411Mania gave the game a score of 7.5 out of 10 and said it was "a game that could've easily been rated much higher had there been Wi-Fi connectivity, smarter AI and a richer single card download-play option. Not including Wi-Fi was inexcusable as it would have easily been one of the most played games online. [...] I'd honestly recommend this game for any DS owner out there as I feel the game at least deserves a try. Some will be hooked, some won't, but you can't deny the fun of "Mario Hoops 3 on 3"." "The Sydney Morning Herald" gave it three stars out of five and called it "fast-paced stylus-swiping basketball action best suited to short matches against friends." "The Times" also gave it three stars out of five, saying, "The wild combinations of touch-pad and direction keys required to play make this a game you might not wish to use on public transport, and it somehow lacks the charm of previous Mario-themed games. Good, but not great."