What Games To Download on the 3DS eShop Before it Shuts Down Forever March 3, 2022

Been a long time since we’ve done one of these hasn’t it? With the recent announcement that Nintendo is planning to shut down the Nintendo eShop for the Wii U and 3DS forever in May 2023, gamers have been scrambling to obtain games through the service that they wouldn’t be able to get otherwise. I’ve owned a 3DS since August 2012 and it rekindled my love with Nintendo handhelds in a way that I never imagined. We don’t have much time left to make purchases through the service (credit card purchases are expected to end in May 2022 with eShop credit ending in August 2022) I felt the time was right to start sharing some of my favorite games from the 3DS eShop with all of you.

Before we start the list just know this list will be comprised of entirely original games that cannot be obtained physically through other means. We also won’t be including Virtual Console games (including SNES titles) as we don’t consider them exclusives at this time. So let’s sit back and enjoy this truly eclectic list of games I’ve enjoyed from the time I spent owning a 3DS.

Attack of the Friday Monsters -Without a doubt one of the most charming games I have ever played in my life. In this game, you play as the new kid living in Tokyo during the mid-70s. Each Friday, giant monsters are reported to attack the city. Your job is to discover if these monsters are real and along the way learn more about your and your family’s otherworldly past. If this article has any merit, you must download this game RIGHT NOW.

Pokémon: Dream Radar – This AR game is another no brainer, especially if you’re a Pokémon fan. In this game, you must traverse the dream world as you use the 3DS cameras and gyroscope to capture exclusive Pokémon. It’s a major precursor to games like Pokémon Go, and it is fairly inexpensive. You’ll need a copy of Black 2 or White 2 physically inside your 3DS to transfer any Pokémon you obtain in the game.

The Starship Damrey – A first-person sci-fi puzzle adventure game with an art style that that harkens back to Enemy Zero on the Sega Saturn. You’re trapped in a stasis pod onboard an interstellar starship that appears to be abandoned. Thankfully, you gain control of a remote controlled robot with a camera and grabby arm. Your objective is to find a way to free yourself from this pod. But is everything what it seems to be?

Weapon Shop de Omasse – What goes into making the powerful and mythical weapons a hero wields into battle? A talented blacksmith of course! This puzzle game has you decide what weapons to make for which characters, and who will function best with each type of weapon. On top of that, this game’s sense of humor is just great. I mean, we are making weapons for famous gaming character archetypes, now we get to see what these characters are like on their downtime around civilians. I’m a fan of cynical comedians and I think this game’s writing really knows how to appeal to the long-term gamer who is very familiar with all of gaming’s tropes.

Chibi-Robo Photo Finder – This game was my first exposure to the adorable Chibi-Robo and I just loved the gameplay. Your job was to control the titular character as he makes his way through his environment all the way hoping he won’t run out of power. There are puzzles to solve and pictures to take, so keep your eyes on the outline!