There are heaps of good reasons to make sure your Nintendo 3DS system is connected online! As well as gaining access to Nintendo eShop (our online store) you can get your hands on a selection of software, demos and videos, or even play online with your mates, totally free!   

There are no connection fees, no subscriptions - all you need to get going is a Nintendo 3DS system and access to a wireless broadband Internet connection. Unless you choose to purchase software from our great (and ever-expanding) catalogue on Nintendo eShop, you won’t fork out a thing! So what are you waiting for?

A bunch of great reasons to get connected online:

1) Get an amazing game for FREE!

As part of our 25th anniversary celebrations for The Legend of Zelda series, you can get your hands on a free download of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition. This souped-up version of a classic Game Boy Advance title allows up to four players to adventure together, but it’s only available free until the 20th of February, so get your skates on and head to Nintendo eShop on your Nintendo 3DS if you don’t want to miss out! 

For more info on the game, check out our very special The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition gamepage.

2) Get fun applications

There’s even more cool software absolutely free! This time around it’s Nintendo Letter Box, an adorable little application that allows you to send and receive animated messages to mates on your friend list, all via SpotPass and StreetPass. You can choose from a selection of stationery and send doodles, notes and pics to your friends. It’s tons of fun, and a cheap way to send a text around the world too! 

Another free downloadable goodie is Pokédex 3D, perfect for fans of the RPG series everywhere! This title will see you collecting Pokémon data and filling out your very own Pokédex, simply by connecting with friends or receiving data via SpotPass! With details on over 150 Pokémon from the Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version games, including move info, evolutions and more, it acts as an invaluable reference work for fans. It also offers you the option to see and photograph Pokémon in the real world by scanning special Augmented Reality (AR) Markers! 

3) Watch free video content

With Nintendo Video, brand new 3D and 2D videos are delivered every week to your Nintendo 3DS, completely free of charge. The videos download to your SD Card via SpotPass, and you can watch them as many times as you like before they’re replaced with something new for you to enjoy! Recent videos have included a series of Zelda orchestral recordings, animated cartoons and dance videos – and look out soon for Shaun the Sheep too! There’s also the Eurosport application, which offers a hilarious look at sporting bloopers, with a new vid every week.

4) Nintendo eShop is your gateway         

You guessed it, whether you’re looking for the free software and applications described above, or for trailers, screenshots, charts, stats, and a shopping catalogue of great downloadable games, Nintendo eShop is the venue. It’s chock-a-block full of content and great games - just make sure you perform a system update if you haven’t already and start browsing right away! 

Bringing your system bang up-to-date is really easy: when you have access to a wireless Internet connection, simply enter System Settings on the HOME Menu of your Nintendo 3DS system, select Other Settings, then go to the fourth page and select System Update. Follow the on-screen prompts, and you’ll be done before you know it!

To make it super simple, we’ve prepared an easy-to-follow tutorial video, and a step-by-step written description to show you how, both of which can be found at our Support page on connecting your Nintendo 3DS to the Internet here - it’s a whole lot easier than you might think!

5) Play online for a real challenge 

Getting connected means more ways to play, and whether it’s with your friends or other online players around the world, you can be sure of a game anytime, anywhere. There’s nothing quite like taking on another person, instead of just challenging the computer, and you can play with other people online in Mario Kart 7, PES 2012 3D, Tetris, Super Street Fighter™ IV 3D Edition and many other titles! 

Take a look at our Nintendo 3DS games section to see which games have Internet support.

So what are you waiting for?! Get online today and start enjoying all that there is on offer - have fun!