Best games
Best Nintendo 3DS games of 2004
The 10 best Nintendo 3DS games released in 2004, ranked from 2,360 critic and player ratings.
The best Nintendo 3DS game of 2004 is The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, with a critic score of 90/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 30 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 2004.
- 10 games are listed on this page, carrying 2,360 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 29 September 2026.
Top 10
01
S
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap is a top-down action adventure game that tells the origins of the evil Vaati from Four Swords. Like most other titles in the series, The Minish Cap features the fully explorable land of Hyrule, although it can be viewed from the eyes of a human or the eyes of a Minish, a race of tiny people and an alternate form that Link can transform into. Unlike the multiplayer focus of the other games in the series, The Minish Cap retains the original form of exploration and dungeons as seen in A Link to the Past, Oracle of Seasons, and Oracle of Ages, as well as returning characters and game mechanics such as Malon and the Spin Attack. New features include fusing Kinstones and shrinking to the size of a Minish.
90
/100
02
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is the prequel to the entire Metal Gear series. Most of the series' defining gameplay elements have been carried over and as before, Snake must use stealth and wits rather than brute force to infiltrate enemy zones and eliminate his major adversaries. Unlike the previous games, this installment takes place in a large outdoor jungle. Snake is able to use camouflage, climb trees, hide in tall grass or wear clothes that make him less noticeable.
86
/100
03
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
In Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, you must help protect the nation of Renais from the invading Grado Empire. Plan your strategy, choose your units, and then lead your soldiers in to battle. The more experience your soldiers gain, the more you can upgrade their abilities. This time, your soldiers can gain experience by fighting new monsters in the Tower of Valni.
85
/100
S
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap is a top-down action adventure game that tells the origins of the evil Vaati from Four Swords. Like most other titles in the series, The Minish Cap features the fully explorable land of Hyrule, although it can be viewed from the eyes of a human or the eyes of a Minish, a race of tiny people and an alternate form that Link can transform into. Unlike the multiplayer focus of the other games in the series, The Minish Cap retains the original form of exploration and dungeons as seen in A Link to the Past, Oracle of Seasons, and Oracle of Ages, as well as returning characters and game mechanics such as Malon and the Spin Attack. New features include fusing Kinstones and shrinking to the size of a Minish.
90
/100
02
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is the prequel to the entire Metal Gear series. Most of the series' defining gameplay elements have been carried over and as before, Snake must use stealth and wits rather than brute force to infiltrate enemy zones and eliminate his major adversaries. Unlike the previous games, this installment takes place in a large outdoor jungle. Snake is able to use camouflage, climb trees, hide in tall grass or wear clothes that make him less noticeable.
86
/100
03
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
In Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, you must help protect the nation of Renais from the invading Grado Empire. Plan your strategy, choose your units, and then lead your soldiers in to battle. The more experience your soldiers gain, the more you can upgrade their abilities. This time, your soldiers can gain experience by fighting new monsters in the Tower of Valni.
85
/100
04
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is the eighth installment in the Dragon Quest series, developed by Level-5 and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It was also later released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2015. It is a traditional Japanese-style role-playing game with random enemy encounters, simple turn-based combat mechanics, and management of a party consisting of four characters, each belonging to a clearly defined class. Unlike its predecessors in the series and most Japanese RPGs in general, the game features a continuous world with fairly vast landscapes and integrated towns and dungeons, as opposed to world map traveling and locations represented by icons. The game features full camera rotation and optional first-person view. Like in the previous Dragon Quest games, many objects can be interacted with; for example, barrels can be physically lifted, carried, and broken, to reveal items hidden within.
84
/100
05
Cave Story
A side-scrolling platformer in which a robot traverses a strange world that has been thrown into disorder due to its violent history and a doctor that is attempting to exploit the inhabitants to aid him in his own pursuit for power.
83
/100
06
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney − Trials and Tribulations
81
/100
07
WarioWare: Touched!
Wario makes his debut on the Nintendo DS with hundreds of all-new minigames. Now you must complete your goals by using the touch screen and a stylus. Tap, scratch, and rub your stylus on the touch screen to play minigames that have you do everything from milking a cow and drawing a mustache to hurling stars at evil ninjas. You can even play some minigames by blowing into the DS's built-in microphone. The more minigames you clear, the more characters and items you unlock. The 3DS version was exclusively available for a few months in 2016 to My Nintendo members.
