7 More 3DS Games That Should Come To The Nintendo Switch 2

The Nintendo 3DS had a lot of good games, there is no denying that. It took a little bit of time for the console to pick up steam, but once it did, every year brought countless gems to the console. Many of these games have since left the 3DS and received console or PC versions, or even full remakes, but there are still a handful of titles that are locked to the console.

Last time we looked at 7 Nintendo 3DS Games That Really Need a Switch 2 Port, but this was just a fraction of the games that truly deserve to not be stuck on the platform. So today we are going back to the 3DS to look at 7 More 3DS Games That Should Come To The Nintendo Switch 2. This time around we are looking at some fan favorites, but also a few deep cuts as well. We're also throwing in an 8th bonus game at the end, which could be argued against needing a port (as the Switch already contains the follow-up that many people prefer over it.)

Pilotwings Resort 

 Pilotwings Resort was a launch title for the 3DS, and was clearly designed to showcase what the 3DS could do. It is the latest entry in the Pilotwings series, and a direct follow up to Wii Sports Resort. 

Similar to Wii Sports Resort, the game fully takes place on Wuhu Island, and sees players piloting different types of aircrafts to complete goals and find secrets. There is a wide range of activities to complete in the game in general, some of which are ripped right from Wii Sports Resort, and the game becomes quite challenging. 

The game does a great job of showcasing how 3D can help the player judge distance as well, and the 3D model viewer is one of the only times in the 3DS's history where images popped out at you rather than sunk in. Of course the 3D effect does nothing for the Switch 2, but that doesn't change the fact that Pilotwings Resort is a fun game.

Wuhu Island itself is a great location, and it was an easy game to just pick up and play whenever the feeling struck you. A Switch 2 version of the game, or even a new Pilotwings in general, could feature improved textures, lighting, and other quality of life upgrades, and also make use of motion controls (as Wii Sports Resort did with Motion +) or even the new mouse control options. 

This honestly isn't a game that "needs" to be brought forward, but it is a fun little title that at least deserves a second chance.

Dead or Alive Dimensions

 

With Ninja Gaiden 4 and Ragebound on their way, and the surprise release of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, interest in the series has been reignited. A lot of new fans are jumping in for the first time, and the 3DS exclusive Dead or Alive Dimensions would be a perfect game to bring back.

As I explained in our complete history of Ninja Gaiden article some time back, the two series share the same world, and their stories overlap from time to time. Dead or Alive Dimensions was a followup to Dead or Alive 4, and contained all of the characters, all of the main game modes, and a full visual novel styled story mode that recounted the events of Dead or Alive 1 through 4. It also added an extra post game story that would tie things into the upcoming Dead or Alive 5, but as a whole, the game greatly expanded upon what story content we had before.

Gameplay wise, it was Dead or Alive on the go, and it had plenty of modes and online multiplayer for players to dive into. While it did have some balancing issues, Ryu Hayabusa could easily break the game, it was a solid fighter, and one that new players could pick up quite easily. Sadly it didn't have as big of a player base due to it being a 3DS exclusive, but a Switch 2 remake could do wonders. Not only would it help newcomers catch up on the story, but it truly is a fun game that could help bring back interest to the Dead or Alive series as a whole. (Maybe even lead to the development of Dead or Alive 7?)

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

 The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is honestly a game I should've included on the previous list. It is a sequel to the fan favorite A Link to the Past, and it is also the first Zelda game to really play around with the idea of having the freedom of choice.

Rather than being a linear adventure where you take on dungeons in order, the game allowed Link to rent key equipment needed to solve puzzles, and then decide where to go from there. Breath of the Wild would fully embrace this concept later on of course, but A Link Between Worlds was very unique at the time because of this. Additionally the game featured multiple versions of the world, and gave Link the ability to flatten himself against a wall, and access secret areas by doing so. A similar concept would appear in Super Mario Odyssey, but again, A Link Between Worlds did it first.

Reusing the familiar map from A Link to the Past, A Link Between Worlds was a perfect mix of nostalgia and new concepts, and was pretty much everything a long time fan could ask for. It felt perfectly at home on the Nintendo 3DS, but it could easily stand side by side with titles like The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, or Echoes of Wisdom on the Nintendo Switch, and it could especially do well on the Switch 2. It would give Switch 2 players a more traditional "2D" Zelda experience to dive into, and give those who missed out on it a chance to finally play it. 

It might be hard to believe, but this game released back in 2013.

