How to Earn Play Coins on the Nintendo 3DS

Last Updated: July 13, 2021

Want to get that last puzzle piece in Puzzle Swap, or get a hint in The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, but don't have enough Play Coins? Whatever your reason for getting Play Coins is, here are ways to help you get them!

Steps

1
Keep your Nintendo 3DS in sleep mode. In other words, the 3DS should be on but closed.
2
Walk around with your 3DS. Going shopping with your mom? Taking a stroll around the neighborhood? Take it with you!
- You should keep it in your pocket or purse while you walk.
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3
Open your 3DS every once in a while to see how many steps you have accumulated. The steps counter is at the top on the top screen.
- Note that 1 Play Coin = 100 steps, so in order to get 10 Play Coins you will need at least 1,000 steps.
4
Once you get 10 Play Coins, go to Settings. From there, set the date and time to a past date so you will be able to get more Play Coins. This is because the maximum number of Play Coins you can get every day is 10.
5
Repeat the steps above until you have all the Play Coins you want.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I buy games with Nintendo coins?

Community Answer

No. Play coins are used to buy things in certain games. For example, in Animal Crossing: New Leaf, you can buy fortune cookies with 2 play coins. These are then used to get unique, special items (such as outfits for your character and a Super Star from Mario as a decoration for your home). Games can only be bought with real money, be it through buying a Nintendo eShop card, or linking a credit card.
Question

Can you transfer points from 3DS to Wii?

Jesse

Community Answer

Wii can't use play coins. You can't transfer. If you're talking about Eshop points, then no you can't transfer Eshop points.
Question

Can I get play coins just by staying home? (I live in the country and we have ticks outside.)

Community Answer

You can try putting it on a washing machine or just shaking it. That might work.

Warnings

Be careful when shaking the 3DS. You don't want to break it!

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Helpful 35 Not Helpful 6
The maximum number of Play Coins you can have at any given time is 300.

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Helpful 31 Not Helpful 6
Keeping the 3DS on for a long time can cause its battery to deplete; check every once in a while.

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Helpful 11 Not Helpful 1
You can only earn up to 10 Play Coins a day; however, changing the date on your 3DS allows you to bypass this rule. Please note that software that uses the date may not function properly, and you may miss some date-related online events. Some software can even block functionality and make you unable to play, such as pokemon rumble.

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Helpful 8 Not Helpful 3
You won't be getting any exercise if you just shake the 3DS.

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Helpful 29 Not Helpful 42