The Nintendo 3DS is a handheld game console with two screens that can be folded. It was announced in March 2010 and released in early 2011. The 3DS replaced the Nintendo DS and DSi. It kept the same basic shape as the DS, called a clamshell, and could play games made for the DS. It also added 3D images that did not need special glasses. As an eighth-generation console, its main competitor was Sony’s PlayStation Vita.
The Nintendo 3DS was first sold in Japan on February 26, 2011, and released globally the following month. Less than six months later, Nintendo lowered the price from $249.99 to $169.99 because sales were lower than expected. The company gave free games to people who bought the system at the original price. This helped increase sales, and the 3DS became one of Nintendo’s most successful handheld consoles in its first two years. As of December 31, 2025, the Nintendo 3DS family sold 75.94 million units, and games for the system sold 392.29 million units.
The 3DS family had several improved versions. The Nintendo 3DS XL, with larger screens, was released in July 2012. The Nintendo 2DS, a simpler model without a 3D display and a folding design, came out in October 2013. The New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 2DS XL had better hardware and extra controls, starting in October 2014. Nintendo stopped selling the 3DS line on September 16, 2020. The Nintendo eShop closed on March 27, 2023, and Nintendo Network features ended on April 8, 2024, with some exceptions.
History
Nintendo started testing 3D video game technology in the 1980s. Their first product for 3D effects was the Famicom 3D System, which used liquid crystal shutter glasses. This accessory allowed players to see 3D images. Only a few games were made for it, including Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally, which Nintendo and HAL Laboratory created together in 1988. The Famicom 3D System did not interest buyers and was never sold outside Japan.
Nintendo’s next try with 3D was the Virtual Boy, designed by Gunpei Yokoi, who also created the Game Boy and helped develop Kid Icarus and Metroid. The Virtual Boy was a portable system with a handheld controller and goggles that used two small, fast-moving mirrors to create 3D images. Released in 1995, it sold fewer than one million units and had only 22 games. It was considered a failure. Shigeru Miyamoto, known for Mario and The Legend of Zelda, said in 2011 that he thought the Virtual Boy’s use of wire-frame models for 3D and its marketing were problems. The Virtual Boy’s failure made many at Nintendo question if 3D gaming could work.
Despite this, Nintendo kept studying 3D technology. The GameCube, released in 2001, could show true 3D with an LCD attachment. Only one game, Luigi’s Mansion, used this feature. The add-on was not released because it was too expensive. Nintendo also tried a 3D LCD during the Game Boy Advance SP’s development but stopped the idea. Another attempt was made for a virtual navigation guide at Shigureden, a museum in Japan. Nintendo’s president, Hiroshi Yamauchi, supported 3D research for the exhibition. Though the project failed, it helped Nintendo learn about liquid crystal technology, which later helped create the Nintendo 3DS.
In late 2009, Nintendo began planning a successor to the Nintendo DS. At that time, Nintendo had 68.3% of the handheld gaming market. In October 2009, Bright Side of News reported that Nvidia, a company that makes graphics processors, was chosen to help build hardware for Nintendo’s next portable console. Later that month, Nintendo’s president, Satoru Iwata, said he was not interested in mobile broadband but wanted to explore free wireless options like Amazon’s Whispernet.
Nintendo had been interested in motion-sensing features since the original Nintendo DS. A 2010 interview with Asahi Shimbun suggested the DS successor might include a motion sensor, though Nintendo disputed the report. In February 2010, Computer and Video Games said a few Japanese developers had access to software kits for the new console, with The Pokémon Company getting priority. A report from a third-party studio said the hardware would have a "tilt" function similar to the iPhone but with more features.
On March 23, 2010, Nintendo officially announced the Nintendo 3DS. Analysts thought the timing was chosen to stop leaks about the product. In April 2010, a picture of the 3DS’s internal parts was shared by Mitsumi, a company that filed it with the FCC. The image showed parts used in the Nintendo DS line and features not yet announced, like a 5:3 top screen and a control nub similar to Sony’s PlayStation Portable.
In June 2010, IGN reported that the 3DS had more powerful hardware than the Nintendo Wii and could create graphics similar to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The system did not use Nvidia’s Tegra mobile chipset.
