Are you sure you want that Nintendo Switch 2…?
The Nintendo 3DS has quietly crossed a line. What was once an easy second-hand buy is now edging into proper retro pricing, with mint and boxed consoles commanding eye-watering sums on the used market.
A glance at eBay UK shows what’s happening. Nintendo 3DS XL models in mint or boxed condition are routinely listed between £200 and £400, with especially clean or unopened examples pushing £600–£800.
That means the Nintendo 3DS XL could be more expensive than a Nintendo Switch 2!
Why the 3DS suddenly feels collectible
The price rise isn’t down to a single factor, but several trends lining up at once.
Nintendo ended 3DS production in 2020, fixing supply for good. The closure of the 3DS eShop in 2024 then pushed more players towards physical games and hardware ownership. Add in a strong library — Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Fire Emblem Awakening, Ocarina of Time 3D, Majora’s Mask 3D, Pokémon, and more — and demand hasn’t gone away.
What really drives prices, though, is condition. Well-used systems are still available at sensible prices. Mint, boxed, and unopened consoles are not, and collectors are clearly willing to pay for them.
On eBay right now, you can find standard editions of the Nintendo 3DS XL on eBay for around the same price as a Nintendo Switch 2 — £350 and upwards. Sure, more expensive options and limited editions are also available, but this is quite the surprise, given the console’s relatively recent existence.
No one’s paying around £500 for a Nintendo Wii U, after all…
A familiar retro frustration
On a personal note, this one stings slightly. I still own a pair of original Nintendo DS systems, but never made the jump to the 3D models at the time. The 3DS has been on my want list for years — just not at these prices.
It’s a familiar retro problem: by the time you finally decide you want something, the market has already decided it’s collectible.
What this means now
If you just want to play 3DS games, there’s no need to panic — standard used units are still out there. But if you’re after a boxed or mint console, the 3DS has clearly moved beyond casual second-hand territory.
Quietly, and without much fanfare, Nintendo’s last dual-screen handheld has become vintage.
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Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
