With the 3DS eShop closure looming, handheld fans are gathering to celebrate one of its best but most forgotten features: StreetPass.
StreetPass was - and is - a feature that lets 3DS systems passively communicate when they're near each other. You might pass a fellow 3DS owner on the street, and when you open your console later you might meet their Mii avatar, find their time trial ghosts in your copy of Mario Kart, and get a new piece of a jigsaw in an extensive puzzle collecting minigame.
It always seemed like a feature designed for Japan's densely-packed urban cities, and if you - like me - spent the 3DS's life in rural America or the suburbs, you might not have gotten to take full advantage of StreetPass. Still, it remains one of the coolest features on one of Nintendo's best platforms, and a loyal group of fans aims to keep it alive.
- After shutting down the Wii U online services last year, Nintendo asks players not to use "unauthorized services" to replace them as they might pose "security risks"
- Wii U online replacement Pretendo says "we are committed to user safety" as Nintendo warns against using third-party alternatives to its dead servers
StreetPassLove has been helping organize StreetPass meetups for some time, and now they're working to promote one big weekend-long event for 3DS fans worldwide. Billed as StreetPass Revival 2023, the idea is to simply get everyone who still uses their 3DS to head to a meetup location that works for them, whether that be a park, a local game store, or a larger convention.
We're proud to announce #StreetPassWeekend2023 is happening March 31-April 2! It's as easy as bringing your system to a local popular location and tagging others. Please retweet and tag @StreetPassLove in your pics to get as many people involved as possible. Discord in our bio pic.twitter.com/sDjWK8cuJcMarch 14, 2023
StreetPass Revival 2023 is set to run from March 31 through April 2. You can head to the StreetPassLove Discord if you want to find or help organize a local meetup. Below is a list of events that weekend that the group is highlighting, ranging from small local game clubs to much bigger conventions and esports events.
- Switch & Play (New York City, NY)
- Nintendo Nottingham (Nottingham, UK)
- Oz Comic-Con (Perth, Australia)
- Kaizoku-Con (Cork, Ireland)
- EVO Gaming Tournament (Tokyo, Japan)
- Paris Manga & Sci-Fi Show (Paris, France)
- South Lamar Alamo (Austin, TX)
- FACTS 2023 (Gent, Belgium)
- London Games Festival (London, UK)
- MegaCon (Orlando, FL)
- Chicago Comic + Entertainment Expo (Chicago, IL)
- Steel City Con (Pittsburgh, PA)
- Kawaii Kon (Honolulu, HI)
- Midwest Gaming Classic (Milwaukee, WI)
- Charlotte Comicon (Concord, NC)
The 3DS eShop will shut down on March 27, so if you want to pick up those last few digital StreetPass games before the end, the clock is ticking.
If all this has you StreetPass-curious but without any like-minded people in your local area, I should also mention that there have been many fan projects over the years that aim to let you connect with other StreetPass enthusiasts via the internet. Projects like PiPass let you set up your own StreetPass access points to connect with others worldwide - though, admittedly, that doesn't offer the social benefits of hanging out with other 3DS fans in person.
The Completionist's $20k quest to preserve the Nintendo eShop shouldn't be needed, but it might be the only legal path to save these games.
