3DS Modding Revived My Love for Gaming

🕹️ How 3DS Modding Revived My Love for Gaming

I've been playing video games for most of my life, and for the biggest part of that time, I've always been playing on PC. But the last couple of years of PC gaming have just frustrated me. It's getting more and more difficult for me to try new genres and play new games because I'm reluctant to pay €60 or more for a game, only to spend hours installing it and then realize I don't like it. Refunding seems like a waste of time when my schedule is so packed.

Though I always wanted to try new genres, since all the genres I love either rarely get good games released, or the games that do release for those genres just really suck lately (I can't bring myself to play nearly any modern FPS game, for example).

🤔 The Turning Point

About a week and a half ago, I decided to mod my 3DS XL. Not really because I planned on playing a lot on it, but more for the heck of it. After I was finished modding the system, I thought, "Why not play some games now that I already got everything set up?" So I went to the "Best of all time" page on Metacritic for the 3DS and grabbed some of the highest-ranked games, along with some that I was personally interested in.

And immediately, I fell in love with the system. I played for hours on end that evening. Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Ocarina of Time 3D, Pokémon Black, Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, WarioWare Gold, Rhythm Paradise MegaMix – etc., etc. I know I could play all of these games on emulators, but it's just not the same as playing on actual hardware.

❤️ Discovering New Worlds

Because I wanted to play some of the highest-ranked games on the 3DS and didn't know many myself, I also got to enjoy new games and genres. I never really liked turn-based games for example, and yet I loved playing Fire Emblem Awakening!

I think after I played more on my 3DS, I can go back to PC gaming and play a wide array of new genres and experience new things that I was otherwise never going to experience. But I think a break from PC gaming was also a real breath of fresh air.

💡 Consider Modding Your Own System?

So, if you are frustrated with PC gaming because of the same reasons I was, perhaps try modding an old Wii or 3DS that you never used much and have some fun there instead. You might just rediscover your love for gaming!