Nintendo has unexpectedly sparked speculation about a possible Nintendo 3DS library for Nintendo Switch Online after its official The Legend of Zelda website briefly listed The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds as playable through the subscription service. The discovery caught fans’ attention because the critically acclaimed 2013 adventure has never received a release on modern Nintendo hardware.
The listing appeared on Nintendo’s official Zelda Game History page, which documents the franchise’s major releases alongside their original platforms. Games available through Nintendo Switch Online carry a corresponding indicator, making the inclusion of a 3DS-exclusive title particularly unusual.
However, there are several reasons to believe the listing was a website error rather than an indication of an upcoming Nintendo announcement.
A Link Between Worlds Listing Raises Questions About 3DS Games on Switch Online
Originally released for Nintendo 3DS on November 22, 2013, A Link Between Worlds takes players back to the world established in A Link to the Past. The adventure introduces Lorule, a parallel kingdom to Hyrule, while allowing Link to transform into a painting and travel along walls to solve environmental puzzles.
The game’s appearance on Nintendo’s subscription service listing immediately caught the attention of Zelda fans. A Reddit user shared the discovery on November 13, prompting discussions about whether Nintendo could be preparing to introduce Nintendo DS and 3DS games to its retro gaming catalogue.
The possibility is particularly interesting because adapting A Link Between Worlds could be more straightforward than bringing over other handheld Zelda adventures. Its second screen primarily handles inventory and map functions rather than displaying essential gameplay.
However, Nintendo has not announced a 3DS library for Switch Online. Furthermore, the unexpected listing was subsequently removed from the official website, making an accidental categorization increasingly likely.
Why the Nintendo Switch Online Listing Might Be a Mistake
There is another noticeable inconsistency on Nintendo’s Zelda history page. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages is already available through the standard Nintendo Switch Online subscription, yet its listing was missing the corresponding indicator.
This raises the possibility that Nintendo accidentally assigned the availability label to the wrong game.
The current Nintendo Switch Online catalogue supports several older platforms, including NES, SNES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Advance. GameCube titles are also available through the service on Nintendo Switch 2. However, neither Nintendo DS nor Nintendo 3DS games have officially joined the catalogue.
Additionally, Game Boy Advance games already require the more expensive Expansion Pack subscription. A dedicated 3DS library would therefore raise questions about how Nintendo intends to structure its subscription tiers.
The inconsistent availability indicators make a website mistake a more convincing explanation than an upcoming announcement.
For now, Nintendo has not confirmed any plans to bring A Link Between Worlds to Switch or Switch 2. Nevertheless, the discovery highlights an ongoing demand for older Zelda adventures to become accessible on modern hardware.
