Hardware Nintendo 3DS upgrade - Worth it ?

[TheZoc]

Hey guys,

I have for a few years now an awesome Nintendo DS Lite. I really love it, and I still play on it very much (it really shortens my trip between university and some other distant places).

I was considering if it's worth to upgrade my system to a Nintendo 3DS. Of course, I live in Brazil, and getting an unit here is complete madness, but I found out some people selling their 3DS, and that might be useful. So, the questions:

- Is 3DS indeed a great portable console ?
- Are 3DS games worth it ? Or there are just old games displayed in 3d (Zelda, SF4, etc.)
- Is there any problems of buying an used unit ? (I mean, is there anything that's stored inside it that can be a problem to buy an used unit? Of course, the scratches and stuff is the obvious thing, I'm wondering for the non-obvious stuff.)
- Other than the missing GBA port from NDS Lite, is there anything else that is incompatible/unsupported ?
- Is the battery life as good as NDS Lite ?
- Is there an upgrade planned to the current 3DS? ( Like the NDS -> NDSL -> NDSi ? )
- Any advices that you may give me regarding Nintendo 3DS?

Thank you in advance!

 

[DroRox]

Personally I really like 3DS games. I think it's worth it.
As for backwards compability:
GBA not supported (duh), all NDS games supportes, some DSiWare tranferrable.
The battery life is durable if you're in power saver and dont always use the 3D feature.
As for an upgrade to the current 3DS: it's speculated. You see we have proven that there is an attachment in Japan for the current 3DS that adds another slide pad on the ABXY side of the handheld. It is speculated this will be built in in a later moodel.

 

[chris888222]

- Is 3DS indeed a great portable console ?
To me, yes. It is great. I don't find any console bad in particular actually.

- Are 3DS games worth it ? Or there are just old games displayed in 3d (Zelda, SF4, etc.)
There are many exclusives coming out, most in 2012. For now the library seems bleak, but it'll change starting this holiday.

- Is there any problems of buying an used unit ? (I mean, is there anything that's stored inside it that can be a problem to buy an used unit? Of course, the scratches and stuff is the obvious thing, I'm wondering for the non-obvious stuff.)
Not really, just check his ambassador eligibility!

- Other than the missing GBA port from NDS Lite, is there anything else that is incompatible/unsupported ?
DS games utilizing the GBA port, that's all.

- Is the battery life as good as NDS Lite ?
On paper not really, but mine lasted about 7 - 9 hours.

- Is there an upgrade planned to the current 3DS? ( Like the NDS -> NDSL -> NDSi ? )
No. Despite so many speculations saying that the second redesign will have two sticks, there has been no exact confirmation. Plus, Nintendo themselves did say they made too many redesigns for the DS.

- Any advices that you may give me regarding Nintendo 3DS?
Buy the 3DS for the games, not favoritism. also, get a screen protector.

 

[Thesolcity]

3DS is about 3-5 hours battery.

 

[chris888222]

3DS is about 3-5 hours battery.

He was probably referring to 2D content as he pointed DS Lite, which lasted me 7 - 9 hours.

3D content for me is about 4 - 5.5 hours

 

[PriMieon]

the 3ds is a great device but low battery

but if you are willing to pay 15 $ then you could buy this... the battery will hold like 10 hours then

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Pak-Nintendo-3...0615&sr=8-3

if you get a 3ds you will still be able to play you dslite game...
i got one and love it

 

[kevan]

3DS will be worth it.
Current lineup no.
Future lineup FUCK YEAH!

 

[SpaceJump]

3DS is definitly worth it. The current lineup is weak, but we get some great games this holiday and more great games next year. And this is just the beginning. The future seems bright

EDIT:

the 3ds is a great device but low battery

but if you are willing to pay 15 $ then you could buy this... the battery will hold like 10 hours then

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Pak-Nintendo-3...0615&sr=8-3

Does anyone know a good place to buy/order one of these in Germany?

 

[pachura]

Just wait. Don't buy 3DS now.

Contrary to what fanboys will be saying, 3DS is not by any means "a great portable console". It is just ok, but feels rushed and not well-thought in some aspects: battery life is disappointing, online features suck, camera quality sucks, DS games are unsharp when emulated, there are the "loose hinge" and "screen scratching" problems. Screen resolution and GPU capabilities are mediocre by today's standards. A new revision with 2 slidepads & slightly bigger screen is unevitable, so I would at least wait for it.

On the other hand, even not-so-great hardware could by saved by fantastic games (see DS triumphing over PSP). The problem is that right now, there are only 2 must-haves for 3DS: Zelda and DOA. Maybe also Starfox. The rest are either lousy ports (Rayman, Asphalt, Sims, Monkey Ball...), lack content (Resident Evil, Pilotwings...) or are not worth their price (Steel Diver, Dream Trigger, Puzzle Bobble...). The last time I checked, there was only one dedicated 3DS game you could buy online. AR games - you will play them for a week and then never come back.

