Summary
- The Nintendo 3DS initially struggled with a high price and weak launch lineup but bounced back with a price drop to $170.
- The 3DS had a strong library of RPGs from 2011 to 2019, with standout titles like Fire Emblem Awakening and Bravely Default.
- 2017 marked the last remarkable year for the 3DS with games like Fire Emblem Echoes and Radiant Historia, before the Switch took over.
The Nintendo 3DS almost went the way of the Virtual Boy, as its launch was not received well. The $250 price tag was hard to swallow, as was the 3DS’s launch lineup. Thankfully, Nintendo listened and dropped the price to $170 soon after, and the rest is history. Like the DS, the 3DS went on to be a phenomenal success for Nintendo.
The Best RPGs on the Nintendo 3DS (According to Metacritic)
Handheld consoles and RPGs go... Well, hand-in-hand, and these RPGs are must-owns for any fan of Nintendo's awesome 3DS system.
It had a diverse library of genres, but best of all were the RPGs. From 2011 to 2019, let’s look at the best RPGs from every year of the 3DS’s life. To note, Nintendo didn’t officially discontinue the 3DS until 2020, but no RPGs or big games in general were released that year, which is why 2019 is considered to be the handheld’s last-ditch effort in the wake of the Switch, which launched in 2017.
9 Samurai Warriors: Chronicles (2011)
A Switch-Heavy RPG
Samurai Warriors: Chronicles
- Released
- February 26, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- 3DS
The launch year for any console is not going to be stellar, and that’s true for the 3DS's RPG lineup as well. Samurai Warriors: Chronicles was ready at the console's launch in North America though, and it is the year’s best RPG almost by default.
The game itself is solid, as it took a bold step by allowing players to swap between four characters a map, a feature never seen before in a Musou game. Japan got a better RPG, admittedly, with Tales of the Abyss, which wouldn’t make it to North America until 2012.
8 Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (2012)
Drawing On Pokemon
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
- Released
- July 31, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
2012 was a much better year for the 3DS, as Nintendo recovered thanks to the price drop in late 2011, and there was just a more impressive lineup of games. Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance is by far the best 3DS RPG of that year, though, featuring a split campaign between Sora and Riku.
This time, the duo gathers Pokemon-like critters to aid them in dream worlds based on familiar Disney movies such as Tron Legacy and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Some honorable mentions for 2012 include Crimson Shroud, Heroes of Ruin, and Theatrhythm Final Fantasy.
7 Fire Emblem: Awakening (2013)
A Redemption Decades In The Making
Fire Emblem: Awakening
- Released
- February 4, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- JRPG, Strategy
Japan got Fire Emblem: Awakening in 2012, which ultimately gave them the edge in RPGs that year, but North America lived it up in 2013. This was the first Fire Emblem game to feature difficulty modes in the West, which helped broaden the series' appeal to a broader audience of fans.
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The world map was also a cool feature, as players could finally grind for XP, and the romance options helped deepen the gameplay. Some other great RPGs from 2013 include Etrian Odyssey 4: Legends of the Titan, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, and Pokemon X& Y, but the year overall was stuffed.
6 Bravely Default (2014)
Final Fantasy Reboot
Compared to 2013, 2014 was a relatively light year for RPGs, and two of the best were previously released in Japan in 2012. First, the winner: Bravely Default, the North American release of Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, which was essentially a reboot of Final Fantasy in all but name, and can now be enjoyed on the Switch 2 via the HD remaster.
It was a turn-based RPG with a Job system and crystals, which is exactly what some fans had been aching for since Final Fantasy 9 launched in 2000. The other previous 2012 3DS RPG was Fantasy Life. Other nods go to Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire and Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth.
5 The Legend Of Legacy (2015)
SaGa Reborn
The Legend of Legacy
- Released
- January 22, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- 3DS
2015 was another light year for RPGs, but there were definitely some standouts. The Legend of Legacy was to the SaGA series as Bravely Default was to Final Fantasy.
The Legend of Legacy had a weird turn-based battle system akin to SaGa games, as players could learn skills and level up not through EXP, but through interactions in battle. Using a spear a lot would increase its power, for example, which made for a unique 3DS experience. Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. Was sort of an RPG, but the bigger shout-outs from 2015 go to Etrian Mystery Dungeon and Puzzle & Dragons Z + Super Mario Bros. Edition.
4 Dragon Quest 7: Fragments Of The Forgotten Past (2016)
At Long Lost
Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past
- Released
- August 26, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
2016 was a big step up from the previous two years, starting with Dragon Quest 7: Fragments of the Forgotten Past, which took a long time to get to North America after it launched in 2013 in Japan. It practically rendered the PS1 original obsolete with numerous quality-of-life improvements, including the Vocation system and time-traveling mechanic.
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It’s the best Dragon Quest game on the 3DS for sure, and a great entry in the franchise overall. Other great 2016 RPGs include Final Fantasy Explorers, Fire Emblem Fates, and Project X Zone 2.
3 Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows Of Valentia (2017)
A Proper Remake
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
- Released
- May 19, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- RPG
2017 was the last truly remarkable year for the 3DS, which makes sense given that the Switch launched in March of that year. Of the many RPGs released in 2017, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia stands at the top of the pile. It was a remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden on the NES, but unlike most entries, this game allowed for dungeon exploration between the classic grid-based battles.
It felt more akin to a traditional RPG in this sense, but was made even better on the 3DS, thanks to the storytelling and 3DS online connectivity. Other highlights from 2017 include Ever Oasis, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, and Monster Hunter Stories.
2 Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology (2018)
Maybe Not Perfect, But Pretty Good
Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology
- Released
- February 13, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- RPG
There really weren’t a lot of truly new RPGs in 2018, as the year's best game, Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology, was a barely-enhanced DS port. Still, that core DS game is easily one of the greatest RPGs on the system, made slightly better on the 3DS just like with Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux’s 3DS port.
Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology features turn-based gameplay with a few strategy twists and time-traveling puzzles. It may not have changed much from its original release, but sometimes, that’s okay if the main game didn’t need tweaks to begin with.
1 Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth (2019)
Closing Out On A Crossover
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth
- Released
- June 4, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth was the last major RPG release for the 3DS, concluding the handheld's lifecycle in 2019. It gathered characters from Persona 3 through Persona 5 in one massive crossover, and was full of fan service, dungeons, and classic turn-based battles.
It made for a fitting end for the 3DS, but fans in 2019 also enjoyed Etrian Odyssey Nexus and Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey.
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