Well, I took some time to jot down some thoughts on the one handheld that everyone seems to agree was the bee’s knees: the Nintendo 3DS (and all its various iterations thereafter!)
It’s one I’ve gone through a few ‘phases’ with - collecting, modding, selling, then buying a ‘perfect’ one, then…the pattern just repeats and repeats. I love how truly customizable it is now that it is…essentially an abandoned generation. The community took things to great new heights (those themes!!!), 3D printed docks and displays, vinyl stickers…it makes me so happy to see how very few 3DS consoles look like anyone else’s.
The market is getting crazy though. Prices are only going up (and special editions are going waaaay up), but it’s nice to see options like the Thor, Pocket DS and Anbernic’s RG DS coming up to give modern users some solutions to playing.
Anyway
Don’t expect anything wonderful here, I wasn’t even sure what to write for this article. I guess while I call it a retrospective, it just touches on some key points in the lifetime of the 3DS system.
P.S. 100% ready for any 3DS games recommendations to be shared!!!
Not OP, but I haven’t seen it recommended in this thread yet: the Monster Hunter games for 3DS are really good. Specifically 4 Ultimate is considered by fans of the games to be among the very best the series has to offer. Added verticality to the previously very flat games, lots of new moves for existing weapons that make them actually viable options, amazing new monster designs and areas etc etc. Huge recommendation. The story is also actually quite passable and engaging compared to previous entries.
If you’ve played Monster Hunter back in the PSP days, Generations might be up your alley since it’s kind of like a best-of title of most main-line MH games prior. Really beautiful homage to the roots of the franchise