンドー3DSシリーズおよびWii Uの「ニンテンドーeショップ」サービス終了時期に関するお知らせ ｜サポート情報｜Nintendo

ニンテンドー3DSシリーズおよびWii Uの「ニンテンドーeショップ」サービス終了時期に関するお知らせです。

www.nintendo.co.jp

Click to shrink...

Mod your 3DS and backup your games. This is ridiculous.