Pokemon X and Y

Pokemon X and Y were the initial must have Pokemon games on the 3DS. They were the first mainline entries launched on the console (putting aside DSi/3DS enhancements in Pokemon Black 2 and White 2), and they signified the series' first full jump into 3D. 

The games introduced Mega Evolution, new online features, the main character could skate and use full 360 degree movement, the player avatar could be customized, and it contained limited 3D effects. (And of course there were new Pokemon added as well!) Overall, it was a step forward for the series, just as the past generations had been, and it would be fan's go to game for the next handful of years. 

While many may prefer the Ruby and Sapphire remakes, using X and Y's engine, or the later released Sun and Moon or Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, there are two reasons we chose X and Y over the others. 1. Because of the upcoming release of Pokemon Legends Z-A, and 2. X and Y are currently the last Pokemon games to follow the old school style of play.

Pokemon Legends Z-A is a direct follow up to Pokemon X and Y using the Pokemon Legends style of gameplay. There have been alterations made to the battle system, but it follows in line with 2022's Legends: Arceus (which was based on Diamond and Pearl), and uses Lumiose City as its main location instead. While remakes of Diamond and Pearl released a couple of months prior to Arceus, Z-A is currently not getting the same treatment... But it would be great if it did.

As for point number 2, X and Y really are the final new mainline entries to use the original style of play. They play mostly from a top down perspective, multiple routes connect the many different towns together, and there are dozens of side areas and secrets to explore. Most buildings can be entered, with plenty of NPCs to talk to, and it uses the standard linear gym progression. Pokemon Sun and Moon put a new twist on the gym system, and broke its world up into multiple islands instead; not a connected map. Pokemon Sword and Shield were linear loops around the region, with "dungeon" like areas being removed. Instead the games contained open 3D hub areas to catch Pokemon in, which Pokemon Scarlet and Violet made an entire, non-linear, game out of. 

Of course we aren't saying any of these changes are bad, but those who miss the original adventure style, Pokemon X and Y is where it stopped (for now), and it would be cool getting to experience these games again on the Switch 2. Not to mention all of the Pokemon we are currently locked out of due to the 3DS online service closing.

Bravely Second: End Layer

This entry is a bit weird, and honestly might have a really good chance of happening.

Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD is currently announced as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, and Bravely Default 2 was released on the original Switch. However, Bravely Default 2 is not a sequel to Bravely Default, but instead an original entry within the overall series; similar to how each Final Fantasy is its own game. That being said, Bravely Second is in fact a direct sequel to Bravely Default, and it completes the story.

Although the original Bravely Default does have a complete story, there are quite a few things left unanswered, and there are teasers at the end of the game that point towards a future. We will not be spoiling any of this here, but know that Bravely Second is a grand adventure that is both familiar and something new. Old characters return, but a new cast takes center stage, and there are new classes to take advantage of. It is fully made for those who loved the original and wanted more, and it provides closure to the story. Some will also argue that it is the better game overall, but simply not having the complete original story on Switch 2 feels weird. 

Hopefully the HD version of Bravely Default does well enough to warrant an HD version of Bravely Second; it really is a fun game, and one JRPG fans shouldn't skip.

Persona Q Collection

There is no denying how popular the Persona series is now days. Persona 5 helped the series explode, and now it is one of the more "mainstream" JRPG series. However, despite this newfound fame, there are two titles that remain exclusive to the 3DS; Persona Q and Persona Q2.

Unlike mainline Persona games, the Q series is actually a spin off from Etrian Odyssey with a Persona skin and additional mainline Shin Megami Tensei elements thrown in. The game takes the first person dungeon crawler gameplay from Etrian Odyssey, but instead of using custom characters it lets players take control of the main Persona cast instead. While most of the games Shin Megami Tensei series are in fact first person dungeon crawlers as well (including SMT if and the original Persona), the map system from Etrian Odyssey is what helps keep this series unique. This system asks players to draw their own maps, with tools available to draw lines, place symbols, and make notes of things they come across. It makes dungeons feel like you are setting out on a true expedition, and players live and die thanks to the usefulness of their own map. Miss mapping a single path? You can be lost for hours! Or even lead yourself into a trap... 

Combat wise, the game also follows Etrian Odyssey rules, but uses SMT/Persona skills, attacks, and weaknesses. Exploiting weaknesses becomes key here, and to help with that the game actually allows your party members to equip other sub-persona (they are not locked to using their default one). This is more in line with the main SMT titles, where demons make up your party, and it works very well within an Etrian Odyssey type game.

