Nintendo 3DS Games That Look The Best In 3D

The big 3D gimmick of the Nintendo 3DS was met with a lot of skepticism when the system was first announced, but when it was finally released to the public, a lot of people actually found it to be a ton of fun to toy around with. With that being said though, while there were clearly a lot of developers who didn't keep the 3D in mind when creating their games, there are others who used clever camera angles and unique environments to make the experience much more enjoyable when the 3D slider is cranked up.

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A lot of these games are first-party Nintendo titles that really pushed the 3D feature to its limits, but this eventually encouraged some other developers to lean into it a lot more too, resulting in some truly unique and amazing-looking games. For anyone who enjoys playing their 3DS with the 3D feature enabled, these are the games that use it most effectively and are well worth trying out.

7 Fire Emblem Awakening

The 3D Feature Helps The Units And Environments Stand Out A Lot More In Fire Emblem Awakening

Considering that Awakening was expected to be the very last Fire Emblem game in the series, Intelligent System went all in with making it as engaging and unique as possible, and this also meant updating the art style, both for the units themselves, and the environments. If players decide to switch on the 3D functionality, they will notice that the small chibi-style characters will pop out of the screen, along with any small hints of wind or rain that can be seen on the map.

When guiding a unit into battle, a small battle menu will pop up which also looks incredible in 3D, especially since it is physically placed in front of the backdrop which makes it stand out even more. The actual cutscenes of Awakening aren't that much different in 3D, but the battle sequences look pretty amazing with it enabled.

6 Mario Kart 7

The Gliding Mechanic In Mario Kart 7 Looks Downright Stunning With 3D Enabled

In the leadup to Mario Kart 7's release, Nintendo placed a lot of emphasis on the gliding mechanic which racers could use to make their way between gaps, while still being able to use any items or boosts that they currently have in their hands. Gliding in 3D is a real joy to look at, with the character bursting out from the screen while the rest of the track can be seen slowly coming into focus in the background.

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Because the camera in Mario Kart 7 always has the player front and center, it allows the 3D feature to focus primarily on them throughout a race, creating a sort of illusion where the other racers and the environment feel like they're actually a part of the background. The casual nature of Mario Kart 7 already makes it a ton of fun to jump into, but it's well worth trying out the 3D when booting up this game since it works remarkably well.

5 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies

3D Functionality Makes The Court Scenes Of Dual Destinies Even More Intense And Exciting

• Released: October 24, 2013
• Developer: Capcom
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS, Android, iOS

Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies is another game that has a pretty basic visual style, but this ultimately works to its advantage when the game is switched over to 3D, especially when an intense court scene is taking place. Throughout the course of the game, the player must find pieces of evidence that they can present to justify a client's case, and a lot of the time, small pieces of the environment will stick out when the game is set to 3D, giving the player a hint as to where to look.

The scenes in the court are really where this feature shines the most though, since the camera will focus on a single person at one time, allowing their quirky animations to transcend the 2D space by lunging out from the screen. An especially striking use of this is when Wright yells his iconic "Objection" with the words shooting out from the side of the 3DS screen, along with his pointed hand which lets his opposition know that they've been caught red-handed.

4 Resident Evil: Revelations

Resident Evil Revelations Becomes All The More Terrifying When Enemies Can Leap Out At The Player

It's already impressive enough that Capcom managed to get a fully functioning Resident Evil game onto a handheld system. Not only does the game look stunning from a graphical perspective, but it also makes good use of the 3D to boot. The third-person angle allows Jill to always stand out from the ship environment that she explores for the majority of the game, but when she comes up against the Ooze B.O.W's that lurk around the ship, the 3D actually helps to add some extra horror to these encounters.

If the monsters manage to get a hold of Jill, they will appear to be munching her face off outside the screen itself, which is an incredibly creepy visual, but also one that lends itself to the unnerving atmosphere of the game. Anyone who wants to experience a truly unique horror experience owes it to themselves to try out Resident Evil Revelations with the 3D functionality active.

3 Kid Icarus Uprising

Seeing Pit And His Enemies Gliding Out From The Screen During Mid-Air Encounters Is An Amazing Sight To Behold

There are many sections of Kid Icarus Uprising where Pit will be soaring through the sky as he blasts away any enemies he comes across, and these scenes look downright stunning in 3D. Because the system keeps the clouds within the 2D space, it allows Pit and his enemies to gradually float out of the screen, to the point where it almost feels like these entire encounters are some sort of hologram taking place right in front of the player.

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The multiple menacing bosses that appear throughout the game also look stunning in the 3D space, especially the likes of Cerberus whose multiple heads become much more prominent, or the dreaded VoVatia whose colorful design becomes all the more vibrant.

2 The Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

The Top-Down Camera Featured In Link Between Worlds Perfectly Compliments the 3D Functionality

Link Between Worlds uses some pretty innovative and unique mechanics to put a fresh spin on the traditional Zelda gameplay formula, and Nintendo made extra sure that they would all work perfectly in 3D, primarily the wall merging sections. After acquiring a Magic Bracelet, Link is granted the ability to cling onto walls as a painting, allowing him to travel into unknown areas and acquire special tools by making use of this special ability.

Watching these gameplay segments play out in 3D is really quite mindblowing, but even when Link is in his regular form, the top-down camera angle means that he can always stand out, along with any small bushes, items, or characters that appear around him. Link Between Worlds is undoubtedly one of the best-looking games for the 3DS, but it really becomes something special when viewing it in full 3D.

1 Super Mario 3D Land

Super Mario 3D Is Still The Shining Example Of How To Make A Fun And Engaging Game That Truly Shines In 3D

Considering that it was the flagship launch title for the 3DS, it makes sense that Super Mario 3D Land would make full use of the system's signature gimmick, but even today, it still looks absolutely stunning thanks to the clever level design and certain gimmicks within the game. 3D Land will always switch between specific camera angles that showcase only the most essential characters and items on the screen, and since the level design is quite stripped-back, it creates stunning 3D visuals that are never too confusing or jarring.

The game also allows players to utilize the 3D Gyroscope when Mario is looking through a pair of binoculars, which in itself is incredibly fun and immersive thanks to how realistic it looks and feels. While a lot of Nintendo fans were worried that the 3D gimmick would fall flat upon the system's release, Mario 3D Land proved that not only could it work, but could actually make the experience a lot more fun and memorable too.