Prices for the decade-old Nintendo 3DS are climbing in late 2025, with secondhand units now selling for as much as or more than their launch prices. Kotaku highlighted the trend, as spotted on X by Pirat_Nation on December 29, 2025, showing used 3DS XL models commonly around $250 or higher. For the 2014 New Nintendo 3DS XL, listings on the used market frequently sit around $280 and above, with good-condition units often above $280 and, in some cases, approaching $350. The 3DS originally released in 2010 and was discontinued in 2020, and it remains celebrated for its dual-screen clamshell design and glasses-free stereoscopic 3D. Across its lifespan, the system sold about 75.94 million units.
That spike has occurred despite there being no obvious jump in piracy techniques since custom firmware largely superseded flashcarts years ago. There isn’t a clear piracy trigger driving the increase. Still, the 3DS endures as an impressive gaming device, anchored by backward compatibility with a large archive of DS titles that preceded it.
Even with the 3D feature being optional and not universally beloved, the system is widely regarded as a faster, bigger evolution of the Nintendo DS. Its library spans the DS era and beyond, retaining appeal for players who want access to a vast catalog without relying on newer hardware.
Looking ahead, price trends are expected to continue climbing as long as demand persists. The Kotaku coverage underscores an ongoing curiosity about why this ten-year-old handheld is seeing renewed premium in a market that often prizes newer hardware, highlighting its enduring legacy within the PC & Console gaming milieu and its strong DS backward compatibility that keeps the library relevant.