Plus, the PSVita is coming soon and it seems that Sony got it right this time. 2 analog nubs from the beginning, great graphical capabilities (think PS3 vs. Wii), much better screen (higher resolution, AMOLED). No region locking. Probably video playing capabilities from start (3DS cannot play your own videos). "Uncharted" available at launch. Obviously, I can only judge by the specs released on the web, as PSVita has not yet been released. But I would at least wait for its initial reviews because it might turn out to be a better choice. Granted, it won't have the 3D effect, but many 3DS owners admit they turn it off after the initial "wow!!!", as it's easier to play and not so eye-tiring.

 

[chris888222]

@TheZoc

Yes OP, there are some points in Pachura's post that you really need to consider. I was just merely answering your questions and didn't focus on this.

The largest problem with DS games on the 3DS is that it's 'cloudy' and not sharp, thanks to higher resolution screens. (Nintendo tried their best to correct it, with outdated methods obviously).

The 3DS will get the second stick (and additional two triggers). But only a few games utilize it and it's bulky. It would never fit your pocket. Consider why people don't want a DSi XL.

The Vita is region free and has two thumb sticks built in straight. According to online, people also say that it's awfully light. 3DS on the other hand is region locked for 3DS/DSi software, but region free for DS games.

@Pachura

Vita doesn't have an AMOLED display. It's just ordinary OLED. They are different. Also the Vita battery life is also pretty disappointing (and Sony promises an external battery - likely to be overpriced like their storage formats).

EDIT: One large thing I forgot to mention, the 3DS has a really bad online system. It's better than the DS, but still worse than expectations. Connection speeds are noticeably faster and only one friend code is needed, but the browser somewhat lags and friend codes are still a hassle (drastically improved though). What i'm most disappointed in: the eShop. The eShop is a mess and only has DSiWare being the majority (which btw has already been released on the DSi Shop).

 

[jalaneme]

- Is 3DS indeed a great portable console ?
it's ok but battery life is a problem also i wouldn't use the 3ds as a standard mp3 player because of the headphone placement
- Are 3DS games worth it ? Or there are just old games displayed in 3d (Zelda, SF4, etc.)
so far the launch game zelda is a portable remake, if you have never played zelda oot before then great but otherwise you are not missing anything, super street fighter 4 3D is just a port of the console version, nothing new, starfox 64 is just a remake again if you have played it before there is nothing new, there is nothing worth buying on the 3ds till november and 2012 onwards so if you buy one you will be starved of games unless you continue playing ds games till new 3ds games come out
- Is there any problems of buying an used unit ? (I mean, is there anything that's stored inside it that can be a problem to buy an used unit? Of course, the scratches and stuff is the obvious thing, I'm wondering for the non-obvious stuff.)
not really, but have a look at the top screen before you buy, there is a design flaw that over time closing the 3ds will leave a straight hairline streak on both sides of the side of the screen, this is deadly when the previous owner hasn't use a screen protector, so take note of that.
- Other than the missing GBA port from NDS Lite, is there anything else that is incompatible/unsupported ?
if you play guitar hero on your ds lite you won't be able to on a 3ds also you get black borders when playing ds games, i don't know if there is a way to get rid of them, maybe someone on here can elaborate.
- Is the battery life as good as NDS Lite ?
simple answer, no, max 5 hours so you need to bring the charger with you if you plan on going out for long periods or use a battery pack.
- Is there an upgrade planned to the current 3DS? ( Like the NDS -> NDSL -> NDSi ? )
with the hideous 2nd analog stick attachment and the very expected new colours and limited editions (remember games you download from the eshop are tied to your console) i would wisely recommend you wait, i know it will be a long wait till nintendo announce the inevitable redesign but it will save you money in the long run (selling your current model at a loss and buying the redesign is a costly mistake) just buy a dsi XL and enjoy much better screens, much better sound, and much better everything and it's a bit cheaper than a 3ds i am sure you would be able to find the dsi xl second hand somewhere.
- Any advices that you may give me regarding Nintendo 3DS?
yes, don't buy it right now, save your money, also think about how you are going to afford 3ds games, i have heard how expensive games are in brazil compared to other countries
Thank you in advance!

answers in bold.

 

[chris888222]

Best answer for you, if you intend to get a 3DS just for DS games, it's not worth it. The backwards compatibility is there, but it's just not worth it.

 

[Luigi2012SM64DS]

I think you should wait till the confreance on tuesday to see if their gonna re model the 3ds. in the mean time get the SCDS2 to enjoy some gba and snes games you always wanted to play and to kill some time

 

[TheZoc]

Whoa, thank you for all the replies!

