Nintendo 2DS?!

Take it as you will. To me, it means that Nintendo is in need of some quick profit (since WiiU sales are currently in the crapper), and so they resort to making a stripped-down 3DS and pushing its lack of 3D as a selling point. And of course, the people will buy it in droves because they think Nintendo can do no wrong.

Defu, I really didn't think this was legit until I saw that video. My cousins are going to get a good laugh out of this thing, for sure.

Still, I like the form factor, and I never used the 3D function when playing on a cousin's 3DS anyway. (A nice feature, but hogs too much battery life.) Some guys on the Benheck forums have had an idea for a Nintendo DS shaped like this for years now, and I always wanted to try it myself, but now I don't have too. This might be a more realistic buy for me than the usual 3DS.

So yeah, while this might look like a shameless cash-in to get penny-pinchers everywhere to buy their kids a cheaper, knock-off 3DS, the price point is pretty appealing, and I can't really fit a normal 3DS or DS in my pocket, like I could with a Gameboy Advance SP, either way, so pocket-ability isn't a problem for me. As far as price goes, it's either this or a refurbished 3DS running at a similar price.

 Ok that's kinda silly. Just going by the thumbnail there, I would've assumed this was something made up by The Onion or Saturday Night Live.

The optimist in me though likens it to the Game Boy Micro: a slightly stripped-down product geared more towards versatility and affordability. I mean, it WILL be less expensive without the 3D, right?

If I still hadn't had a 3DS by this point though, I'd still have gone with the 3DS XL. Not that it should be a massive deal breaker, but the 3D is kinda the unique point behind the 3DS, yes?

The name's not selling for me either, (Wouldn't be surprised if people laughed at this thing for looking and sounding like a bootlegged, Chinese knock-off system, complete with Engrish firmware menus.) but the shape and price point is definitely getting my attention. All depends on how you could protect those exposed screens on the go, if the carrying case isn't sturdy enough to protect them itself. At least my old fears of the hinges on the DS's and 3DS's cracking aren't a problem here.

And judging by the price posted everywhere else, it should be in the ballpark of $130, so that's much more affordable to a lot of people just wanting to play the games. The 3D effect of the 3DS is nice, but it eats battery life fast and isn't always practical to use, like in bumpy car rides. It's also more strain on the eyes, even if you're able to enjoy the 3D. I read about a lot of people who stick to 2D mode, whether the effect makes them sick or not.

I mean, it's honeslty a good gimmick, but I personally would not use it much if I had the option, so I wouldn't be missing much besides screwing around with AR cards.

I think it's a good idea. Parents may not want to shell out the money for a 3ds for their kid, and I also doubt most kids care too much about the 3D effects anyhow.
Many complain about how it can't fold but its rather perfect for kids who don't quite know how to use a delicate touch with a device, so its no surprise there is no hinge on it.

Looks cumbersome to carry in your pocket due to a lack of a closing mechanism.

I have to agree with that, Axol, and normal 3DSs aren't that pocketable to begin with, unless you have cargo pants. (Or if you're female, a purse. Can't forget to mention shoulder bags either.) And lots of people play most of their portable games at home too.

The issue for me is how you'd protect the screens, but the top screen doesn't seem to be in anymore danger than a Vita's, so the touch-screen's safety is what has me wondering. I'd imagine the carrying case pictured in the video keeps the screens facing inward, instead of outside, or there's a hardened plastic sheet layered inside the case's fabrics. Either way, the carrying case is the way to go, but not having to worry about the hinge breaking is a good trade-off, if you ask me, especially for kids who would probably close or open a 3DS's lid too forcefully.

gymleaderben wrote:I think it's a good idea. Parents may not want to shell out the money for a 3ds for their kid, and I also doubt most kids care too much about the 3D effects anyhow.
Many complain about how it can't fold but its rather perfect for kids who don't quite know how to use a delicate touch with a device, so its no surprise there is no hinge on it.

Seconding that. Refurbished 3DSs through Nintendo are pretty cheap, but if you want fresh on-board flash memory and don't care about the 3D gimmick, like me, this is an interesting alternative model to the usual 3DS line. The positioning of the buttons looks more comfortable too, I never could get used to a DSLite's or 3DS's cramped space for buttons. (You pretty much can't wrap your palms around the sides and still be comfortable, like with a Phat Nintendo DS.)

Also, if the 2DS wasn't enough-

BEHOLD, THE 1DS, THE SYSTEM OF YOUR DREAMS

http://nintendo1ds.com/

LOL Luke!  
Best spoof ever. 30 seconds into viewing that site, I had figured it was the real deal.
But then again, I'm easily fooled.
...but then again yet again, it almost does seem like something Nintendo would try, don't ya think?

*Not actually a real device or price. See dreams for details.
I missed that line at the bottom of that page. Would've rather found out it was a spoof that way than through Google, eheh

Maybe Nintendo should just try out the ios and android market.

They don't even need to try the Android/iOS market; the DS family line of portables are still going strong.  There's still very much a market for portable systems with physical buttons and cartridge media. A few journalists have tried to spell doom and gloom against the traditional portable market before, as more and more people are buying smart phones and tablets, but sales numbers always argue against that. Once the 3DS's software variety finally shaped up, there was no stopping it.

It's a nice thought, still. Would be cool not to have to lug around multiple portables, but most of those digital marketplaces are crowded with tons of shovelware, which made it difficult for even a gem like Shantae Risky's Revenge to stand out in the iOS scene, so imagine how Nintendo would fare with high priced apps? (They've stated before that they would never release .99 cent games.)

Nai255 wrote:LOL Luke!  
Best spoof ever. 30 seconds into viewing that site, I had figured it was the real deal.
But then again, I'm easily fooled.
...but then again yet again, it almost does seem like something Nintendo would try, don't ya think?

Indeed, and quite a few people want it to happen, actually. Anything would be better than the 7DS.



Yeah, I can see why that idea never saw the light of day.