Nintendo fully revealed the 3DS at E3 2010 on June 15. The first game shown was Kid Icarus: Uprising, and other titles from companies like Square Enix, Konami, Ubisoft, and Capcom were also announced. Nintendo also showed 3D movie trailers for How to Train Your Dragon, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, and Tangled. The 3DS design shown at E3 was nearly complete, with minor changes possible.
On September 29, 2010, Nintendo said the 3DS would be released in Japan on February 26, 2011. Additional features included Mii Maker, Virtual Console (with Game Boy and Game Boy Color games), 3D Classics, a battery cradle, multitasking, augmented reality games, a 2 GB SD card, and the final names for the 3DS’s tag modes: StreetPass and SpotPass. The system would come in two colors, "Aqua Blue" and "Cosmo Black," and cost ¥25,000 in Japan.
On January 19, 2011, Nintendo held press conferences in Amsterdam and New York to share more details. In North America, the 3DS was set to launch on March 27, 2011, for $249.99. In Europe, the release date was March 25, 2011, with prices set by retailers. Most stores sold it for between £219.99 and £229.99, though some lowered the price after Sony announced its PSP successor in January 2011.
In February 2011, Nintendo held four "Believe Your Eyes" events in the UK for the 3DS. Events took place in London, Manchester, Glasgow, and Bristol on February 5, 6, 12, and 13. Invitations were first given to Club Nintendo members.
Hardware
The original Nintendo 3DS uses special hardware designed by Nintendo and its partners, all built into one system on a chip. It has a dual-core CPU based on the ARM11 MPCore design, with one core handling the operating system to allow multitasking, and a separate ARM9 processor for compatibility with older Nintendo DS and DSi games. The system uses a PICA200 GPU for visuals. It includes 128 MB of FCRAM memory and 2 GB of internal eMMC flash storage, which can be expanded using SD cards.
The Nintendo 3DS has two separate TFT LCD screens. The top screen has a 5:3 aspect ratio and uses a special screen technology called an autostereoscopic parallax barrier to display 3D images without glasses. Its resolution is 800 × 240 pixels (400 × 240 pixels per eye). The original model’s top screen is 3.53 inches (90 mm) diagonally, while the 3DS XL’s top screen is 4.88 inches (124 mm). A "3D Depth Slider" near the screen lets players adjust or turn off the 3D effect. The lower screen is a 4:3 resistive touchscreen with a resolution of 320 × 240 pixels (QVGA), matching the aspect ratio of the Nintendo DS. The original 3DS’s lower screen is 3.02 inches (77 mm), and the 3DS XL’s lower screen is 4.18 inches (106 mm). Both models have the same screen resolutions, so the XL’s larger size results in lower pixel density.
The 3DS includes three cameras: two for capturing 3D photos and video, and one facing inward above the top screen. All cameras have a maximum resolution of 640 × 480 pixels (VGA). A built-in microphone is on the front edge of the system. It connects to Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g) and has an infrared port for accessories like the Circle Pad Pro and amiibo reader/writer.
The Nintendo 3DS uses a 3.7 V, 1300 mAh lithium-ion battery. Battery life is about 3–5 hours for 3DS games and 5–8 hours for DS games, depending on brightness, volume, and wireless use. The 3DS XL has a larger 3.7 V, 1750 mAh battery, lasting approximately 3.5–6.5 hours for 3DS games and 6–10 hours for DS games. The original 3DS weighs about 230 grams (8.1 oz), and the 3DS XL weighs about 336 grams (11.9 oz). The original model measures 134 × 74 × 21 mm (5.28 × 2.91 × 0.83 in), while the XL measures 156 × 93 × 22 mm (6.14 × 3.66 × 0.87 in). The original 3DS has a telescoping stylus that extends to 100 mm (3.9 in), and the 3DS XL has a fixed stylus of 93 mm (3.7 in).
All Nintendo 3DS systems use the same AC adapter as the Nintendo DSi. Some bundles, especially in Japan and Europe, did not include an adapter, requiring users to buy one separately or reuse an existing one. The original 3DS came with a charging cradle, but cradles for the 3DS XL and New Nintendo 3DS were sold separately. No cradle was made for the Nintendo 2DS.
The Nintendo 3DS was sold in China under the name iQue 3DS XL, a collaboration between Nintendo and Wei Yen. It was the last iQue console and the only 3DS model available in China. No physical games were sold for the system, and only Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 were preinstalled.
