This is a list of cancelled Nintendo 3DS video games. The Nintendo 3DS is a handheld game console released by Nintendo in 2011. While the platform eventually went on to be seen as a success that sold over 75 million units, its launch and early years saw the platform struggle commercially, with many third-party games being cancelled during this period. Similarly, the wild success of the Nintendo Switch's launch in 2017 led companies to abandon the 3DS in favor of pursuing Switch development. This list documents all known games that were confirmed for the 3DS at some point, but did not end up being released for it in any capacity. [1] [2] [3]
There are currently 24 games on this list. [a]
Title(s) | Notes/Reasons | Developer | Publisher |
---|---|---|---|
AeternoBlade II | The game was originally announced in October 2015 for the 3DS and PlayStation Vita. In early 2017, a number of members of the development team resigned, forcing the developers to restart development, and causing them to cancel the handheld versions in favor of developing and releasing PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch versions in 2019 instead. [4] [5] | Corecell Technology | Corecell Technology |
Assassin's Creed: Lost Legacy | Originally announced at the 3DS's public reveal at E3 2010, the game was cancelled internally in September 2010, and publicly announced as cancelled a year later. Ubisoft explained that it was not due to the platform's initial sluggish sales, but rather, that they felt that the 3DS's launch lineup was already crowded. The game's premise was later reworked into Assassin's Creed Revelations (2011) for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Windows, while the 3DS would never receive an entry in the series. [6] [7] [8] | Ubisoft | Ubisoft |
The Binding of Isaac | Originally released on PC platforms in 2011, a planned 3DS release was cancelled in 2012 due to Nintendo objecting to the game's "questionable religious content". After Nintendo loosened their standards in the subsequent years, the game's remake, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth , eventually released for the New Nintendo 3DS and Wii U in 2015. [9] [10] | Edmund McMillen | Edmund McMillen |
BloodRayne: The Shroud | Originally announced at the 3DS's public reveal at E3 2010, its publisher Majesco announced that development was put "on-hold" in April 2011. The game never resumed development; while no official reason was given for cancellation, publications noted that it may have been due to the poor performance of the films and deciding to focus on releasing BloodRayne: Betrayal (2011) instead. [11] [12] [13] | WayForward | Majesco |
Bomberman 3DS | An entry in the Bomberman series was originally announced at the 3DS's public reveal at E3 2010, but the title was one of a number of then-upcoming games in development by Hudson Soft that were cancelled over the course of their acquisition by Konami. [14] [15] | Hudson Soft | Hudson Soft |
Bonk: Brink of Extinction | An entry in the Bonk series was originally announced at the 3DS's public reveal at E3 2010, but the title was one of a number of then-upcoming games in development by Hudson Soft that were cancelled over the course of their acquisition by Konami. [14] [15] | Pi Studios | Hudson Soft |
C-Wars | While the game's Kickstarter stretch-goal for releases on 3DS, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Linux, and Android, only the Windows and macOS versions ever released, in 2015. [16] | Onipunks Studio | Onipunks Studio |
Chocobo Racing 3D | A sequel to Chocobo Racing (1999) was announced for the 3DS at E3 2010. Square Enix showed little of it beyond its initial demonstration in the following years, and in 2013, announced it had been cancelled. A year later, Shinji Hashimoto stated the game had been cancelled due to quality concerns. A separate sequel was not developed until Chocobo GP for the Nintendo Switch in 2022. [17] [18] [19] | Square Enix | Square Enix |
Cult County | A multi-platform horror game announced by Renegade Kid that was to be a mix between The Walking Dead and Silent Hill 2 . A combination of the game failing by a wide margin to meet its ambitious Kickstarter goal in 2014, followed by two years of financial difficulty, lead to the company's closure in 2016, and the game never materialized for any platforms. [20] [21] [22] | Renegade Kid | Renegade Kid |
