Mario Kart 7 is the best all-around pick for varied tracks and changing terrain; Asphalt 3D is the clearest choice for licensed cars and motorcycles; and 3D Classics: Excitebike offers a different, course-design-focused motorcycle option. These recommendations reflect features documented by Nintendo, not comparative hands-on testing.
Compare the best Nintendo 3DS racing games
| Game | Racing style and standout features | Tracks and vehicles | Multiplayer and format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart 7 | Character-driven kart racing with gliding and underwater sections; customize a kart with parts. | Nintendo lists 32 courses across eight Cups, mixing new and retro tracks. Its Australian page specifies 16 new tracks. Customizable parts include the frame, tyres and glider. | Local multiplayer for up to eight players, including a one-game-card option. Nintendo lists a physical game-card release. |
| Asphalt 3D | Street racing with drifting, collisions, police roadblocks and varied event types. | Nintendo lists 42 licensed cars and bikes across 17 locations, including Tokyo, Las Vegas, Aspen and St. Tropez. | Local wireless for up to six players. Nintendo lists a physical game-card release. |
| 3D Classics: Excitebike | Motorcycle racing built around jumps, obstacles and turbo boosts, with a course-design mode. | Nintendo describes placing mud, obstacles and jumps to make original courses. A vehicle count is not stated on the cited listing. | The cited Nintendo listing documents the 3DS title but does not establish a physical game-card edition. The page is in Japanese. |
Which game fits your kind of racing?
Choose Mario Kart 7 for track variety
Mario Kart 7 has the broadest documented range of courses and terrain in this group. Nintendo lists 32 courses across eight Cups, while Nintendo Australia describes gliding and underwater driving alongside customization and 16 new tracks. That combination makes it the strongest fit if you want imaginative circuits that change how you race, rather than a focus on real-world vehicles. Nintendo UK’s Mario Kart 7 page and Nintendo Australia’s game page document these features.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Cars 2 3DS (Renewed) | $24.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Asphalt 3D (Renewed) | $26.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Asphalt: 3D (Nintendo 3DS) (Pre-Played - Game Only) | $73.98 | Buy on Amazon |
Choose Asphalt 3D for licensed cars and bikes
If recognizable road vehicles matter more than kart-style racing, Asphalt 3D is the clearest match. Nintendo’s product page lists 42 licensed cars and bikes, plus 17 locations. Its description also highlights drifting, collisions, roadblocks and multiple event types; those published features do not establish how realistic the handling or vehicle performance feels in play. See Nintendo UK’s Asphalt 3D page.
Choose Excitebike for motorcycles and making tracks
3D Classics: Excitebike is a simpler alternative centered on motorcycle racing. Its Nintendo listing describes turbo boosts, jumps and obstacles, and a Design Mode for placing course elements such as mud and jump platforms. The cited listing is in Japanese, so it does not establish English-language availability. Nintendo Japan’s listing describes the 3DS version of the 1984 Famicom game.
#1 Best Overall
- "CHROME" spy training center (Command Headquarters for Recon Operations and Motorized Espionage) that expands upon the film storyline
- Choose from more than 20 different characters, such as Mater, Lightning McQueen and the newly introduced Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell, and train to become world class spies
- Share the fun with family and friends and compete with up to 4 players using Multi-Card Wireless Play Unlock bonus in-game content through communication with nearby Nintendo 3DS owners using StreetPass
- 20 different characters, such as Mater, Lightning McQueen and the newly introduced Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell, and train to become world class spies
- Participate in simulated hazardous missions using high-tech gadgets
What multiplayer still works on 3DS?
Nintendo ended online play and other communication-based online functions for Nintendo 3DS family software on 8 April 2024. That means these games should not be chosen on the expectation of current online matchmaking. Nintendo still lists local multiplayer for Mario Kart 7 and Asphalt 3D: up to eight players for Mario Kart 7, including a one-game-card option, and up to six players by local wireless for Asphalt 3D. Local play requires compatible systems and copies as applicable. Nintendo Support’s service notice gives the end date.
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Nintendo’s UK pages for Mario Kart 7 and Asphalt 3D list physical game-card releases, but do not establish current stock, price, condition or seller. The same pages state that purchases through the Nintendo 3DS eShop ended on 27 March 2023. Check the exact game and region when looking for a used copy; the cited Excitebike listing does not establish a physical-card release.
Rank #2
- Stereoscopic 3D graphics throughout allow you to enjoy gameplay designed to take full advantage of the 3D screen, as you weave between cars, drift inches from the curb and navigate menus that come right out of the screen
- Get behind the wheel of over 40 vehicles (cars and bikes) from prestigious manufacturers like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi and Ducati
- Engage in a variety of high-speed challenges beyond your normal race: cash attack, vigilante, high-speed chase, drift, time trail, duel and leader of the pack
- Race in 17 exciting destinations including Rio De Janeiro, Tokyo and Cape Town with varied track surfaces, shortcuts and spectacular jumps
- Up to 6 players can challenge each other locally in wireless mode and also utilize StreetPass features like Viral Ranking, Viral Ghost and StreetPass PayTable
Release dates are region-specific: Nintendo Australia lists 3 December 2011 for Mario Kart 7, while the Nintendo UK pages give regional product details. Those dates should not be treated as a single worldwide release date. Nintendo’s 2011 Mario Kart 7 announcement also described StreetPass features, but that historical feature is distinct from currently available online play.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
- Asphalt 3D brings all the excitement and speed of the Asphalt franchise to stereoscopic 3D, featuring more than 40 licensed vehicles, 17 exotic track locations and complete StreetPass functionality.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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