Nintendo 3DS

	;
Manufacturer	Nintendo
Type	Handheld
Release date(s)	February 26, 2011; March 25, 2011; March 27, 2011; March 31, 2011
Discontinued	September 17, 2020
Media	Nintendo 3DS Game Card, Nintendo DS Game Card, SD Card
Input	Nintendo 3DS Stylus
Predecessor	Nintendo DS
Successor	Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo 3DS is a handheld video game console made by Nintendo and released in 2011. It is a successor to the Nintendo DS and can play games in glasses-free stereoscopic 3D. Animal Crossing games released on the Nintendo 3DS include Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer, and the Photos with Animal Crossing application. Additionally, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, which features content from the Animal Crossing series, was released for the 3DS.

The 3DS sold a total of 75.94 million units worldwide.^[3] It was succeeded by the Nintendo Switch in 2017 and was discontinued worldwide on September 17, 2020.^[4]

Features and built-in software[edit]

Friend List[edit]

Friend List is a built-in application where the player can add others as friends via a Friend Code. Having two players registered in each other's Friend List is required to visit other town's online in Animal Crossing: New Leaf.

Nintendo eShop[edit]

The Nintendo eShop is a digital store where games and software could be purchased and downloaded. All Animal Crossing games released on the 3DS could be purchased from the eShop, and Photos with Animal Crossing was released exclusively from the eShop. Update data for Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer could also be downloaded from the eShop. Additionally, games and software released for the DSi Shop, including Animal Crossing Calculator and Animal Crossing Clock, could be purchased and downloaded from the eShop.

The eShop is also available on the Wii U and Nintendo Switch. The ability to purchase and download new software was discontinued worldwide on the 3DS and Wii U on March 27, 2023, 12 years since the 3DS's North American release.

Nintendo Zone[edit]

Nintendo Zone was a discontinued service for the Nintendo 3DS that allowed players to connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot in a collaborating public location, typically a retail store, to receive unique content. Animal Crossing: New Leaf utilized Nintendo Zones to receive DLC items.

Play Coins[edit]

Icon for Play Coins

Play Coins are a system-wide currency that can be used in various games and software, including Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer. The 3DS has a built-in pedometer that tracks the player's steps; for every 100 steps taken, the player earns 1 Play Coin, up to a maximum of 10 per day and 300 total. In New Leaf, fortune cookies can be purchased from Timmy and Tommy's store for 2 Play Coins. In Happy Home Designer, Play Coins can be used to unlock lessons in the Happy Home Handbook.

SpotPass[edit]

SpotPass is an online feature that allows the console to send and receive information to and from Nintendo. Animal Crossing: New Leaf features SpotPass connectivity, and it can be enabled or disabled from the title screen. The player could connect to the internet via SpotPass during distribution periods to receive DLC items and Nintendo staff homes in the HH Showcase.

SpotPass is also available on the Wii U.

StreetPass[edit]

StreetPass is a feature that uses local wireless communication to send and receive information from and to other nearby 3DS systems. It is used in Animal Crossing: New Leaf in the HH Showcase, where connecting with other players via StreetPass causes their house and player character to appear there. Some handheld items and badges require the use of StreetPass to obtain.

StreetPass Mii Plaza[edit]

New Leaf

Happy Home Designer

The two Animal Crossing Puzzle Swap puzzles in StreetPass Mii Plaza

StreetPass Mii Plaza is a built-in application on the Nintendo 3DS. The Miis of players who have been met via StreetPass appear here, and there are various minigames that can be played. The player can dress their Mii with various unlockable outfits, including four based on the Animal Crossing series: the Isabelle Hat, Tom Nook Hat, K.K. Slider Hat, and Mr. Resetti Hat.

One of the minigames, Puzzle Swap, features Animal Crossing content. The objective of Puzzle Swap is to meet other players through StreetPass to obtain pieces of a puzzle that, when completed, displays an image from a 3DS game. Two of the puzzles feature an image from Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer.

