10 Must Buy 3DS eShop JRPGs 

Did you see this? 

Did you hear about this? 

Nintendo’s pulling the darn Nintendo 3DS *AND* Wii U shop off-line in the near future! 

I mean, dang!

Sure, I haven’t touched either console since, exactly, March 2017 when that shiny red and blue Nintendo Switch fell into my lap, but hey! I’m going to complain on Twitter about this! 

As the jeepster himself, the game players need to rise up! Guzzle down that Gears of War branded G-Fuel and muzzle up comrades! 

If you couldn’t tell by now, yes, I’m being facetious; I’ve played both my Nintendo 2DS XL as recently as today and my Nintendo DS Lite as recently as yesterday. 

I mourn the loss of dual screen portable games, as well as portable game playing as we once knew it, as much as you do. 

Know that time turns all to sand, and it’s not going to make exceptions for outdated technologies. 

We, here at OnlyJRPGs will though, because we do love Japanese Role Playing games and *gawrsh* if that three dimensional Nintendo guy wasn’t a JRPG powerhouse. 

Here’s what you’ve got to cop from that E-Shop before it gets bonged off the earth.

1. Like, All those Shin Megami Tensei Games

We could have easily titled this oh so clickable listable ‘the 8 Shin Megami Tensei games that your punk butt needs to grab before the eshop meets its own apocalypse’ because there are just about that many of those games exclusively on the 3DS, counting the two Persona Q games anyway. 

Shin Megami Tensei IV’s early game twist-turned-core-concept makes that entry worth going back to after devouring 3 and 5 on the Switch, and with a game calling itself Soul Hackers 2 on the way, you’re better off playing the aesthetically hardcore and the hardcorely aesthetic original first.

2. Bravely Second: End Layer

The culmination of the DS versions of Final Fantasy 3 and 4 respectively, we specifically recommend Second over Default because it’s better in every conceivable way (not doing the same garbage five times in a row, a truly joyous script that allows itself some modern sensibilities without coming off as hack, Magnolia).

3. Dragon Quest VII & VIII

You could play the mobile ports of these games, but why the hell would you do that? 

Go play you some gosh darn Dragon Quest and develop some taste you cretins. 

Admittedly, we do hope for some ultimate remaster of 8 with the 3ds version’s content but with the presentation of the original.

Doesn’t seem to be happening though so screw us I guess!

4. Pokemon Sun & Moon

If you skipped this generation for any reason you’re doing yourself a real disservice. 

Probably the most charming iteration of the series outside of Heart Gold and Soul Silver. 

A true joy, climbing through the first Pokemon game with fully realized 3D worlds as opposed to diorama-like environments.

People retroactively 180ing on this game and then buying those mobile-gamesque Diamond and Pearl remakes have some explaining to do. 

This did mark the first time where the ‘3rd version’ of the game is inferior to the original, though.

5. Project X Zone 2

We’re obligating to promote any game that features .hack characters in it sorry.

6. Fire Emblem Awakening

Before Fire Emblem Three Houses Re-Reinvented Fire Emblem, Fire Emblem Awakening Reinvented Fire Emblem! Wow! 

Imagine if the wheel got reinvented twice, that would be pretty freaking slick. 

Marth from Super Smash Bros. Melee isn’t in this one, but someone pretending to be him is! 

Speaking of Melee, when are they going to port "The Gamecube Fire Emblem’’ anyway? 

Speaking of Gamecubes, God I want to play Metal Gear Solid The Twin Snakes again….

7. Etrain Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan

Aw crud, sorry, we never played an Etrain Odyssey game, but we want you to like us.

9. The Game Boy Color Pokemon TCG Game

This rocked.

10. Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale

Bryan, who did not want to be called my editor, wanted me to put this in. 

I played it 8 years ago. It's cute. 

You can play "Not The Final Fantasy 9 In-Game Card Game" with people. 

We're never gonna get 'boku no natsuyasumi' in English so you might as well try this.