If you just got a 3DS, my first recommendation is Pokémon Omega Ruby (or Alpha Sapphire — same game, different legendary). I played this during high school and got so deep into it that I actually completed the full Generation 6 National Pokédex. Every. Single. Pokémon. It took an absurd amount of time and I have zero regrets.
WHY OMEGA RUBY
Omega Ruby takes the Hoenn region from the original GBA games and rebuilds it from the ground up for the 3DS. The result is gorgeous — the water routes actually shimmer, the caves feel atmospheric, and the legendary encounters are genuinely cinematic with full 3D cutscenes.
But the real reason I recommend it as a first game is that it's incredibly generous. The post-game is massive. The DexNav feature makes catching Pokémon addictive in a way no other entry has matched. And if you're the completionist type like me, chasing that full Pokédex will keep you playing for hundreds of hours.
🎯 THE HIDDEN GEM: TALES OF THE ABYSS
Now, if you want something that isn't Pokémon — and especially if you like JRPGs — I need to tell you about Tales of the Abyss.
This was originally a PS2 game that got ported to the 3DS, and it's one of the best JRPGs on the system. My brother introduced me to the Tales series starting with Tales of Symphonia on the GameCube — I've clocked over 200 hours in that game alone — so naturally I wanted to try other entries.
💡 Tales of the Abyss uses a real-time battle system instead of turn-based combat. You actually control your character and pull off combos. It's addictive and rewarding in a way that traditional JRPGs aren't.
The characters and story in Tales of the Abyss are truly capturing. The main character starts as genuinely unlikeable and grows into someone you care deeply about — that kind of character development is rare in games. The live-combat gameplay keeps every battle feeling fresh even 40 hours in.
If you've never tried any Tales game, I really recommend you give one a shot. They're hugely popular JRPGs for a reason, and Tales of the Abyss on the 3DS is a perfect starting point.