If you were one of the thousands who backed Keiji Inafune’s Kickstarter back in 2013, you probably remember the hype. It was electric. Mighty No. 9 wasn't just a game; it was a middle finger to Capcom for "killing" Mega Man. People threw money at it. When the campaign hit the $3.5 million mark, a massive cheer went up because that meant we were getting portable versions. Specifically, the Mighty No. 9 3DS and Vita ports.
Fast forward to 2026. The 3DS is a piece of retro hardware. The eShop has been dead for years. And yet, weirdly enough, the 3DS version of this game only officially "died" quite recently.
The Longest Pre-Order in History
It sounds like a joke, but it’s actually true. Until January 2025, you could still find active pre-orders for the 3DS version of Mighty No. 9 on retailers like Amazon. People had these orders sitting in their accounts for over a decade. Some users on Reddit and Bluesky reported that Amazon finally sent out cancellation emails just last year, citing "lack of availability."
No kidding.
It is honestly wild that it took twelve years for some retail systems to admit the game wasn't coming. While the home console versions (Wii U, PS4, Xbox One, PC) limped out the door in June 2016, the handheld versions became the industry's most awkward ghost.
Why the 3DS Version Was Doomed From the Start
Development of a 2D platformer shouldn't be that hard, right? Wrong. The problem was the engine. Comcept decided to build the game using Unreal Engine 3.
If you’re a dev, you’re probably cringing. If you’re not, here’s the gist: Unreal Engine 3 was never designed to run on the Nintendo 3DS. It was built for high-end PCs and home consoles like the Xbox 360. Porting it to a handheld with the processing power of a toaster was, in the words of porting expert Ethan Lee, "hilariously impossible."
The "Rebuilt From Scratch" Myth
Back in 2015, we were told by Comcept that a studio called Engine Software was "rebuilding the game from scratch" for the 3DS. This was supposed to fix the technical hurdles. They promised the gameplay would be identical, even if the graphics took a hit.
But as the months turned into years, the silence got louder.
By 2017, Comcept claimed they were "still in the process of porting" and aimed for a 2017 release. Obviously, that didn't happen. In 2018, reports surfaced that Abstraction Games and Engine Software were no longer working on the project. The contract had basically expired or been abandoned because there was no progress. Essentially, the code was a mess, and the money had run out.
The Kickstarter Fallout
Backers who specifically chose the 3DS as their platform of choice got the shortest end of the stick. While console players got a game that—let’s be honest—was pretty mediocre, handheld backers got nothing. No 3DS code. No Vita code.
- No Refunds: Because Kickstarter isn't a store, there were no legal requirements for Inafune’s team to refund the money when the port failed.
- No Alternatives: Most backers weren't even offered Steam keys as a "sorry we failed" gesture initially.
- The "Anime Fans" Incident: The marketing for the game became so toxic (remember the "anime fans on prom night" trailer?) that many people just wanted to forget they ever supported it.
By the time Level-5 acquired Comcept in 2017, the brand was radioactive. It’s likely the 3DS port was quietly shelved to avoid throwing good money after bad. You can't really blame them—who was going to buy a 3DS port of a game that had already been panned by critics two years prior?
Was There Ever a Playable Build?
We’ve seen plenty of "lost" games leak over the years. We saw the Star Fox 2 ROM and the Resident Evil 1.5 prototype. But for Mighty No. 9 3DS, there is almost nothing. There are a few screenshots that were circulated in early press releases, but many suspect those were just mock-ups or downscaled images from the PC version.
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If a build exists, it’s locked in a vault at Engine Software or Level-5 Comcept, likely in such a broken state that it wouldn't even boot on a retail 3DS.
Lessons from the Disaster
If you're still holding a grudge about your $60 donation from 2013, you're not alone. But the industry learned a lot from this train wreck. We saw games like Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night and Shovel Knight handle their handheld ports (and cancellations) with much more transparency.
Basically, if a developer tells you they are porting a heavy Unreal Engine game to a low-power handheld as a "stretch goal," you should probably keep your wallet closed.
What to Do Instead
Since you’re never going to play Beck’s adventure on your 3DS, you might as well look at the alternatives that actually made it to the finish line:
- Mighty Gunvolt Burst: Ironically, this game—a crossover between Mighty No. 9 and Azure Striker Gunvolt—is actually on the 3DS eShop (if you bought it before the closure) and it’s a way better game than the main entry.
- Mega Man Legacy Collection: It’s on the 3DS. It runs perfectly. It reminds you why you liked this genre in the first place.
- Physical Hunting: If you really need to see what the fuss was about, you can pick up the Wii U or PS4 physical copies for pennies at most retro shops. It’s a piece of history, even if it’s a messy one.
The 3DS version of Mighty No. 9 remains a permanent entry in the "What If?" category of gaming history. It’s a cautionary tale about over-promising, technical debt, and the volatile nature of crowdfunding.
Actionable Insight: If you still have an unfulfilled Kickstarter reward for a defunct console, check your backer portal one last time. While rare, some developers eventually issued Steam keys or digital soundtracks as a final "close-out" of their accounts. If not, it’s time to officially let this one go—the retailers finally have.