ZellSF wrote:It makes sense (outside of the name), yes, but it's still hilarious.
Octopod: I'm guessing for most people, having an open exposed screen when not in use will result in more scratches. Yeah you can buy a case, but then the appeal of this being a budget version lessens a bit.
The size may be a factor for some people but I suspect a lot of folks never really take their handhelds outside of the house. The cases for them are only 13 bucks anyhow though. If you actual game on the go youre probably right about them be more likely to scratch up.
I think it looks really bad from an aesthetic viewpoint. Also, there was an opportunity for two circle pads considering the available surface area that would have made it a more desirable commodity - can't believe it's not there... again.
It feels like a poor move from Nintendo, mainly because of the design, smaller screens and no added functionality to justify not saving $40 more and buying a sleeker original 3DS, which it's worth noting, can also be played in 2D making it friendly for kids.
Skykid wrote:...original 3DS, which it's worth noting, can also be played in 2D making it friendly for kids.
Hey, 5 year old.. make sure you're playing that in 2D! (walks away)
Parental controls.
The 2DS is probably partially aimed at parents too lazy to figure out how to set parental controls.
Which you can do if you want to give a 3DS to a 5 year old.
Ha, seriously? That's cool, didn't know you could do that since it has a physical slider.
And Skykid.. 5, yeah for sure. There are plenty of age appropriate games. You ever drive across country with a pair of 5 year olds in the back seat? They are actually 7 now but they've beaten all the DS Mario, Kirby, etc games inside out.
Last edited by brentsg on Wed Aug 28, 2013 8:48 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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brentsg wrote:
And Skykid.. 5, yeah for sure. There are plenty of age appropriate games. You ever drive across country with a pair of 5 year olds in the back seat? They are actually 7 now but they've beaten all the DS Mario, Kirby, etc games inside out.
I dunno really, was an honest question. I don't have kids, but I probably wouldn't consider buying a new console until they're old enough to start stamping their feet for expensive goods. I've seen young ones toying with rudimentary stuff on parent's ipads and smartphones, and I get that, but maybe 5 year olds are more technically inclined than I'm giving them credit for.
If you have an incredible income, I guess it makes little difference though, toys are toys. Personally I'd be cheap and buy them books and footballs so I have enough cash to buy videogames for myself.
The real headscratcher for me is the shape. Probably less likely to break than a hinge if a kid drops it, but still. It's [relatively] big.
Also, I'd feel sorry for someone trying to play Mario 3D Land on one though, some of the jumps are a right son of a bitch without depth perception [especially since the camera is intentionally a bit ass at those times...].
Come check out my website, I guess. Random stuff I've worked on over the last two decades.
brentsg wrote:
And Skykid.. 5, yeah for sure. There are plenty of age appropriate games. You ever drive across country with a pair of 5 year olds in the back seat? They are actually 7 now but they've beaten all the DS Mario, Kirby, etc games inside out.
I dunno really, was an honest question. I don't have kids, but I probably wouldn't consider buying a new console until they're old enough to start stamping their feet for expensive goods. I've seen young ones toying with rudimentary stuff on parent's ipads and smartphones, and I get that, but maybe 5 year olds are more technically inclined than I'm giving them credit for.
If you have an incredible income, I guess it makes little difference though, toys are toys. Personally I'd be cheap and buy them books and footballs so I have enough cash to buy videogames for myself.
At that age, all their friends have Nintendo stuff and they are starting to get curious about a cell phone. Mine now have friends who bring their iPhones to summer camp, so they don't understand why they can't have one. They always want to use the phones and tablets, so a DS is relatively cheap entertainment.
Regarding kids tech savvy, mine got their first PC just after they turned 7. Luckily Santa brought it, so a huge help there. We were catching some heat at school for not having one they could readily access and it is crazy what they can do.
Breaking news: Dodonpachi Developer Cave Releases Hello Kitty Game
null1024 wrote:The real headscratcher for me is the shape. Probably less likely to break than a hinge if a kid drops it, but still. It's [relatively] big.
Kids absolutely love the iPad (over an iPod Touch or iPhone). It seems the 2DS is trying to capture that overall aesthetic spirit, albeit with a more toy-like look thanks to the buttons and colors.
I am absolutely loving the internet meltdown this little device is causing. The butthurt can be heard even when your computer is turned off.
I think it will appeal to kids - or rather, parents who will be buying new game systems for kids. And this looks to be a much more attractive option for those parents than the 3DS aka "It hurts my eyes to look at this" or any of its revisions. A revision that specifically focuses on younger audiences could probably give Nintendo a much needed recapturing of its userbase.
And I love that it's a tacit acknowledgment that 3D was a failure.
My prediction: It's cheaper, and stronger than the 3DS, and is launching with pokemon. As others are saying in this thread, this is going to be a hit.
