An 'entry-level' version of the console, the Nintendo 2DS, with a fixed 'slate' form factor and lacking autostereoscopic (3D) functionality, was released in Western markets in October 2013. In August 2012, it launched in the US for $199.99.

The Nintendo 3DS XL, a larger model featuring a 90% larger screen, was first released in Japan and Europe in July 2012. The 3DS had multiple variants over the course of its life. As of September 30, 2022, the Nintendo 3DS family of systems combined have sold 75.94 million units, and games for the systems have sold 388.89 million units. This strategy was considered a major success, and the console went on to become one of Nintendo's most successful handheld consoles in the first two years of its release. The company offered ten free NES games and ten free Game Boy Advance games from the Nintendo eShop to consumers who bought the system at the original launch price.

Less than six months later on July 28, 2011, Nintendo announced a significant price reduction from US$249.99 to US$169.99 amid disappointing launch sales. The Nintendo 3DS was released in Japan on February 26, 2011, and worldwide beginning in March 2011. The handheld's most prominent feature is its ability to display stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or additional accessories, and it offers new features such as the StreetPass and SpotPass tag modes, powered by Nintendo Network augmented reality using its 3D cameras and Virtual Console, which allows owners to download and play games originally released on older video game systems. As an eighth-generation console, its primary competitor was Sony's PlayStation Vita. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. The console was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The Nintendo 3DS is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo.

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