At the end of the summer, Nintendo announced the latest addition to its handheld family, the 2DS (yes, that says 2DS). The clunky, hinge-less device won’t be able to fit into your pocket or have any glasses-free 3D capabilities, but it does include all of the other original 3DS features at a more affordable price.
It might seem like the company is just creating a downgrade of the 3DS, but the 2DS is actually supposed to be geared towards children under 7 years old. Since the release of the 3DS, the effects of 3D gaming on developing eyes still hasn’t been subjected to enough testing to show any negative effect, but the 2DS relieves parents of any fear of possible harmful consequences to 3D gaming.
The new system still provides compatibility with 3DS and most DS game cartridges, as well as access to all of the same online features and parental controls. The lack of any 3D features is what makes the new handheld a real money-saver for broke college students and frugal parents. The 2DS is being sold for $129.99— more than $100 less expensive than what the original 3DS was sold for at its release and about $40 less than the 3DS’ current price tag.
The 2DS will be released on Oct. 12. It also coincides with the , a brilliant strategy seeing as a huge chunk of Pokémon’s audience is made up of kids under 7 years old— and let’s face it, college students probably don’t come far behind
With its affordable price tag and its kid-friendly design, there is no doubt that it will sell well, but the 2DS does come with a few foreseeable issues. The angular, hinge-free design will not fit into any pocket, and it appears as though it will fit awkwardly in your hands. Of course, the hinge-less design was included to ensure the device is sturdy enough to handle the onslaught of abuse from youngsters, but it doesn’t look too aesthetically pleasing, at least in photographs.
In essence, the 2DS appears to be an uglier, chunkier version of the 3DS that’s missing what made the 3DS so innovative and exciting in the first place. Still, there’s no way to tell if the device will be a welcomed member of the 3DS family or an unfortunate flop until its October release.
Stephen Margelony-Lajoie can be reached at [email protected].