You have to understand that the 3DS for Nintendo has been largely a failure in comparison to the DS. The numbers of units sold hide the fact that the DS sold far more at a far higher-price before it got its own price cuts. The stereoscopic 3D was a failed experiment. They had to price-cut it up the ass to be marketable. I think this is a continuation of the strategy of staying relevant in the hardware manufacturing race.
Now, why not just price-cut the 3DS and XL? Nintendo didn't just "price cut" because, I think, no one essentially wants a 3DS. They're trying an image change, much like how the GBA went from "goofy-looking kid's toy" to the SP's "cool game device." The irony here is that they reverted from the clamshell instead of moving towards it, which I am still unsure of.
I would not be surprised if this was the test-run to see if a radical budget-redesign of the Wii U was possible. Lord knows it's a machine that desperately needs a rebranding right now.
brentsg wrote:
Hey, 5 year old.. make sure you're playing that in 2D! (walks away)
Parental controls.
The 2DS is probably partially aimed at parents too lazy to figure out how to set parental controls.
Which you can do if you want to give a 3DS to a 5 year old.
Ha, seriously? That's cool, didn't know you could do that since it has a physical slider.
Yeah, Nintendo has serious communication issues with their customers. I don't think naming a 3DS revision "2DS" will help.
Thinking about how much they're cutting costs on this (only one screen that's not 3D, mono speaker, no hinges) they'll probably profit massively. And get some more money from people buying cases because they don't want to scratch their screen.
I don't think the redesign was done for any other reason than cost cutting for a budget model.
As far as ergonomics are concerned, this redesign is a disaster. Imagine using the d-pad and the shoulder buttons simultaneously or playing a game that requires you to hold the DS like a book(Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, Hotel Dusk, Last Window, Planet Puzzle League(not required, but preferable), to name a few) or keeping your right thumb on the touch screen while your index fingers are occupied with the shoulder buttons(Monster Hunter 3G). Even if it`s aimed at kids, why would you want your kids to suffer so?
EmperorIng wrote:
I think it will appeal to kids - or rather, parents who will be buying new game systems for kids. experiment.
Not a the RRP they've come up with. If they put it at $80 with the equivalent €100 in europe, then it's a great alternative for the lower segment.
It's still $40-50 cheaper than the 3DS, so I think it's competitively priced - you get a 2DS and one 3DS game for the same price as a 3DS.
Jonathan Ingram wrote:As far as ergonomics are concerned, this redesign is a disaster. Imagine using the d-pad and the shoulder buttons simultaneously or playing a game that requires you to hold the DS like a book(Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, Hotel Dusk, Last Window, Planet Puzzle League(not required, but preferable), to name a few) or keeping your right thumb on the touch screen while your index fingers are occupied with the shoulder buttons(Monster Hunter 3G). Even if it`s aimed at kids, why would you want your kids to suffer so?
I think these are some valid concerns - mainly at the d-pad and its length from the shoulder buttons. However, I suspect that it would be more comfortable to hold than it looks.
The loss of some of the 'book'-esque games might be missed, but considering how I doubt we'll see any more Hotel Dusk games in the future, I'm pretty ok with shelving the format.
EmperorIng wrote:You have to understand that the 3DS for Nintendo has been largely a failure in comparison to the DS. The numbers of units sold hide the fact that the DS sold far more at a far higher-price before it got its own price cuts.
What. The DS was $150 to $200 at launch. And then down to $130 within the year. Even with the craziest, most aggressive inflation index you want to use, it wasn't close to 250 USD.
Its adoption rate is roughly the same as the DS's was. Maybe take a list of their shipping numbers, and note that they moved roughly identical units of the DS over 3 holiday seasons, what the 3DS has managed with 2?
Nintendo didn't just "price cut" because, I think, no one essentially wants a 3DS.
What. It's the only console anyone wants.
Last edited by BryanM on Fri Aug 30, 2013 10:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
PSX Vita: Slightly more popular than Color TV-Game system. Almost as successful as the Wii U.
The successor to the DS - the 3DS is going to be a hit in the US
The successor to the Wii - the WiiU is going to be a hit in the US
Whilst it's not as clear cut as that and it's got a huge pricing plus point it's as if a lot of people have forgotten that there's no guarantees. Even with Pokemon. The question is whether people have moved significantly on and whether they give a shit.
Also - the "it's cheap!" and "it's for kids" - the argument i am seeing is that this + pokemon is a cheap instant win - $130 + $40 = $170 for a 5 to 7 year old seems to be the message. That still looks like an expensive outlay for kids to me
Anyways, i guess the other disappointment if i'm honest is that i always thought there was room for a DS Micro. So a DS Micro that also played 3DS games albeit in 2D could have been something that had appeal to gamers -and- kids alike. But yeah - the design isn't for me but.... again... i'm not sure why people are taking such delight in banging the "THIS ISN'T -FOR- YOU!" drum.
"I've asked 2 experts on taking RGB screenshots...."