How To Prepare For The 3DS & Wii U eShop Closing

Nintendo’s 3DS and Wii U eShops are closing soon, but there’s still time to make a few final purchases – even if it requires roundabout methods.

March 27, 2023 will mark the end of an era, when it will no longer be possible to purchase digital games through the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShops, but there are still some things players can do to prepare for the shutdown. Both consoles are over a decade old, and as disheartening as it is to see them go, their virtual shops shutting down is part of the software lifecycle. Both are succeeded by Nintendo’s versatile Switch, a hybrid console that can be used both as a handheld and a TV-docked unit. Since many of them lack Switch ports, it’s a great time to buy up Nintendo games before the eShop closes.

The 3DS and Wii U eShops’ final curtain comes after Nintendo did away with a major function last year – the ability to add funds to one’s virtual Nintendo Network ID wallet using a credit card or Nintendo eShop gift card. However, there are still ways to add funds, purchase new games, and download them to the consoles, but doing so requires some roundabout methods.

Related: Update All 3DS Pokémon Games Immediately (Even If You Don’t Own Them)

Nintendo Account Wallet & Download Codes Can Still Be Used To Buy 3DS & Wii U eShop Games

Although players can no longer add funds to the 3DS and Wii U’s Nintendo Network ID wallet, they can use its successor, the Nintendo Account wallet. The Nintendo Account wallet can be accessed via a Switch or Nintendo’s website. Users who want to purchase 3DS or Wii U games missing from the Switch’s library must register for a separate account, then link the Nintendo Network ID used with their older consoles to share funds. Download codes work the same as always: they can be purchased from any retailer, then redeemed through the 3DS or Wii U eShop. Although code redemption will be removed on March 27, any funds remaining in Nintendo Account wallets will still be available for Switch purchases.

Online Services, Software Updates, & Game Re-Downloads For 3DS & Wii U Will Remain Functional

Some online features for Nintendo’s aging 3DS and Wii U consoles, however, will remain active even after the eShop finally closes its doors. Players will still have access to active online game services like Pokémon Bank after the 3DS store closes. Software updates for any games that still receive them (or players who have waited to download them) will still be available. And since the 3DS isn’t known for ample storage capacity, any games that players deleted to make room will remain available for re-download even after March 27.

This is a bad outlook for game preservation. Most 3DS and Wii U games haven’t been ported to new consoles, and although Nintendo has made older games available on the Switch, their efforts to date have mainly been focused on even older consoles, like the NES, Super Nintendo, and N64. Players who want to expand their Nintendo 3DS and Wii U libraries have limited time to do so while they still can.

More: Nintendo’s 3DS, Wii U Store Closures Hurt Game Preservation & Trust

Source: Serebii/Twitter