For the color itself... Well, I just like Black. My loved NDSL is black, and I wouldn't change it at all.
Also, I don't like DSiXL... it's too big. =/

- Is there any problems of buying an used unit ? (I mean, is there anything that's stored inside it that can be a problem to buy an used unit? Of course, the scratches and stuff is the obvious thing, I'm wondering for the non-obvious stuff.)
Not really, just check his ambassador eligibility!
How do I check for that ? I mean.. those who got it, awesome! but, even if they bought before the ambassador date, if they didnt download/activate it, they lost, right ?

the 3ds is a great device but low battery

but if you are willing to pay 15 $ then you could buy this... the battery will hold like 10 hours then

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Pak-Nintendo-3...0615&sr=8-3

if you get a 3ds you will still be able to play you dslite game...
i got one and love it

I wish... Amazon dont ship electronic stuff to Brazil.

Plus, the PSVita is coming soon and it seems that Sony got it right this time.

About vita... well.. it's powerful.. but.. meh... I didn't like PSP games. It was a powerful unit, but games lacked that "portability" thing. They weren't fun for me.
Anytime you'd ask "ok, tell me the good PSP games", it's always the same "FUCK, IT HAVE GOD OF WAR!!1". And then, what ? I'm buying a multi-games console, not a one-game-console. It's always the same answer, god of war.
I don't see it being different with Vita. Some features are exciting - just like PSP was - but in the end, it failed hard to deliver the most important thing: Fun. Nintendo excels at that.

***** Please, I'm not willing to start a 3ds x vita discussion here! I'm just exposing that, even playing with emulators, PS1 games, etc. I didn't like the PSP. I have one gathering dust here. It's just that, let's not turn this into a 3ds x vita topic!*****

QUOTE(MarioandLuigi150 @ Sep 17 2011, 02:23 PM)

I think you should wait till the confreance on tuesday to see if their gonna re model the 3ds. in the mean time get the SCDS2 to enjoy some gba and snes games you always wanted to play and to kill some time

Conference ? I'm not aware of this, can you give me more details about it, please?
This now just made me nervous.

=====

I'm willing to get the 3ds for the reasons:
- I need to buy another DS unit. I'm willing to gift it. So I thought "Why not gift mine, that's in perfect condition, and get a 3ds for myself?". Might sound hard to believe, but my ds is indeed like new, even after a few years of use. If it's worth upgrading, why not?
- I don't plan on spending more than US$110 on a new unit. And I found out that I can buy one used 3ds unit in about that price.
- I have a month or so to decide either buying a DS Lite or an used 3DS. I need to add the shipping time into that.

Also, I'd love to play zelda and starfox for 3ds. I know they're remakes of N64, but I never actually completed any of the 2 games (I blame my younger brother deleting my save games QQ)

Thank you a LOT for your replies! Please, keep your opinions coming. They're of great use to help me deciding if I should buy or not a 3DS!

Edit: Can I play a DS Multiplayer game using a NDSL and a 3DS ?
AKA: Can I join NDS multiplayer sessions using a 3DS ?

 

[chris888222]

If you plan to invest some $$ on 3DS software and some really entice you, then why not? You can play your DS games on it as well.

Since you don't like the XL, and if you don't mind cloudy displays on your DS games, then I'd suggest 3DS. If you're picky on the graphics, then meh. DSi

EDIT: To answer to your question, YES IT CAN. FYI the DS games even utilize the 3DS analog stick for controlling.

 

[TheZoc]

Can you tell me more about the ambassador program ?
Do you need to have activated it before a specific date, or there's a serial number of some sorts that grants old 3DS the ability to get into the ambassador program?

 

[chris888222]

Can you tell me more about the ambassador program ?
Do you need to have activated it before a specific date, or there's a serial number of some sorts that grants old 3DS the ability to get into the ambassador program?

If the 3DS is logged into the eShop or has a firmware update performed before a date (I forgot when was it) then you'll be eligible.

But being sold at such a low price, i don't think it is eligible.

 

[Zorua]

Can you tell me more about the ambassador program ?
Do you need to have activated it before a specific date, or there's a serial number of some sorts that grants old 3DS the ability to get into the ambassador program?

You can't access it now, because to get into it, you had to access the shop at least once before the 14th of August or something.

 

[indask8]

Can you tell me more about the ambassador program ?
Do you need to have activated it before a specific date, or there's a serial number of some sorts that grants old 3DS the ability to get into the ambassador program?

You can't access it now, because to get into it, you had to access the shop at least once before the 14th of August or something.

If he bought his 3DS before the 14th of august, he might still be able to access the ambassador program, but he will need to mail Nintendo with proof of purchase, the "how to" is normally explained on the official Nintendo website.

 

[pachura]

I don't see it being different with Vita. Some features are exciting - just like PSP was - but in the end, it failed hard to deliver the most important thing: Fun. Nintendo excels at that.

Currently 3DS is exactly in the same stage as early PSP was: most games are straight ports; there are no must-haves or games really exploiting 3DS features in smart, innovative ways.