Summary
- The Nintendo 3DS has a vast library of games, including platformers and visual novels.
- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirits of Justice is considered one of the best visual novels on the 3DS.
- Detective Pikachu offers a unique and charming spin-off experience in the world of Pokemon.
The Nintendo 3DS is home to a huge library of games. Thanks to its extended lifetime, the system saw constant releases from 2011 all the way to 2020, with over nine years on the scene, even co-existing with the Nintendo Switch for a short period of time.
5 Best Platformer Games On Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo is famed for holding the best platformer characters and games, and the release of the 3DS is proof of that.
The touch screen feature made the console a perfect match for visual novels, so it's no wonder that players can find a great selection of visual novels on the 3DS, with many sequels coming from the DS era and some new IPs thrown in as well. But which visual novels are the very best to play on the 3DS?
5 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirits Of Justice
Metascore: 81
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit Of Justice
- Released
- June 9, 2016
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS, iOS, Android, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows
- Genre(s)
- Visual Novel, Science Fiction
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirits of Justice is the sixth, and at the moment also the last, mainline title in the Ace Attorney series. While the Nintendo DS added a huge selection of games to the franchise, the 3DS only got two (at least in the West), those being Dual Destinies and Spirits of Justice. Both games see Phoenix Wright make a return as the primary protagonist of the games, after Apollo Justice having his own solitary adventure in the fourth mainline game, but Spirits of Justice is widely considered the overall better game of the two.
The game doesn't necessarily add much to the already established formula - apart from a few new gimmicks. What makes it a strong entry in the series is its plot and writing, which are some of the best the series has offered in later games. While this probably isn't the best title in the series, fans will want to make sure to play through it to give a proper conclusion to Phoenix's storyline. Luckily for players who don't own a 3DS, the game will be released in a new collection in the near future for current systems.
4 Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward
Metascore: 84
- Release date: October 23, 2012
- Developer: Chunsoft
- Platforms: 3DS, Vita, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward is the second chapter in the Zero Escape trilogy, and it was also the only one to be released on the 3DS, being widely considered as one of the best games on the system. While this might turn some players off, it's worth noting that all three games are playable on their own: even if they're indeed connected, each game also feels like a complete story without the need to play the other games as well, although players who have done so will indeed get a more complete experience out of it.
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The game plays like a classic visual novel, with the plot resembling the popular Battle Royale book and manga to some degree, but there are many branching paths and multiple endings, which make playing through the adventure multiple times necessary in order to get the full experience. Thankfully, the game uses a smart flowchart that allows players to just replay some sections of the adventure without the need to start from scratch every time.
3 Professor Layton And The Miracle Mask
Metascore: 82
- Release date: October 28, 2012
- Developer: Level-5
- Platforms: 3DS
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask is the fifth mainline game in the Professor Layton series, and it was the first one to be released on the 3DS. The developers took advantage of the new hardware, with new 3D models for the characters and an overall graphical improvement, without changing much of the gameplay formula. Unfortunately, the plot is somewhat weak, especially when compared to earlier titles in the series.
This, however, is a common problem of the second Professor Layton trilogy, which never managed to capture the same thrills and excitement of the first three games in the franchise, so it's not surprising that even the best chapter in the second trilogy has its share of faults. Hopefully, the development team will be able to steer the franchise in the right direction with the new game coming out for the Nintendo Switch.
2 Detective Pikachu
Metascore: 71
Detective Pikachu
Pokemon has no shortage of weird spin-offs, but Detective Pikachu has to be one of the weirdest of all time. This point-and-click adventure features a talking Pikachu as a co-protagonist, alongside player character Tim Goodman. The game plays like a very basic adventure-puzzle game set in the world of Pokemon, and it makes for a fantastic introduction to the genre for new players.
While the gameplay is very formulaic, the game offers a solid plot, something that's quite unexpected from a spin-off Pokemon game (although it also happens in other instances as well). Also, there's something incredibly charming in being able to explore the world of Pokemon from a completely different perspective.The game was successful enough to warrant the release of a sequel, Detective Pikachu Returns, which hit the Nintendo Switch in 2023.
1 Corpse Party: Blood Covered
Metascore: 77
- Release date: October 25, 2016
- Developer: Team GrisGris
- Platforms: 3DS, Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, iOS
Corpse Party: Blood Covered is the remake of the second game in the popular horror visual novel series, and it's also the only one to ever be released on the 3DS, which is the reason why the franchise is more closely associated with the PSP. While the game plays mostly like a classic visual novel, removing the RPG elements found in the original version, there are a few notable gimmicks, like characters having HP, which is something hardly found in the genre.
The game features multiple protagonists, and a very compelling plot revolving around a haunted high school. Horror fans will have a great time playing this game, but it's a solid choice for any visual novel fan, really.