Themes[edit]

An update in 2014 introduced themes, which alter the background, app icons, and music of the HOME Menu. Themes can be purchased from the Theme Shop, My Nintendo, or the downloadable game Nintendo Badge Arcade. 26 themes based on the Animal Crossing series were released:

Name	Music	Released via	Theme Shop description
Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival: Plaza	"Plaza"	Theme Shop	A crowd's gathered for the amiibo Festival! Scroll the Touch Screen to see who's here as you enjoy the festival's plaza tune.
Animal Crossing: Falling Leaves	"12 PM"	Theme Shop	This fall-inspired theme features Isabelle and friends raking up fallen leaves. Keep an eye out for Mr. Resetti and Don Resetti!
Animal Crossing: Gardening Weather	"Bunny Day"	Theme Shop	This Spring theme shows Leif, Isabelle, and others. Scroll the screen to see them tend the garden, but look out for Mr. Resetti!
Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer: My Town	"Title-Screen Tune"	Theme Shop	This theme features watercolor-style art by the game's Lead Illustrator. Scroll the Touch Screen to see lots of cute characters!
Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer: Your Office	"???"	Theme Shop	???
Animal Crossing: New Leaf Swimming in the Sea	"Island (Day)"	Theme Shop	This summertime theme features Isabelle and friends enjoying a relaxing swim. Scroll the Touch Screen to see them in action!
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: Bulletin Board	"1 p.m."	Theme Shop	The folders and icons look like they are made of wood. Scroll the Touch Screen to see cheerful flowers sway in the wind.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: Bunny Day	"Bunny Day"	Theme Shop	Eggzactly what you need to get ready for Bunny Day! Scroll the Touch Screen to see O'Hare, Chrissy, Francine, and Zipper move.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: Colorful Pattern	"Title-Screen Tune"	Theme Shop	This theme's relaxing music and colorfully patterned background, folders, and icons will make you feel right at home.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: Isabelle at Town Hall	"Town Hall (Isabelle's Theme)"	Theme Shop	The folders and icons look like letters and stamps. Scroll the Touch Screen to see Isabelle daydream while she works.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: Jack, the Czar of Halloween	"Halloween Hijinks"	Theme Shop	This theme features festive folders and icons, spooky music, and jack-o'-lanterns. Scroll the Touch Screen to see Jack move.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: Jingle's Toy Day	"Toy Day"	Theme Shop	Scroll the Touch Screen to animate this festive theme's lower background. Exit Sleep Mode to hear a present open.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: K.K. Slider at Club LOL	"K.K. Song"	Theme Shop	The folders and icons feature an acoustic-guitar pattern. Scroll the Touch Screen to see K.K. Slider play his guitar and sing.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: Mabel Able	"Able Sisters"	Theme Shop	The folders and icons look like they're sewn from blue cloth. Scroll the Touch Screen to see Mabel hard at work.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: Sable Able	"Able Sisters"	Theme Shop	The folders and icons look like they're sewn from pink cloth. Scroll the Touch Screen to see Sable hard at work.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: Timmy & Tommy Nook	"The Nooklings' Store"	Theme Shop	The folders and icons look like they're cardboard boxes. Scroll the Touch Screen to see Timmy's and Tommy's eyes blink.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: Welcome to 2015	"Happy New Year"	Theme Shop	Isabelle and Pietro ring in 2015 in this festive NYE theme. Scroll the Touch Screen to see fireworks and party poppers explode.
Animal Crossing: Winter Frolics	"Main Street 1 (daytime snow)"	Theme Shop	A theme featuring the snowpeople, who only appear in winter. Scroll the Touch Screen to see Isabelle and pals rolling snowballs.
Cinnamoroll × Totakeke	"???"	Theme Shop (Japan only)	???
Hello Kitty × Shizue	"???"	Theme Shop (Japan only)	???
My Nintendo: Isabelle	"???"	My Nintendo	This original My Nintendo theme features Isabelle on the Top Screen and Animal Crossing-themed folders.
Animal Crossing: Stylish Sweets	-	Nintendo Badge Arcade	???
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: Festive Fun	-	Nintendo Badge Arcade	???
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: Island Getaway	-	Nintendo Badge Arcade	???
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: Paw-Print Room	-	Nintendo Badge Arcade	???
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: Plaza	-	Nintendo Badge Arcade	???

Animal Crossing-related games[edit]

Retail[edit]

Game	Image	Release dates
Animal Crossing: New Leaf		November 8, 2012 February 8, 2013 June 9, 2013 June 14, 2013 June 15, 2013
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS		September 13, 2014 October 3, 2014 October 3, 2014 October 4, 2014 September 10, 2015
Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer		July 30, 2015 September 25, 2015 October 2, 2015 October 3, 2015
Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome amiibo		November 23, 2016 November 24, 2016 November 25, 2016 December 1, 2016 December 8, 2016

Backward compatibility[edit]

The Nintendo 3DS is backward-compatible with Nintendo DS games, except for games that require the use of the Game Boy Advance slot of the original DS and DS Lite for Option Paks.