The Nintendo 3DS has controls like a round analog nub (Circle Pad), a D-pad, four face buttons (A, B, X, Y), two shoulder buttons (L and R), Start and Select buttons, and a Home button. Additional controls include a Power button, volume slider, and wireless switch. The lower touchscreen can be used with a finger or stylus. The system also has a six-axis motion sensor, combining an accelerometer and gyroscope. The Circle Pad Pro accessory adds a second Circle Pad and extra trigger buttons (Z L/Z R).
The Nintendo 3DS Game Card is the physical media format for 3DS games. It looks similar to the Nintendo DS Game Card but has a small tab to prevent it from being used in DS systems. Game Cards come in 1 GB, 2 GB, or 4 GB sizes, which are 2, 4, or 8 times larger than the DS Game Card’s maximum of 512 MB. An 8 GB version was planned but never made.
The Circle Pad Pro connects to the 3DS via infrared and was released in Japan in December 2011, Europe in January 2012, Australia in February 2012, and North America in February 2012. It was bundled with every copy of Kid Icarus: Uprising and helped make games easier to play by freeing one hand for the stylus.
An NFC reader/writer was released in 2015 to support Amiibo for the 3DS, 3DS XL, and 2DS. It uses two AA batteries.
The Nintendo 3DS family includes six models: the original 3DS, the larger 3DS XL (released July 2012), the 2DS (released October 2013), the New Nintendo 3DS (with an XL variant), the New Nintendo 2DS XL, and the original 2DS. The 3DS XL has screens 90% larger than the original. The 2DS is a redesigned, entry-level model without 3D functionality and has a "slate" shape. The New Nintendo 3DS adds more controls and improved features, while the New 2DS XL combines elements of the
Software
The Home Menu is a screen with icons and menus used on Nintendo 3DS systems. It works like the Nintendo DSi Menu and Wii U Menu. The Home Menu lets users open software stored on Nintendo DS and 3DS Game Cards, apps installed on an SD card, and DSiWare titles saved in the system’s memory. Icons for apps are arranged in a grid that users can rearrange on the lower screen. The upper screen shows a 3D logo for each app and displays information like wireless signal strength, time, and battery life. Pressing the Home button stops the current app and opens the Home Menu, allowing users to use multitasking apps like the Internet Browser and Miiverse.
Like the Nintendo DSi, the Home Menu can be updated with new features. On April 25, 2012, a system update added folders to organize apps. On June 20, 2013, another update introduced the Save Data Backup feature, which lets users save game progress from downloadable 3DS software and Virtual Console games. On October 30, 2014, an update allowed users to download custom themes for the Home Menu based on Nintendo games.
The Nintendo 3DS Camera is a built-in app for taking photos and videos. It uses two front-facing cameras to take 3D photos and one camera for regular 2D photos. All photos are taken at a resolution of 640 × 480 pixels (0.3 megapixels). Each 3D photo is saved as two separate files with JPG and MPO extensions. The app includes filters and options for low-light conditions. A loud shutter sound plays when taking photos, which cannot be changed or turned off, likely to follow Japan’s rules. On December 7, 2011, a system update added the ability to record 3D videos and create stop-motion animations. All video recordings are limited to 10 minutes.
The Nintendo 3DS Sound app is used to play music and record audio. It supports MP3 and AAC files with extensions like .mp3, .mp4, .m4a, and .3GP. Music can be played from an SD card, and visualizations appear on the upper screen. Audio can be played even when the console is closed using the headphone jack. The app includes sound effects, filters, and the ability to record 10-second voice clips. It also has a StreetPass feature that lets users exchange song data to create compatibility charts.
The Nintendo eShop is the online store for the Nintendo 3DS. It launched in June 2011 and offers downloadable games, Virtual Console titles, apps, and videos. Users can buy downloadable content (DLC) and automatically download game updates. All purchases are linked to a Nintendo Network ID and can only be used on one system. Content can be downloaded in the background using SpotPass while playing games or when the console is asleep. Up to 10 downloads can be queued at once, and their status can be checked on the Home Menu.
In July 2020, some Latin American and Caribbean countries with limited eShop access had their systems closed. Other regions with full eShop access were unaffected. On February 15, 2022, Nintendo announced that the eShop for the 3DS would stop working globally by late March 2023. Credit card support ended on May 23, 2022, and users could no longer add funds by August 29, 2022.
