Over 200 Days Post-Closure, Nintendo Network’s Last User Logs Off Following 3DS System Crash

Well, it finally happened! After a determined 209-day stint as of November 3, even the last holdout on Nintendo’s discontinued Network servers for the Wii U and 3DS—known in the gaming world as Fishguy6564—was disconnected. His Nintendo 3DS finally gave up during a marathon connection with Mario Kart 7 servers, marking an end to the extraordinary almost-seven-month run [courtesy of GamesRadar]. The dream race may be over, but not all is lost.

For those still holding onto their beloved but unsupported Nintendo 3DS and Wii U consoles, there’s a beacon of hope in custom system firmware. This opens the doors to Homebrew software and Pretendo, a fan-driven initiative to revive the servers for certain games. While the lineup of Pretendo-enabled titles is a bit limited, it does a fantastic job of keeping these modern classics alive.

In a nod to this valiant effort, a tweet recently echoed the sentiment: “It’s over. Rest in peace, Nintendo Network.” But let’s backtrack a bit. Fishguy6564 cleverly modified his Nintendo 3DS to maintain a lobby with bots—he even had a fellow dedicated gamer for a while—to keep things running uninterrupted, defying the official shutdown. Speaking with GamesRadar earlier in his thrilling endeavor, he admitted, “I didn’t think we’d make it past the official shutdown. After that, it was more of a test to see just how long we could keep the flame burning.”

Eventually, reality hits hard and a limit is reached. However, the Pretendo servers are still in action, making it possible for original, modified hardware to enjoy some fan-favorite games. Not all, but enough to keep the joy alive. On the 3DS, you can still dive into Mario Kart 7, Kid Icarus: Uprising, and Mario Maker 3DS. Over on the Wii U, Mario Kart 8, Mario Maker, Splatoon, and Pokkén Tournament are there to keep you engaged. Depending on the game, Pretendo can either bring back basic online functionality or restore more intricate server features.

What’s unfortunate is that many classic eShop exclusives for the 3DS and Wii U have become inaccessible through legal channels unless you previously installed them. Although these titles might not have been the flagship sellers for their systems, it’s still disheartening to see them fade away. This situation highlights a significant downside of going offline: losing access to official servers and games forever, leaving game preservation in the hands of dedicated historians, enthusiasts, and, of course, pirates.