Look after those New Nintendo 3DS consoles because Nintendo can’t fix them anymore

Nintendo has announced that it’s now ending support for the New Nintendo 3DS console because it’s run out of parts. As per VGC, the company made the announcement on August 28, 2024, which means you’ve got to hold yours close and protect it and maybe watch a YouTuber repair a few just in case you need to do it yourself.

This news follows a post from early 2024 on Nintendo’s Japanese website, in which it explained that the service repair regulation requirements had expired for the New Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 3DS LL, and the Nintendo 2DS. All this meant was that the company no longer had to offer repair services under consumer law. However, Nintendo continues to offer the service for the devices for which it has parts.

This more recent announcement is a follow-up drawing the line under the New Nintendo 3DS because 6 months later, all the parts for this device have been used up.

Cherish your 3DS and buy a good screwdriver set

With the New Nintendo 3DS no longer supported, Nintendo is only providing repair services for the Nintendo 2DS and Nintendo 2DS XL consoles. Of course, that support will end in the coming years as regulations expire and Nintendo stops producing parts for them.

Nintendo had already closed the eShop for the Nintendo DS family earlier this year, so all you can do with this device is play physical cartridges or whatever games were downloaded to it before the eShop was shut down. But this doesn’t have to be all bad news. If you want to ensure your New Nintendo 3DS is still running for the foreseeable future, then now is the time to check out YouTubers like The Retro Future who have a back-catalog of in-depth videos, showing you how to troubleshoot for problems and even butcher other broken consoles for replacement parts.

The New Nintendo 3DS was a big step up from the original 3DS and the start of a series of names that still requires me to look up exactly which console I’m trying to talk about. It featured improved controls so you could accurately look around in games with a smooth motion instead of wildly swinging and then correcting the camera.

The biggest hardware leap that struck me when it was first announced was the head-tracking 3D visuals. The original 3DS required you to be looking at the console from the perfect angle to appreciate the 3D view. The New Nintendo 3DS allowed you to see it from most angles, so you didn’t have to sit bolt-upright in a desk chair to play a handheld device.

Of course, most fans will remember the ability to use amiibo and download the plethora of digital-only games released on the Nintendo DS eShop. I never upgraded from my original Nintendo DS, but I remember being in awe of this device that allowed you to enjoy 3D gaming at a time when 3D was meant to be the next big thing, and it did it all without the need for silly glasses. There’s a big community of retro fans keeping these devices alive, so I’ve no doubt that despite Nintendo ending support, they’ll be going for many years to come.