Hardware What's After the 3DS?

[Kioku]

Why is that?



I was trying to be the optimist, not likely predict what would happen if current Nintendo tried their hand at it.

..because gaming on a phone is an atrocity. Nothing Nintendo, or any other company, can do will fix that.

 

[Foxi4]

..because gaming on a phone is an atrocity. Nothing Nintendo, or any other company, can do will fix that.

What's the problem in adding the functionality to the handheld? The form factor is almost identical, I don't see a problem at all. People are already carrying their 3DS'es around in Sleep Mode to StreetPass, I don't see how adding a GSM module would make matters any different. "Playing on a phone is an atrocity" because it doesn't have gaming controls, should Nintendo release a phone with said controls, you wouldn't see the difference.

 

[Kioku]

What's the problem in adding the functionality to the handheld? The form factor is almost identical, I don't see a problem at all. People are already carrying their 3DS'es around in Sleep Mode to StreetPass, I don't see how adding a GSM module would make matters any different. "Playing on a phone is an atrocity" because it doesn't have gaming controls, should Nintendo release a phone with said controls, you wouldn't see the difference.

Uhh, okay? I mean touch screen. It doesn't work. Now, if they were to do something akin to the Nvidia Shield handheld? Then maybe it'd be alright... or I guess if they made their own phone with the ability to play games. Wouldn't that be desperation though?

My point was that the phone "gaming" market is just something to do while on the toilet or waiting at the DMV. My understanding was that Nintendo would enter the phone gaming market the same way as say.. Sega.. Just putting games on the Play Store, or Apple's App Store. NOT create a piece of hardware to compete in that market. Then it would just be a mess. An interesting, somewhat cute mess.

 

[vahnx]

I like the idea of a handheld/console hybrid. I've always wanted something like that since I had my original game boy and a super nintendo. The only thing I can see being a problem is power consumption and portability. Maybe it could still work similar to how those dell/hybrid tablet type thingies work by giving you just some functionality but then when plugged into a base station you get the full desktop.

 

[Doran754]

I don't think they have anywhere else to go other than back to the "GameBoy" franchise. I firmly believe the "Wii-U" would have sold like hotcakes if it had the SNES name in there. If they go back to the GameBoy name, kids from the late 80/90's will probably flock to buy it.

 

[Foxi4]

Uhh, okay? I mean touch screen. It doesn't work. Now, if they were to do something akin to the Nvidia Shield handheld? Then maybe it'd be alright... or I guess if they made their own phone with the ability to play games. Wouldn't that be desperation though?

Smartphones will overtake dedicated handhelds eventually, just like they overtook MP3/MP4 players, PDA's and PNA's in the past. The mobile gaming market is already huge and it's hard not to see the potential there - Nintendo could easily release a "gaming-oriented handset" in the future instead of just a handheld console. In fact, they've already experimented with that in the past, but the technology wasn't quite there (they were developing a gaming smartphone hand-in-hand with Nokia, but the talks fell through during the design stages). Sony already dabbled in this sort of thing with the Xperia Play, but it didn't work out very well due to how fast the smartphone market evolves right now. If Nintendo or anyone else wants to develop a gaming phone, it would have to be based on their own exclusive environment so that it doesn't become obsolete as soon as the next wave of phones comes out.

 

[WiiCube_2013]

I'm thinking a One Screen HD Handheld.

The Wii U GamePad is kinda that, except it doesn't display HD graphics.

Let me think of games that are GamePad-only...

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (you can use the TV to see the game but in terms of controllers only the GamePad is permitted)
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse (gorgeous clay HD graphics but your eyes are always glued to the GamePad)
Mario Maker
Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars
Marvel's Avengers: Battle for Earth (this is literally a smartphone game and that's not good)
Scribblenauts Unlimited
Scribblenauts Unmasked

There's probably more.

 

[Jiehfeng]

The Wii U GamePad is kinda that, except it doesn't display HD graphics.

Let me think of games that are GamePad-only...

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (you can use the TV to see the game but in terms of controllers only the GamePad is permitted)
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse (gorgeous clay HD graphics but your eyes are always glued to the GamePad)
Mario Maker
Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars
Marvel's Avengers: Battle for Earth (this is literally a smartphone game and that's not good)
Scribblenauts Unlimited
Scribblenauts Unmasked

There's probably more.

Kinda?
Anyways, I mean something maybe, a bit smaller? With a few Nintendo's Gimmicks (TRADEMARKTRADEMARKTRADEMARK) and a HD touch screen of some sort, it could be Nintendo's PSVita, but a bit better. I Don't think Ninty will go double or triple screen again.

 

[Foxi4]

I would prefer if Nintendo keeps the dual screen format, not so much because of the two screens, rather because of the clamshell design that comes with it. Portable consoles, as the name suggests, are portable - a clamshell design is perfect for protecting the system from dust or any harm. An exposed screen and controls spells trouble when it comes to carrying the system in your pocket, at least if you don't have a case for it.

 

[Blaze163]

Provided whatever it is gets a decent Starfox game, I couldn't give a rat's ass.

 

[weatMod]

1st: Single screen for years till the GBA era
2nd: Dual screen for 10+ years (DS till N3DS)
It's only natural the next one will have Triple Screens

Unless they go the Curved way , then the can milk 3DS a bit more.
N3DS Curved (only in XL format)

No 3 top screens and 1 bottom screen
Or the top screen is a flexible 3d oled display that once opened can be curved

 

[vahnx]

I don't think they have anywhere else to go other than back to the "GameBoy" franchise. I firmly believe the "Wii-U" would have sold like hotcakes if it had the SNES name in there. If they go back to the GameBoy name, kids from the late 80/90's will probably flock to buy it.