81
/100
08
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
Once again, Kirby must save the kingdom from evil. But this time he'll need some backup. As Kirby, you can call up one of four alter egos for help during your quest. Each character features new copy abilities that range from arrow-shooting to melee moves. Practice your skills in new side games, such as Crackity Hack and Speed Eaters. In addition to new abilities and subgames, Kirby & the Amazing Mirror also introduces new multiplayer modes.
80
/100
09
Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2004)
After years of apparent goodwill, Mario and Donkey Kong are at it again--this time, on Game Boy Advance. Donkey Kong has stolen all the Mini-Mario toys from the Mario Toy Co., and now it's up to Mario to hunt down his longtime nemesis and retrieve the pilfered goods. As Mario, you must race through challenging levels while finding keys and releasing Mini Marios before time runs out. Along the way, you'll master new moves that can help you overcome new puzzles.
80
/100
10
Dragon Quest
The player takes the role of a namable Hero. The Hero's name has an effect on his statistical growth over the course of the game. Battles are fought in a turn-based format and experience points and gold are awarded after every battle, allowing the Hero to level-up in ability and allows them to buy better weapons, armor, and items. Progression consists of traveling over an overworld map and through dungeons, fighting monsters encountered via random battles along the journey.
70
/100
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is the eighth installment in the Dragon Quest series, developed by Level-5 and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It was also later released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2015. It is a traditional Japanese-style role-playing game with random enemy encounters, simple turn-based combat mechanics, and management of a party consisting of four characters, each belonging to a clearly defined class. Unlike its predecessors in the series and most Japanese RPGs in general, the game features a continuous world with fairly vast landscapes and integrated towns and dungeons, as opposed to world map traveling and locations represented by icons. The game features full camera rotation and optional first-person view. Like in the previous Dragon Quest games, many objects can be interacted with; for example, barrels can be physically lifted, carried, and broken, to reveal items hidden within.
84
/100
05
Cave Story
A side-scrolling platformer in which a robot traverses a strange world that has been thrown into disorder due to its violent history and a doctor that is attempting to exploit the inhabitants to aid him in his own pursuit for power.
83
/100
06
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney − Trials and Tribulations
81
/100
07
WarioWare: Touched!
Wario makes his debut on the Nintendo DS with hundreds of all-new minigames. Now you must complete your goals by using the touch screen and a stylus. Tap, scratch, and rub your stylus on the touch screen to play minigames that have you do everything from milking a cow and drawing a mustache to hurling stars at evil ninjas. You can even play some minigames by blowing into the DS's built-in microphone. The more minigames you clear, the more characters and items you unlock. The 3DS version was exclusively available for a few months in 2016 to My Nintendo members.
81
/100
08
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
Once again, Kirby must save the kingdom from evil. But this time he'll need some backup. As Kirby, you can call up one of four alter egos for help during your quest. Each character features new copy abilities that range from arrow-shooting to melee moves. Practice your skills in new side games, such as Crackity Hack and Speed Eaters. In addition to new abilities and subgames, Kirby & the Amazing Mirror also introduces new multiplayer modes.
80
/100
09
Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2004)
After years of apparent goodwill, Mario and Donkey Kong are at it again--this time, on Game Boy Advance. Donkey Kong has stolen all the Mini-Mario toys from the Mario Toy Co., and now it's up to Mario to hunt down his longtime nemesis and retrieve the pilfered goods. As Mario, you must race through challenging levels while finding keys and releasing Mini Marios before time runs out. Along the way, you'll master new moves that can help you overcome new puzzles.
80
/100
10
Dragon Quest
The player takes the role of a namable Hero. The Hero's name has an effect on his statistical growth over the course of the game. Battles are fought in a turn-based format and experience points and gold are awarded after every battle, allowing the Hero to level-up in ability and allows them to buy better weapons, armor, and items. Progression consists of traveling over an overworld map and through dungeons, fighting monsters encountered via random battles along the journey.
70
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Nintendo 3DS game of 2004?
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap currently tops the ranking with a score of 90/100 across 428 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.