At the end of last year, Nintendo revealed that 2024 would mark the end of online play for both the Nintendo 3DS and the Nintendo Wii U. Now, the clock is ticking, as Nintendo has specified an exact end date to the online services for both systems. You have until April 8th, at 4pm PDT to get around to playing any old favorites online, before they're gone for good. Leaderboards, online play, and all other services that use the internet on either the 3DS and Wii U will no longer function after that deadline.

There is a single exception to the shutdown, with Pokemon Bank and Pokemon Transporter still staying up and usable, as Nintendo deems both software to be still relevant for fans importing their old Pokemon into new games.

For those looking to get some online play in after it's all over, both the Citra 3DS and Cemu Wii U emulators have their own form of custom servers that allow for online play.

Update: as of 4/8, online play and other functionality that uses online communication will end service for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software. Thank you very much for your continued support of our products.

Find out more: https://t.co/VdIdewGmB5

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 24, 2024

 

[Metoroid0]

like they never did on the wii or DS huh?

yeah that's awesome.
but seriously tho...just because console or games are old they shouldnt be firgiten or ditched.
Consoles are the most ditched platforms and their games as well.

PC had WOW and players play that same game for 25 years and servers are still up, players love it.
Conosle gamers just hop on a new system, new game, even though its still a good game. i mean nintendo now streams N64 games and online service but i dont see why that cant be maintained instead of shutting down switch online and replacng it with the NEW thing that everione will hop on.

 

[vile7083]

I've been seeing that Super Mario Maker will be shut down permanently online, and it's the last chance to play these levels. But I know Pretendo will be up in the future. I guess it's because these games are mostly online, but if you download a bunch of levels you can play that way. Maybe there will be a way you can transfer Mario Maker levels to HDD once the servers are down in a few days. Or you can play full Mario games like Galaxy or 3d world

 

[JaNDeRPeiCH]

I measure my height in melons.

Pics or didnt happen :3 ...

 

[Bladexdsl]

but seriously tho...just because console or games are old they shouldnt be firgiten or ditched.
Consoles are the most ditched platforms and their games as well.

there's a good reason for that
nintendo are just fucking cheap tight asses who don't want to spend money on old tech and want you to get their new tech so you have to re buy all the OLD game PORTS all over again and pay for another new online than get drip feed shit games on it

 

[AdenTheThird]

there's a good reason for that
nintendo are just fucking cheap tight asses who don't want to spend money on old tech and want you to get their new tech so you have to re buy all the OLD game PORTS all over again and pay for another new online than get drip feed shit games on it

This is really a problem with corporations at large--not just Nintendo.
As a publicly-traded company, Nintendo has a legal obligation to raise as much money as humanely possible for their shareholders. And unfortunately, reselling old games as often as possible is a reliable way to do so. And Nintendo certainly has no shortage of old hits ready to be resold.

 

[Kwyjor]

I've been seeing that Super Mario Maker will be shut down permanently online, and it's the last chance to play these levels. But I know Pretendo will be up in the future. I guess it's because these games are mostly online, but if you download a bunch of levels you can play that way. Maybe there will be a way you can transfer Mario Maker levels to HDD once the servers are down in a few days.

There is already a SMM course manager. Not sure how well it works, though. https://gbatemp.net/threads/ocdm-mario-maker-3ds-course-manager.451621/

I bought it just for the included levels, myself.

 

[HiradeGirl]

Pics or didnt happen :3 ...

 

[JaNDeRPeiCH]

View attachment 429649

Praise the melons xD

 

[Metoroid0]

there's a good reason for that
nintendo are just fucking cheap tight asses who don't want to spend money on old tech and want you to get their new tech so you have to re buy all the OLD game PORTS all over again and pay for another new online than get drip feed shit games on it

yeah well, not only that, but they open up a store where you spend money buying a game than they re-open an entirely new store without prior history of purchase. for example if you bought a liscence for sone retro game you cant redownload it in new store, you need to re-buy it over and over.
also they dont give you back your money since they removed the store, or at least make you eligable to redownload the game you bought without paying again.

 

[Cacho]

I still remember picking up my Windwaker edition, getting the book digitally, and then playing as much as I could with it. Seeing it fail so hard. And now, it will be gone.

 

[vile7083]

There is already a SMM course manager. Not sure how well it works, though. https://gbatemp.net/threads/ocdm-mario-maker-3ds-course-manager.451621/

I bought it just for the included levels, myself.

That's cool. I have the Wii U version myself. I'll have to look into it

 

[Hanafuda]

 

[J-Will]

I still have rverse lol