DJ Hero 3D | A third entry of Activision's DJ Hero series, a spinoff of the Guitar Hero series, was announced for the 3DS at E3 2010. The game was far along in development, with a build of the game playable at E3. However, declining sales of rhythm-based music games in the late 2000s led Activision to cancel all their music based games scheduled for release in 2011, which included DJ Hero 3D'. [23] [24] | Vicarious Visions | Activision |
Untitled Fire Emblem remake | Publications reported that another remake in the vein of Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia (2017) had been in development for the 3DS, but was one of a few games cancelled after the sales of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey (2018) were so poor they caused the closure of its developer AlphaDream. While the reports noted the game could be moved to the Nintendo Switch, no Fire Emblem remakes have been released on that platform to-date. [25] [26] [27] | Intelligent Systems | Nintendo |
Kaio: King of Pirates | Announced in 2012 as a project helmed by developer Keiji Inafune and his newly formed Comcept development company, the game underwent a troubled development period that lost publisher Marvelous 3.8 million dollars prior to its cancellation in 2015. [28] [29] | Level-5 Comcept | Marvelous |
Kororinpa | A version of the Wii game Kororinpa was announced for the 3DS in 2010, but was one of a number of then-upcoming games in development by Hudson Soft that were cancelled over the course of their acquisition by Konami. [14] [30] | Hudson Soft | Hudson Soft |
Legend of Raven (Yatagarasu) | Originally released on PC platforms in 2011 under the name Yatagarasu, game publisher Nicalis announced plans to release the game under the title Legend of Raven across multiple platforms. Initially, a 3DS version was planned, but Nicalis later reported this version was cancelled in favor of a PlayStation Vita version due to fan feedback. Plans expanded beyond just a Vita version to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions as well, though no versions have materialized beyond its original PC release. [31] [32] | Circle Edge | Nicalis |
Mega Man Legends 3 | A third entry in the Mega Man Legends series was announced in 2010, but it was cancelled the following year. Later retrospectives from Capcom would indicate that there were internal concerns about the profitability of the game, as the prior entries did not have outstanding sales numbers, it had been a decade since the last entry in the series, and the 3DS was an uncertain new platform. [33] [34] | Capcom | Capcom |
Mighty No. 9 | A high-profile spiritual successor to the Mega Man series by longtime series producer Kenji Inafune successfully raised funding for a wide variety of platforms in 2013. While announced console and PC versions released across mid-2016 to a tepid response, the versions for the 3DS and PlayStation Vita never materialized. [35] [36] | Comcept, Inti Creates | Deep Silver |
My Garden | First announced at Tokyo Game Show 2010, the game involved planting and tending to a virtual garden that could be viewed with the 3DS's stereoscopic 3D effect. The game was far enough along for publications to receive hands-on builds to play, but the game was cancelled just a month prior to the launch of the 3DS. Developer Electronic Arts cited that they "didn't feel the title would attract a large audience on that platform" as the reason for its cancellation. [37] [38] [39] | Electronic Arts | Electronic Arts |
Obscure 3 / Obscure D | A third entry in the Obscure series of survival horror video games was announced for the 3DS, among other platforms, in 2011. However, developer Hydravision Entertainment closed the following year. While a group of developers formed a new company, Mighty Rocket Studio, and decided to continue work on the game, the change of direction to more non-horror action-oriented gameplay caused them rename the game to Final Exam (2013), which did not see release on 3DS. [40] [41] | Hydravision Entertainment | |
Omega Five | A horizontally scrolling shooter originally released on Xbox 360 in 2008. A 3DS version was announced in 2010, but was later one of a number of then-upcoming games in development by Hudson Soft that were cancelled over the course of their acquisition by Konami. [14] | Natsume Co., Ltd. | Hudson Soft |
Omori | After achieving its Kickstarter goal in 2014, its protracted development extended beyond the lifespan of the 3DS, cancelling that version of the game. It later released across many platforms, including the Nintendo Switch, between 2020 and 2022. [42] | Omocat | Omocat |
