Nintendo is the undisputed king of handheld gaming consoles. For decades, the company has released multiple portable systems that have gone on to become legendary with gamers who love their ensemble of franchises. But after the release of the Nintendo DS system, Nintendo tried something different that blended together their recent success with something they tried in the past. The Nintendo 3DS was a system that offered players quality games with the option of enabling non-glasses wearing 3D effects, adding extra depth to the visuals displayed on the screen. For Nintendo fans, this was a unique feature that wasn't being made by any other company with games that were fun to play. The success of the console led to many different types of titles being released, building up the 3DS library of games that people have fond memories of.

Like most other consoles that have a large collection of games, some of those releases have become rare and valuable gems among collectors. And while most Nintendo 3DS titles can be found easily, some of them are a lot tougher to obtain for a variety of reasons. Unless you're paying a ton of money for them, you might have a tough time getting these 3DS games into your collection. Here are 5 of the rarest Nintendo 3DS games that you may never get to own.

5 Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn (Not for Resale edition)

Expensive yet cuddly

Nintendo fans love to play a good Kirby game. The pink puffball is among the cutest and most lovable characters in the pantheon of Nintendo characters. But things got extra cuddly with the release of a spin-off Kirby game that changed the visuals into something more fluffy. Kirby's Epic Yarn was released on the Nintendo Wii in 2010, which featured Kirby in stages that appeared to be fully handmade in yarn. Like other Kirby's Dream Land titles, the game played up the character's charm with cute animations and interactions that involved the yarn world theme, with enemies and levels unwrapped and formed through the use of yarn. A port of the game was released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2019 titled Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn, which was the same game with a few additional power-ups and modes added to it. The game also includes new playable characters like Meta Knight and King Dedede.

In the same fashion as other portable Nintendo games released, Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn had a "not for resale" prerelease version that was given to stores for people to play. These copies of games were intended to give a preview to potential customers who might be interested in the game, and were supposed to be returned to Nintendo after the official release of the game. However, some cartridges ended up in the hands of collectors. The cartridge for this version of the game with the "not for resale" label on it can be valued at around $300. There is no boxed copy of this version of the game.

4 Nintendo 3DS Guide: Louvre

Being guided through art history

Some games that are developed for various systems aren't meant solely for play. Sometimes they fulfill an educational purpose with methods that can't really be done in just a classroom. The Nintendo 3DS Guide: Louvre is a game from 2012 that was meant to guide visitors who attended the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. Originally, the game was only available on 3DS systems that were rentable at the Louvre Museum itself, but a home version of the software became available on the Nintendo eShop in 2013. Attendees were also able to purchase a physical copy at the Louvre gift shop in Paris. The game includes multiple pieces of artwork, audio clips, and 3D models from exhibits at the museum to offer a virtual tour for those interested in art and history.

Loose copies of Nintendo 3DS Guide: Louvre can be expensive, often being valued at over $300. Complete-in-box copies of the software that were obtained from the Louvre are much more valueable, with boxed physical copies being worth nearly $400. Some online auctions for the physical version have even sold for as high as $550 at the time of sale. The higher price tag is mostly due to the game not being available physically in any other locations outside the museum, despite the digital version being readily available for everyone.

3 Fire Emblem Fates (Special Edition)

Taking all three paths

The Fire Emblem series has exploded in popularity over recent years for Nintendo, with its tactical gameplay being complimented by its RPG-like storytelling and character relationships in later games. The first 3DS release of the series, Fire Emblem Awakening, ushered the series into the public spotlight further after Fire Emblem characters made an appearance in Super Smash Bros. games for the GameCube and Wii. The game received a lot of praise from critics and fans who wanted more. And they were definitely going to get it.

Awakening was eventually followed up by a second 3DS entry, Fire Emblem Fates. Unlike its predecessor, Fire Emblem Fates had multiple versions released at the same time: Birthright and Conquest, similar to what the Pokémon series had done before. Each version had differences in the story depending on the choices made, along with visuals that distinguished the two versions. A thrid path was available digitally for everyone that told an alternate take on the story, giving players more to play around with.

Upon its release, Fire Emblem Fates had a special edition that contained more than just the game itself. The bundle contained both Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright and Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest, along with its third downloadable version, giving players a complete experience in one package. But the bundle also contained a special art book and 3DS case that featured original artwork from the game. A loose and incomplete version of this special edition can be worth $350 to $400 in some places. A complete version with all of its contents in the box can be worth over $450 to $500.

2 Yo-kai Watch 3

Playing with the afterlife

Yo-kai Watch 3 is the third mainline entry in the Yo-kai Watch series from Level-5. The previous games were also released on the Nintendo 3DS, with another sequel for the handheld that followed this one. The series is often compared to the Pokémon series with its inclusion of creatures that players can befriend and work together with. In Japan, Yo-kai Watch is popular in the same way Pokémon has become, with multiple spin-offs and anime adaptations that fans love. Yo-kai Watch 3 has many of the same gameplay elements previous titles have, with a few minor changes to the combat that differentiate it from its predecessors.

Yo-kai Watch 3 also had two versions released at the same time in Japan, with a third version that came after. However, only one version of the game was released internationally outside Japan, which is a modified version of the third iteration to the game. A loose cartridge of Yo-kai Watch 3 can be worth around $350 without its original box. But a complete-in-box version of the game can be worth much more, often being valued at $400, and as high as $580.

1 Barbie: Groom and Glam Pups

The expensive canine taste

One of the most expensive games for the Nintendo 3DS is Barbie: Groom and Glam Pups. This is a port of a game that was originally released on the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS in 2010. Barbie: Groom and Glam Pups came to 3DS in 2013 and was developed by Heavy Iron Studios and published by THQ. The game has players choose from one of six dogs to groom and train for a high-fashion show, allowing them to display their talents and looks. The dogs in the game are puppies that are of different species, and can be given all sorts of accessories and styles to make them look unique. Barbie herself often helps players out by offering advice on how to care for the dogs, which includes a number of activities like bathing and brushing their coats. After making the dogs look nice, players can take photos of them and admire how they look.

Loose copies of Barbie: Groom and Glam Pups are expensive and hard to find. A cartridge of the game alone is worth over $500, while a complete-in-box copy can skyrocket in value. Most boxed versions of Barbie: Groom and Glam Pups can often be found priced at $1,900, with some auctions of the game reaching as high as $2,850 at the time of sale. The game originally sold very poorly when it first released, but later became a rare title among collectors, making it one of the rarest and hardest 3DS games to find.

Treasures of the 3DS

The Nintendo 3DS was a good handheld system that had a variety of fun and interesting games on it. Some of the rare titles for the system were unique and have a variety of reasons why they're tougher to come by nowadays. Even if you were someone that loved picking up new 3DS games when the system was still on the market, chances are you'll have a tough time having any of these rare titles within your collection. You might not get to own any of these rare Nintendo 3DS games, but you can still admire them from a safe and affordable distance.