Nintendo announces the 2DS

[blaisedinsd]

Clam shell devices are not that comfortable I agree, but I honestly think they could've done better than make a device that is mostly square, and I don't understand why it's so much thicker on one end.

This might sell to people who complained the 3DS screen looked worse with 3D off. And maybe to stupid parents who don't realize you can disable the 3D effect with parental controls, but that's pretty much it.
I don't believe the whole thing about it being harmful to kids either. That hasn't been proven yet. It's just an assumption.

I have read positive impressions of the ergonomics of this from people who have had the device in their hands. No way to really tell until you get your hands on one...it is inherently confusing to understand from people used to holding the clamshell.

I don't believe the 3D is harmful to kids either, but it is an unknown and the whispers are out there.

As far who it will sell to you are missing the point...it will sell to people who think the 3DS has been too expensive. Nintendo has a great library of 3DS games and game that is huge with kids coming out. The last big pokemon came out on DS instead of 3DS didn't it? Why, because DS install base was enormous comparatively. When kids ask their parents for the new pokemon game they are much more likely to get their parents to buy them a 2DS to play it rather than convincing them to get a 3DS.

I only have one 3ds (an XL) in my family and this model may convince me too add at least another one. (I bought 3 DS lites and a DSiXL all brand new back in the day)

 

[The Milkman]

Is it bad I actually think it looks neat? Wouldn't BUY one, but I do think it looks neat.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I find it rather silly that this is getting so much hate. It's a new, cheaper option for people who want to buy Pokemon X/Y and have yet to buy a 3DS, with a screen that's safe for children and doesn't have a hinge that could potentially break. This is an appealing option for some people. For those that don't like it: don't buy it. Simple.

I find it rather silly that people are defending it. This device has nothing going for it, it's inferior in every way except price.
The hinge is not weak, it's not likely to break, and like I said if your kid handles electronics that poorly maybe you should just wait until he gets a little older. 5yos don't need a 3DS.
My 6yo cousin handles electronics pretty badly, but he still hasn't managed to break any of them. The only thing he's broken are (cheapo) headphones because he keeps pulling the wire. He has a cheapo chinese handheld, and has dropped it and his little brother has stepped on it and all sorts of things, it still works fine.

It takes a lot to break a device. The easiest thing to break is the screen, but that's not easy either because all the plastic around it prevents it from taking a direct hit.

In order to break the hinge on the 3DS you have to actually try to do it. It's not likely to happen by accident.

 

[ElYubiYubi]

Curiously, the 2DS is even more of a tablet-style system than it appears at first glance, as it actually features a single large screen in its center, not two separate ones. As one of their cost-cutting design measures, Nintendo reduced the number of screens in the system from two to one, and the appearance of separate screens is merely simulated by the way the case masks out the extraneous portions. This means the entire screen is by necessity a touchscreen, with the upper screen protected by a layer of plastic that sits above it. While this makes no difference for the system’s normal functions — after all, neither the system’s firmware or its software would recognize the hidden, inactive zones of the screen or the upper portion’s touch capabilities, even if you exposed those portions — I’m curious to see what hardware modders manage to do with the system.

This will be interesting. Do you guys remember the patent that Nintendo filled way back about the Top Screen being Touch aswell?

Source

 

[Parasite X]

How incredibly ugly and pointless.

Exactly the people that don't know how to turn off or restrict the 3D are a bunch of rejects

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Exactly the people that don't know how to turn off or restrict the 3D are a bunch of rejects

I understand that the average parent doesn't think about that, but then if they know about the 3D being potentially dangerous to small children shouldn't they also know they can turn it off?
It seems to me Nintendo needs to market this feature rather than create a new device.

 

[blaisedinsd]

I find it rather silly that people are defending it. This device has nothing going for it, it's inferior in every way except price.
The hinge is not weak, it's not likely to break, and like I said if your kid handles electronics that poorly maybe you should just wait until he gets a little older. 5yos don't need a 3DS.
My 6yo cousin handles electronics pretty badly, but he still hasn't managed to break any of them. The only thing he's broken are (cheapo) headphones because he keeps pulling the wire.

You are really just being close minded.

Price is the only reason this thing exists and as I said it is not gimped (not like PSPstreet).

5 year olds love the 3DS. They play mine all the time and I am always worried about them breaking it. I have had many many DS models get broken and it is always at the hinge (well I did have a penny in the card slot kill one and a game jammed in the wrong way bending connector pins and a couple of shoulder button issues)

I don't think it is about turning the 3D off or not but believe it or not there are tons of people who do not want or use the 3D...now they don't have to pay for it. It is not just about kids eye safety and people being dumb.

