Nintendo enthusiasts successfully preserved a significant portion of game content on the 3DS and Wii U before the servers ceased operations. Nintendo shut down the servers for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U on April 8th, eliminating all online features. However, to prevent the loss of certain features due to the lack of connectivity, a group of fans collaborated to establish the SpotPass Archival Project.

The primary goal of the SpotPass Archival Project is to safeguard all additional content and game updates that games on the 3DS and Wii U received through SpotPass. Similar to StreetPass, SpotPass was a built-in feature in the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U that automatically linked the consoles to the internet, enabling the download of extra content from installed games. Before the shutdown of Animal Crossing: New Leaf, players obtained distributed items via SpotPass, while in Fire Emblem: Awakening, players could acquire unique characters and optional chapters.

Following the closure of the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U servers, a considerable amount of this supplementary content would have been lost permanently. This prompted the SpotPass Archival Project community to preserve numerous SpotPass data, a mission they accomplished. The official website of the project contains a list of 3DS and Wii U games whose SpotPass content has been preserved. The SpotPass Archival Project aims to ensure the accessibility of this data in the future, even without access to the online servers or the 3DS and Wii U eShop.

Impact of 3DS and Wii U Server Shutdown on Games

The discontinuation of the 3DS and Wii U servers is already affecting older games. While most games from these consoles can still be enjoyed without online functionalities, players who never purchased DLC for a specific game or deleted it from storage have lost access permanently. DLC for Super Smash Bros. for 3DS can no longer be re-downloaded, resulting in characters like Cloud and Bayonetta being lost forever.

For instance, all Pokemon stored in the Global Trading System are now permanently inaccessible. Another game significantly impacted is Super Mario Maker on the Wii U. The core feature of the game involved sharing player-created levels with others, leading to the creation of challenging levels. Unfortunately, all user creations are now gone overnight.

The importance of game preservation is becoming increasingly evident. While some companies show little interest in preserving old games, despite offering retro game catalogs through streaming services, instances like these unite the community to initiate projects such as the SpotPass Archival Project, aiming to combat the effects of time.