Overall these are simply fun games to play, and great for fans of both series. There is a story that connects to the main timeline, but there are also reasons why these events are not brought up again. As for a Switch 2 version, Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection released in 2023 on the Nintendo Switch and PC, and the PC version benefited greatly from the use of a mouse. This is something the Switch 2 could use in a Persona Q Collection as well, along with its touch screen capabilities in handheld mode.

Project X Zone 1 + 2

Project X Zone is a wild ride, and one that we cannot fully explain in a single article. To put it simply however, it is a crossover tactical role playing game that was developed by Banpresto and Monolith Soft (Xenoblade), and is a crossover between Nintendo, SEGA, Capcom, and Namco. 

The first Project X Zone is a sequel to Super Robot Wars OG Saga: Endless Frontier Exceed, which was a sequel to the original Endless Frontier released on the DS, which is a follow up to the PlayStation 2 exclusive Namco X Capcom. While Project X Zone 2 is a direct sequel to the original, Super Robot Wars OG The Moon Dwellers also continues the story on PlayStation 4, and fully ties all of the previous events into the mainline OG series. The OG series itself being a branch off of Super Robot Wars, which contains characters from popular anime, manga, and novels; including Gundam, Macross, Full Metal Panic, Code Geass, Evangelion, Mazinger, Getter Robo, Cross Ange, and... Many, MANY, more.

Yeah, it is a lot.

Although Project X Zone doesn't feature the mechs from the rest of the OG games, it does contain characters from series like Fire Emblem, Resident Evil, Dead Rising, Tekken, Virtua Fighter, Sakura Wars, Xenosaga, Xenoblade, Tales of Vesperia, MegaMan Legends, MegaMan X, .hack, Yakuza, Shenmue, Resonance of Fate, God Eater, Summon Night, Street Fighter, Devil May Cry, and more. These characters are pulled through portals to other worlds, and together they must fight the big bad behind it all; enemies that have been popping up since Namco X Capcom, and have appeared in Endless Frontier.

Of course, the games can be played mostly stand alone, and allow players to simply enjoy seeing their favorite characters crossover with each other.

The games play like standard tactical RPGs where you pick units and command them to attack, but combat shifts into a unique turn based system with real time and combo elements. This combat was used in previous entries in the series, and basically comes down to hitting button inputs to command the characters to attack, and choosing different attacks to keep the combo going as long as possible. It requires timing as enemies fly across the screen and bounce back towards your own characters, but it becomes addicting and a lot of fun. Obviously some attacks are more effective than others, but different enemies have different weaknesses, and are sometimes best left for other units to deal with in general. 

Both Project X Zone and Project X Zone 2 are fun tactical RPGs on their own, but it is the all star lineup that really makes them worth playing. It is the same draw as the mainline Super Robot Wars titles, except with popular video game characters instead of mechs.

Bonus: Super Mario 3D Land

And finally our bonus title, Super Mario 3D Land.

Super Mario 3D Land is a game that successfully took the classic 2D Mario gameplay, and put it into a 3D World. Levels are straight forward with a main goal of moving to the right, but the world itself is in 3D and allows for movement in all directions. It isn't the massive open stages seen in games like Super Mario 64, Sunshine, or Odyssey, but more along the lines of what was seen in Galaxy and Galaxy 2; just without the mini planets and gravity gimmicks.

We previously didn't include this game on the list because it fell into the category of having a "replacement" already available on the Switch. Super Mario 3D World is technically a bigger and "better" version of 3D Land, but that doesn't mean that 3D Land should be completely forgotten. In fact, many people do prefer the smaller scale of 3D Land over 3D World, and it is a great pick up and go game. Levels are short and quick to get through, yet there is enough content and unlockables to keep players coming back time and time again. 

In the end, Super Mario 3D Land is a classic Mario title that is currently locked to the Nintendo 3DS with no other way to play it, and that makes it a rarity within the overall Mario series... Right there next to Galaxy 2.

And that concludes today's list! What do you think? Agree with our choices, or do you have some of your own we didn't bring up? Feel free to let us know in the comments below. With this and our previous list we've actually covered a large section of 3DS exclusives, so a third list might be some even more obscure titles. (Maybe Rodea? The Japanese exclusive Metal Max 4? Or maybe the game where our favorite Project X Zone character meets a professor who enjoys puzzles? We'll see!)