On August 28th, 2013, Nintendo announced the Nintendo 2DS. This new addition to the Nintendo handheld family allows the user to play Nintendo 3DS games, but for $40 less. The form factor is different and it lacks the 3D function. In my news article about the Nintendo 2DS I said while the design is questionable, the concept of a more affordable Nintendo hand-held system makes up for it. The affordability may benefit the consumer, will it benefit Nintendo? The question I am asking is very bold. Why would another source of income for Nintendo not be beneficial? Let’s start off with why it would be.
Durability. This is a very crucial factor in buying handheld devices in general, but more specifically gaming handhelds. I have had one, no, two instances where a Nintendo device stopped working on me. The actually problem was that the top screen stopped working, both times due to a problem relate to the hinge. The Nintendo 2DS takes away that issue. No hinge, no hinge related damages. Going down the stairs with your 3DS? Be careful you don’t drop it and break the top screen on the stair or banister. Going down the stairs with your 2DS? Be careful you don’t drop it break the stairs or banister.
I have big hands, so before I got my Nintendo 3DS XL I would get pain in my hand after playing games on my regular Nintendo 3DS for about 20 minutes. Not only was the pain and cramping an issue, but the D-Pad location made it awkward to use. I tried playing Pokémon Black and White (and Black and White 2) using it and I gave up and used the circle pad. The Nintendo 2DS addresses both of these problems. The D-Pad is now in a place where it is actually usable. The design is not only more comfortable, but more it also feels more solid.
Money is factor in a lot of decisions we humans make. The jobs we get, the things we buy, or even the people we date! For a year people who found discomfort in the Nintendo 3DS would have to spend $30 extra to get a 3DS XL, or $200, to have an enjoyable gaming experience. Now new owners can save $30 to get a comfortable, immersive 3DS gaming experience with the Nintendo 2DS. Now price, durability, and comfort will only add positive things to say about Nintendo; however, will it benefit Nintendo in the long run?
September 7th, 2013 was a normal Saturday for me. I went to Grand Central Station in New York City and then walked to Nintendo World Store on 48th street. I was on the line while buying some video games. A woman went up to the desk and asked “Is there really a Nintendo 2DS?†the sales associate went on to confirm that there was one. She said “So there is a 3DS too right? The real one?†The sales associate said yes (without saying it was the ‘real’ one). Then the son said “Is there a 4DS!?†The sales associate said no, but this question is very important to this writing piece. People who don’t know a lot about gaming are going to ask questions that may sound dumb to me, a long-term video game player, or maybe even you, the reader. We have to keep in mind that on the consumer side of the video game industry, there are all kinds of gamers with all kinds of information about gaming.
So let’s go into the future, Holiday 2013 to be exact. Parents are going to go out to the store for their kids. The will be looking for the 3DS or 2DS. They will get to the store and ask about the 3DS or 2DS. With the 2Ds they will commit to buying it, but then most likely ask about the best 2DS games to buy for their XX year old child. The sales associate will explain how the Nintendo 2DS doesn’t have dedicated Nintendo 2DS games but plays Nintendo 3DS games that are made for the Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL, and Nintendo 2DS. Why do I keep listing these names? It is to show the redundancy and confusion that goes with this new device. Will it affect Nintendo? Maybe it is financially or maybe it’s reputation but I suspect it will be there. A parent who goes to buy a Nintendo 2DS that doesn’t have 2DS games but plays 3DS game. Confusing. Overall I think the device has great potential that it will live up to, but is destined to cause some sort of confusion. What do you think about the Nintendo 2DS? Let me know in the comments below.
