Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D disabling 3DS Wi-Fi not a glitch
Many Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D players have noticed that the 3DS does not stay connected to the Internet while playing the game. So, friends can’t see if you’re online (and vise versa), nor will they be aware that you’re playing Zelda.
Some fans were under the impression that this is a glitch, but that’s actually not the case. Ocarina of Time 3D has been specifically designed this way, says Nintendo:
“Nintendo is aware that some customers have noticed that they do not appear online in the Friends List of their friends while playing certain software. Whether you appear online in the Friend List or not during gameplay is dependent upon the software you are playing. Some games, such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, will not simultaneously be able to connect to Wi-Fi through Nintendo 3DS. This is a design specification, not a bug or malfunction.”
The only possible explanation I can provide for this decision is that perhaps Nintendo didn’t think it would be a good idea to drain the 3DS’ battery by enabling Wi-Fi access since Zelda is a single-player game. Still, I personally believe an option would have been preferable. If users wanted to disable online, they could simply turn off the Wi-Fi switch on the system.
