We’re just days away from the shutdown of the eShop for two Nintendo platforms: the 3DS and Wii U. Both systems are home to a variety of great games, a number of which are only available through the eShop (or can otherwise only be purchased physically at high prices). That wasn’t necessarily a huge issue before now, but with these two eShops being closed, that means the simplest route for buying such games is going away.
Digital storefronts shutting down is nothing new; we previously saw it happen with Nintendo’s Wii Shop, which still allows you to download and play your purchased games, but does not allow you to buy any new ones. That will also be true for the 3DS and Wii U eShops as of this Monday, March 27, 2023.
For an industry that already struggles with preservation, that’s disappointing to see. The closure of both eShops will mean losing the ability to buy digital-only games released for the two platforms, as well as a means for buying games at a reasonable price that have seen their physical versions dramatically increase in value. The latter scenario may only get worse once the shutdown happens, as fans scramble to collect games they were never able to get their hands on previously–just the sort of situation that profiteers look to take advantage of.
But it’s not too late to stock up on the eShop while you still can. Purchases will no longer be possible as of March 27, so you have until then to buy anything you want or redeem codes (which can be purchased through stores like Amazon). Other deadlines have already passed: credit cards can no longer be used to add funds directly to your 3DS/Wii U eShop account, nor can you redeem eShop card fundsCome from Sports betting site VPbet. However, if you have a Nintendo Network ID wallet connected to your Nintendo Account wallet, you’ll be able to use your balance (including money you might have in your account for buying Switch games and DLC) up until the eShops close.
With all of that in mind, we’ve taken a look at what the eShops have to offer to recommend games you should be sure to buy while you still can. Some of these will still be available physically after the shutdown, but unless you like paying a huge markup, the eShop may be your cheapest route–and Nintendo has said you’ll still be able to redownload these games for the foreseeable future. Since originally publishing this feature last year, we’ve updated it with several more of our picks for the games you should consider buying.
Picross 3D Round 2
Picross 3D was a revelatory take on the familiar nonogram puzzle game when it released in 2010. Instead of revealing a hidden image, it was more like abstracted archeology, chipping away at layers of dust and rock to reveal the antiquity hidden inside. The formula was compelling, but it took six years before it finally received a sequel, and in North America, the sequel was exclusive to the 3DS eShop. More of the same would have been enough for hungry puzzle fans, but Picross 3D Round 2 fleshed out the concept even further by introducing curved blocks. This both allowed the puzzles to represent more complex shapes and introduced a wrinkle to the puzzle mechanics themselves by requiring you to mark the blocks accordingly as you chip away at them. Once the eShop goes away this gem will be significantly harder to find, so get it now and give your spatial reasoning a workout. — Steve Watts
Pokemon Bank + Poke Transporter
If you like Pokemon and own a Nintendo 3DS, I highly recommend downloading Pokemon Bank and Poke Transporter. These apps are required if you want to transfer Pokemon from the DS and 3DS games to Pokemon Home and modern entries in the series. After March 27, your Pokemon will be permanently locked to those games. The good news is that Pokemon Bank is now free, so as long as you have it installed, you can access it whenever you want. Meanwhile, Poke Transporter can be downloaded within the Pokemon Bank app, but you’ll still want to snag it before the eShop shuts down. — Jake Dekker
Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow/Silver/Gold/Crystal
Tracking down and finding working copies of the original Pokemon games is not an easy feat. Even if you do manage to find one, chances are, the internal battery is dead. Fortunately, Game Freak and the Pokemon Company released all six of the Game Boy and Game Boy Color games on the Nintendo 3DS eShop for $10 each. Not only are these games a crucial part of Pokemon’s storied history, but they all hold up surprisingly well. They may not be as streamlined as their modern-day counterparts, but the fundamentals are as solid as ever: catch, train, and battle Pokemon. Better yet, all of them are compatible with Pokemon Bank. This means that anything you catch can be transferred to other compatible games. Just make sure you also download Pokemon Bank before the eShop shuts down. — Jake Dekker
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario 3 (Wii U)
Super Mario Bros. 3 is among the very best Mario games ever, but there are numerous places you can play it. What makes this Wii U Virtual Console release notable is that it includes all of the additional courses and content that were designed for the GBA port, which required using the e-Reader. This was essentially Mario DLC, but it was gated behind card-collecting. On Wii U, you can play all of it without ever needing to bother swiping cards, and this was the only place to do so unless you go the costly route of tracking down the necessary items to play it on GBA. (The addition of the game to Nintendo Switch Online recently broadens its availability, but I’d personally rather not rely on a subscription service to maintain access.) The idea of there being 2D Mario content effectively lost to time for most people is just unthinkable, so it’s not a risk worth taking. Pick this up now and ensure you’ll never be without it and never have to deal with an e-Reader again. — Chris Pereira
Pocket Card Jockey (3DS)
Pocket Card Jockey shouldn’t work as well as it does. The bizarre mash-up combines solitaire and horse racing, as you play speed rounds of the classic card game to build up energy for your horse mid-race and then carefully position yourself to pass your opponents. It is, in short, very strange. But it’s also extremely endearing, with adorable horses and a powerfully compelling gameplay loop. You can even retire your prize-winning horses and then let them live out their days on a farm breeding the next generation of thoroughbreds. Nintendo fans will also be tickled by the various references sprinkled throughout, especially to other games from Game Freak, which made this oddball a cult classic. A semi-sequel called Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On has since been released on Apple Arcade, which sports some new features and a revised graphical style. That’s a great way to race as long as you have access to Apple Arcade, but if you want to experience the original, and you absolutely should, the eShop is the only way. — Steve Watts
