The Nintendo 3DS had a great run which lasted almost ten years, but like all good things, that run came to an end. The system was discontinued in late 2020, meaning that there will not be any new titles released for the popular handheld console. In the years since then, many people have begun to collect rare and valuable 3DS games.

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The rarest 3DS games can sell for surprisingly high prices, forcing collectors to reach deep into their pockets in order to add them to their shelves. Some are highly coveted due to the excellent gameplay that they offer, while the rarity of others is derived from how poorly they sold and thus how few copies of them there are out in the wild.

All prices were taken from PriceCharting.com and were accurate at the time of publication.

15 Heavy Fire: The Chosen Few ($108)

Heavy Fire: The Chosen Few is an on-rails arcade shooter game released for 3DS and Wii U platforms. It revolves around the player shooting all kinds of insurgents, terrorists, and the like from a first-person perspective using various weapons and perks.

The game did not do much in terms of new mechanics, but it didn't really need to. A good old action-packed on-rails shooter was what many arcade-loving players wanted to experience after getting their hands on the new handheld console.

14 Pokemon Sun & Pokemon Moon Dual Pack ($114)

The dual pack for Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon lets players explore the Alola region from two different perspectives. These titles were a part of the seventh generation of Pokemon games and were released for 3DS in 2016. They're two of the highest-rated Pokemon games thanks to a few new innovative features.

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The games introduced a new set of regional Pokemon species as well as a new Island Challenge feature that took the place of GYM Battles. The dual pack provided an opportunity for players who wanted to obtain two widely beloved Pokemon titles and did their job quite nicely in terms of sales and popularity.

13 Etrian Mystery Dungeon ($118)

Developed by Atlus and Spike Chunsoft, and released for the 3DS in 2015, Etrian Mystery Dungeon is a beautiful mess of dungeon-crawling and role-playing mechanics. The game mixes the two genres and offers players a delightful experience while they gather their party and explore procedurally generated dungeons filled with unique enemies, traps, and treasure.

The game features turn-based combat and customizable characters and was adored by the community for its successful mix of both genres into a worthwhile gaming experience. Together with a few other factors, this popularity among fans has ensured that Etrian Mystery Dungeon retains its place among the rarest games for the Nintendo 3DS.

12 Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney ($129)

Many gamers only know of Phoenix Wright from his appearance as a playable character in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. However, there are several Phoenix Wright story-based puzzle games that involve trials in court. The Professor Layton series is more of a straight puzzle game than the Phoenix Wright games but is also story-driven.

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This puzzle game from Capcom combines the two franchises. In addition to being rare, it is also praised by critics and players. On eBay, a loose game card costs about $85. A complete-in-box copy can cost collectors up to $140 depending on its condition, with new copies costing even more.

11 Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters ($145)

Psychic Specters was the third version of Yo-Kai Watch 2. Only the most die-hard of fans are willing to buy a game three times - except for Madden fans who buy what is essentially the same game year after year. For those new to the Yo-Kai series, they are extremely close to the Pokemon games in terms of playstyle and mechanics.

For a Yo-Kai game, Psychic Specters isn't tremendously expensive, but those wanting to add this title to their 3DS collection should still expect to pay over $100 for a loose cart and around $145 for a complete-in-box copy. This places the title among the most expensive 3DS games, though it's pretty far from the top spot.

10 Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy ($159)

Professor Layton games for the 3DS generally carry a hefty price tag these days. This is a pity because these games are amusing, and at times challenging, puzzle games. In this installment, the Professor and his assistant travel the world looking to uncover the secrets surrounding an ancient civilization called the Azran.

With its engaging and fun narrative, charming characters, and numerous puzzles, Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy offers its players a satisfactory adventure experience to the beloved series on the Nintendo 3DS platform. Picking up a copy can be expensive, but it is definitely worthwhile.

9 Pokemon Ultra Sun & Pokemon Ultra Moon Dual Pack ($164)

A part of the seventh generation of Pokemon games, Pokemon Ultra Sun and Pokemon Ultra Moon take the player back to the region of Alola. This time, they'll capture and train even more wild Pokemon to beat other trainers and uncover the mysteries of the legendary Pokemon Necrozma.