Miiverse was a social networking service for Nintendo 3DS users. It let players share gaming experiences using their Mii characters. It launched on the 3DS on December 11, 2013, through a firmware update. Users could post achievements, comments, notes, and game screenshots on communities tied to specific games. They could also access Wii U communities on the 3DS and vice versa. Miiverse was available on smartphones, tablets, and computers. The service used software and human moderators to ensure content was appropriate. Users could share screenshots from certain games on social media via the Image Share service. Miiverse shut down on November 7, 2017, for the 3DS and Wii U.
The Nintendo 3DS’s Internet Browser was released on June 6, 2011, in North America and June 7, 2011, in Europe and Japan. It works as a multitasking app and can be used while another app is paused. The browser supports HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and some HTML5 features but does not support Flash, video, or music. It can display 3D images with .mpo files and save images to an SD card. Users can upload JPEG and MPO images from the photo gallery and choose between Google and Yahoo! search engines. Bookmarks can also be created.
Nintendo Video launched in Australia, Europe, and Japan on July 13, 2011, and in North America on July 21, 2011. It updated content automatically through SpotPass, allowing up to four videos to be available at once. Content included shows like Oscar’s Oasis and Shaun the Sheep, original series like Dinosaur Office and BearShark, short films, movie trailers, and sports videos. The service was discontinued in Japan, Europe, and Oceania by April 2014 and in North America by July 2015. In North America, the “Nintendo Video” name remained as a permanent category in the eShop for previously hosted videos and new content.
Netflix was available on the Nintendo 3DS in North America starting July 14, 2011. Users could pause streaming videos on the 3DS and resume them on other devices. Only 2D content was supported. The Netflix app was discontinued on June 30, 2021. Hulu Plus was planned for the 3DS in 2011 and 2012 but was finally released in Japan on August 6, 2013, and in North America on October 17, 2013.
Games
Retail copies of games for the Nintendo 3DS are provided on special cartridges called Nintendo 3DS Game Cards. These are packaged in protective cases with simple instructions. In Europe, the boxes have a triangle at the bottom corner of the paper sleeve. The triangle uses colors to show which region the game is for and which languages are included in the manual. Unlike earlier Nintendo consoles, the full software manual is only available digitally through the system’s Home Menu. Games made by Nintendo and some third-party companies come with Club Nintendo points, which can be used to get special rewards. Retail and download-only games are also sold through the Nintendo eShop. All Nintendo 3DS consoles are region locked, meaning games bought in one area can only be played on systems from that same area.
As of December 31, 2024, 392.14 million Nintendo 3DS games have been sold worldwide. Fifty-nine titles have sold more than one million copies. The most successful game, Mario Kart 7, has sold 18.99 million copies worldwide.
The Nintendo 3DS launched with 8 games in Japan, 12 games in North America, and 14 games in Europe. Thirty additional games were announced for release during the system’s “launch window,” which includes the three months after the system’s launch date.
AR Games is a collection of augmented reality mini-games and tools that come pre-installed on every Nintendo 3DS. It includes six paper cards that work with certain games. Five of the cards have images of characters: Mario, Link, Kirby, Pikmin, and Samus. The sixth card is a question mark box from the Super Mario Bros. series. Nintendo also released larger versions of this card as downloadable content. By scanning the cards, real-time graphics are added to live footage. It is also possible to take 3D photos of Nintendo characters using any or all six AR Cards, as well as their Miis.
Some AR cards work with other Nintendo 3DS games, including Nintendogs + Cats, Kid Icarus: Uprising, Pokédex 3D Pro, Freakyforms: Your Creations, Alive!, and Tetris: Axis.
Face Raiders is another augmented reality app that comes pre-installed on every Nintendo 3DS. To play, users must take pictures of people’s faces. These faces become enemies that attack the player, who must shoot them using the system’s gyroscope. The game’s background uses the rear camera’s view. As people walk by, the game takes their pictures and adds them as enemies. Players can also collect faces from the system’s image gallery, which automatically searches for faces.
Other Nintendo 3DS apps use the system’s AR features, such as Photos with Mario, Photos with Animal Crossing, Pokémon Dream Radar, and Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir.
