Nintendo may be shifting its attention to the new Switch console but its 3DS handheld system still had a very good year in 2017.
When many gamers dubbed 2017 as the time of death for the 3DS, Nintendo put out arguably its deepest and strongest lineup for the handheld in some time. From established first-party Nintendo titles to a third-party game and even a brand new IP, the 3DS proved it still had staying power as we head into 2018.
Here are the top five Nintendo 3DS games that came out in 2017.
5. Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Fire Emblem ’s resurgence on the 3DS has been well-documented, and Nintendo continued that momentum with Shadows of Valentia, a remake of a title that was only released in Japan.
Keeping the characters and story from the original but adding new, never-before-seen features in the franchise like the dungeon explorations, it really gave Fire Emblem fans something different and exciting. .
With a tough difficulty and the tried-and-true battle mechanics from past Fire Emblem games, Shadows of Valentia was a great addition to the series and to the 3DS library in 2017.
4. Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
The final main Pokémon game on the 3DS took trainers on a new adventure in the Alola Region… well, new-ish adventure.
While the story didn’t change a lot, and the lack of more new Pokémon kept these games from reaching the heights of Sun and Moon, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon rectified a lot of the problems its predecessor had like long tutorials, longer cut scenes and lack of post-game content.
The environments are still gorgeous and The Pokémon Company ramped up the difficulty to make trainers’ second adventure in Alola way more challenging.
3. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
Dragon Quest VII was a good game with noticeable problems, but the next installment, which released in January, solved those problems by shortening the tutorials and fixing the cameras.
Journey of the Cursed King ’s story is great and the RPG elements are really fleshed out with a cast of characters that are memorable. The writing is sharp and funny and the Skill Points system gives this title more of an RPG feel than DQ7.
2. Ever Oasis
Announced at E3 2016, Ever Oasis is a game almost anyone can pick up. It’s easy to understand its battle system and the nuances of what the game is asking for players to do, namely build up and take care of your Oasis and its inhabitants. The story is pretty straightforward and yet it works as a hardcore or casual game.
Ever Oasis combines the best parts of other games while creating something unique. It sounds like a contradiction but Ever Oasis is something that really can’t be explained and must be experienced.
1. Metroid: Samus Returns
A remake of Metroid II, Samus Returns updates the classic 2D exploration of past Metroid games for a modern audience with smooth new mechanics and weapons features that even players who experienced the original game can enjoy.
The difficulty is challenging and is what Metroid fans should expect. It’s also the most complete and fun title to come out for the Nintendo 3DS in 2017.
So what do you think of our list? Is there a 3DS game that didn’t make the list that you feel should have? Let us know in the comments section below.
