The closing of 3DS and Wii U online services was announced yesterday, set to take place in April of 2024. While eShop purchases for the systems have been defunct since earlier this year, this closing will make certain games and functionalities obsolete. We’re going to chronicle as many as we can – here’s what will become defunct (or impaired) by the shuttering of online services:
(Please keep in mind that we’ll be updating this page with more games over time.)
- Splatoon (Wii U) – As an online multiplayer-focused shooter, the original Splatoon is one of the first that comes to mind as affected by the closure. While you’ll still be able to play the solid single-player campaign, if you want to hit the turf war you’ll have to boot up one of the Switch sequels instead.
- Pokémon Gens VI and VII (X/Y, OR/AS, Su/Mo) – Want to trade online? Indulge in the niftiness of Wonder Trading? No more. At least Pokémon Bank is confirmed to still be kicking around for a bit.
- Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS) – No more hanging online with friends. Your village is now strictly for locals.
- Super Mario Maker (Wii U) – Want to indulge in the courses that others made? Share your own? Too bad, we’ll be losing basically the entire purpose of the game. At least there’s a Switch sequel.
- Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS – While Smash’s online play has never been its main selling point, you’ll be left with couch competition after next April.
- Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS) – Another Masahiro Sakurai game, while Uprising is campaign focused, you won’t be able to try its novel online multiplayer mode post-closure.
- Mario Kart 7 (3DS) – Online multiplayer will no longer be an option for this popular racer.
- Mario Kart 8 (Wii U) – While the greatly expanded port still hums along on Switch, the Wii U original will lose its online multiplayer.
- Fire Emblem Awakening (3DS) – While there’s no online multiplayer to speak of, the loss of SpotPass means a large number of units from past games will no longer be available.
Keep in mind you’ll still be able to redownload games from the eShop and receive patches, so it’s not as if your consoles will become bricks. Are there other games with online functionality you’ll miss? Let us know.
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Written by Amelia Fruzzetti
A writer and Nintendo fan based in Seattle, Washington. When not working for NinWire, she can be found eating pasta, writing stories, and wondering about when Mother 3 is finally going to get an official localization.
