The 3DS was almost a flop for Nintendo which is funny considering it used 3D. Nintendo’s other 3D-enabled console, the Virtual Boy, has become synonymous with failure not just with them but video games as a whole. The first mistake was charging $250 for the 3DS which was a price even the most diehard of fans didn’t want to pay.
2022 marks the 11th anniversary of the 3DS and things thankfully worked out for the better. Nintendo made more games and dropped the price. As good as these games were on the system, from some giant franchises, they’re now forgotten due to the 3DS being harder to play. For those that do still have a handheld, and love co-op, these games need to be in the library.
8 Fantasy Life
Fantasy Life is like a sims RPG that can be taken to the extreme or played casually. Players get to choose a job at the start of the game like in a typical RPG. There are offensive characters like mages and knights along with more unusual classes like a tailor and cook.
No matter what job players choose, they can hit enemies. The goal is to help out the kingdom with small tasks that apply to their jobs all while trying to figure out a deep evil lurking nearby. Best of all four people can play the game together.
7 Final Fantasy Explorers
Final Fantasy Explorers was like this series’ version of Monster Hunter. Up four friends could join together to fight climactic battles with some of this franchise’s most popular beasts including a Marlboro.
There are even boss fights against Summons like Ifrit which is one of the game’s central themes. The more time put into this game, the greater gear players can obtain and thus become godlike. It’s a grind without much of a story to follow but it’s a good co-op game for Final Fantasy fans.
6 Heroes Of Ruin
Heroes of Ruin was an early game for the 3DS which was seemingly released to be the one RPG on the handheld for a while. It can best be described as Diablo-like which means it is a top-down action RPG with loot.
Did it redefine the genre and put Diablo in its place? No, but it was a good RPG for those craving a new multiplayer experience on the 3DS. It’s another game that supported up to four players which made challenges, like the bosses, easier.
5 Luigi's Mansion
Nintendo fans are still waiting to get GameCube games on the Switch which has been rumored for a while. If the 3DS wasn’t discontinued then maybe Nintendo would have kept remaking GameCube classics like
Luigi's Mansion. It improved a lot of things over the original like adding in 3D support which was planned for the GameCube at some point. It also added co-op wherein a friend could take control of Gooigi while the main player stuck with Luigi. This mechanic was borrowed from the third entry which is where Gooigi first appeared.
4 Monster Hunter Generations
It wouldn’t be a multiplayer list without a Monster Hunter title on it. The portable versions of this series followed the more archaic model of segregated zones and less handholding before Monster Hunter World was released.
This series has always catered to a niche crowd so even though it backpedaled a bit, the hardcore ate it up. Monster Hunter Generations is the best game in this series for the 3DS catalog. It’s like a celebration of the series or more like a greatest hits collection for you and up to three other friends.
3 New Super Mario Bros. 2
New Super Mario Bros. Wii was a phenomenon when it hit the Wii. It introduced a true co-op experience for the series and brought things back into 2D. That game alone kept the Wii selling like hotcakes along with a few other select titles.
It was odd then that a direct follow-up would be made for the 3DS instead. It may not have been as much of a smash hit as its Wii predecessor, but the coin gimmick was interesting. It still had co-op too although it was more limited bringing the party down from four players to two.
2 Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson
Senran Kagura is a series that often gets overlooked in the gaming community. They can best be described as hack and slash RPGs on the level of Dynasty Warriors except with a lot more fan service. The playable characters are typically female ninjas who tear their clothes while fighting.
Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson certainly is a bit risqué and may make players blush. However, as pure action games, this series rules. Of the games that appeared on 3DS, this game is the most refined. Two players can team up for some lewd, crude ninja action.
1 The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes can be played alone but it is a lot trickier to control AI partners. This series has experimented with multiplayer for years, typically sticking with a four-player setup.
Unfortunately, this game lessens the party down to three but that’s fine as that is more than enough. Any more Links on the screen may look a bit too chaotic on a portable screen. It wasn’t the best co-op experience in the franchise, but it was better than the consensus.