A UK red-top tabloid has named the Nintendo 3DS as the best console in video-gaming history. The Sun’s columnist Derek Brown has given the grand old thumbs up to Nintendo’s handheld, and he’s stuck his neck out by saying it’s not just his favourite handheld console, it’s his ’favourite console full stop’.

Considering The Sun’s aversion to the console two years ago, this is a bold statement. In 2011, the tabloid printed a number of stories reporting that the console was making ‘gamers feel dizzy and sick’, and in a follow-up report by games journalist Lee Price, he concluded that children should stop playing and pack it away after two hours.

In his report, Derek Brown says that although the hardware was seen as a ‘gimmicky cash-in’ within its first year, it has now emerged as an ‘essential’ piece of gaming hardware, which lies within the eShop:

“It’s in the eShop — the 3DS equivalent of the Apple App Store — that the machine is making its biggest strides. Full-price titles such as Fire Emblem (my 2013 game of the year), Luigi’s Mansion (excellent) and Monster Hunter sit beside brilliant budget games like Fallblox (best game ever for a fiver), Mario Minis On The Move, VVVVVV and HarmoKnight — starting at a fiver.

“None of the games are of the throwaway 69p variety on your phone. They’re proper pieces of software worthy of your attention.”

Though Brown is quick to own a sudden change of heart for the 3DS, he also takes the opportunity to slam the Wii U. He adds:

“So here’s the bad news for Nintendo — I am the only person I know who has a Wii U. Even the most ardent Nintendo fan would have to confess that it’s been a pretty duff six months since the launch [...] Whatever the reason for its lack of sales, it’s a big problem for Nintendo.”

Do you believe the Nintendo 3DS is the best console ever? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

A tad early I'd say. It is a very good console, but the best "ever"? Not yet, but at the end of its lifetime it very well may be...

Well, it's certainly not a bad choice. And this time next year, if all the games deliver, I could be agreeing with him.

But most of the article seems to be talking about the lackluster sales of the Wii U, which he immediately counters by saying the 3DS had the same problem but was swiftly turned around. And an interesting change in direction after their initial hatred of the system.

guess i'll find out later. trading in my DSi XL for a 3DS later today.

Too early to say, but no one can deny that considering the current library, the Eshop and future announced games, the 3DS already built an impressive collection of games. It just needs a little more variety in sports and fighting games, and that still prevents it to be the best console, in my opinion. Let´s wait two more years at least.

It certainly seems really good. If I liked handhelds, I would have one. I may even get one just for Zelda.

At this point not even close but eventually perhaps. PS3 holds that title imo.

I do find it kind of funny how extremely negative the press has been to the 3DS in the beginning of its life cycle, dooming it any time they got the chance. Now, it's becoming harder to find negative news about the 3DS.
I would suppose it is likely the same could happen with the PS Vita and Wii U. People have really flexible opinions.

to be considered by all of us as a contender for the best console in gaming history this early, says everything about the 3DS. It will eventually be the best one, including home consoles.
I bought one, and I have never considered one until this machine. what a variety of games, more hardcore than any other console.

PS3 got the worst version of multiplatforms so i'd guess Xbox360 would have the best games in that case. Anyway, for going a little bit longer than 2 years, 3DS got an impressive catalogue of games,that  probably is better than most consoles at 2 years in the market