The Nintendo 3DS has garnered over 75 million sales, making it one of the best-selling handhelds. Fixating on a handheld screen for hours on end is one of our favorite pastimes. It began with the Nintendo GameBoy craze, the first handheld with massive sales figures. Gamers later became infatuated with handhelds like the GameBoy Advance and Nintendo DS.
While some games can be drawn-out, others benefit from longer completion times. Why buy multiple titles when you can settle down with one lengthy enjoyable game? The Nintendo 3DS had longer games than any Nintendo handheld or video game console before it. Let's take a look at which ones were the longest.
10 Etrian Odyssey Nexus (64.5 Hours)
Etrian Odyssey: Nexus kicks off the top of this list as a game with a 64.5-hour main story length. The sixth main series game in the Etrian Odyssey franchise happens to be the longest. The Nintendo 3DS is a platform that contains games significantly longer than its handheld predecessors. Etrian Odyssey Nexus is a feature-rich dungeon crawler, having more classes and labyrinths than ever before!
9 Story Of Seasons: Trio Of Towns (66.5 Hours)
From the development company behind Harvest Moon comes Story of Seasons. Story of Seasons is part of the series that Harvest Moon is based on. Like other games in the series, Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns is a farming simulator that allows you to do more than the basics, including getting married and making friends. This long game is beaten in an average-paced playtime of 66.5 hours. However, those who like to rush through games might do it in under 60 hours.
8 Nintendo Pocket Football Club (68.5 Hours)
This might not be the most relevant game released on the Nintendo 3DS, but there is much to admire. The characters play as paper cutouts, which is similar to Paper Mario. Only in this game, the players are playing football. This lengthy simulation game may have had too cautious developers that left out too many features. In comparison to other football simulators, Nintendo Pocket Football Club fails to find its footing. It will take players approximately 68.5 hours to beat this game.
7 Animal Crossing: Wild World (70.5 Hours)
This is yet another Animal Crossing game with a lengthy main story. Animal Crossing: Wild World has an open-ended style of gameplay where one can play seemingly forever. The game synchronizes to your Nintendo 3DS' clock to provide a real-time effect.
One could have visited other players' villages online, but the servers have since been shut down. This won't deter most players from joining the fun. It takes players around 70.5 hours to beat Animal Crossing: Wild World's main story.
6 Dragon Quest VII: Fragments Of The Forgotten Past (73 Hours)
Nintendo ingeniously added a second screen to the Nintendo 3DS for additional information and gameplay content. Dragon Quest VII: Fragments Of The Forgotten Past's use of the two LCD Nintendo 3DS screens is flawless. One can see their team's health bars, world map, and other stats relevant to the game. Become immersed in this 73-hour time travel adventure as you attempt to defeat the Demon Lord and restore the continents in the present.
5 Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (73.5 Hours)
Monster Hunter is well-known for being a series with long games. The stamina and willpower it takes to complete a game like Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (known as Monster Hunter 3G in Japan) is the stuff that real gamers are made of. It usually takes players around 73.5 hours to beat Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate.
4 Story Of Seasons (75.5 Hours)
Now we're delving into some of the longest games in video game history. The Nintendo 3DS is infamous for its grueling and lengthy games, but few come close to Story of Seasons. The game revolves around an individual who hears about a need for farmers in Oak Tree Town. They decide to move to this town to start a farm. Expect to spend a good 75.5 hours trying to complete Story of Seasons.
3 Harvest Moon 3D: A New Beginning (76.5 Hours)
The second Harvest Moon game released on the Nintendo 3DS is the beginning of a new frontier. Harvest Moon 3D: A New Beginning goes back to its roots with the premise of starting with nothing and then growing a thriving farm. The "New" part of the title refers to the added content that keeps your returning. Harvest Moon 3D: A New Beginning is a bold adventure and an excellent addition to the series. Expect to take around 76.5 hours beating this game.
2 Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (82 Hours)
An enhanced version of Monster Hunter 4, titled Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, added gameplay improvements and more content. Ultimate lets players control their character with more depth to vertical and lateral movements. One can even ride monsters and launch attacks while doing so.
Interestingly enough, downloadable content was released via Nintendo eShop that enables players to forge Super Mario themed gear. Small nuances like this keep Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate from going stale. The fact that it's 82 hours long isn't a deal-breaker either.
1 Animal Crossing: New Leaf (84.5 Hours)
Animal Crossing is every bit as enjoyable on a handheld as it is on the Nintendo Switch. Animal Crossing: New Leaf places players in the role of a mayor in a fictional town. Your job is to make the town a vibrant hub where residents can live.
This exciting game released way back in 2013, yet it offers enough to make it relevant today. The anthropomorphic critters are more human-like than previous Animal Crossing games. As the longest game in Nintendo 3DS history, Animal Crossing: New Leaf has enormous value, making it a must-play.