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Nintendo has officially ended the Nintendo Network services for Wii U and 3DS consoles. However, the online experience lives on through the fan-made initiative known as the Pretendo Network. This project aims to revive online capabilities for these systems, albeit in a limited capacity.
Currently in its early stages, Pretendo offers support for 13 games with varying levels of compatibility. For example, ‘Mario Kart 8‘ allows basic online matchups and friend rooms, but lacks features like creating tournaments or posting clips to YouTube using Mario Kart TV. While not perfect, Pretendo Network provides more online play options than what official copies of the games offer.
To make this work on your devices, you’ll need a modified Wii U or 3DS. While there are plans to make Pretendo work with a simple DNS tweak, that’s not available yet. Modifying your device is straightforward, though, and you can get step-by-step guides at 3DS Hacks and Wii U Hacks.
