When I woke up and saw that Nintendo had announced the 2DS I looked and thought, ‘didn’t see that coming’. My second thought was, ‘that’s a good idea’. Then I went into the greater internets and saw a massive backlash. People think this is a terrible idea, what do you think?
I think the 2DS is going to hit new markets. If I didn’t have a 3DS (and a 3DS XL) I’d buy this. It would be my model of choice. My 3DS has essentially been a 2DS since launch. If I had the chance to pick up a cheaper, slicker, model that didn’t have the 3D I would buy it in a second.
I have a friend who is a parent. She is afraid to buy her young son a 3DS because she’s worried about the affect the 3D will have on his brain. That may sound silly to you, but the fact is there are parents out there who feel that way. A lot of them. And they’d rather be safe than sorry.
Anyway — this isn’t about my opinion, it’s about yours! So I’ll shut up now. What do you think?
Comments
43 responses to “Tell Us Dammit: Nintendo 2DS, Good Idea Or Bad Idea?”
Is it region-locked?
Nothing else matters.
DS games wise, region free I bet same as the other models 😀
…but to seriously answer your question with a real answer, don’t think so. been following the 2DS and no mention of it 🙁
DS is not region locked, but 3DS is.
Hence 2DS is most likely region locked as well, otherwise Nintendo for sure will use that as a selling point
Good idea, cost effective and I would even go as far as to assume that they have priced it so they make the same if not more profit on the cheaper 2ds. Plus more consoles sold is always better for existing owners.
The design looks horrid to me, especially the positioning of the controls. What’s wrong with just using the same clamshell design as the 3DS, just drop the 3D? Which you can turn off anyway on the standard 3DS, so this entire device is pretty much pointless.
Because to cut costs the 2ds actually only has one screen it uses the casing to make it look like two
It looks terribly ugly and hard to use.
I personally know a lot of parents who have been holding out on the 3DS due to the price. With the 2DS going at $150 now, I think a lot of kids will finally be upgrading from their old DS Lites.
I don’t “get” it which means that they’ll sell billions of them.
Only problem I have with it is the non-XL sized screen. Having just got a 3DS XL I think I would have struggled with the regular screen size (I don’t have the best eyesight).
That is why it is a budget model :p
Not for me, hated it at first look.
After time to digest the news, I see a possible market for it. Just because I don’t want it, doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea or will be a failure. Time will tell.
It’s good for us poor folks.
By poor I mean people who don’t really want to pay full price for a 3DS, but still want to play Animal Crossing.
The more I think over it, the more I like it. I was going to get a 3DS this Christmas, but this looks like a better option. Plus it’s more affordable so I can buy a second one as a gift.
Preowned 3DS is only $18 more at eb… why not treat yourself to a pocketable handheld?
Meh.
so its not going to have a 2nd thumbstick?
My first reaction was one of disbelief. Now I’ve looked into it I think the hardware itself looks fine, and possibly more comfortable to hold. They should bring out an XL size one and I might be tempted because I rarely use 3D.
But I think they’ll confuse the shit out of their audience who don’t read up on these things. There has been enough confusion with the WiiU being a different console than the Wii, where the Wii won’t play WiiU games because it’s not the better hardware.
Now they have got the 2DS which would appear on the surface to be a lesser handheld just based on the numbering, yet still plays the games of the ‘better’ handheld.
It is not for us. Simple as that.
The idea has potential – lower price point expands the market, gets more people buying games, and after a while has the kids eyeing off that bigger and better model…
The concept is great, because I hardly use 3D and I’m sure that’s a widespread preference. But the look of it, the fact it can’t fit in your pocket and the controls looking uncomfortable (could be wrong, might work well) just really doesn’t do it for me. A 2D version of the 3DSXL would be a better idea in my opinion!
One of my friends had an interesting point. Kids these days are always pestering their parents to play on their iPad or whatever, and then a lot of the time they end up being given these cheap “imitation” tablets instead. So this seems kind of like a way of getting in on that action.
I don’t really have any want or need for it myself, but I can kind of see where they’re coming from with it. But I still think it’s kind of silly.
i like the idea of it, but OH MY GOD THAT IS THE UGLIEST THING I’VE EVER SEEN
I’m guessing you’ve never seen the original Nintendo DS?
lol, yeah, it definitely hit a few less branches falling out of the ugly tree than the original fat DS did.
it is horribly beautiful
hey at least that didn’t make me want to pry my eyes out with a blunt rusty nail
O_o
i started out thinking they got the controls wrong, but then having up the D pad and A/B/X/Y buttons up top is probably the best solution if the shoulder (R&L) buttons are up there.
I think it is actually a good idea, i’ve been holding off on a 3DS because of the price but now there is the cheaper option I will definitely revisit it. i need to feel it in my hands first.
