Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo 3DS
The original Nintendo 3DS (Coral Pink model), in its open position
Details
Creator(s)	Nintendo
Release date(s)	February 26, 2011 March 25, 2011 March 27, 2011 March 31, 2011
Supported languages	Japanese, American English, British English, Canadian French, European French, Italian, German, Latin American Spanish, European Spanish, Dutch, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, Russian, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese
Console chronology
← Nintendo DS	Nintendo Switch Lite →
"Nintendo 3DS" on other NIWA wikis: NintendoWiki

The Nintendo 3DS is a handheld console created by Nintendo and released in spring of 2011. It is the successor to the Nintendo DS, and was succeeded by the Nintendo Switch Lite. It features two screens—the top screen with 3D capability, and the bottom screen being a touch screen. The first details of the new system were revealed at the E3 2010 conference. In fall of 2020, production for the console was discontinued after a nearly decade-long run.

Overview

Similarly to the Nintendo DSi, the Nintendo 3DS features a camera inside the system, albeit above the top screen. The exterior has two cameras, capable of taking three-dimensional photographs. It also has a slider, which is used to raise or lower the strength of the 3D graphics. The 3D effect can be observed without the need of special glasses or headgear through the use of a parallax barrier in front of the backlight. The system also features an accelerometer and a gyroscope.

The accelerometer is used when the system is closed to registers steps as the player is moving. The number of steps taken on a given day is displayed on the system's HOME Menu. For every 100 steps, the player accumulates a Play Coin, which can be spent to unlock bonus features in a variety of compatible 3DS games. Up to ten Play Coins can be earned per day, and up to 300 can be accumulated in total. A similar system was previously used in Personal Trainer: Walking, and the Pokéwalker.

The gyroscope is used as a form of motion control in games where the player tilts the Nintendo 3DS, such as Star Fox 64 3D. Incorporated into the Nintendo 3DS is preloaded software called "Face Raiders" which has the player tilting the Nintendo 3DS to shoot faces that they took using the Nintendo 3DS Camera. A similar system was previously used in the Nintendo DSi for games such as Face Training and WarioWare: Snapped!.

The console has a "Home" button, with a similar function to that of the Wii, and a digital control slider called the Circle Pad, like the Control Stick of home consoles, while retaining the "traditional" controls of the Nintendo DS series. The system is backwards-compatible with most Nintendo DS and DSi games. Many compatible 3DS games featured online gameplay through the Nintendo Network.

Similar to the Nintendo DSi, an upscaled model called the Nintendo 3DS XL was released in 2012. A budget model called the Nintendo 2DS was released in 2013, which lacks autostereoscopic 3D and the clamshell design.

A revised model called the New Nintendo 3DS was released, alongside its XL variant, in 2014. Significant new features of this model include two additional shoulder buttons (ZL and ZR), a small "C-Stick" on the right side of the console, increased processing power, improved 3D functionality using face detection, and built-in NFC read/write support for amiibo and similar products. Some games are exclusive to the New Nintendo 3DS, or have features exclusive to it, with one example being the ability to use the C-Stick to control the camera in the Kirby 3D Rumble mode of Kirby: Planet Robobot. The smaller model features interchangeable face plates, while the XL model does not.

The final model to be released was the New Nintendo 2DS XL in 2017, which contains the hardware improvements of the New Nintendo 3DS XL but has the same design as the Nintendo 2DS (lacking autostereoscopic 3D and the clamshell design).

The Nintendo eShop featured many exclusive digital-only games, full retail games, and classic games through the Virtual Console service, available to purchase and download to the 3DS. Some Virtual Console games were exclusive to New Nintendo 3DS models, owing to their reliance on its increased processing power. The Nintendo eShop closed on March 27th, 2023, whereas online play for games was discontinued on April 8th, 2024.

Kirby games on 3DS

The 3DS family received eight unique Kirby games (counting Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn but discounting 3D Classics: Kirby's Adventure), the most of any Nintendo system, with several older titles also being made available through the Virtual Console.