Saints Row: Drive-By | A smaller-scale entry in the Saints Row series was announced as a download-only title for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and 3DS at E3 2010. After rumors of its cancellation arose, publisher THQ confirmed its cancellation for all platforms in May 2011, without citing any reasons. [43] [44] [45] | Volition | THQ |
Seaman | A version of Seaman was long-rumored to be in development for the 3DS. After the passing of Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, Seaman creator Yoot Saito, in his memorial comments for him, revealed that Iwata had asked him to create a Seaman title for the 3DS, and that Saito had started work on it, but undisclosed "complications" lead to its cancellation. [46] [47] [48] | Vivarium Inc. | Nintendo |
Wonder Flick R | A cross-platform JRPG announced for iOS, Android, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Wii U. The game was intended to support cross-saving, allowing the player to save progress on one platform and pick up where they left off on another. Gameplay also occurred on two separate screens, whether it be on dual screen platforms like Wii U and 3DS, or through other means like remote play. While the mobile versions released in early 2014 in Japan, it suffered from a troubled launch and short lifespan, being shut down just a year later, leading to the cancellation of all console versions. [49] [50] | Level-5 | Level-5 |
WWE Brawl | A new WWE wrestling game, WWE Brawl, was announced in 2011 for release on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii. Unlike THQ's annual WWE releases, Brawl was a spin-off intended to be a more fast paced party fighting game akin to Super Smash Bros. or Power Stone . However, the game was never released, presumably due to THQ's financial difficulties at the time. In 2024, a prototype of a previously-unknown Nintendo 3DS version was found and shared online. [51] [52] | THQ | THQ |
WayForward Technologies, Inc. is an American independent video game developer and publisher based in Valencia, California. Founded in March 1990 by technology entrepreneur Voldi Way, WayForward started by developing games for consoles such as the Super NES and Sega Genesis, as well as TV games and PC educational software. In 1997, they relaunched their video games arm, placing the company as a contractor for publishers and working on a variety of licensed assets.
Ace Attorney is a visual novel adventure video game franchise developed by Capcom. With storytelling fashioned after legal dramas, the first entry in the series, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, was released in 2001; since then five further main series games, as well as various spin-offs, prequels, and high-definition remasters for newer game consoles have been released. Additionally, the series has been adapted in the form of a live-action film and an anime; it is the base for manga series, drama CDs, musicals and stage plays. The player takes the roles of various defense attorneys, including Phoenix Wright, his mentor Mia Fey, as well as his understudies Apollo Justice and Athena Cykes who investigate cases and defend their clients in court. They find the truth by cross-examining witnesses and finding inconsistencies between the testimonies and the evidence they have collected. The cases last a maximum of three days; the judge determines the outcome based on evidence presented by the defense attorney and the prosecutor.
Renegade Kid LLC was an American video game developer based in Austin, Texas. The studio was founded in 2007 by Gregg Hargrove and Jools Watsham, video game development veterans formerly of Iguana Entertainment. In August 2016, Hargrove and Watsham announced that they had split their operations, with the intellectual property rights distributed between each's own studios, Atooi (Watsham) and Infitizmo (Hargrove).
Monster Hunter is a Japanese media franchise centered on a series of fantasy-themed action role-playing video games that started with the game Monster Hunter for the PlayStation 2, released in 2004. Titles have been released across a variety of platforms, including personal computers, home consoles, portable consoles, and mobile devices. The series is developed and published by Capcom.
Mega Man Legends 3 is a cancelled video game set to be the sequel to Mega Man Legends 2 and the fourth game in the Mega Man Legends series. It was announced for the Nintendo 3DS on September 29, 2010, during a Nintendo press conference for the 3DS.
