Over 200 Days Post-Closure, the Last User Finally Logs Off from Nintendo Network’s Online Servers Following a 3DS Crash

It finally happened! After a whopping 209 days, as of November 3, the last holdout user of Nintendo’s discontinued Nintendo Network servers for the Wii U and 3DS, known as Fishguy6564, was finally disconnected. His Nintendo 3DS took its leave after staying linked to the Mario Kart 7 servers for nearly two-thirds of a year, marking the end of an era. But while that particular chapter has closed, not all doors are shut.

For enthusiasts of the Wii U and 3DS who cherish their collections of games, the silver lining lies in the realm of custom firmware. This allows access to Homebrew software and Pretendo, a fan-operated service that acts as a substitute for the Nintendo Network servers, breathing life back into games that were previously left in the dark. Although the range of games that Pretendo supports is limited, it plays a crucial role in keeping the legacy and playability of these recent consoles alive.

Reflecting on his journey before the inevitable crash, Fishguy6564 had cleverly tweaked his Nintendo 3DS to ensure it could maintain a lobby filled with bots, originally shared with one other user, beyond the official shutdown date. In a conversation with GamesRadar during this intriguing venture, he admitted, “I didn’t think we would even make it through the official shutdown. From then on, it was just a test to see how long we could push it.”

A natural limit was eventually hit. Nevertheless, Pretendo servers are still available to those with customized original hardware, enabling play for a selection of beloved titles. On the Nintendo 3DS, you can find games like Mario Kart 7, Kid Icarus: Uprising, and Mario Maker 3DS. The Wii U enjoys support for games such as Mario Kart 8, Mario Maker, Splatoon, and Pokkén Tournament. Pretendo can revive basic online play and even restore more complex server functionalities, depending on the game in question.

Sadly, numerous iconic titles that were once exclusive to the eShop for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U can no longer be accessed through legal means unless they were installed beforehand. While these games might not have driven console sales, their absence is a loss to gaming history. This highlights one of the major drawbacks of this digital age: the permanent erasure of official game servers and availability. It leaves the preservation of gaming’s past solely in the hands of devoted historians, skilled modders, and, unfortunately, those who engage in piracy.