3DS Virtual Console
Following the precedent of the Nintendo Wii, the 3DS has its own Virtual Console feature. This Virtual Console was launched with the 3DS's eShop several months after the 3DS's release on June 6th, 2011 (the 7th in some areas of America as well as Japan and the PAL regions). Like the Wii Virtual Console, the 3DS Virtual Console consists of a library of classic games that could be bought and downloaded through the eShop to be played on the 3DS, with the selections originally having been updated on a weekly basis.
The Wii Virtual Console had featured Nintendo's main systems up until the Nintendo 64, while the 3DS initially focused instead on games from Nintendo's handheld systems. It specifically covered the Game Boy and Game Boy Color, and several Game Boy Advance games were available through a limited promotion. It also covered a third party handheld in the form of Sega's Game Gear. Its scope later expanded to cover several home consoles that had previously been covered by the Wii Virtual Console: the NES and the Super NES. The latter was only compatible with the New Nintendo DS system.
New games were originally added to the 3D eShop every Thursday, or Wednesday in Japan. The releases have become more sporadic over time.
| System | North America | Japan | Europe/Australia | width=10% South Korea |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | 50 | 70 | 48 | 13 |
| Game Boy Color | 31 | 23 | 29 | 7 |
| NES | 64 | 111 | 63 | 15 |
| Game Gear | 16 | 22 | 16 | 0 |
| Super NES | 30 | 49 | 31 | 0 |
| Totals | 191 | 279 | 187 | 35 |
First Party games on the 3DS Virtual Console
Games
Game Boy
| Name | Publisher | North America | Japan | Europe & Australia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adventure Island | Hudson Soft |  (2011/12/01) |
(2011/07/13) |
(2011/11/03)
| |
| Alleyway | Nintendo | (2011/06/06) |
(2011/08/03) |
(2011/06/07)
| |
| Avenging Spirit | Jaleco | (2011/08/11) |
(2011/06/07) |
(2011/08/11)
| |
| Balloon Kid | Nintendo | (2011/11/03) |
 |
(2012/01/26)
| |
| Baseball | Nintendo | (2011/07/14) |
(2011/06/07) |
(2011/07/28)
| |
| Bikkuri Nekketsu Shin Kiroku! Dokodemo Kin Medal | Arc System Works | |
(2011/11/09) |
| |
| Bionic Commando | Capcom | (2011/12/29) |
(2011/11/16) |
(2011/12/29)
| |
| BurgerTime Deluxe | G-Mode | (2011/09/14) |
(2011/10/27) |
(2011/10/27)
| |
| Castlevania: The Adventure | Konami | |
(2012/03/14) |
| |
| CatTrap | G-Mode | (2011/10/13) |
|
(2011/10/06)
| |
| Donkey Kong GB | Nintendo | (2011/06/16) |
(2011/06/15) |
(2011/06/16)
| |
| Double Dragon | Arc System Works | (2011/10/20) |
(2011/06/22) |
(2011/06/23)
| |
| Downtown Special: Kunio-Kun no Jidaigeki deyo Zenin Shuugou | Arc System Works | |
(2011/06/07) |
| |
| Dr. Mario | Nintendo | |
(2011/06/27) |
(2012/03/22)
| |
| Fortified Zone | Jaleco | (2011/07/07) |
(2011/06/15) |
(2011/07/07)(2011/07/28)
| |
| Game & Watch Gallery | Nintendo | (2011/07/14) |
(2011/06/22) |
(2011/07/21)
| |
| Game & Watch Gallery 2 | Nintendo | |
(2012/03/21) |
| |
| Gargoyle's Quest | Capcom | (2011/08/25) |
(2011/06/29) |
(2011/08/25)
| |
| Golf | Nintendo | (2011/09/08) |
(2011/06/29) |
(2011/10/13)
| |
| Heracles no Eikou: Ugokidashita Kamigami | Paon | |
(2011/08/24) |
| |
| Ikari no Yousai 2 |
Hamster | |
(2012/01/12) |
|
| |
| Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters | Nintendo | |
(2012/02/08) |
(2012/03/08)
| |
| Kirby's Block Ball | Nintendo | |
(2011/10/26) |
(2012/02/09)
| |
| Kirby's Dream Land | Nintendo | (2011/06/30) |
(2011/06/07) |
(2011/06/30)
| |
| Kirby's Dream Land 2 | Nintendo | |
(2012/02/15) |
| |
| Lock 'n' Chase | G-Mode | (2012/01/19) |
(2011/11/02) |
(2011/12/01)
| |
| Mario's Picross | Nintendo | (2011/08/04) |
(2011/09/21) |
(2011/07/14)
| |
| Maru's Mission | Jaleco | (2012/02//09) |