Look there is always going to be a lot of backlash against Nintendo, none of it in my opinion is warranted but thats the reality of the internet, faceless people hating things that aren’t tailored to exactly what they want.
I have been waiting to pick up a 3DS Xl (have JB vouchers) and I’m not interested in 3D either. Have played with my nieces and 3D gives me headache.
This would have been perfect if it was clamshell design. This is just ugly and would be a pain to carry around.
Ill just wait for a better bundle from JB on the 3DS XL.
Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad idea.
I have fairly big hands and i find the regular 3DS uncomfortable. The corners of the device are pointy and dig into my palms and I find the shoulder buttons too small. I also find the position of the D-pad too low to comfortably play virtual console games. Not to mention the difficult to press the spongey start and select buttons.
Almost everything about the 2DS looks more ergonomic. I might pick one up solely for that reason.
One possible annoyance is that you now have to reach your thumb down (rather than across) to press on the touch screen. This could make a game like monster hunter; that relies on the touch screen; more difficult to play.
I liked the low price point that gets me to play a few mario and zelda games I haven’t got to yet. Then I thought “why not go for the XL?”. If nothing else its an entry point to the brand and will get attention and help overall games sales. I’m interested now and wasn’t really thinking about it before.
Personally, I wouldn’t buy one because of the lack of 3D. I find 3D on the 3DS adds extra depth and perceived detail, and distracts me from how ugly the graphics can be and lets me enjoy the game mechanics more.
But apparently I’m a minority in that sense.
The shape is fugly but a lot of the design is in a similar vein to the XL. Overall I think this looks better than the original 3DS, but XL > all
A rather large door wedge.
It’s a great idea. I never use the 3D option, and I have friends who just want a 3DS for particular games but don’t want to pay full price, so this is an attractive proposition. I just question what Nintendo was thinking with the design. If people weren’t already confused by the Wii U, introducing something that looks a lot like the tablet controller for it that is actually another form of a 3DS that doesn’t look like it is… Ok, now I’m getting myself confused.
good
I think it’s a good idea.. I wouldn’t buy one myself, I love having the 3D option there even though I don’t use it all the time. For kids, it’s a good idea, and will probably sell accordingly.
I’d echo others and say that it’s not for us, it’s for kids and others on a budget, and it will probably sell a crapton in spite of its ugly-as-sin appearance.
The 2DS announcement has me wanting to upgrade my 3DS to a 3DS XL. That … makes no sense! Even so, should I?
Excellent idea! Love it.
A great cheap hand held with a huge game library. Is perfect for kids.
Idea: Good
No clamshell design: Bad
Brilliantly idea executed poorly. A cheaper 3DS console with just about every one of Nintendo’s classic characters on them? This thing may as well print money for Nintendo. Chuck in a Pokemon X/Y bundle and Nintendo can forget about all their financial problems with the WiiU.
This isn’t aimed at us, it is aimed at parents buying it for their kids, I think the question is do a “Tell Us Dammit: Kids Edition” and find out what they think because they will be the target market.
I got the original 3DS in America so all my games I have to import, I am waiting out for the 3DS lite/other name that is not region locked and they have my money.
The 2DS name works for an against them. For them in terms of it getting rid of all the “health issues” that currently circle 3D games and small children is one big positive step for them but then at the same time parents may not understand that 3DS games work on the 2DS – exactly what is happening at the moment as parents are not understanding that they have to buy a whole new console to play New Super Mario Bros U and not a fancy new tablet controller….
They may need to put stickers on all their boxes saying “works on 2DS as well”. A simple plays in 2D and 3D won’t suffice.
they should have at least made no bezel separating the screens – one screen, software defined edges.
idiots.
I wish this had been out last christmas. I held out from a 3DS for ages because of the price, and the 3D making my head hurt. Ended up biting the bullet and buying one anyway (flash sales yay) but I’d seriously consider it – perfect for me.
It’s like the Game Boy Micro – great for that niche crowd that were otherwise holding out. I wish I got one of those….
I’ve noticed that a lot of the haters haven’t bothered to realise that this thing is aimed at the very young, not them. The lack of a hinge is primarily because toddlers were prone to breaking it. Anyone older who wants to buy it is just a bonus.
It’s for kids under 7 whose eyes are apparently not ready for 3D. Simple as that. Whole internet blew up over nothing as usual.
Basically a leap pad but a million times better. Yeah, I can see this selling like crazy
I don’t think this was a good idea… but i think that Nintendo should make a brand new nintendo 64 from the good old days. But of course tech it out and be able to get into the internet and make it awesome!!!!!!!!!!!! Or maybe a nintendo tablet that makes it able that you can get all the nintendo games like the app store. Take this into consiteration Nintendo please i think this can really bump you back up!!!!!!!!!!!!
the desgin is just so bad, they ditched the iconic model they spent 10+ years perfecting and looking at the screen anyway will hurt your eyes both screens are on the same level