The two games are effectively enhanced versions of the original Pokemon Sun and Moon, and the dual pack enables players to obtain both games in a single purchase. The Ultra games are highly regarded by fans for their expansive storyline and new features.

8 Rhythm Thief and The Emperor's Treasure ($207)

Rhythm Thief & The Emperor’s Treasure is a very rare 3DS game from Sega. In it, the player is a legendary art thief who must seek to unlock the secrets of his mysterious past. This game is a rhythm-based puzzle game that somewhat resembles a digital board game at times.

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With its unique blend of engaging storyline, charming visual style, and rhythm mechanics, the game offers a very distinctive and entertaining experience for both fans of the rhythm and adventure games genre, and newcomers to the musical games. Those wishing to experience it for themselves will need to spend big though, with complete copies regularly selling for more than $200.

7 Yo-Kai Watch Blasters: White Dog Squad ($214)

A generic action role-playing game, Yo-kai Watch Blasters is part of the Yo-kai Watch series. The game revolves around capturing and befriending various Yo-kai creatures with unique abilities, much like Pokemon. The players join a team of Yo-kai and engage in real-time battles against tough bosses.

The game also emphasizes cooperative multiplayer gameplay, letting players team up with their friends locally or online to overcome challenging missions and defeat opposing adversaries. The series has several other titles released for 3DS and further explanation is provided with them.

6 Yo-Kai Watch Blasters: Red Cat Corps ($277)

Yo-Kai Watch Blasters: Red Cat Corps and its other version, Yo-Kai Watch Blasters: White Dog Squad, are extremely rare 3DS games. Both games are offshoots of the main Yo-Kai Watch series, which has a very loyal fan base.

The Blasters games are both beat 'em up style games that also involve a creature-collecting aspect similar to the Pokemon games. In this case, however, the player is collecting small, cute yokai (spirits). From their roster of yokai, players then put together teams to battle other yokai and large boss creatures.

5 Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Dual Pack ($292)

Enhanced remakes of the original games Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire, Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire did a great job of improving what was already good. They are also seen as one of the best Pokemon games out there by many fans of the Pokemon series.

The games provide a mix of classic Pokemon experiences with a dash of modern mechanics, such as Mega evolutions and enhanced online features. The dual pack allowed players to obtain both of the games and embark on a new Pokemon journey in the Hoenn region.

4 Yo-Kai Watch 3 ($315)

The Yo-Kai series started out hard to find, and now the demand is starting to outpace the supply. All the Yo-Kai Watch games for the 3DS are highly sought after by collectors, and because of this, collectors can expect to pay quite a bit for them. This was the last in the series to be released for the 3DS and is by far the most highly valued.

For those unfamiliar with the series, the Yo-Kai Watch games are somewhat similar to the Pokemon games. Instead of cute little animals though, the player uses spirits. This game, despite being incredibly fun, did not sell well in North America, and reportedly only sold about 4,000 copies.

3 Alien Chaos 3D ($344)

Alien Chaos 3D is a side-scrolling action platformer with much better music than one would expect. Additionally, players are likely to find themselves immersed in the fights listening to hard-hitting metal guitar riffs as they blow their enemies away.

The action in the game is very much like early side-scrollers such as Mega-Man, but the game adds a cleaning mechanic. Players literally clean the stage as they kill the alien, making it one of the most unique games on the Nintendo 3DS as well as one of the most valuable.

2 Guide Louvre ($500)

Guide Louvre isn't really a game. On top of that, if the player isn't in the famous Parisian museum then they have no reason to insert this game into their 3DS. This game was born from a partnership between the Louvre and Nintendo with the hope of modernizing the museum's audio tour.

Guide Louvre was released in numerous languages and included several tours the player could take. There was even a medal-collecting reward system to encourage exploration. The unique use of this title and having only one purpose makes this title a rare gem.

1 Barbie: Groom And Glam Pups ($3,347)

In terms of riveting gameplay, Barbie: Groom and Glam Pups falls some way short. The game allows players to select their pooch, groom them, change the color of their hair, and clothe them. They can also give them accessories and then take pictures of them if they're into that sort of thing.

The game is valuable now because nobody purchased it when it was out on store shelves. Given that it is now one of the rarest and most expensive games for the 3DS though, there are probably thousands of gamers out there who wish they'd picked this up from the clearance bin when they had the chance.

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