Over 200 Days Post-Closure, Final User Disconnects from Nintendo Network’s Online Servers Due to 3DS Crash

The inevitable has finally come to pass! As of November 3, after a whopping 209 days of defying the odds, Fishguy6564, the last player clinging to the now-defunct Nintendo Network servers for Wii U and 3DS, has been disconnected. His Nintendo 3DS finally succumbed to a crash while maintaining a nearly uninterrupted link to the Mario Kart 7 servers for two-thirds of a year [credit: GamesRadar]. While it marks the end of an era, it’s not entirely the end for fans holding onto these beloved consoles.

Fans of the Wii U and 3DS need not despair. Even though official support has waned, custom firmware opens a whole new world of possibilities. This includes access to Homebrew applications and services like Pretendo, which allows enthusiasts to revive the online functionality for certain games that Nintendo no longer supports. While Pretendo’s game list isn’t exhaustive, it serves as a crucial lifeline, keeping the spirit and fun of these systems alive for those passionate about preserving gaming history.

Before this grand finale, Fishguy6564 had modified his 3DS, ingeniously keeping it in a lobby mode with bots – once even joined by another perseverant user – to dodge the official shutdown. Reflecting on this bold endeavor in an earlier chat with GamesRadar, he admitted, “I didn’t expect us to outlive the official end. After that, it was more of an experiment to see how long we could stretch it.”

Ultimately, the effort hit a wall. Still, Pretendo keeps the dream alive, providing modded consoles with the chance to enjoy some classic titles. In the world of Nintendo 3DS, Pretendo supports games like Mario Kart 7, Kid Icarus: Uprising, and Mario Maker 3DS. On the Wii U front, you can jump back into favorites like Mario Kart 8, Mario Maker, Splatoon, and Pokkén Tournament. Depending on the game, Pretendo can either bring back basic online play or offer more sophisticated server features.

It’s unfortunate, however, that many of the historic eShop exclusive games for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U are slipping into obscurity now that official routes are cut off. While these titles might not have been the blockbuster hits that defined the systems, it’s disheartening to see them vanish. This loss underlines the reality of a future where offline is the norm—a world where preserving gaming history falls into the hands of dedicated historians, hobbyist modders, and yes, even the underbelly of piracy.

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