Nintendo Video for 3DS launching in North America this summer

By Mike Flacy Updated July 12, 2011

Nintendo of America announced that an official video service is headed to the 3DS handheld gaming device later this summer for North American audiences. However, Nintendo Video is launching first in Europe and Japan on July 13. The service is expected to deliver both 2D and 3D content to the 3DS in the form of cartoon and comedy clips as well as music videos. Nintendo is unlikely to deliver content consistently and is relying on a second video service called Spot TV for original programming. Programming for Japanese audiences from Nippon and Fuji TV features shows around animals, news and celebrity wrestling. Video content and updates are automatically downloaded when a user is in range of a Wi-Fi access point.

The update to the video service also brings Netflix to the Nintendo 3DS. If subscribed to the Netflix Instant streaming service ($7.99 a month), 3DS owners simple download the Netflix application and authorize the device. Netflix allows for up to six devices to utilize the streaming service per account. It’s unlikely that Netflix will offer any content formatted to take advantage of the 3D effect though. Netflix streaming was originally announced for launch in May 2011 at the Game Developer’s Conference, but was pushed to late summer by Nintendo of America.

The Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming system hasn’t performed as well as the company originally hoped. President Satoru Iwata directed blame at the weak launch titles in a response to a recent investor question. However, Nintendo also made it clear that there are no plans on bringing its vast library to mobile devices such as the iPhone or Android phones. Nintendo is revamping classic titles like Excitebike for the 3DS with an upgrade to 3D. The volume of classics receiving this treatment is low due to the difficulty in development. For instance, converting Excitebike to utilize the 3D screen took about twenty times the planned development period.

Topics

Contributing Editor

By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…

Gaming

You need to get this oddball Zelda game for free before the 3DS eShop closes

legend of zelda twilight princess nintendo wii grandma grandmother reddit 755 hours

The day of reckoning is fast approaching: The Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShop isclosing down on March 27. When that happens, you’ll no longer be able to make any digital purchases on those systems. Considering that several games on each platform only ever got digital releases, it’s creating a bit of a preservation nightmare. Hidden gems that never came to another platform, like Affordable Space Adventures, will be totally lost to time.

But it isn’t just obscure indies that are impacted by that change: One of Nintendo’s biggest franchises is about to lose a piece of its storied history. You’ve only got just over a week to grab a certain Legend of Zelda game before it disappears forever -- though it’s probably not one you’re expecting.

Gaming

Grab these Nintendo 3DS games before the eShop closes

wii u 3ds exclusive nintendo games eshop closure ever oasis

While the Nintendo 3DS had a rocky launch, the handheld system recovered gracefully and ended up having one of the best game lineups of any Nintendo system. Many of these 3DS games, like Super Mario 3D Land and Fire Emblem Awakening, were very popular and well-known. Still, the 3DS had a lot of fantastic games that not as many people know about and threaten to be lost to time when the eShop closes down.
The 3DS eShop will shut down soon, preventing people from purchasing new games. As such, we've been reflecting on the system's vast library and all of the fantastic games that 3DS owners will no longer be able to buy digitally. From games that we think will skyrocket even further in price after the store shuts down to some enjoyable hidden gems that didn't get the attention they deserve, you might want to snag these 3DS games before you can't anymore after March 27.
Ever Oasis

Grezzo is one of Nintendo's most underrated developers. It's delivered top-notch The Legend of Zelda remakes like Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Link's Awakening. So what if I told you that it used that experience to make an original IP for 3DS that's one of the best-looking and expansive games on the system? Ever Oasis, a 2017 3DS game, follows a young kid as they help a water spirit named Esna build an oasis and try to save their brother from Chaos.
The result is a mix of 3D The Legend of Zelda and city management games. Players can venture out into surprisingly large open worlds and dungeons to restock and grow the number of "bloom booths." This mix of open-world exploration, dungeon crawling, and oasis-building will keep players engaged for dozens of hours, and it also stands as one of the deepest and best-looking action-adventure games on the platform.
Ever Oasis didn't get much attention when it launched because the Nintendo Switch had been released a couple of months earlier. Still, it stands as one of the 3DS' best games, so it's a shame that more people don't know about it. It risks being forgotten forever now the 3DS eShop is closing down, so check it out before the closure; it will surpass your expectations.
Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Gaming

The Nintendo 3DS’ best (and weirdest) cult hit is coming to Apple Arcade

Horses race in Pocket Card Jockey.

Apple Arcade is kicking off 2023 by adding three new titles in January. Most notable among them is Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On!, a mobile port of one of the Nintendo 3DS cult hits set to launch on January 20.

The original Pocket Card Jockey, released in 2013 in Japan and 2016 in North America, is one of the 3DS' oddest titles. Developed by Pokémon studio Game Freak, it's a horse-racing RPG that revolves around solitaire. Players raise and breed horses and then race them by playing fast-paced rounds of solitaire. It's an extremely bizarre concept, but an incredibly fun one that made it one of the handheld's most charming hidden gems.