Today is officially the last day for 3DS and Wii U owners to buy games from both eShops, because, as you know, Nintendo will be pulling the plug on both eShops after March 27. This day will officially mark the end of an era for two consoles that stuck closely with Nintendo during their darkest time in the gaming industry. I, for one, will be feeling very emotional after seeing the 3DS and Wii U eShops close down. Believe it or not, but these two consoles played an important role in my life during the 2010s (2013-2019), and just seeing them fully discontinued makes me feel like I am leaving behind an important memory of mine. At least the Nintendo Switch symbolically continues their legacy…

Nintendo previously announced a year ago that the eShops for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U were officially coming to a close on February 20, 2022. Nintendo has also confirmed that users will still be able to redownload games, receive software updates, and play online even after the shop closes, but owners of the now-defunct systems will no longer be able to purchase games not previously purchased by the user. Free demos and adding funds will also be unavailable via the 3DS and Wii U.

Owners who currently still have funds in their 3DS and Wii U eShop accounts will be able to use those funds to make purchases on the Nintendo Switch. Users can simply merge their wallets by linking their Nintendo Network ID and Nintendo account.

There will be a lot of exclusive games from both Eshops that will vanish to thin air, but knowing gamers, they will probably find a way to help many get access to playing those games.

As I am typing this, I’ll let you know that I feel very emotional writing this article. The 3DS and Wii U were rapidly forgotten after the Switch was released on March 3, 2017. The 3DS was discontinued back in 2020, while the Wii U was discontinued back in 2017. Now, their eShops will fully close the chapter. The two systems enjoyed a twelve year run and today it’s closing its final chapter. As the old systems come to a close, I can’t help but feel that the memories are rushing into my head, and I remember and relive every memory I had with the 3DS and Wii U. Farewell 3DS and Wii U! Thank you for all of the beautiful memories, and I’ll never forget a single piece of memory that I made with you both. I’ll make sure that when I have kids, I’ll tell them the epic tale of you both, and I’ll make sure that they will have lots of fun with you. From Pokemon Alpha Sapphire to Mario Kart 8, and so much more…

3DS and Wii U eSHOP 2011-2023

What were your memories with the 3DS and Wii U eShop? Better yet, what were your favorite 3DS and Wii U games, and what do you remember most about them?

Source: Nintendo of America