Download Play lets users play local multiplayer games with other Nintendo 3DS systems using only one Game Card. Players must be within wireless range (about 65 feet) of each other for the guest system to download data from the host system. Download Play on Nintendo 3DS is backward compatible, meaning it works with Nintendo DS games. Unlike on Nintendo DS, game data is saved on the system’s SD card once downloaded, so it does not need to be re-downloaded for future sessions. Nintendo 3DS games can transfer a maximum of 32 MB of data to other systems during Download Play. Other local multiplayer modes require each player to own the software being used.
The Nintendo 3DS is backward compatible with all Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi software. However, it cannot play DS software that uses the Game Boy Advance port. Nintendo DS and DSi games cannot be played with 3D visuals on the 3DS. The original DS display resolutions are shown in a scaled and stretched format because of the 3DS’s higher screen resolution. If the user presses the START or SELECT buttons when launching DS software, the screens will display in the original DS resolution, but they will appear smaller with black borders. On the Nintendo 3DS XL, this method shows DS games at sizes closer to their original sizes due to the XL’s larger screen, unlike the original 3DS models.
The Virtual Console service lets Nintendo 3DS owners download and play games originally released for the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Gear, Nintendo Entertainment System, and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (exclusively for New Nintendo 3DS models). These games are downloaded through the Nintendo eShop over broadband internet and saved to a removable SD card. Once downloaded, Virtual Console games can be accessed from the Home Menu as individual apps. The service launched on June 6, 2011, in North America and June 7, 2011, in Japan and Europe as part of a system update.
Nintendo and Sega also released the 3D Classics series, which includes enhanced versions of retro games with updated stereoscopic graphics.
In 2012, the Louvre Museum in Paris used Nintendo 3DS systems to provide audioguides. The following year, the museum hired Nintendo to create a 3DS-based audiovisual guide titled Nintendo 3DS Guide: Louvre. This guide includes over 30 hours of audio, more than 1,000 photos of artwork and the museum, 3D views, and navigation using differential GPS transmitters. 3DS XLs pre-loaded with the guide are available for rent at the museum, and the software can also be purchased from the Nintendo eShop. Unlike most 3DS titles, the guide is not region locked.
An upgraded version of the 2013 Louvre guide was announced in a special Nintendo Direct featuring Satoru Iwata and Shigeru Miyamoto at the museum. They demonstrated the guide’s features while visiting famous works like the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and the Mona Lisa.
The Louvre retired the 3DS guides in September 2025.
Reception
The Nintendo 3DS hardware received mostly positive reviews. IGN described its design as a "natural evolution of the Nintendo DSi system." CNET praised the device's 3D effect, while IGN called it "very clear and clean," and better than earlier models. However, reviewers noted that the 3D effect only worked if the system was held at the correct distance and angle. Many reviewers mentioned the 3DS had short battery life. Engadget reported the system lasted about 3 hours, while IGN reported between 2 and 4.5 hours of play.
The Nintendo 3DS XL was well received when it launched. Reviewers generally recommended it to people buying their first Nintendo 3DS device, but not necessarily to those who already owned a 3DS. Kotaku called it "possibly the best portable gaming device ever" and said it was "well-designed" and played "great games." The Verge described it as "the best portable gaming buy around right now." The 3DS XL improved battery life compared to the original 3DS. Kotaku said the battery could last through a cross-country flight. The Verge noted that the larger screen made some graphics issues more visible, but said the 3D effect felt more immersive. Destructoid said the 3D effect on the XL was less noticeable than on the original. The Verge praised the build quality and design, saying the XL was better than the original. A Destructoid reviewer said the XL was easier to use for people with larger hands. The Verge and Gizmodo both mentioned the cameras on the 3DS XL had lower quality than on the original.
Before its launch, Amazon UK said the Nintendo 3DS was the most pre-ordered video game system ever. Nintendo of America said the number of pre-orders for the 3DS was twice as high as pre-orders for the Wii.
The system launched in Japan on February 26, 2011, and sold all 400,000 units available during its release. There were long lines outside stores, and pre-orders sold out quickly. On March 25, 2011, the system launched in Europe, selling 303,000 units in its first two days. In the UK, 113,000 units were sold during its opening weekend, making it Nintendo's most successful hardware launch in the country at that time. According to the NPD Group, Nintendo sold nearly 500,000 units in the US during March 2011, with 440,000 sold in its first week. By March 31, 2011, the 3DS had sold 3.61 million units, which was less than the 4 million Nintendo had expected. The 3DS was the fastest-selling console in Australia, with 200,000 units sold over 37 weeks.