Project X Zone is a crossover tactical role-playing video game for the Nintendo 3DS developed by Monolith Soft with assistance from Capcom and Red Entertainment and published by Namco Bandai Games. It is a follow-up to Namco × Capcom and features characters from Namco Bandai, Capcom, and Sega. The game was released on October 11, 2012 in Japan; June 25, 2013 in North America; and July 5, 2013 in Europe. Project X Zone received mixed to positive reviews upon release; praise went towards the game's cast, combat system, and presentation, but criticism was directed at its repetitive gameplay and confusing storyline.
2017 saw the release of numerous video games as well as other developments in the video game industry. The Nintendo Switch console was released in 2017, which sold more than 14 million units by the end of the year, exceeding the under-performing Wii U lifetime sales. This has helped to revitalize Nintendo, with the "retro" Super NES Classic Edition console, the refreshed New Nintendo 2DS XL handheld and a strategy for mobile gaming. Microsoft also released the higher-powered Xbox One X targeted for 4K resolutions and virtual reality support.
Numerous video games were released in 2018. Best-selling games included Madden NFL 19, NBA 2K19, NBA Live 19, WWE 2K19, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Marvel's Spider-Man, Red Dead Redemption 2, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Far Cry 5, God of War, Monster Hunter: World, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, Spyro Reignited Trilogy, and Dragon Ball FighterZ. Games highly regarded by video game critics released in 2018 included Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Marvel's Spider-Man, Forza Horizon 4, Monster Hunter: World, Dead Cells, Return of the Obra Dinn, and Celeste. The year's highest-grossing games included Fortnite, Honor of Kings/Arena of Valor, Dungeon Fighter Online, League of Legends, and Pokémon Go.
Monster Hunter Generations is an action role-playing game developed and published by Capcom for the Nintendo 3DS. Announced in May 2015, the game was released in Japan as Monster Hunter X in November 2015 and internationally in July 2016. Like other titles in the Monster Hunter series, players undertake quests that involve hunting large dangerous creatures, either solo or in multiplayer. Major additions in this installment include special attacks, new combat styles, and the ability to play as Felynes who have traditionally only appeared as a companion to the player. Monster Hunter Generations is considered the fourth major portable title in the series, following Monster Hunter Portable 3rd. An expanded version of the game, titled Monster Hunter XX, was announced in October 2016, and was released exclusively in Japan in March 2017. An HD port of the expanded re-release for the Nintendo Switch, titled Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, was released in Japan in August 2017 followed by a worldwide release in August 2018. The game has sold more than 8 million units worldwide, as of September 2020.
Ever Oasis is an action-adventure role-playing video game developed by Grezzo and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS handheld game console. Revealed at E3 2016, the game was released in North America, Europe, and Australia in June 2017 and in Japan the following month. It was directed and produced by Koichi Ishii, the creator of the Chocobo and Moogle as well as the Mana series at Square Enix.
In the video game industry during 2019, both Sony and Microsoft announced their intent to reveal their next-generation consoles in 2020, while Nintendo introduced a smaller Nintendo Switch Lite, and Google announced its streaming game platform Stadia. The controversy over loot boxes as a potential gambling route continued into 2019, with some governments like Belgium and the Netherlands banning games with them under their gambling laws, while the United Kingdom acknowledging their current laws prevent enforcing these as if they were games of chance. The first video cards to support real-time ray tracing were put onto the consumer market, including the first set of games that would take advantage of the new technology. The Epic Games Store continued its growth in challenging the largest digital PC game distribution service Steam, leading to concern and debate about Epic Games' methods to seek games for its service. Dota Auto Chess, a community-created mod for Dota 2, introduced a new subgenre of strategy games called auto battlers, which saw several games in the genre released throughout the year. Blizzard Entertainment faced criticism due to their involvement in the Blitzchung controversy, which began after they had banned a Hearthstone player for making comments during a tournament regarding the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests.
Chocobo GP is a 2022 kart racing game developed by Arika and published by Square Enix for the Nintendo Switch. The game is a spin-off of the Final Fantasy series and is a sequel to 1999's Chocobo Racing. It was released in celebration of the series' 35th anniversary and features locales and characters from across the franchise.