I'd buy a new Game Boy in a heartbeat! Or what if the Wii U 2 was called the Super Wii or something of that ilk? I'm sure that would help move consoles (as silly as it sounds).

 

[FAST6191]

Smartphones will overtake dedicated handhelds eventually, just like they overtook MP3/MP4 players, PDA's and PNA's in the past. The mobile gaming market is already huge and it's hard not to see the potential there - Nintendo could easily release a "gaming-oriented handset" in the future instead of just a handheld console. In fact, they've already experimented with that in the past, but the technology wasn't quite there (they were developing a gaming smartphone hand-in-hand with Nokia, but the talks fell through during the design stages). Sony already dabbled in this sort of thing with the Xperia Play, but it didn't work out very well due to how fast the smartphone market evolves right now. If Nintendo or anyone else wants to develop a gaming phone, it would have to be based on their own exclusive environment so that it doesn't become obsolete as soon as the next wave of phones comes out.

Is the phone market still moving that fast though? There was a clear and demonstrable difference between the earlier phones one could do more than phone, sms and snake on and, say, the iphone 4, beyond that we seem to have entered a bit of a "replace when I drop it or the battery dies" stage, to say nothing of the difficulty in buying smaller phones of quality these days (though this is more of a market issue) which has also seen people retain phones for longer.

Back on topic I really would be happy with Nintendo being another andrios developer with a branded/consulted device, a la DVD players, but that might be a different discussion. I had hoped it would happen for consoles in a consumer/practical sense (development wise it does seem to be getting closer) but that will probably not happen before home consoles die/morph into something unrecognisable to today's offerings.

 

[weatMod]

I would prefer if Nintendo keeps the dual screen format, not so much because of the two screens, rather because of the clamshell design that comes with it. Portable consoles, as the name suggests, are portable - a clamshell design is perfect for protecting the system from dust or any harm. An exposed screen and controls spells trouble when it comes to carrying the system in your pocket, at least if you don't have a case for it.

Yes exactly this ,going back to one screen design would be a step backward
The bottom screen is useful in games like Zelda for maps and secondary screens like item screens
I just can't fucking stand it when Nintendo experiments with the touch screen for input controls
Its nothing but a stupid gimmick and it ruins otherwise good games like Mario 64ds Metroid prime hunters kid Icarus and phantom hourglass all would have been better without retarded touch screen control schemes I hope Nintendo finally realized this now and don't produce anymore of that crap
Would be nice if they found even release a patch for KI maybe if they ever release DS games on eshop they can offer alternative controlled for games like metroid prime hunters and Mario 64ds
They finally got things right with games like OOT3d ALBW and MM3d
Touch controls are goofy and awkward as fuck and don't work well at all

 

[gudenau]

I hope for 64 bit arm with more ram and a better screen/GPU. They also need bigger batteries...

 

[Queno138]

New 2DS Lite.
Smaller screens, compact like a phone,
boasting similar specs and similar battery life.


Then next unit will be the 4DS.
Vibrating hand held console, so surreal experience.

 

[weatMod]

Is the phone market still moving that fast though? There was a clear and demonstrable difference between the earlier phones one could do more than phone, sms and snake on and, say, the iphone 4, beyond that we seem to have entered a bit of a "replace when I drop it or the battery dies" stage, to say nothing of the difficulty in buying smaller phones of quality these days (though this is more of a market issue) which has also seen people retain phones for longer.

Back on topic I really would be happy with Nintendo being another andrios developer with a branded/consulted device, a la DVD players, but that might be a different discussion. I had hoped it would happen for consoles in a consumer/practical sense (development wise it does seem to be getting closer) but that will probably not happen before home consoles die/morph into something unrecognisable to today's offerings.

Never played games on a pions or tablet I think the whole concept sucks
Touch screen control are fucking shit,they will always be shit
I don't want to use shitty touch screen controls nor do I want to use some goofy fucking peripheral attachment controller that adds bulk ,I hate the ideA to phone and tablet gaming

 

[vahnx]

Yes exactly this ,going back to one screen design would be a step backward
The bottom screen is useful in games like Zelda for maps and secondary screens like item screens

It is a step backward in a sense.. but I think Nintendo should stop with the gimmickry with dual screen gaming. Yes it's handy having a map on the bottom screen on the 3DS/Wii U gamepad at a glance but isn't really necessary and is just a waste of battery keeping the second screens powered.

Now thankfully Nintendo fixed the 3D for the most recent DS models because I was thinking 3D was just a fad up until now. What I would like to see (as mentioned earlier) is a single unit that works as both a handheld and a home console with a single touch-enabled screen that is more precise and possibly capacitive versus resistive. And of course.. keep the physical controls. The last thing we want is a console that's a phone.

 

[darkangel5000]

Yeah I left out the Light since it was Japan only and I was just using NA dates. I also completely forgot about the SP with the backlight, I'll throw it in now. I also left out Colored game boy because it wasn't really much a change but I might as well be consistent.

I would change out the Play it loud-edition for the GB Light, since the PiL didn't add new features and is comparable to the (LE) color variations of the 3DS/DS/GBA

 

[_v3]

The New 3DS and New 3DS XL were technically released in 2014 (Japan and Australia).
Judging by the fact that the release of new hardware is now yearly, we can expect a New 2DS this year, maybe early next year.

 

[magypsy3]

Maybe 2 3D and widescreens