It finally happened! After an impressive stretch of 209 days, up until November 3, Nintendo’s last remaining Wii U and 3DS Nintendo Network servers user, Fishguy6564, was disconnected. His trusty Nintendo 3DS, which had been continuously linking to Mario Kart 7 servers for nearly seven months, took its final bow with a crash. Although his dream race ended, not everything is lost.
For those who appreciate nostalgia and still enjoy their outdated hardware, there’s a silver lining. With custom firmware, you can now step into the world of Homebrew software and even Pretendo. This platform provides fan-operated servers as substitutes to play Nintendo 3DS and Wii U games that are otherwise offline. While the selection with Pretendo isn’t vast, it’s a crucial lifeline for maintaining the magic of these fairly recent systems.
In an earlier chat with GamesRadar about this ambitious venture, Fishguy6564 shared, “I didn’t expect us to last past the official shutdown. From that moment, it simply became a challenge to see just how long we could sustain it.” His 3DS was ingeniously kept active with a bot-operated lobby after the last user fell away, all to skirt the anticipated end, until fate made the final call.
Despite this, Pretendo servers remain a beacon of hope. They allow enthusiasts, who’ve taken the step to mod their original hardware, to continue enjoying a selection of beloved games. On the Nintendo 3DS, you have titles such as Mario Kart 7, Kid Icarus: Uprising, and Mario Maker 3DS. Switch over to the Wii U, and you can still dive into Mario Kart 8, Mario Maker, Splatoon, and Pokkén Tournament. Depending on the game, Pretendo resurrects anything from basic online play to intricate server features.
Unfortunately, the digital curtain has fallen on many exclusive eShop titles for the 3DS and Wii U, making them unplayable via standard means unless installed beforehand. While these aren’t necessarily the blockbuster hits that sold systems, losing them feels like a tragedy. This marks the darker side of gaming’s transition from conventional online networks to permanent offline modes—where game conservation is left to pioneers, modders, and, in some cases, pirates.
While the official servers may be a fading memory, Pretendo and dedicated community efforts ensure that the spirit of play, nostalgia, and history lives on.
