The Nintendo Switch was an excellent console, but it has one major downside that the Nintendo Switch 2 will hopefully address. The Switch was created to combine Nintendo’s home consoles and handhelds into one package. While it has been largely successful, it has somewhat fallen short of its goal of being a full replacement for Nintendo’s handheld consoles.

Although the Switch can play games from some of Switch 2 can address some of these concerns.

The Switch 2 Should Port 3DS Games

The Switch 2 Porting 3DS Games Would Make It A Viable Replacement For Handheld Consoles

The first Switch did a good job being a transitional console from the Wii U. It got versions of late-stage Wii U games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and a revamped version of Mario Kart 8. However, it didn’t do the same thing for Nintendo 3DS games. Suppose the Switch was meant to be a viable combination of both handheld and home console. In that case, one might expect the Switch to include some of Nintendo’s major handheld releases, like Pokémon Sun and Moon, whose Ultra editions came out after the Switch.

Now, there’s no denying there were likely some obstacles to making side-by-side releases on the 3DS and the Switch. Orienting the device’s two screens on the Switch would likely have been one of the major hurdles. Still, the Switch has touchscreen capabilities, and there is likely a way to make the two-screen issue work. Many 3DS games also underutilized the console’s second screen, and it’s easy to imagine something like the Pokémon or Zelda games working well with the second screen inputs largely removed or reworked for the Switch.

It would make some sense if Nintendo intentionally ignored bringing 3DS games to the Switch so as not to completely kill sales for the handheld. After all, the 3DS stuck around a while after the Switch was released and even got a new version as recently as 2021. However, now that the product line has been discontinued, it seems like the perfect opportunity for the Switch 2 to make some of its games available.

3DS Games Are Difficult To Find Now

The 3DS Shop Closed In 2023

Although the Switch not including 3DS games wasn’t originally a big issue, it has become one. As of March 27, 2023, Nintendo shut down the 3DS eShop. Retailers like GameStop have a limited supply of 3DS games and have already filed them under their “Retro Gaming” section. With 3DS games becoming increasingly difficult to find, it would be the perfect time for Switch 2 to include ports for these games when they come out.

While not all players will see the big deal about certain games becoming no longer publicly available, it’s worth considering how this affects games as an art form. It’s not all that difficult to find movies from the 1940s or ‘50s, but video games are a different case. Every year it gets harder to find working copies of older games through official channels. I think the Switch 2 should set a tone by helping preserve some 3DS titles, instead of letting them fade into obscurity.

Some 3DS Titles Deserve To Be Preserve

The Best 3DS Titles Shouldn’t Just Disappear

It’s unreasonable to expect Nintendo to be able to - or frankly even care to - preserve every game that was released for the 3DS by porting them to the Switch 2. After all, over 1600 games were released on the system. That said, some standout titles absolutely should come to the new console.

One clear example is The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D. The original Majora’s Mask is a beloved game, but there’s no denying it has some flaws and clunky elements. Majora’s Mask 3D is easily the definitive version of the game and also features some updated graphics that make it look stunning. Unfortunately, this is one of the 3DS games at risk of disappearing or becoming available only through the secondary market at inflated prices.

Deciding which 3DS games “deserve” to get preserved and which don’t isn’t an enviable task. Someone out there may hold a strong attachment to obscure games like Chibi-Robo Photo Finder and think it deserves to stick around just as much as something like Zelda or Fire Emblem. That said, it would be a real shame if the Nintendo Switch 2 doesn’t keep at least a few versions of fan-favorite 3DS games alive.