(2012/01/18) |
| |
| Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge | Capcom | (2011/09/15) |
(2011/06/07) |
(2011/09/15)
| |
| Metroid II: Return of Samus | Nintendo | (2011/11/24) |
(2011/09/28) |
(2011/11/24)
| |
| Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon | Konami | |
(2012/03/07) |
| |
| Nekketsu! Beach Volley da yo: Kunio-Kun | Arc System Works | |
(2012/01/25) |
| |
| Nekketsu Koukou Dodgeball Bu: Kyouteki! Doukyuu Senshi no Maki | Arc System Works | |
(2011/08/03) |
| |
| Pac-Man | Namco | (2011/09/01) |
|
(2011/08/04)
| |
| Pitman | ASK | |
(2011/07/27) |
| |
| Qix | Nintendo | (2011/07/07) |
(2011/06/15) |
(2011/07/07)
| |
| Quarth | Konami | |
(2012/02/22) |
| |
| Radar Mission | Nintendo | (2011/06/06) |
(2011/10/05) |
(2011/06/23)
| |
| Side Pocket | G-Mode | (2011/10/06) |
(2011/09/07) |
(2011/11/10)
| |
| Super Mario Land | Nintendo | (2011/06/06) |
(2011/06/07) |
(2011/06/07)
| |
| Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins | Nintendo | (2011/09/29) |
(2011/10/12) |
(2011/09/29)
| |
| The Sword of Hope | Kemco | |
(2011/12/07) |
| |
| Tennis | Nintendo | (2011/06/23) |
(2011/07/21) |
(2011/06/07)
| |
| Tetris | Nintendo | |
(2011/12/29) |
| |
| Trip World | Sunsoft | |
(2011/11/30) |
(2012/01/05)
| |
| Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 | Nintendo | |
(2011/12/14) |
(2012/02/16)
| |
| Zoids Densetsu | Takara Tomy | |
(2011/08/31) |
| |
Game Boy Color
| Name | Publisher | North America | Japan | Europe & Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balloon Fight GB | Nintendo | |
(2011/10/19) |
|
| Bionic Commando: Elite Forces | Nintendo | (2015/01/01) |
|
(2014/11/13)
|
| Blaster Master: Enemy Below | Sunsoft | (2011/12/15) |
(2011/11/22) |
(2011/12/08)
|
| Donkey Kong Land III | Nintendo | |
(2014/05/07) |
|
| ''Game & Watch Gallery 2 | Nintendo | (2012/05/24) |
|
(2012/05/03)
|
| Game & Watch Gallery 3 | Nintendo | (2015/02/05) |
|
(2012/05/03)
|
| Harvest Moon | Natsume | (2013/05/16) |
|
(2013/03/28)
|
| Harvest Moon 2 | Natsume | (2014/10/06) |
|
|
| Harvest Moon 3 | Natsume | (2014/12/11) |
|
|
| Koto Battle: Tengai no Moribito | AlphaDream | |
(2012/05/30) |
|
| Legend of the River King | Natsume | (2013/03/28) |
|
(2013/03/07)
|
| Legend of the River King 2 | Natsume | (2014/09/18) |
|
(2014/10/23)
|
| The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX | Nintendo | (2011/06/07) |
(2011/06/08) |
(2011/06/09)
|
| The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages / Oracle of Seasons | Nintendo | (2013/05/30) |
(2013/02/27) |
(2013/05/30)
|
| Lufia: The Legend Returns | Natsume | (2015/01/15) |
|
(2014/11/20)
|
| Mario Golf | Nintendo | (2012/10/11) |
(2012/10/03) |
(2014/05/29)
|
| Mario Tennis | Nintendo | (2013/12/26) |
(2013/06/26) |
(2014/01/02)
|
| Mega Man Xtreme | Capcom | (2014/05/01) |
(2013/12/04) |
(2014/09/04)
|
| Mega Man Xtreme 2 | Capcom | (2014/05/29) |
(2013/12/25) |
(2014/09/11)
|
| Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible II | Atlus | |
(2012/09/12) |
|
| Pokémon: Crystal Version | Nintendo | (2018/01/26) |
(2018/01/26) |
(2018/01/26)
|
| Pokémon: Gold and Silver Versions | Nintendo | (2017/09/22) |
(2017/09/22) |
(2017/09/22)
|
| Pokémon Puzzle Challenge | Nintendo | (2014/11/06) |
(2017/09/22) |
(2014/11/27)
|
| Pokémon Trading Card Game | Nintendo | (2014/11/13) |
(2014/12/24) |
(2014/07/10)
|
| Pokémon: Yellow Version | Nintendo | (2016/02/27) |
|
(2016/02/27)
|
| Prince of Persia | Ubisoft | (2012/06/07) |
|
(2012/01/19)
|
| Rayman | Ubisoft | (2012/05/31) |
(2012/07/25) |
(2012/05/31)
|
| Shantae | WayForward | (2013/07/18) |
|
(2013/07/18)
|
| Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children - Aka no Shou | Atlus | |
(2013/11/13) |
|
| Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children - Kura no Shou | Atlus | |
(2013/11/13) |
|
| Super Mario Bros. Deluxe | Nintendo | (2014/12/25) |
|
(2014/02/27)
|
| Toki Tori | Two Tribes B.V. | (2012/08/30) |
|
(2012/08/02)
|
| Trade & Battle: Card Hero | Intelligent Systems | |
(2011/08/10) |
|
| Wario Land II | Nintendo | (2012/12/20) |
(2012/04/04) |
(2012/07/19)
|
| Wario Land 3 | Nintendo | (2013/08/29) |
(2012/05/02) |
(2012/12/06)
|
| Xtreme Sports | WayForward | (2014/09/21) |
|
(2014/08/07)
|
NES
A set of ten NES games were initially released for free for those enrolled in the Ambassador Progam on August 31, 2011. Normal releases for the NES games did not begin until December 2011 in Japan, January 2012 in America and March 2012 in Europe..
| Name | Publisher | North America | Japan | Europe & Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Legend of Zelda | Nintendo | |
(2011/12/22) |
|
| Metroid | Nintendo | (2012/03/01) |
(2012/02/29) |
(2012/03/15)
|
| Punch-Out!! | Nintendo | (2012/03/08) |
(2012/02/01) |
(2012/03/01)
|
| Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo | (2012/02/16) |
(2012/01/05) |
(2012/03/01)
|
Game Gear
Game Gear games became available in March 2012.
| Name | Publisher | North America | Japan | Europe & Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Crystal | Sega | (2012/03/15) |
(2012/03/14) |
|
| Shinobi | Sega | (2012/03/15) |
(2012/03/14) |
|
| Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble | Sega | (2012/03/15) |
(2012/03/14) |
|
Ambassador Program
The ambassador program was a special program that Nintendo announced shortly after announcing a price drop for the 3DS. As the price drop was coming just months after the system was released, the ambassador program was launched as an attempt of compensation for those gamers who bought the 3DS at full price. To participate, someone who bought the 3DS at full price would have to register their system prior to the date of the price drop.
The program consists of two sets of ten Virtual Console games that can be downloaded to the 3DS for free. The first set consisted of ten NES games and was released on August 31, 2011:
- Balloon Fight
- Donkey Kong Jr.
- Ice Climber
- The Legend of Zelda
- Metroid
- NES Open Tournament Golf
- Super Mario Bros.
- Wrecking Crew
- Yoshi
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
The second set consisted of ten Game Boy Advance games. They were released on December 15, 2011 for Japan and Australia, and on December 16th for America and Europe. This set contained the following games:
- F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
- Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
- Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
- The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
- Mario Kart: Super Circuit
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong
- Metroid Fusion
- Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island
- Wario Land 4
- WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
3D Classics
Upon the launch of the eShop, Excitebike was offered a free download for a limited amount of time: until July 7th in all regions except Japan, where it was available for free until July 31st.
| Name | Publisher | Original System | North America | Japan | Europe & Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excitebike | Nintendo | NES | (2011/06/06) |
(2011/06/07) |
(2011/06/07)
|
| Kid Icarus | Nintendo | NES | |
(2012/01/18) |
(2012/02/02)
|
| Kirby's Adventure | Nintendo | NES | (2011/11/17) |
|
(2011/11/17)
|
| TwinBee | Konami | NES | (2011/09/22) |
(2011/08/10) |
(2011/09/22)
|
| Urban Champion | Nintendo | NES | (2011/08/18) |
(2011/07/13) |
(2011/08/18)
|
| Xevious | Namco | Arcade | (2011/07/21) |
(2011/06/07) |
(2011/07/21)
|