Game	Image	Release dates
Animal Crossing: Wild World		November 23, 2005 December 5, 2005 December 8, 2005 March 31, 2006 December 6, 2007

Download[edit]

In addition to the downloadable versions of the retail Nintendo 3DS titles mentioned above, the following download-only software are also playable on the Nintendo 3DS.

Nintendo eShop native apps[edit]

Game	Release dates
Photos with Animal Crossing	November 21, 2013 2015

DSiWare legacy apps[edit]

App	Release dates (3DS eShop)
Animal Crossing Calculator	June 6, 2011 June 6, 2011 July 7, 2011 June 6, 2011
Animal Crossing Clock	June 6, 2011 June 6, 2011 July 7, 2011 June 6, 2011

Models[edit]

Name	Release dates	Notes
Nintendo 3DS	February 26, 2011 March 27, 2011 March 25, 2011 March 31, 2011	-
Nintendo 3DS XL	July 28, 2012 August 19, 2012 July 28, 2012 August 23, 2012	The Nintendo 3DS XL features 90% larger screens compared to the original 3DS.
Nintendo 2DS	February 27, 2016 October 12, 2013 October 12, 2013 October 12, 2013	The Nintendo 2DS lacks 3D and has a different form-factor, lacking the clamshell design of all other DS and 3DS models.
New Nintendo 3DS	October 11, 2014 September 25, 2015 February 13, 2015 November 21, 2014	The New Nintendo 3DS features an upgraded processor, increased RAM, a C-Stick, ZL and ZR buttons, face tracking for more stable 3D, and NFC support for scanning amiibo. This model also has swappable faceplates on the back of the top and bottom sections.
New Nintendo 3DS XL	October 11, 2014 February 13, 2015 February 13, 2015 November 21, 2014	The New Nintendo 3DS XL is a larger version of the New Nintendo 3DS. It does not have swappable faceplates.
New Nintendo 2DS XL	July 13, 2017 July 28, 2017 July 28, 2017 June 15, 2017	The New Nintendo 2DS has all of the hardware improvements from the New Nintendo 3DS but lacks 3D.

Animal Crossing models and bundles[edit]

Multiple Animal Crossing-themed models of the 3DS or bundles including an Animal Crossing game were released:

Model	Release date(s)	Bundle	Design
Nintendo 3DS XL	??? ???	Animal Crossing: New Leaf	Top and bottom are white with icons of apples, furniture leaves, and houses, along with multi-colored dots.
Nintendo 2DS	???	Animal Crossing: New Leaf	Standard red-and-white console.
Nintendo 2DS	???	Animal Crossing: New Leaf	Standard pink-and-white console.
New Nintendo 3DS	???	None	Standard white console; contains a set of faceplates featuring a collage of Animal Crossing characters.
New Nintendo 3DS	??? September 25, 2015^[5] ??? ???	Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer	Standard white console; contains two sets of faceplates: one based on the key art for Happy Home Designer, and one with Isabelle's face on the top and the pattern of her clothing on the bottom. The European and Australian releases only contained the former set of faceplates.
New Nintendo 3DS XL	??? October 2, 2015^[6]	Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer	Top is white and features various objects and building from Happy Home Designer; bottom features a house and a silhouette of Lottie.
New Nintendo 2DS XL	??? July 20, 2018^[7] June 20, 2018^[7]	Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome amiibo	Features a cream design with a green top and buttons. The top has "Animal Crossing" and various designs engraved in the center.

Appearances in the Animal Crossing series[edit]

In Happy Home Designer[edit]

Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer features two furniture items based on models of the Nintendo 3DS: the New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL. It also features the Nintendo 3DS shelf, which contains various 3DS games, and the Nintendo 3DS station, which is based on a retail store kiosk.

In Welcome amiibo[edit]

The Welcome amiibo update to Animal Crossing: New Leaf features all the 3DS-related items introduced in Happy Home Designer, as well as six new items: the New 3DS XL - HHD, which is based on a real Happy Home Designer-themed New Nintendo 3DS XL model, and the New 3DS - Isabelle, New 3DS - K.K., New 3DS - Mabel, New 3DS - Sable, New 3DS - T&T, which feature faceplates of their respective characters. Interacting with any 3DS console item allows the player to play Animal Crossing Puzzle League.