Nintendo 3DS prices skyrocket up to 76% — vintage Nintendo console rivals the cost of a brand new Switch 2

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From retro relic to red-hot collectible.

Nintendo 3DS LL
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Newer isn’t always better—sometimes, nostalgia wins big. As X user Pirat_Nation discovered, the over-a-decade-old Nintendo 3DS has seen its value skyrocket, now almost matching the price of the brand-new Switch 2. On eBay, Nintendo 3DS XL consoles are fetching between $200 and $350, costing more now than when they first launched.

Nintendo released the 3DS in 2011 for $249.99, but after slow sales, the company slashed the price to $169.99. The following year, the larger 3DS XL (known as 3DS LL in Japan) hit shelves for $199.99. Just a year ago, you could pick up a used Nintendo 3DS XL for as little as $100. Now, their prices have soared—climbing 3.5 times in just twelve months—making some used units up to 76% more expensive than when they first came out.

Production of the Nintendo 3DS ended in 2020, followed by the shutdown of the 3DS eShop in 2023 and the console’s online services in 2024. This full sunset has likely fueled a wave of nostalgia, prompting collectors and retro gaming enthusiasts to snap up the now-vintage handheld—driving prices to new heights, as sealed and mint-condition units are a rarity nowadays. The 3DS eShop closure has also affected the pricing of used physical cartridges, but those haven't increased substantially.

The Nintendo 3DS was far from a flop—over 75.94 million units were sold by the end of 2024. The handheld boasts a stellar library of iconic titles, including The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, and Bravely Default. For retro gaming fans, the 3DS remains a treasure trove of classic experiences.

The Nintendo 3DS is also a favorite among modders—thanks to its accessibility, gamers can easily install custom firmware or set up emulation with minimal effort. Yet there’s been no breakthrough in the modding community to explain the recent spike in demand. It’s also possible, however, that those pesky scalpers are driving up prices by buying up consoles and reselling them at eye-watering markups.

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Zhiye Liu
Zhiye Liu
News Editor, RAM Reviewer & SSD Technician

Zhiye Liu is a news editor, memory reviewer, and SSD tester at Tom’s Hardware. Although he loves everything that’s hardware, he has a soft spot for CPUs, GPUs, and RAM.

9 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Joomsy
    Nothing new. They've been this high for a couple of years now, with some special editions going as high as $1,000. The 3DS still has a thriving homebrew and emulation scene, which includes a network service restoration project called Pretendo. It's also possible to play NDS games on them without a flashcart thanks to TWiLight Menu++, with all of this making it a highly appealing handheld.
    Reply
  • hotaru251
    I still aint selling the collection. I'll be buried w/ my treasures.
    Reply
  • jrharbort
    There were 80 million 3DS and 2DS consoles sold, there really shouldn't be a shortage of these things to justify such a price. They're not even that old.
    Reply
  • REPQueen
    hotaru251 said:
    I still aint selling the collection. I'll be buried w/ my treasures.
    Only acceptable if people can go to your mausoleum to StreetPass you… which would rule.
    Reply
  • Notton
    Ayaneo Pocket DS entry level 8GB/128GB was $399 for the early bird.
    It's $519 retail, and these 3DS units are reaching that level.

    If you want cheaper, there is the Ayaneo Thor, which is $250 for the 8GB/128GB/SD865 config.

    They trade nostalgia for a good screen.
    I have a 3DS XL and I distinctly remember the screen being highly pixelated.
    Reply
  • helper800
    There should be mention that there are two models of the "3DS." There are the original console which are mentioned in the article and then there was a hardware refresh with the "New Nintendo," versions.
    Reply
  • TerryLaze
    jrharbort said:
    There were 80 million 3DS and 2DS consoles sold, there really shouldn't be a shortage of these things to justify such a price. They're not even that old.
    You obviously have never seen a kid play with a handheld....
    Most of these have either been ruined by kids not being careful with stuff and destroying them or by kids loving them and playing them to death.

    The only ones you find now in good conditions are the ones that were Christmas gifts to kids that would rather play with balls. sports.
    Reply
  • hotaru251
    TerryLaze said:
    Most of these have either been ruined by kids not being careful with stuff and destroying them or by kids loving them and playing them to death.
    the later is my case.
    from my original ds and onward eventually the hinges break from being open/closed a ton over yrs of daily use and/or buttons fail/touch screen fails.
    Reply
  • okeribok
    The 3DS most clearly shows what Nintendo has become and how the joy of gaming was replaced by a nickle and diming service portal that may be remotely bricked. Step counter, street pass, shop music, cartridges you own, special editions, free digital cosmetics, fun of blowing in the mic, online play, significantly less shovelware and Mii's and all without a subscription. We had it all. And the batteries were user replaceable. Mine still works fine.
    Reply