Tired of clashing clans and crushed candy? Wondering what your old pals Mario and Luigi are up to? Don't worry: They've been waiting for you, starring in killer game after killer game on platforms you've ignored since "growing up."

Stop holding out on that handheld game console purchase, friend. The time is now!

The 3DS is the perfect re-introduction to classic video games.

You grew up playing games and have since fallen off, right? Typical. That's okay — you're forgiven. And the 3DS is here to support your re-introduction to games. Maybe you just want to play old "Mega Man" games. You can totally do that. How about Mario's greatest hits? Also an option!

When you're ready to step up to the current versions of your favorite old games, they're ready and waiting. "Super Mario 3D Land" is one of the best Mario games ever made. Maybe you loved "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past" on your Super Nintendo back in the early 90s? The spiritual successor, "A Link Between Worlds," is only on the 3DS.

The best version of the 3DS is the current model.

Game console-makers really like to re-release hardware in new form factors. The 3DS is no exception here: There are five versions of it, starting with the original handheld launched in 2011.

Thankfully, none of that matters because the latest version of the 3DS is the definitive iteration. It's called the "New" Nintendo 3DS, which just means it's a faster, larger, all around better version of the original. And given that it's been four years since the original model, we're calling it pretty unlikely that another, even better model ever comes out.

Your favorite retro games are on 3DS.





Maybe you're not ready to jump into current games. That's okay! The 3DS has a crucial digital store named "Virtual Console", which is filled with games of yore. It's where you'll find the original "Super Mario Bros.," a mess of "Mega Man" games, and cult classics like "Ninja Gaiden." Should you wish to use the 3DS solely as a means to re-live retro glory, that option is very much available to you.

It’s full of actual games, not time wasters.

"Candy Crush" is a perfectly fine distraction, but it's not much of a game. While Mario and Luigi are certainly a distraction unto themselves, the games they star in tend toward quality over addiction. Simply put: the games on 3DS aim to entertain rather than hook you in.

They don't ask you to buy in-game "energy" to progress. They don't push you to watch adverts in exchange for "free" in-game money. They just aim to entertain. Why "distract" your brain when you could delight it instead?

The best games are inexpensive, one-time buys.

One of the best "Super Mario" games ever made costs about $25 on the Nintendo 3DS. One of the best "Legend of Zelda" games ever made costs just shy of $40. The newest "Smash Bros." — featuring over 40 of Nintendo's characters fighting to the death — costs about the same. Better yet, the games are all downloadable. And there are regular sales on the digital store. No harassing you for in-game purchases, just a one-time purchase of a fully realized game.