Our Ten Best: Nintendo 3DS Games

With Kid Icarus: Uprising on the way and a slew of other noteworthy games this year, this may be obsolete in a few months, but for the time being, here are our picks for the best games on the Nintendo 3DS.

By the way, no apologies for the lack of pet-sims. Truth be told, this list proves the system is in need of more games, preferably solid third party titles.

10: Tekken 3D Prime Edition: The graphics are solid, running at a crisp 60 frames per second [in single-player mode] and do a more than ample job of showing what the visuals on the 3DS are capable of. The control makes the most of the handheld. Absent is an extra grapple move for each competitor, which hurts the gameplay experience. The touch screen controls also make the game way too accessible for novice players and make two-player battles a cheesy disgrace, especially when a hardcore fan is inputting the proper commands to perform moves. Overall, Tekken 3D Prime Edition is an uneven experience across the board, but with a lack of 3D fighters on the system, it’s a game worth having right now.

You can read our review of the game, here.

9: Pokemon Rumble Blast 3D: Pokemon Rumble 3D Blast may not have been the game 3DS owners originally wanted, but with enough depth and over 50 hours of gameplay, Streetpass and two-player options galore, the game is exactly what the system needed. It’s certainly not the best Pokemon game ever released, but with its beat-em-up feel and colorful graphics, it’s a game fans of the series will grow to love.

You can read our review of the game, here.

8: Madden NFL Football:  The first Madden on the 3DS is ultimately like a date with a beautiful woman- who repeats herself throughout dinner. And even though she eventually takes you home, the bedroom escapades, just like the conversation, lack any real fun and ingenuity. It’s surely an experience, but not the one you expected the first time you laid eyes on it. Although it’s easily the best looking football game to be released on a Nintendo handheld, the lack of gameplay options hurt its shelf life. Thin and vanilla on the inside, Madden NFL Football on the 3DS is missing a personality.

You can read our review of the game, here.

7: NanoAssault: There isn’t much of a story behind Majesco’s microscopic shooter “Nano Assault,” but the concept is too damn cool to ignore. A 3-D shooter that takes place inside living cells? Damn skippy. With solid controls, an old-school challenge and head-turning gameplay, it’s easy to say that “Nano Assault” is currently the best shooter on the Nintendo 3DS. It’s a call not difficult to make considering the lack of shooters on the system right now. But don’t that take away how much fun the title is.

You can read our review of the game, here.

6: Super Street Fighter IV 3D: This is the game Tekken on the 3DS should have been. With a fleshed-out story mode and a few extra options, Street Fighter on the 3DS doesn’t get boring. There are always things to do. The 3DS graphics are awesome, the streetpass options are decent and it’s just a lot of fun.

5: Super Mario Kart 7: Critics on the internet have complained about this title, but lets be fair, while there could have been a few more characters and tracks, the gameplay in Super Mario Kart 7 is rock solid. There aren’t many games on the system that beg to be played like this one and there are even fewer that are more fun in a multiplayer situation. Simply put, this is a reason to buy the system.

4: Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D: This was a fantastic game when it was first released and in 3D a bunch of years later, it still holds up more than well. Much like Zelda, it makes the case that many console games can work well on the 3D.

3: Pushmo: Easily the best bang for your buck. At $6.99 the “Catherine”- inspired gameplay, adorable graphics and terribly difficult challenge make this a title every 3DS owner should have on their collection. Great in short bursts on the bus and long trips, it’s a one of a kind title.

2: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D: This game is for the loner in all of us. The 3DS is a system that begs to be taken everywhere. To be shared with friends and family. This title allows you to take an entire world with you- and keep it in the palm of your hands. The original version was one of the greatest games of all time. The handheld version is definitely in the same league.

1: Super Mario 3D Land: Stop making that face. We see it. Stop coughing too, we hear it. Ah, man. That wasn’t cool either. We can smell that. All jokes aside, Super Mario 3D Land is number one on this list because unlike many of the other games here,  it’s not a remake and it’s not a shallow port of a successful console series. After a few minutes with it, it’s obvious it was tailor-made for the system. Plus, it’s great, with an exclamation point at the end [don’t tell Tony the Tiger on us, please]. The ability to give gamers items in Streetpass helps the gameplay and even though the game isn’t terribly difficult, it’s fun throughout. Old-school fans will love it and youngsters who have never played the franchise before will dive in head-first.

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About Patrick Hickey Jr. 14262 Articles
Patrick Hickey Jr. is a full-time Assistant Professor of Communication & Performing Arts and Director of the Journalism program at Kingsborough Community College and is the chairman of the City University of New York Journalism Council. He is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of ReviewFix.com. He's also a former News Editor at NBC Local Integrated Media and National Video Games Writer at Examiner.com where his work was mentioned in National Ad campaigns by Disney, Nintendo and EA Sports. Hickey was also the Editor-In-Chief of two College Newspapers before he received his BA in Journalism from Brooklyn College. Hickey's work has been published in The New York Daily News, The New York Times, Complex, The Hockey Writers, Yahoo!, Broadway World, Examiner, NYSportScene Magazine, ProHockeyNews.com, GothamBaseball.com, The Syracuse Post-Standard, Scout.com and the official sites of the Brooklyn Aces and New York Islanders. His first book, The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult And Classic Video Game Developers was released in April 2018 and is chock full of interviews with legendary developers. His second book in the series, The Minds Behind Adventures Games, was released in December 2019. His third book, The Minds Behind Sports Games, was released in September 2020. His fourth book, The Minds Behind Shooter Games, was released in March 2021. The Minds Behind Sega Genesis Games and The Minds Behind PlayStation Games were released in 2022 and The Minds Behind PlayStation 2 was published in January 2023. Hickey is also a contracted comic book writer, currently penning his original series, "Condrey," as well as "The Job," "Brooklyn Bleeds" "Dem Gulls" and "KROOM" for Legacy Comix, where he serves as founder, owner and Editor-in-Chief. Hickey Jr. is also a voice actor, having starred in the 2018 indie hit and 2019 Switch, PS4 and Xbox One release, The Padre (also serving as English language Story Editor), from Shotgun With Glitters. The sequel, The Padre: One Shell Straight to Hell was released in February 2021- Hickey also served as a Story Editor and Lead Voiceover performer. He has also done narration and trailers for several other titles including The Kaiju Offensive, Relentless Rex and Roniu’s Tale. Hickey is also the lead voiceover performer on Mega Cat Studios’ upcoming title WrestleQuest, responsible for nearly 90 characters in the game, as well as Skybound's Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, where he voices both Dracula and Renfield, as well as several other characters. He also stars in Ziggurat Interactive’s World Championship Boxing Manager 2, where he performs the VO of nearly every male character in the game. He also worked on the Atari VCS’s BPM Boy.

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