The Nintendo 3DS lives on in 2017, a list to look forward to

To most, the Switch is the future of Nintendo as the Wii U is more or less dead. However, as we all know, the 3DS has been doing rather well for Nintendo, and had a strong 2016. And 2017, while not looking to be as big as 2016, still looks to be an amazing year for the 3DS.

So below, I’ve gotten together a list of most of the titles confirmed for the 3DS in 2017, as well as some titles I think we’ll see get localised from Japan.

Confirmed coming to the West

Runbow Pocket

I’ll admit I don’t know much about Runbow; I do have it on the Wii U, but just haven’t had a chance to check it out yet (I don’t have much time for consoles these days, handhelds all the way). What I’ve seen of it looks great, and I’m always down for more well made 2D platformers to play on the go. It is worth nothing this will be a New 3DS exclusive title, so if you are keen, you will need to either have a New 3DS or upgrade to one.

Mario Sports Superstars

The latest in the long line of Mario Sports games comes to the 3DS this year, and it seems like the most robust package to date. For the first time ever we’ll be able to get our Mario Golf, Tennis & Baseball fixes all in the one release, whether these are as fleshed out as their previous full releases remains to be seen. Joining the party we have Mario Soccer which will feature full 11 v 11 matches and the all new Mario Horse Racing. This is going to be a great little bundle, and if you are a fan of any of the previous games in the series definitely worth checking out.

Pikmin 3DS

I wasn’t too impressed when this was first revealed, I’ve been wanting a proper Real Time Strategy game to play on the 3DS for ages, and a proper Pikmin game on the go would have been great. That said, I’m sure this will be a perfectly serviceable 2D Puzzle Platformer adventure game for the system. Not much is known barring what was shown in the last Direct, but it did look good and hopefully we’ll see more soon enough.

Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World

This is a port of 2015’s Yoshi’s Woolly World for the Wii U, it’s pretty much the exact same game albeit graphically scaled down for the 3DS. It does however feature a few new game modes such as Poochy Dash which sees you control gaming’s most lovable pooch (and not Itchy & Scratchy’s cap wearing friend who had to leave us when his planet needed him). If you enjoyed the original version or are just looking for more platforming action on the 3DS this will be a tonne of fun. Plus it comes with a super adorable Poochy Plush amiibo ^_^.

Dragon Quest VIII

With the release of this in the west, it’ll finally mean that all Dragon Quests 4 to 9 will be fully playable on our 3DS. I honestly don’t know much about VIII, as I try to go into DQ games as blind as possible, but I do know it’s one of the more well regarded games in the series with a lovely 3D world to explore. Now if only the Dragon Quest remakes of 1, 2 & 3 could come to the 3DS VC to complete the set and have them all playable on the 3DS.

Ever Oasis

This might be my most eagerly anticipated game of 2017, more so than Zelda possibly. The big reason for that is Secret of Mana is my favorite game, and Ever Oasis is being worked on by Grezzo studios which is headed by Koichi Ishii who was the main driving force behind Secret of Mana back when he worked for Square. This game seems to be almost a spiritual successor of sorts to the Mana game, 3 party member real time combat, a gorgeous looking world to explore and a colourful cast of monsters to fight off. I was in love with this game from the moment I saw it and if it delivers on all its promise it’s going to be an amazing game.

Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns

The latest title in the long running Bokujo Monogatar series (originally known as Harvest Moon before Natsume decided they would take the name and make their own Farm Sim series), I will admit I know next to nothing about it. I’ve always wanted to get into these games but I never have enough time. But hey if you’re a fan of all things farming on the go, then this could be the title for you.

Tank Troopers

This is looking like it’s going to be a great addition to the 3DS’s library, an online multiplayer tank combat game that has a great arcadey feel to it. There are a heap of different tanks to use and troopers to drive them and there is also a fairly decent single player mode from what I can see. If the online is as fun to play as Steel Diver Sub Wars was this will be a great pick up for everyone and also a great reason to join the offcial Vooks.net Discord to get some guys together and play online with 😉

Mighty No. 9

Who knows what’s going on with this, apparently it’s still in development for the 3DS, it was announced but nothing has been seen or said on this or the Vita version. It was being worked on by a different studio and last I heard it was still being worked on. That said Comcept have been quiet on all things Mighty No. 9 since the console version launched to very very “tepid” reviews. I know I’m in the minority that enjoyed it despite its many many flaws, and I’m hopefully this still makes it to the 3DS and fixes some of those flaws. Heck I’d be happy if in much the same way the original Mega Man games came to the Game Boy in trimmed down versions the same happened to Mighty No. 9, could be a great second chance for the game.