Cartridge games

• 
  Kirby: Triple Deluxe
• 
  Kirby: Planet Robobot
• 
  Kirby Battle Royale
• 
  Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn

3DS eShop downloadable titles

• 
  3D Classics: Kirby's Adventure
• 
  Kirby Fighters Deluxe
• 
  Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe
• 
  Team Kirby Clash Deluxe
• 
  Kirby's Blowout Blast

Virtual Console

• Kirby's Dream Land - GB
• Kirby's Pinball Land - GB
• Kirby's Dream Land 2 - GB
• Kirby's Block Ball - GB
• Kirby's Star Stacker - GB
• Kirby's Dream Course - SNES (New Nintendo 3DS systems only)
• Kirby's Star Stacker - SFC (Japanese New Nintendo 3DS systems only)
• Kirby & The Amazing Mirror - GBA (3DS ambassadors only)

Other games featuring Kirby characters

• 
  Nintendo Badge Arcade
• 
  Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
• 
  Ultimate NES Remix

Features

amiibo

The New Nintendo 3DS design is compatible with amiibo, which can be scanned in by placing the base of the figure on the lower screen during certain moments in compatible games. The original 3DS is not natively compatible with amiibo, though an accessory to scan the figures is sold separately.

AR Games

The Kirby AR Card

This software features several augmented reality games that use the 3DS camera and some AR cards bundled with the system. The cards include a Question Block from the Mario series, Mario, Link, Kirby, Samus Aran, and Pikmin. There is also a mode for taking photos with these characters, who can be placed in a variety of poses.

StreetPass

Main article: StreetPass

HOME Menu Themes

NintendoWiki has more information about this subject here.

Nintendo 3DS Themes are official custom themes for the Nintendo 3DS HOME menu, purchased on the 3DS Theme Shop.

A Nintendo 3DS Theme consists of:

• Themed background for both the main screen and the touch screen.
• Unique folders and icons.
• Game-specific music and sounds on select themes.

List of Kirby series Nintendo 3DS Themes

Image	Theme	Release Date	Music	General description
	Kirby: Craft-Paper Party	JP: 14 February, 2015 EN: 27 February, 2015	"Green Greens / Peanut Plains (acoustic version)"	This theme features a scrolling background on both screens, with several Kirbys, puffs of air and items (consisting of onigiris, Maxim Tomatoes, Star Blocks, Invincible Candies and the Star Rod) on the screen above, and rows of small stars, items and a Waddle Dee on the screen below, all on a brown cardboard-like background.
	Kirby: Stripes and a Smile	JP: 14 February, 2015 EN: 27 February, 2015	"Green Greens (pop version)"	This theme features a static upper screen and a scrolling background on the lower screen, with a closeup of Kirby's face smiling on the screen above, and a Maxim Tomato, an Invincible Candy, an onigiri and the Star Rod against a red striped background on the screen below.
	Kirby: Sweet Gourmet Race	JP: 14 February, 2015 EN: 27 February, 2015	"Get up and Go-urmet! (brass band version)"	This theme features a static upper screen and a scrolling background on the lower screen, with Kirby inhaling on the screen above, and several sweets on the screen below, including a Maxim Tomato and an Invincible Candy, along with a Waddle Dee, all against a light blue and white background. The music for this theme was remixed for the Kirby Star Allies Celebration Picture "Crazy Mischief in the Stars".
	星のカービィ ロボボプラネット カービィと秘書スージーの1日 (Kirby: Planet Robobot - A Day With Kirby and Secretary Susie)	JP: 18 April, 2016	"Yearning for Yellow (Vroom!)" (theme of Resolution Road - Stage 1 from Kirby: Planet Robobot)	This theme features a scrolling background on both screens, showing with pastel artwork a day in the life of Susie on the top screen, and a day in the life of Kirby on the bottom screen. It was available as a limited-edition bonus by purchasing a download code for Kirby: Planet Robobot from 7-Eleven stores.
	Kirby Planet Robobot: Robobot Armor Activate!	JP: 28 April, 2016 EN: 10 June, 2016	"Pink Ball Activate!" (theme of the Robobot Armor from Kirby: Planet Robobot)	This theme features a static upper screen and a scrolling background on the lower screen, with art of Kirby in the Robobot Armor and the Halberd against a galaxy-like background on the screen above, and the Robobot Armor's several modes against a computer-like background on the screen below. Released together with the video game Kirby: Planet Robobot.
	Kirby's 25th Anniversary / Kirby 25th Anniversary	JP/EN: 27 April, 2017	"Welcome to Dream Land" (Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition title version)	This theme features a scrolling background on both screens, consisting on various official art from the events of Kirby's 25th Anniversary on both screens.
	Kirby's Blowout Blast: Go, Kirby!	JP: 3 July, 2017 EN: 1 September, 2017 (Europe only)	"A 3D Adventure! Kirby's Blowout Blast"	This theme features a static upper screen and a scrolling background on the lower screen, with art of Kirby shooting a Star Bullet against background resembling that of the stages of Level 4 from Kirby's Blowout Blast on the screen above, with the lower screen displaying artwork of Kirby (as Full Belly Kirby, firing a Blaster Bullet and riding a Warp Star), a Waddle Dee, a Gordo, a Glunk, a Bronto Burt, a Scarfy and a Broom Hatter, all against a thread-like background. Its release was exclusive to Japan and Europe. In Japan, it was available as a bonus when purchasing a download code for Kirby's Blowout Blast at Lawson stores.
	Kirby Battle Royale: May the Best Kirby Win!	JP: 21 November, 2017 EN: 26 January, 2018	"Let Battle Commence!"	This theme features a scrolling background on the upper screen and a static lower screen, with several Kirbys fighting between them and King Dedede using the Kirby Printer on the screen above, and Kirby glaring over the giant cake of Dedede's Cake Royale on the screen below. It was made available as a bonus when purchasing the digital version of Kirby Battle Royale before a deadline. It also became purchasable with 100 Platinum Points.
	Kirby: Copy Ability Poll / Kirby Copy Ability Global Poll	JP: 13 December, 2017 EN: 19 January, 2018	"Marshmallow Castle" (from Kirby Super Star)	This theme features a static upper screen and a scrolling background on the lower screen, with artwork of Mirror Kirby with the Kirby: Planet Robobot hat against a background resembling the ability's projectiles on the screen above, and various artwork of Mirror Kirby with the Kirby Super Star / Kirby Super Star Ultra and Kirby: Planet Robobot hats against a blue and pink fabric-like background featuring artwork of Yo-Yo, Sleep, UFO and Plasma Kirby inside mirrors on the screen below, with those other four abilities being the ones that placed in the top 5 abilities of the poll below Mirror. To celebrate Mirror winning the first Copy Ability poll for Kirby Battle Royale, this theme was made free. Distribution for it ended on March 31st, 2018 (Japan).

