Here are the best ways to sell your old Nintendo Wii U or 3DS in preparation for the Nintendo Switch.

Sell it yourself

To maximize earnings, cut out the middleman and sell privately. This method has no guaranteed payout, not relegated to gift cards and store credit just to get more value out of the trade-in.

Craigslist

According to The Young Folks, Craigslist is a risky bet, but it can certainly pay off. There are no seller's fees, listing fees or any fees. Sellers can negotiate the final price and sell to the highest bidder. However, there are high risks of being ripped off, robbed or scammed.

The prices at which people will sell the Wii U, 3DS and 3DS XL will vary by location, so check the local listings to gauge the price ranges of the devices.

eBay

eBay helps facilitate smoother transactions. The lowered risk does, however, come at a cost. Siliconera has learned that eBay and PayPal will take a cut of your final sale 10% from eBay and 2.9% plus $0.30 from PayPal. Plus, the package and shipping of the device will cut in the profits as well.

As of this moment, used Wii U and 3DS systems, depending on what they're listed with and special editions, are going for approximately:

  • Nintendo Wii U 32GB: up to $375.00
  • Nintendo 3DS XL: up to $250.00
  • Nintendo 3DS: up to $200.00

Trade it in

There are a number of sites or businesses that will give you cash or gift cards in exchange for used gaming console, the buyer will never pay at a higher price. It's guaranteed fast cash, but the buyer must be able to turn around and resell it at market value, so you're not going to make nearly as much money.

However, while used games are likely to be lumped together with the console or handheld when selling privately, when trading in, each used game can be processed separately. Most will only get a few dollars, but if a seller have a large collection or high-demand titles, they may be able to offset some of the lower returns of selling instantly.

GameStop

GameStop will give sellers a trade-in credit to be used in-store or cash, which will ultimately be a lesser value. Currently, GameStop is offering:

  • Nintendo Wii U 32GB: up to $120.00 trade credit
  • Nintendo Wii U 32GB: up to $96.00 cash
  • Nintendo 3DS XL: up to $110.00 trade credit
  • Nintendo 3DS XL: up to $88.00 cash
  • Nintendo 3DS: up to $90.00 trade credit
  • Nintendo 3DS: up to $72.00 cash

Amazon

Amazon makes it extremely fast and easy to sell used gadgets for Amazon gift cards.

With Amazon's trade-in program, sellers can choose to get paid instantly or wait until the items have been inspected. Should a seller choose to get paid instantly and the items are in a lower condition than claimed, sellers may be charged for the difference in the value or for the full amount of the gift card with your item being returned to you, free of charge.

Currently, Amazon is offering:

  • Nintendo Wii U 32GB: up to $168.91 Amazon gift card
  • Nintendo 3DS XL: up to $113.25 Amazon gift card (or up to $193.13 for special editions)
  • Nintendo 3DS: up to $93.21 Amazon gift card

Cash For Gamers

Cash For Gamers is a trade-in site that will pay sellers cash (via PayPal or a mailed check) for used games and consoles. They accept trade-ins on consoles with heavy damage or without the original accessories. But each missing item will deduct from the total amount offered.

With none of the accessories and heavy damage (but still functioning), Cash For Gamers will price $42.00 for the seller's Wii U or $35.50 for a 3DS. They'll even give sellers a $10.75 for a 3DS that's in good condition but doesn't work.

For systems that do work, Cash For Gamers prices the devices as follows:

  • Nintendo Wii U 32GB: up to $95.00
  • Nintendo 3DS XL: up to $100.00
  • Nintendo 3DS: up to $55.00

Nintendo Switch is an upcoming video game console developed by Nintendo, and the company's seventh major home console.