If you’ve been digging through your closet lately hoping to find that old clamshell console, you might be sitting on a small gold mine. Seriously. The Nintendo 3DS XL cost has gone absolutely through the roof lately, and if you haven't checked the market since, say, 2019, you are in for a massive shock.
Back in the day, you could stroll into a Target and grab a brand-new 3DS XL for about $200. Maybe even less if there was a holiday sale going on. Those days are long gone. Today, finding a "New" Nintendo 3DS XL—the one with the extra C-stick and the faster processor—for under $250 in decent shape is basically winning the lottery.
Most people are seeing prices hover between $250 and $350 for a standard used unit. And that’s just for the hardware. If you want the original box or a special edition, you’re looking at numbers that start to rival the price of a brand-new PlayStation 5. It’s wild.
What is a Nintendo 3DS XL actually worth right now?
The market is kinda chaotic, honestly. Depending on where you look—eBay, Mercari, or a local retro shop—the numbers jump around like crazy.
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Generally speaking, you’ve got two main "levels" of the XL. There's the original 3DS XL (the one from 2012) and the "New" Nintendo 3DS XL (released in 2015). Even though the names are confusing, the "New" version is the one everyone wants. It’s got better 3D tracking so you don’t have to hold your head perfectly still, and it can play exclusive games like Xenoblade Chronicles 3D.
Here is a rough breakdown of what you can expect to pay in 2026:
- Original 3DS XL (Used): You can still find these for around $160 to $210. They are great if you just want to play Pokemon, but the hardware feels a bit "clickier" and cheaper than the later models.
- "New" Nintendo 3DS XL (Used/Good Condition): This is the sweet spot for most gamers, and it'll set you back $275 to $350. If it has "IPS screens" (more on that later), the price can easily tick up another $50.
- Refurbished Units: GameStop and other big retailers occasionally drop refurbished stock for about $310 to $380, but they sell out in minutes.
- Special Editions: This is where things get truly stupid. A Majora’s Mask Edition or a Pikachu Yellow edition? Expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $1,000 depending on if it has the box.
Why did the price jump so high?
Supply and demand, basically. Nintendo officially killed off the 3DS family in September 2020. Once the factories stopped humming, the number of "perfect" consoles out there became finite.
Then the eShop closed.
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In March 2023, Nintendo shut down the digital store. Suddenly, you couldn’t just buy Fire Emblem: Awakening or The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds on a whim. If you didn't already have them downloaded, you had to find a physical cartridge. This created a massive surge in people wanting the hardware to play the games they missed out on.
There's also the "TikTok effect." Every few months, a video goes viral showing off how easy it is to mod a 3DS or how "aesthetic" the 3D photos look. Every time that happens, a few thousand more people decide they need one, and the available supply on eBay gets swallowed up.
The "Screen Lottery" and how it affects the cost
If you're wondering why one black 3DS XL costs $250 and another identical-looking one costs $350, it probably comes down to the screens.
Nintendo used two types of panels: TN and IPS. TN panels are standard—they look fine, but the colors wash out if you tilt the console. IPS panels are the "pro" version. They have deep blacks, vibrant colors, and you can see the screen clearly from a 170-degree angle.
Collectors are obsessed with finding "dual IPS" units. Because Nintendo never labeled the boxes with which screen was inside, it was a literal lottery. If a seller knows they have an IPS model, they will charge a premium for it. You can check yours by tilting the console; if the colors stay solid, you’ve got the good stuff.
Where should you actually buy one?
Honestly, don't just buy the first thing you see on Amazon. Amazon's "renewed" prices for retro consoles are almost always a ripoff. You'll see units listed for $450 that aren't even in great condition.
- eBay: Still the gold standard. You get buyer protection, and you can see actual photos of the scratches (or lack thereof). Look for sellers with 99%+ feedback.
- Japanese Imports (LL models): Here is a pro tip. In Japan, the XL was called the "LL." You can often find Japanese 3DS LL consoles on eBay for $140 to $180. They are region-locked, meaning they won't play US games out of the box, but many people mod them to remove the region lock. It's the cheapest way to get high-quality hardware.
- Facebook Marketplace: You can still find the occasional "parent cleaning out the attic" deal here. This is where you find the $100 gems, but you have to be fast.
- Local Retro Stores: You'll pay a bit more, but you get to hold it first. Check the hinges! If the hinge is floppy or "clicks" too loudly, walk away.
Is it still worth the investment?
It depends on why you want it. If you just want to play Nintendo games, a used Switch Lite is half the price and has a much better screen.
But the 3DS XL offers something the Switch doesn't: true glasses-free 3D. There is a specific magic to seeing Super Mario 3D Land with actual depth. It’s a piece of tech history that we probably won't see again for a long time.
Also, unlike your phone or a modern laptop, these things hold their value. If you buy a "New" 3DS XL today for $300 and take care of it, you can almost certainly sell it for $300 (or more) two years from now. It’s one of the few pieces of "dead" tech that acts like an appreciating asset.
Quick Checklist Before You Buy:
- Check the Hinges: They should have a slight "wiggle" (that's by design to prevent cracking), but they shouldn't feel loose or limp.
- Look at the Screens: Scratches on the bottom screen (from the stylus) are common, but top screen scratches are a dealbreaker.
- Test the "C-Stick": On the "New" models, that little nub above the buttons often gets stiff or unresponsive.
- Battery Bloat: If the back of the console looks like it’s bulging, the battery is dying. It's an easy $15 fix, but use it to negotiate the price down.
If you’re ready to pull the trigger, start by searching for "New Nintendo 3DS XL" on eBay and filtering by "Sold Listings." This will give you the most accurate picture of what people are actually paying this week, rather than just what sellers are dreaming of getting. Stick to the "LL" models from Japan if you're comfortable with a little DIY modding to save yourself over $100.