It finally happened! After 209 days, as of November 3, the last person clinging to Nintendo’s discontinued Wii U and 3DS Nintendo Network servers, known as Fishguy6564, was at last disconnected. His Nintendo 3DS, which had been valiantly maintaining a link to the Mario Kart 7 servers nearly continuously for two-thirds of a year, finally crashed [credit: GamesRadar]. Although this marks the end of one chapter, it doesn’t close the book entirely.
Thankfully for fans still enjoying these older systems and their varied game libraries, there’s an alternative solution. By installing custom firmware, users can unlock access to Homebrew applications and Pretendo. This unofficial service allows players to connect to fan-operated Nintendo Network servers for games that have officially gone offline on the 3DS and Wii U. While the list of games supported by Pretendo isn’t exhaustive, it does play a crucial role in preserving the legacy and fun of these not-so-old consoles.
Just before Fishguy6564’s console bit the dust during its Mario Kart 7 server marathon, he had set up his system to maintain a lobby filled with bots. Previously, there had been one other user sharing this journey, but eventually, it was just the bots keeping the action alive. The aim was to bypass the official shutdown indefinitely, or at least until a crash happened. In a chat with GamesRadar during his remarkable endeavor, Fishguy6564 remarked, “I didn’t expect us to outlive the official shutdown. After that, it became a personal challenge to see how long we could keep this going.”
Alas, it seems the inevitable end has arrived. But for anyone with modded original hardware, Pretendo servers are still around, providing a lifeline for fans eager to continue playing a selection of their beloved games. On the Nintendo 3DS, this means adventures in Mario Kart 7, Kid Icarus: Uprising, and Mario Maker 3DS can go on. Wii U players can enjoy Pretendo support in games like Mario Kart 8, Mario Maker, Splatoon, and Pokkén Tournament. Depending on the title, Pretendo can restore simple online matches or the full range of features you’d expect from official servers.
Unfortunately, despite these workarounds, many eShop-exclusive games for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U have essentially vanished unless already installed. While these titles didn’t drive console sales, it’s still disappointing that they’ve become inaccessible artifacts. This underscores a significant downside in the era of online-gaming collapses: the irreversible loss of official game servers and access, leaving game preservation in the hands of dedicated historians, enterprising modders, and those sailing the high seas of digital piracy.