After the price was reduced by about one-third in the second quarter of 2011, sales increased by more than 260% during a similar 19-day period in July. About 185,000 units were sold after a price cut on August 12. Nintendo sold over 235,000 units in the US in August, making it the second-best-selling dedicated game system for the month.
About 8 months after its release, Nintendo of America said sales of the 3DS had surpassed the original Nintendo DS's first-year sales, which were about 2.37 million units. During the 2011 holiday season, the 3DS sold about 1.6 million units in Japan. By the end of 2011, Nintendo sold 4 million units in the US. Overall, Nintendo sold 11.4 million units worldwide in 2011.
On September 30, 2013, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said the 3DS had sold more than 5 million units in Japan during 2013. This number was only higher than the sales of its predecessor, the Nintendo DS.
After the Nintendo 2DS launched, Nintendo sold 452,000 units of the 3DS family in the US in October, which was double the sales of the previous month. This made it the best-selling video game console in the US for six months in a row. Sales of first-party software for the 3DS reached more than 2 million units in October, the highest since December 2011. Retailer Target reported the 3DS XL was one of its top sellers during Black Friday. On November 29, 2013, Nintendo of France said total 3DS hardware sales in the country reached 2.15 million units, with 30% of those sales coming from the 2DS. It was also reported that the 3DS had a 50% share of all video game systems sold in the region, and software sales increased from 850,000 to 1.7 million units year-over-year. According to the NPD Group, Nintendo sold about 770,000 units of the 3DS family in November in North America, bringing total sales in the region to nearly 10.5 million units. On December 19, 2013, MCV reported that total 3DS family sales in the UK reached 2 million units, making it the best-selling console of the year in the region.
By January 2014, Nintendo had sold 900,000 units in Spain. In the fourth quarter of 2014, the New Nintendo 3DS was released in Japan and Australia. It had upgraded hardware, some exclusive games, and could run Super NES games through the Virtual Console, but it was not considered a new generation of console. It was part of the 3DS family and included in sales figures.
In the first quarter of 2015, the New Nintendo 3DS was released in Europe and North America. It was still part of the 3DS family and counted in sales figures.
As of September 30, 2022, Nintendo reported that 75.94 million units of the 3DS had been shipped worldwide. Of these, 25.26 million were shipped to Japan, 26.90 million to the Americas, and 23.78 million to other regions, including Europe.
Nintendo has stated that the 3D mode of the 3DS is not intended for children under 6 years old, as it might harm their vision. Nintendo suggests younger users use the 2D mode instead. The American Optometric Association said that 3D gaming in moderation would not harm children. Dr. Michael Duenas and Dr. Joe Ellis said the 3DS might help identify vision problems in children under 6. However, Dr. David Hunter said it is unclear if children with depth perception issues would show signs of problems through the 3DS. Duenas said Nintendo's warning about possible vision harm was not supported by scientific evidence and was likely to avoid legal responsibility.
The system's parental controls, protected by a PIN, allow parents to disable 3D effects on devices used by young children. Some gamers have reported headaches from playing in 3D.
Nintendo of America's then-president Reggie Fils-Aimé mentioned these concerns as one of the reasons for certain decisions.
Legal issues
In 2011, Seijiro Tomita, a 58-year-old former Sony employee, filed a lawsuit against Nintendo for using a patent related to a 3D screen that does not require 3D glasses. On March 13, 2013, a U.S. federal jury ruled that Nintendo must pay Tomita $30.2 million in damages. However, on August 7, 2013, a judge named Jed Rakoff reduced the payment to $15.1 million, stating the original amount was "too high" and not supported by trial evidence. On December 11, 2013, Judge Rakoff decided Nintendo should pay Tomita 1.82% of the wholesale price for each unit sold. On March 17, 2018, the U.S. Appeals Court ruled that Nintendo had not violated Tomita’s patent.
On July 17, 2015, Nintendo won a patent lawsuit involving eight of its handheld consoles, including the 3DS. The case was originally brought by the Quintal Research Group after it received a patent for a "computerized information retrieval system" in 2008.