Nintendo announced their newest handheld in the Nintendo 3DS family, the New Nintendo 2DS XL earlier this week. With positive reactions on places like Reddit and NeoGAF, Nintendo seems to have a hit on their hands. I find myself playing my Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC more often than my old and busted classic 3DS, so I needed a reason to give my handheld library another chance to shine. I may finally have a real reason (or four) to replace my classic Nintendo 3DS with the New Nintendo 2DS XL.
It’s $50 cheaper than the current New 3DS XL:
The New Nintendo 3DS is coming in hot at $150, which is a 25% price drop from the price of the current New 3DS XL. I have been fighting with the notion of buying a New 3DS since its initial release. Unfortunately, I could never bring myself to buying a NEW 3DS or 3DS XL, especially without the AC adapter. Oh, by the way, the new 2DS XL comes with an AC adapter packed in:
Yes, New 2DS XL comes with an ac adapter. And 4GB microSDHC card included pic.twitter.com/6wsnlRrmty
— Wario64 (@Wario64) April 28, 2017
At $150, it seems like the perfect price for anyone looking into upgrading to a newer model or even buying a 3DS handheld for the first time. With built-in amiibo support, SNES Virtual Console titles, and getting games like Xenoblade Chronicles 3D and Fire Emblem Warriors, my wallet is well anticipating this new device.
I don’t care about the 3D functionality any more:
While the 3DS felt new and innovative in 2011, the novelty wore off quickly for me. Granted, some games look really nice in 3D (Phoenix Wright Dual Destinies/Spirit of Justice and Super Mario 3D Land,) in others, it never felt special. In most of the games I play, I play with the 3D switch off or at its lowest setting for short amounts of time. Much like 3D gaming and movies, the fad and infatuation with 3D gaming has died out in quick fashion, and I could not be happier for the release of the New Nintendo 2DS. It’s a return to what made the original DS so great: just playing games.
Clamshell form factor = better portablity:
The one major stoppage point for me picking up a 2DS to replace my current 3DS was the form factor. Quite frankly, I just didn’t like the way it looked, and felt it wouldn’t fit properly in my pocket. One thing I’ve always liked the DS family of handhelds for was the clamshell design. The DS Lite had the best form factor of them all, and the size was just right for on the go gaming. I would like to be able to take my 3DS on the road again and not feel like it’s a burden on my pants. And no, I don’t wear tight fitting pants. The 2DS’s kid-friendly design did not vibe with me, and I feel that this is Nintendo’s way of saying grown-ups can get into the action too.
Super Nintendo Games and built-in amiibo support:
The New Nintendo 2DS allows for Super Nintendo Virtual Console gaming to be a reality. Granted, this was already on the New 3DS. Still, I’ll finally be able to get another chance to play games such as Breath of Fire, Megaman 7 and A Link to the Past. The built in amiibo reader is another big plus as well. Countless times, I’ve walked in to my local Best Buy and stared down the NFC reader attachment. I never saw the value in picking up an accessory I’d never really use outside of the home. However, having the built in NFC reader, I’d be more akin to picking up Kirby Planet Robobot and building an amiibo collection to take on the road with me.
I do have a lot of reasons more why I will be picking up the New Nintendo 2DS, but these are my 4 main reasons for doing so. Are you picking up a New Nintendo 2DS? Tell us why or why not in the comments. Also, check out the latest episode of the Nintendo Entertainment Podcast for the hottest Nintendo related discussion.
