Share This Article
The Nintendo 3DS is still my favorite handheld of all time, and I wish more games would be ported over to the Nintendo Switch. Especially games that were released during the end of its lifespan and never got the attention they deserved.
Such as Ever Oasis, Dillon’s Dead-Heat Breakers, and Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, which were released after the Nintendo Switch hit the market.
Thankfully, Nintendo and other developers did port some of their games so that they would get another chance on a newer platform, and those will be my focus today.
Aside from the more obvious Miitopia and Bravely Default, here are 7 Nintendo 3DS games ported to the Nintendo Switch.
1. IronFall Invasion
Iron Fall Invasion was the first multiplayer shooter I played on the Nintendo 3DS, and it was a blast. It was released as a free-to-play title. But eventually you actually had to pay for it if you wanted to access the full game.
Since I was just a poor college student back then, I never got to experience the entire game, but one thing was certain: the gameplay was super solid. The controls responded accordingly, and aiming properly was never an issue, even on the Nintendo 2DS.
Still, the game wasn’t super popular, so imagine my face of surprise when I saw a port on the Nintendo Switch eShop! I really want to play the full game this time around, but I think I’ll be waiting for a price drop first. While I have some great memories playing just the demo version, it definitely looks less impressive on Switch when compared to other shooters.
2. Monster Hunter Stories
Next up we have my favorite game on the entire system, Monster Hunter Stories. A mix between Monster Hunter and Pokémon.
Although it’s a bit grindier in comparison, it’s always a blast fighting alongside the monsters you hatch and train to be this perfect killing machine. The Switch version runs at a beautiful 60 fps and features all the DLC that never left Japan back in the 3DS days.
Once you reach the endgame, you’ll be able to prove your skills in two new towers that you must climb while defeating the enemies present on each floor. There’s a lot to tackle here, and it’s absolutely a franchise I recommend to any Pokémon fan.
3. Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate
Every Monster Hunter game eventually gets an upgraded version with new and challenging content to tackle. And that’s precisely what Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate is.
It’s not just a port of the 3DS version, it adds so much content that you’ll be hunting monsters for hundreds and hundreds of hours. If I’m not mistaken, it’s the largest Monster Hunter game to date in terms of content, and it just so happens to be my favorite one as well.
So much so that I bought the Japanese version first since I was certain at the time we would not be seeing a Western release. A year later I was dumping 60 € to play the same game again. But this time I managed to transfer my 3DS file to continue where I’d left off.
While Monster Hunter Rise is the most recent title with more streamlined gameplay, I still urge gamers to try this one out.
4. Yo-Kai Watch
Do you remember Yo-Kai Watch? The first real threat to Pokémon back in the 3DS era.
While its fame was short-lived, the initial craze around Yo-Kai Watch in Japan was off the charts, and from it several awesome games spawned as a result.
However, only one of them made its way to the Nintendo Switch, the original Yo-Kai Watch.
There is a small issue though , it’s only available on the Japanese eShop. Since I enjoyed the game a lot on the 3DS, I decided to purchase it either way, and the language barrier wasn’t much of an issue thanks to the existence of online guides.
Also, the game is a 1-1 remake with just a few changes, making it easier to navigate for someone that played the original.
The biggest upgrade on Switch, though, is the visuals. Seeing the world of Yo-Kai Watch in HD is truly something, and each Yokai’s design can finally shine as they deserve.
5. SteamWorld Dig
While SteamWorld Dig is a title that is not exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS, it was for a short while, and it was there I experienced this game first, and it was perfect.
The game is short and simple, but the core loop of digging deeper underground, finding loot, and then coming back to the surface to upgrade your tools was super addicting.
It left me wishing for another similar game, and thankfully we got SteamWorld Dig 2 on the Switch some time after. It’s even better than the first one, expanding and improving every single gameplay mechanic, and I consider it to be a perfect sequel.
However, since then, the developers have completely shifted to other types of gameplay and haven’t come back to the Dig formula.
Hopefully, if more people buy these games, they will eventually develop SteamWorld Dig 3 in the near future.
6. Sushi Striker
Sushi Striker is a weird and great puzzle game by Nintendo, where two factions fight for the right to eat sushi using the power of sushi sprites.
The game was conceptualized as a Nintendo 3DS game, but late in development, a port to the Nintendo Switch was decided. This resulted in the game being released on the same day for two different platforms. And it flopped on both for various reasons, unfortunately.
Today, I consider the game to be a hidden gem on both consoles and even own both copies!
You can get them for a super cheap price, and I guarantee you’ll have a great time. But, if you play it on Switch, be aware that the controls while docked are bad, and you should stick to handheld mode.
6. Code of Princess EX
Saying that Code of Princess EX is weird is an understatement.
It’s a beat-’em-up where the story is ridiculous, only topped by their character’s insanity.
You can take control of several of them, including our protagonist, Princess Solange, who wears the least functional armor in gaming history.
But behind all of this fan service, there’s an actual game worth trying out. I remember playing it for a short while and being mesmerized by the amount of playable characters and moves you can perform.
While I haven’t tried the Switch version for myself, you can expect better frame rates, resolution, and all available DLC characters from the Nintendo 3DS era.
Bonus Game: The World Ends With You
While not a Nintendo 3DS game, The World Ends With You is a game that you can play on this console and eventually found its way onto the Nintendo Switch, with a mobile port in the middle.
If you’ve played this one before, you know how much it depends on touch controls, and translating this to the Switch was not easy. It will take you some time to adjust, and there is some jank.
But if you power through it, you’ll find one of the most stylized games ever made. It’s not just the punk/graffiti aesthetic you’ll fall in love with, but also its amazing soundtrack.
It’s so good that to this day I still play it occasionally while I’m working.
And, if you end up playing and want more, you can always grab The World Ends With You: Neo, also available on the Nintendo Switch.
It didn’t sell very well, unfortunately, but we can still show there’s some interest in the franchise!
Are there more 3DS games ported to the Nintendo Switch?
Well, I know there are a few Nintendo DS games ported to the Switch, but I couldn’t find any more from the Nintendo 3DS. If you know of any, let me know, please! I’ll most likely buy it just to try it out.
Once again, thanks for reading, and I’ll be seeing you again next time with brand new content!
