Yes, for DLC you already bought. Nintendo’s support guidance for the Americas says previously purchased downloadable content can still be redownloaded, and describes that availability as continuing “for the foreseeable future.” Nintendo has not published an end date for it. What you cannot do is buy new DLC: purchases on the Nintendo 3DS eShop ended on March 27, 2023. The April 2024 end of online play is a separate change, and Nintendo’s support pages continued to describe redownloads as available after it.
Status by item
The answer depends on what kind of content you mean and which feature you are using. The table below separates each case, with the date or condition Nintendo gives for it. Dates are in Pacific Time, as Nintendo states them.
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| Item | Status | Date or condition | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redownloading software and DLC you already purchased | Available under current policy | “For the foreseeable future”; no end date stated | Nintendo support pages (Americas) |
| Buying new software or DLC in the 3DS eShop | Not available | Ended March 27, 2023, 5:00 p.m. PT | Nintendo eShop closure FAQ |
| Downloading free content such as demos | Not available, with a small exception | Ended March 27, 2023; Nintendo’s FAQ lists a small number of free themes as an exception | Nintendo eShop closure FAQ |
| Redeeming download codes | Ended | April 3, 2023 | Nintendo support |
| Adding funds to the eShop by credit card | Ended | May 23, 2022 | Nintendo support |
| Adding funds with an eShop Card | Ended | August 29, 2022 | Nintendo support |
| Online play and other features that use online communication | Discontinued | April 8, 2024, 5:00 p.m. PDT | Nintendo online-services notice |
| Offline modes | Still usable | Stated in the April 2024 notice | Nintendo online-services notice |
| Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter online services | Named as exceptions that could end at a future point | No end date stated | Nintendo online-services notice |
How to redownload purchased DLC
Nintendo’s instructions for redownloading run through the eShop’s Redownloadable Software menu. You need the system connected to the internet, and the steps are:
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- Open the Nintendo eShop on your 3DS.
- Choose Settings / Other.
- Scroll to Redownloadable Software and open it.
- Select Redownload next to the software or DLC you want.
- Select Download, then choose whether to download now or later.
Items set to download later begin when the system enters sleep mode, so leave the 3DS in sleep for a while after choosing them.
Requirements
- Internet connection: Nintendo lists an existing broadband internet connection as a requirement.
- Storage: Nintendo lists an SD card with enough free space. An SD card is only needed for redownloads, so a readers short on space should check free space before starting.
- Account association after a format: If you formatted the system, a Nintendo Network ID associated with previously purchased content must be relinked to the 3DS system before that content can be redownloaded.
What the 2024 shutdown changed
On April 8, 2024, Nintendo ended online play and other features that rely on online communication for 3DS software. Offline modes were left in place. That change affects multiplayer, online services and anything that needs a live connection to a server, but it is not the same as the eShop purchase closure, and it does not restore online multiplayer by reconnecting to the internet.
Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter
Nintendo’s April 2024 notice named Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter as exceptions whose online services could end at some future point. The notice does not give a date for either. Those exceptions concern online services, not the redownload policy for purchased DLC.
Rank #2
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How much weight to put on “for the foreseeable future”
Nintendo’s online-services notice says: “For the foreseeable future, it is still possible to download update data and redownload purchased software and downloadable content from Nintendo eShop.” The eShop closure Q&A uses the same qualifier for previously purchased games and DLC. Treat that phrase as Nintendo’s stated current policy, not a permanent guarantee. It names no end date, and it does not promise that any individual download will succeed.
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Quick Recap
Rank #4
- This is the world edition. It has different packaging but is fully authentic and works on US region 3DS systems.
- The Legend of Zelda veterans can look forward to the Master Quest - a second quest with revamped puzzles and redesigned dungeons.
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D is a masterful improvement on one of the landmark releases in video game history.
- “E10+”, w/Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes
Rank #3
- This renewed game will not come with the original case or manual; cartridge only. It has been cleaned, tested, and is in nice condition.
- Confirm the system has a working internet connection.
- Check that the SD card has enough free space for the download.
- If the system was formatted, confirm the Nintendo Network ID is relinked to the 3DS.
- Confirm the item appears under Redownloadable Software. Only content previously purchased on that account is listed there.
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