Nintendo 3DS prices skyrocket on eBay, rivalling new Switch 2 cost

With predictions that pricing for the Nintendo 3DS console would skyrocket after Nintendo ceased production in 2020, we are finally seeing significant upward momentum on 3rd-party sites, including eBay. The now-decade-old console’s value has surged, rivaling the retail price of a brand-new Nintendo Switch 2.

At the time of writing, a cursory glance on eBay shows the Nintendo 3DS XL fetching between $200 and $350, which is more than it launched at. To provide context, the launch price of the original Nintendo 3DS when it was released in 2011 was $249.99, but after sales slowed, Nintendo slashed the handheld's price further to a more affordable $169.99. The following year, Nintendo introduced the larger 3DS XL, which is known as the 3DS LL in Japan. It retailed for around $199.99 or ¥18,800. To put things in perspective, users could sift through eBay and find a used Nintendo 3DS XL for as little as $100. Fast-forward to the tail-end of 2025, and used models have surged to 3.5 times what they were a year ago. This means some 3DS models are 76% more expensive when they first debuted.

To add to the incredulous pricing debacle, a used New Nintendo 3DS XL Black will set you back $277.50, sans the box. However, premium, complete-in-box versions of the console fetch over $400. But that’s far from the end of the story, as limited-edition models like the New Nintendo 3DS LL Hyrule edition are listed at $400 for the standalone console and almost $1,000 in unopened, pristine condition with packaging included.

However, the exact reason for the price surge in 3DS consoles is a mix of resurgent demand by collectors and Nintendo ceasing production, as opposed to soaring prices for PC components. Nintendo stopped producing the 3DS nearly 5 years ago, effectively discontinuing it in favor of the Nintendo Switch.

The Nintendo 3DS had a bumpy launch, but it became a significant success for the publisher, with the console going on to sell 75.94 million units by the end of 2024. It also packed a rich library of video games. It managed to outlive Sony’s rival handheld, the PSP, and its successor, the PS Vita, despite the latter’s superior hardware and OLED panel.

Buy a renewed Nintendo 3DS XL on Amazon here