• 
  Another preview of the "Kirby Copy Ability Global Poll", showing at the sides part of the artwork that is used in the lower screen of the theme

Appearances in the Kirby series

In Kirby: Triple Deluxe and Kirby: Planet Robobot, the staff credits for Dededetour and Meta Knightmare Returns have icons of Kirby that match the roles of the developers shown. The icon for "Testing" in both games shows Kirby and Bandana Waddle Dee playing together with a pair of 3DS systems. Kirby has a Light Blue system while Bandana Waddle Dee has a Gloss Pink system.

While not physically appearing in Kirby Mass Attack, in the Japanese, North American and Korean versions of the game, Daroach may say that he wishes to have a Nintendo 3DS, because they are "worth their weight in gold".

Names in other languages

Nintendo 3DS (XL)

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	ニンテンドー3DS Nintendō 3DS ニンテンドー3DS LL Nintendō 3DS LL	Nintendo 3DS Nintendo 3DS LL
English	Nintendo 3DS Nintendo 3DS XL	Named after the system's 3D capabilities. "XL" is an abbreviation for "extra large".

New Nintendo 3DS (XL)

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	Newニンテンドー3DS New Nintendō 3DS Newニンテンドー3DS LL New Nintendō 3DS LL	New Nintendo 3DS New Nintendo 3DS LL
English	New Nintendo 3DS New Nintendo 3DS XL	- -

Nintendo 2DS

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	ニンテンドー2DS Nintendō 2DS	Nintendo 2DS
English	Nintendo 2DS	In reference to the system not being capable of 3D display.

New Nintendo 2DS XL

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	Newニンテンドー2DS LL New Nintendō 2DS LL	New Nintendo 2DS LL
English	New Nintendo 2DS XL	-

External links

• Nintendo.com