No, you’re not looking at a sleek new Game Gear prototype. Meet the Nintendo 2DS, which isn’t a typo, but rather the newest addition to Nintendo’s portable console family. In an interview with Kotaku, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime explained, “This is an entry-level handheld gaming system.” But is America’s body ready?
While it may look like a particularly slender piece of cake (or a ramp, for your Tech Decks), there is no funfetti inside Nintendo’s new 2DS handheld console. Essentially, it’s the 3DS without the 3D. The device is compatible with all existing 3DS and DS games, and its screens are the same size as the original 3DS, but the upper screen won’t render 3D graphics. Interestingly enough, the system’s two outward-facing cameras can still take photos and video in 3D, which you can save to a memory card to transfer to a stereoscopic 3D-capable device.
Set to launch in North America on October 12, which is also the same day that the hotly anticipated Pokemon X and Y come out, the 2DS will retail for $129.99 and comes in a red or blue colorway, which we like to think is a nice shoutout to the original US Pokemon releases. The system is also set to launch in Europe, but no news about a Japanese release at this time. At $40 cheaper than the 3DS and $70 cheaper than the 3DS XL (and the newly priced PS Vita too), the system offers up an affordable alternative for cash-strapped families who still want to buy a console for themselves or their kids this holiday season. Whether it’ll find its market, though, is another matter entirely and one we’ll be keeping a close eye on. In the meantime, here’s Reggie demonstrating how much fun you can have with the current 3DS.
See how much fun he’s having? In other Nintendo news, the company is dropping the price of its flagship Wii U console to $299.99 and offering up a swanky The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD bundle this October, exclusively at GameStop.
The bundle includes a custom black 32GB Wii U console and a download code for Wind Waker HD. So, what do you think, guys? Could the 2DS be another Game Boy Micro-style fiasco? Is Nintendo doing enough to keep up with Sony and Microsoft? How sweet does that Wind Waker Wii U look? Let us know what you think in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter.
I read somewhere that is is more for the younger gamer ,since kids eyes don’t respond to 3-D as well as an adult . But everyone knows you can just turn of the 3-D on the 3DS . I guess it is connected to the Pokemon release (which I am waiting for with anticipation ) ,and could be a way to sell more games .
Am I nuts, or is “colorway” one of the most ridiculous and unnecessary words in the English language?
… and the world said, “meh.”