Disney Animator Pays Homage to Nintendo 3DS eShop with 'Toadal Disaster' Animation

As the Nintendo 3DS eShop prepares to close for new purchases on March 27th, 2023, the gaming community is reflecting on the platform’s rich history of creative applications and iconic titles.

Among those honoring the legacy of the Nintendo 3DS is Wayne Unten, a celebrated animator with Walt Disney Animation Studios whose credits include modern classics like Frozen, Moana, and Encanto.

Unten’s tribute, a short film titled 'Toadal Disaster,' showcases the enduring creative potential of the 3DS hardware and its exclusive apps. Created entirely on a Nintendo 2DS XL over a span of 22 months, 'Toadal Disaster' blends nostalgia with animation mastery.

Unten utilized a suite of beloved creative apps—Butterfly: Inchworm Animation, Colors! 3D, and Flipnote Studio 3D—to craft his 30-second short.

All of these applications, instrumental in empowering user-generated content on the 3DS, are set to disappear from the eShop once it shuts down. In a message accompanying the project, Unten explained the motivation behind his tribute: using only tools available on the Nintendo 3DS eShop, he wished to craft a 'love letter' to the apps and the vibrant community they supported.

He noted that the animation was developed intermittently during idle moments in daily life, such as while waiting for appointments or during his children's ice skating lessons. The result, soundtracked with the iconic Wii eShop music, stands as a testament not just to Unten’s own expertise but also to the versatility of the 3DS’s creative ecosystem.

Over his 15-year tenure at Disney, Unten has contributed to some of the most technologically ambitious films in the studio's history.

His ability to leverage consumer-grade hardware like the 2DS XL and widely accessible software to produce a professional-standard animation highlights the continuing influence of Nintendo’s innovation in the creative sector. Since launching in 2011, the Nintendo 3DS eShop has hosted thousands of games and applications, supporting a thriving indie scene alongside specialized creative tools.

The platform’s closure marks the end of an era, making community tributes like 'Toadal Disaster' all the more poignant.

For those wishing to explore Unten’s work further, samples can be found on his official social channels, as well as at animatingforfun.com and Butterfly Animation's website. Nintendo’s commitment to accessible creation tools on its handheld consoles, from Flipnote Studio 3D to Colors! 3D, has inspired a generation of artists—both amateur and professional.

As the 3DS eShop closes its digital doors, 'Toadal Disaster' serves as a vivid reminder of the creative possibilities initiated by Nintendo’s now classic hardware.

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