Treasurenauts

Ahh Treasurenauts, the long awaited title from Mutant Mudds developers formerly known as Renegade Kid now called Atooi. Hopefully 2017 is the year this loot collecting 2D platormer finally sees release as everything seen on it so far has been great. Given how good Renegade Kids other 2D games Mutant Mudds & Xeodrifter were I’m fully expecting this to be amazing when it comes out.

Chicken Wiggle

Also from Atooi, this little 2D Puzzle Platformer sees you in control of a Chicken and his little worm friend as they are on a quest to save the other little chickens who are trapped in the various stages that make up this game. While on the outside it may just look like a simple little 2D sidescrolling, that’s only half the game as there will be a fairly sizeable stage creation mode for you to make your own stages and share them online (something Nintendo’s own Mario Maker for the 3DS couldn’t do :P). This should be a pretty robust downloadable title when it hits the 3DS this year and again, given how good Renegade Kid’s 2D work has been, I expect great things from it.

80’s OVERDRIVE

Like just look at the trailer, just go look at it and then think of that, but in 3D. Enough said.

Blaster Master Zero

Latest entry in the long running series, being developed by those lovely folks at Inti Creates. They’ve made such awesome games as Mega Man 9 & Azure Striker Gunvolt. If this keeps up their usually level of retro old school revival level of quality it will be a great addition to the 3DS’s library.

Shakedown Hawaii: Retro City Rampage 2

I had so much fun with the original Retro City Rampage on the 3DS and this looks like more of the same however with a major graphic update. Whereas the original was going for an 8bit GTA style look to it, this is going for a more 16/32bit look and it looks gorgeous. Hopefully this retains all of the fun gameplay, tongue in cheek dialogue and amazing throwback jokes of the first.

So that’s most of the officially announced games for the west in 2017 for the 3DS, however there are still a handful of games stiil only in Japan that I think could see release outside in the West this year just to further beef up its lineup.

Here are some of the bigger titles we are still waiting on announcements for. Also putting out there what I think the chances are of them coming out.

Etrian Odyssey V
Chance of release: 99%

I’ve become a huge fan of the Etrian series since I finally sunk my teeth into IV on the 3DS, V has been out in Japan for some time now and there hasn’t been any world on a localised version. That said given how good Atlus have been to the 3DS and how well their titles have sold I would be surprised if this didn’t come out in the West this year.

Monster Hunter Stories
Chance of release: 75%

I really think this has a great chance of coming out of Japan this year, the 3DS has been a great home for JRPGs and I can see the 3DS’s fanbase in the West eating this up. A nice fun turn based adventure in the Monster Hunter universe that sees you raising and training up the various monsters to use in battle would do pretty well on it at this point.

The fact that there could possibly be another Monster Hunter game releasing out of Japan in 2017 is one issue I could see to this coming out, but I still think there is a better than average chance we’ll see it.

Monster Hunter XX
Chance of release: 50%

The big question mark over this is if there will be a Switch version coming out for it as well. If there is then the 3DS version won’t be coming over. However if its 3DS only then I could see this coming out in the later part of the year.

Goodbye! BoxBoy! 100% 

Yeah this is coming to the 3DS eShop, I’m not sure about the retail bundle with the amiibo but I would be shocked if this passed up for a worldwide release this year.

Lady Layton 
Chance of  release: 75%

We haven’t missed out on a Layton game yet, the only worry I have is that given this one is also coming out on iOS & Android, Level 5 will leave the western release to those 2 platforms just due to how much more popular they are in the West to the 3DS. That said it would be nice to see this final Layton 3DS game make its way Westward on the system line that it was born on.

Yo-kai Watch 3
Chance of Release: 75%

It all depends on how well the second game did and while I don’t think it did as well as the first game, hopefully it did well enough to warrant the 3rd entry in the series getting localized. I still need to play the second game but I loved the first and would be done to get into number 3. This one is set in the US and I’m interested to see what the YoKai Watch take on the US is.

Miitopia 
Chance of Release: 75%

I don’t know anything about Miitopia, other than its kind of an RPG that stars Miis you’ve collected on your system over the years. I’ve watched some trailers and listened to people talk about it and the basic gyst I’m getting is Miitomo with RPG stuff. Its a first party title and its something that I can see Nintendo releasing in the later half of the year to bulk out the 3DS releases.

Dragon Quest XI
Chance of Release: 25%

I want this to come out for the 3DS in the West, I love the whole idea of current gen Dragon Quest playing out on the top screen & a SNES era one on the bottom. Too me that’s 100 times more interesting than whats on offer in the PS4 & possibly Switch versions. And in the Switch version is where I see all the doubt for this coming out of Japan on the 3DS.

The 3DS has had a bad strike rate with localised versions of Dragon Quest games. Out of the 7 games in the series on the system, only 2 have been localised, and one of them isn’t even out yet. If Nintendo fans outside of Japan are going to get any version of DQXI its going to be on the Switch (and even then I’m not 100%)