 

[Parasite X]

Is it just me or does anyone else notice what the 2DS looks like side ways I can't help but laugh

 

[J-Machine]

This won't sell well for two reasons:

1) average consumer is too stupid to grasp another device like this in an already confusing market full of "DS" machines. child will help with this by claiming they need a 3ds, not a 2ds. labels too will confuse people as it will say 3DS but see no 2ds games per say.

2)Kids are whiny and self entitled brats this generation. They will piss off any parent who is aware the 2ds is a value based alternative that will play 3ds games to the point you will hear "You either get this or nothing" followed by more temper tantrums and a lost sale.

and before someone chimes in with the exceptions being the majority... I've worked retail during both the wiiu and 3ds/xl introductions. No matter how well you get your point across, people are not going to understand this system and those who do won't get it for various reasons regarding their image in society.

 

[Arras]

I find it rather silly that people are defending it. This device has nothing going for it, it's inferior in every way except price.
The hinge is not weak, it's not likely to break, and like I said if your kid handles electronics that poorly maybe you should just wait until he gets a little older. 5yos don't need a 3DS.
My 6yo cousin handles electronics pretty badly, but he still hasn't managed to break any of them. The only thing he's broken are (cheapo) headphones because he keeps pulling the wire. He has a cheapo chinese handheld, and has dropped it and his little brother has stepped on it and all sorts of things, it still works fine.

It takes a lot to break a device. The easiest thing to break is the screen, but that's not easy either because all the plastic around it prevents it from taking a direct hit.

In order to break the hinge on the 3DS you have to actually try to do it. It's not likely to happen by accident.

Drop a DS when it's open and there's a good chance of something breaking. Also, you underestimate parents. They'll see the different models and as soon as they realize that
A. this is cheaper
B. does not have the "potentially harmful" or at least "scary new" feature
C does the same thing
They'll be much more likely to buy this thing over a normal 3DS. And while 5 year olds don't need 3DSes, they don't need iPhones and iPads either and yet there's a surprising amount of kids with one.

 

[orcid]

Exactly the people that don't know how to turn off or restrict the 3D are a bunch of rejects

For a child it's a big difference if something is restricted with parental control or is simply not available. Parents can buy the 2ds and the children won't complain that the parents forbid the 3D function. Also it's cheaper because of the lack of 3D. So it is a good deal.

 

[Parasite X]

I understand that the average parent doesn't think about that, but then if they know about the 3D being potentially dangerous to small children shouldn't they also know they can turn it off?
It seems to me Nintendo needs to market this feature rather than create a new device.

That's exactly my point, they could have used this opportunity to release a duel analog style 3DS with slightly more advanced features. The 2DS is pointless.

 

[Isaac]

I don't like it for 5 reasons. 1, Its ugly. 2, I prefer the clamshell design that makes it more portable. 3, They removed the 3d, which seem like a step backwards. 4, I believe the screen will become incredibly scratched if you use it as a portable due to the fact you can't close it. 5, Its ugly.

 

[Arras]

I wonder if that stuff can be accessed through potential homebrew one day (although I somewhat doubt it), that would be pretty neat.

 

[WiiUBricker]

The only good thing about this is that 3DS games WILL LOOK BETTER in 2D than on a 3DS with disabled 3D.
I would have bought this thing if it wasn't for Nintendo to drop the clamshell design.

 

[Parasite X]

For a child it's a big difference if something is restricted with parental control or is simply not available. Parents can buy the 2ds and the children won't complain that the parents forbid the 3D function. Also it's cheaper because of the lack of 3D. So it is a good deal.

True but its still pointless in my view because the 3DS gives you the option to turn off the 3D.

 

[ViRGE]

I'm sorry Nintendo. I wanted a 2DS, but the lack of a clamshell design is a dealbreaker.

Agreed in full. All I wanted was a 3DS without the 3D screen and the heavy battery life penalty it imposes. I'm glad Nintendo has the sense to realize that 3D isn't for everyone, but then they had to go and screw up the rest of the console's design.

 

[SolidSnake95]

I have this disturbing sense that Nintendo will eventually just make their games 2D...

 

[weavile001]

I have this disturbing sense that Nintendo will eventually just make their games 2D...

....what do you mean?

 

[blaisedinsd]

This basically sums it up. This is not a bad move by Nintendo at all even if many of you are laughing at it and hating on it.

If current 3DS owners look at the 2DS and think “Wow, that thing is dumb and I don’t want it,” I don’t think Nintendo much cares about that. The point is getting a different group of people into the DS ecosystem. Nintendo could drop the 3DS price by a few dollars, but it’s a much better idea to redesign the whole thing and ditch the elements that keep the price high and the margin low.