Recently, Nintendo announced new Nintendo Switch Lite variant colors in selections of blue, yellow, gray, turquoise and coral. These colors are neat little nods to the variant colors of the Game Boy and its own variant color series, particularly the Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance. However, compared to some of Nintendo's variants for their previous consoles and handhelds, especially with the 3DS, these flat and simple variations of colors come off as relatively lazy.
Considering the Switch is a handheld console with its own touch screen, it would make a lot of sense for Nintendo to take inspiration from the 3DS. With several limited editions and unique designs available for the 3D handheld, there is no shortage of faceplates, designs and decal artwork available for Nintendo fans to look snazzy on the go. Here are some of the best ones out there, with some of them being particularly rare and hard-to-get these days.
A particularly rare variation released only in China, this 3DS was made by a localization company called iQue, who was Nintendo's primary manufacturer and distributor in mainland China for years until 2018. This version was packaged with full digital copies of Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7, the two premier Super Mario games on the 3DS. However, due to the absence of the Nintendo eShop on most 3DS products in China, players cannot re-install these two games upon deletion.
This 3DS has a relatively simple design compared to several other limited editions, but the gold decal of Mario and Luigi on the red matte of the top cover is rather striking. Coupled with the rest of the device being all-black, the minimalistic color combination has its own robust qualities that ensure that it's not too busy on the viewer's eyes. It's a shame this 3DS never made it outside its home country unless.
This Japan-exclusive and highly detailed 3DS XL variant was designed to promote the release of Monster Hunter 4: Special, an installment of Capcom's staple series of monster-slaying action games. Packaged with the game it's based on, Nintendo released three versions of this 3DS based on the game's resident monsters. This black variation is based on Monster Hunter 4's primary Elder Dragon, Gore Magala. It is estimated that only a little over 10,000 copies of this 3DS were made.
This black and gold variant of the 3DS is lined with murals that faithfully re-create monster icons from Monster Hunter 4's in-game Hunter's Notes. At the center of the console's top cover is the game's main logo, with a silhouette of Gore Magala's icon behind it alongside unique patterns and the icons of other monsters. Monster Hunter as a franchise was always a hit in Japan but only recently became a massive success in the West with the release of Monster Hunter World, so this 3DS variant would not have had a large Western audience waiting for it.
From the massively popular Persona series of JRPG games by Atlus, this 3DS is part of an extra-limited production run promoting Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, a spin-off crossover between Persona 3 and Persona 4. This one is even rarer than the Monster Hunter 4 3DS, having only between 1000 and 5000 copies released across Japan, Canada and the United States.
The design on this 3DS is named after "Le Grimoire de Coeur," or "the Spellbook of the Heart," a tome that contains information on the various Arcana of the tarot, used by the Velvet Room's host, Igor, to fuse and house the player's Personas. However, the blue color and patterning seems more modeled after the in-game tarot cards themselves than the tome it's named after. On the bottom cover, it also features the entire cast of characters in silver.
With how popular Nintendo's Fire Emblem franchise of strategy RPGs is nowadays, it's tough to imagine that the series was on its last legs until the surprising success of 2012's Fire Emblem: Awakening. Created to celebrate the game's smashing success in Japan, this 3DS model was eventually released in the US and the EU shortly after Awakening's release in those regions. It is also notably one of the earliest limited edition 3DS variants based on a particular game.
Featuring the glossy mirror-finish of the original 3DS, Fire Emblem: Awakening's variant came in a cool blue color. It features the Falchion, the sword of King Marth and his descendants, printed at the center between two dragons. It's a very simple, emblematic design that fits extremely well with the blue mirror finish.
Released for the extra-large and extra-powerful New 3DS XL, this beautiful golden console was made to promote the long-awaited release of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D. Released worldwide and region-free, this 3DS is a lot more common to find but no less sought after for its pure aesthetic value.
The titular Majora's Mask is printed in lush greyscale detail front and center on the golden finish, which makes all of the mask's details pop out--particularly the eyes as if Majora's stare couldn't be any more hauntingly mesmerizing. While more common than other variants on this list, hardcore Zelda fans are unlikely to part with these without a high price, and sure enough, these variants can reach up to $850 on eBay.
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