All LEGO 3DS games

LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (2011)

Out within weeks of the 3DS itself, and one of the few early cartridges that used the 3D well. The handheld version has the same twenty story levels as the consoles but drops the large-scale ground battles. Pre-Force Awakens, so it is the Clone Wars cartoon, not the films.

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game (2011)

All four Pirates films up to On Stranger Tides, with Jack Sparrow’s compass pointing you to secrets. A solid early 3DS cartridge with a full set of levels; the hub ship is the part that was cut down from the console version.

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5–7 (2011)

Order of the Phoenix through the Deathly Hallows. Years 1–4 was never released on 3DS — it came out before the console — so on this handheld the story starts at book five. The 3DS build was done by TT Fusion and is its own game, not a cut-down port.

LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (2012)

The first LEGO game where the minifigures talk instead of grunt, with the Justice League joining Batman and Robin. The 3DS version keeps the voiced story but replaces the open Gotham of the consoles with a level select — a common pattern on this list.

LEGO The Lord of the Rings (2012)

All three films with dialogue lifted straight from them. On 3DS the Middle-earth overworld is gone and the levels are shorter, which suits the handheld; the humour survives intact.

LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins (2013)

Chase McCain’s first case, two years before the Wii U game. A smaller open city, the same eight disguises and the same tone. This is not a version of LEGO City Undercover — it is a separate story that exists only on the 3DS, and the only way to play it is this cartridge.

LEGO Legends of Chima: Laval’s Journey (2013)

Based on the Chima toy line rather than a film, and released only on 3DS, DS and Vita — there is no console version anywhere. Straightforward levels aimed at younger players; one of the cheaper cartridges on this list because Chima itself has been forgotten.

LEGO Friends (2013)

Not a TT Games action game but a life-sim in Heartlake City: mini-games, dressing up, pets. Handhelds only (3DS and DS). Made for children of six to nine, and the only LEGO Friends game ever released for a Nintendo handheld, which is why it still gets asked for.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: Universe in Peril (2014)

The handheld take on LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, with a different route through the same story and 3DS-sized levels. Europe got it on 21 February 2014, three months after the console game. It shares the name, not the levels — worth knowing if you already own the Switch or Wii U version.

LEGO The Hobbit (2014)

An Unexpected Journey and The Desolation of Smaug; the third film was never added, on any platform. Fine for what is there. The 3DS version drops the console game’s crafting and open Middle-earth for a straight run of levels.

LEGO Ninjago: Nindroids (2014)

Follows the third season of the Ninjago TV series. 3DS and Vita only, so it never had a console version. Short, fast levels with the ninja’s Spinjitzu; a good pick for a Ninjago fan who is new to games.

LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (2014)

Brainiac, the Lantern Corps and a lot of planets. The 3DS version was made by TT Fusion as its own game, with the console version’s hub worlds replaced by a mission list. Big cast, and the last LEGO Batman game to date.

LEGO Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin (2015)

The second handheld-only Ninjago game and the better of the two: an original story, all the ninja playable, and vehicles and dragons in between the levels. Again 3DS and Vita only. If a Ninjago fan owns one 3DS cartridge, this is the one.

LEGO Jurassic World (2015)

Jurassic Park to Jurassic World, with playable dinosaurs. The 3DS version is a full game with the same four films; the island hubs are smaller. Popular with the youngest players because nothing in it is frightening once it is made of bricks.

LEGO Marvel’s Avengers (2016)

Avengers and Age of Ultron, with the film dialogue. Not to be confused with LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 — this is a different game with a different cast. One of the last 3DS LEGO cartridges, so a smaller print run than the 2012–2014 titles.

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2016)

Episode VII plus a few missions bridging from Return of the Jedi, with the blaster-battle cover system the later console games kept. The final LEGO release for the 3DS; after this the series moved to Switch. The 3DS version is, once more, its own build by TT Fusion.