The costs of Nintendo 3DS consoles have skyrocketed in 2025, with some variations of the favored handheld going for slightly below $400. The going charges of some used Nintendo 3DS consoles have surpassed the Nintendo Swap.
Initially launched in early 2011, the Nintendo 3DS was the successor to the Nintendo DS household of methods, and included backward compatibility with many of the latter’s huge recreation library. True to its identify, the 3DS had stereoscopic 3D as considered one of it is core options, which could possibly be adjusted to various depths utilizing a slider on the appropriate facet of the highest display. The 3DS additionally included a brand new Circle Pad that labored like an analog joystick in most video games. The 3DS was initially priced at $250, although poor gross sales and preliminary criticisms about its options led Nintendo to chop its MSRP to $170. The 3DS obtained a number of revisions, together with the $199 New Nintendo 3DS XL, all through its lifespan. The 3DS ultimately went on to promote roughly 75.9 million items worldwide throughout its totally different iterations.
Used Nintendo 3DS Costs Are Rising Shortly
Although the 3DS was discontinued in 2021 after a decade of help, the resale marketplace for Nintendo’s handheld has shortly soared previous its preliminary MSRP. Twitter person Pirat Nation said that the costs of New Nintendo 3DS XL consoles particularly can vary between $200 and $350 relying on system situation. Whereas this places the 3DS system lineup inside placing distance of the Swap 2, the 3DS continues to be a less expensive console general. Entry to the Nintendo eShop and different online features was removed from the 3DS in April 2024, however it will possibly nonetheless play bodily video games and retains its backward compatibility with Nintendo DS titles.
To place the 3DS value surge in perspective, the present value of a brand new Nintendo Swap console is at the moment $340. In August 2025, Nintendo increased the MSRP of the original Switch console from $299 to $340 because of the US authorities’s tariffs on varied items from nations like China and Vietnam. As of this writing, GameStop’s inventory of refurbished New Nintendo 3DS XL methods goes for $379. The value additionally applies to particular New 3DS XL kits that had been offered with particular exterior patterns, with video games like Pokemon Solar and Moon, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Masks 3D, and Monster Hunter 4 Final every receiving a console pores and skin. Whereas this makes some variations of the 3DS value greater than a brand new Nintendo Swap system, it nonetheless falls in need of the Swap 2’s $450 price ticket.
What Makes the Nintendo 3DS So Standard Amongst Followers?
The principle purpose why the 3DS continues to be in style is probably going attributable to its in depth library of high-quality exclusives video games, however there are different causes as properly. Though Nintendo has lengthy since pulled help for the 3DS, the system continues to be a preferred gadget for modders seeking to get some additional use out of it. For instance, modded 3DS consoles will be utilized to run video games and apps that may usually not be attainable. Earlier in 2025, a gamer demonstrated how the Moonlight recreation streaming app could possibly be used to play Assassin’s Creed Shadows on a 3DS, although the precise recreation itself is dealt with by way of a separate console or a PC. Whereas this comes with some compromises, the potential of modified 3DS consoles continues to develop over time.
Moreover, some 3DS titles have gained value over time due to their rarity, with the dual-pack of Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire fetching an estimated value of $1,169, over 3 times the present value of a New Nintendo 3DS XL system. Whereas the Swap 2 nonetheless stays Nintendo’s hottest commodity going into 2026, the 3DS nonetheless holds a number of sway within the hearts and wallets of many players.
Sources: Time Extension, Tom’s Hardware
