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New Nintendo 2DS XL - Hardware Review Thread

P

pinkurocket

Member
If the hinge really is floppy that's unfortunate. I can't tell you how much I get annoyed with my New 3DS XL hinge which is sooo loose that I just wanna take it apart and replace the shell or something. I was hoping this 2DS XL would be nice to get when the Metroid game comes out, but I guess not.

Oh well tbh the New 3DS XL is the hardware I've been the most disappointed with from Nintendo. I don't play it enough to justify getting a new system (probably the smaller N3DS), but Metroid is making me think about it at least. Well the big low res screen is my second big annoyance, which this 2DS XL doen't fix either.
 
NOLA_Gaffer

NOLA_Gaffer

Banned
It's so sad to see so many folks shitting on the 3DS. Easily my favorite handheld of all time.

I need to snap up some more N3DS cover plates before they get stupid expensive.
 
Megatron

Megatron

Member
This reminds me, I need to cancel my ore order. Just did so. Nothing against it, but I have several 3ds's already. Maybe I will pick one up down the line with a game bundled or a bf discount.
 
E

erotic grandpa

Member
NOLA_Gaffer said:
It's so sad to see so many folks shitting on the 3DS. Easily my favorite handheld of all time.

I need to snap up some more N3DS cover plates before they get stupid expensive.
Click to expand...

I think the 3DS is at a weird point where more and more releases omit the 3D altogether, or implement it poorly. For a lot of people, it's either inconvenient or just not worth it.

I'm excited to be able to play without my wrists cramping (god the N3DSXL is heavy), but I'm still going to hold onto my 3D-capable games. Games like Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, Link Between Worlds and others are all totally worth playing in full 3D.
 
WhatWeLeftBehind

WhatWeLeftBehind

Member
WolfStark said:
@Mr-Joker
The arguments are pretty awful. Every generation has an end and the 3DS is at it's end as is visible in the sales, that are a lot worse then they were with the NDS back then. Nintendos reasons are mostly emotional, not rational. Japanese companies shun the competition of the global market and it's rules, they produce a hybrid but since the Wii U flopped they don't know if they can truly focus on one platform only, so they stick to the 3DS and since the sales are declining, they produce another iteration to boost sales and to hold the old price, so the profit margin stays as big as possible or is increasing. Also Nintendo is feeling safe at the moment, because there is no real competition even though there is the Vita but everything is settled and Sony doesn't make any move, so no problem there.

The install base sounds good but as said above, every old hardware has a (way) higher install base, so that's usual. The price is an argument but it has nothing to do with parents but people in general. The idea that Handhelds would be mainly for children is rather strange. As if 60-70 million handheld owners with dozens of games each would be children. Pokèmon as a brand is a good argument but not old games. They are already released, it's not like you need to hold a platform alive for games you already released and sold. And regarding the mobility: Let's be honest, we are living in a time of netbooks and tablets. And people don't have an issue throwing them in their bags.
Click to expand...

Let's try this in graph form then, to get it through your thick skull.

From the great Daniel Ahmad's twitter:
DCsov0-XsAAxhS-.jpg


Funny that you're the one talking about the argument being emotional. Ever heard of pot meet kettle? Guess what, you're the kettle.
 
T

takoyaki

Member
Nintendo World Report 8.5/10
Overall, I was quite impressed with the New Nintendo 2DS XL. It is a slimmer model with XL screens that can easily fit in a bag or pocket but still has all the power of the New 3DS line. There are certainly things they could have done better, the stylus and position of the AR Cameras to start. If you want more premium materials and 3D effects, I suggest staying with the New 3DS XL but it's hard to be disappointed with this new version. It is sleek, fun looking and a reminder of the Nintendo 3DS' huge game library.
Click to expand...

Destructoid
Not the best of its kind, but still pretty great [...]

Keeping in mind that it's $50 (plus the cost of a charger) cheaper than the New 3DS XL, I'd say that many of its drawbacks are an acceptable trade-off if you're upgrading from an older 2DS or 3DS, or if you're picking up a console in its family for the very first time. If you've already got a New 3DS, however, you'll see little reason to upgrade.
Click to expand...
 
W

WolfStark

Member
HarMGM said:
Let's try this in graph form then, to get it through your thick skull.

From the great Daniel Ahmad's twitter:
DCsov0-XsAAxhS-.jpg


Funny that you're the one talking about the argument being emotional. Ever heard of pot meet kettle? Guess what, you're the kettle.
Click to expand...

I don't think that is how the phrase works, however you are ignoring the arguments. You point to the revenue, which is nice but my argument were a bit broader than that, like the sales of the hardware. I never said that you aren't making money with the branche, I said that it's at the end of it's lifetime, because the hardware sales are low and they are a lot lower than they were at the same time in the last generation. That's not emotional, that's objective.
 
R

ReplacementPelican

Member
HarMGM said:
Let's try this in graph form then, to get it through your thick skull.

From the great Daniel Ahmad's twitter:
DCsov0-XsAAxhS-.jpg


Funny that you're the one talking about the argument being emotional. Ever heard of pot meet kettle? Guess what, you're the kettle.
Click to expand...
Not only did you ignore his main arguments but this is one of the most irrationally rude posts I've read on Gaf. 'Get through your thick skull.' Jesus Christ dude we're talking about video games here.

On topic. Have one of these pre-ordered but may just buy a New 3DSXL later.
 
WhatWeLeftBehind

WhatWeLeftBehind

Member
WolfStark said:
I don't think that is how the phrase works, however you are ignoring the arguments. You point to the revenue, which is nice but my argument were a bit broader than that, like the sales of the hardware. I never said that you aren't making money with the branche, I said that it's at the end of it's lifetime, because the hardware sales are low and they are a lot lower than they were at the same time in the last generation. That's not emotional, that's objective.
Click to expand...

Nice try but you were arguing for the 3DS line to come to an end based on unit sales. Guess what, that also involves the amount of revenue a given platform makes. It doesn't matter that the 3DS's unit sales are lower then the DS at the same point in the generation.

You know why? Because the 3DS is the pillar that accounts for 51% of all revenue made in the past fiscal year. Something the Switch has yet to catch up on and which in turn gives Nintendo ample reason to keep supporting it.

And those are all facts too. So no, I didn't ignore your arguments. Your arguments call for an end to a platform that isn't selling as well as its predecessor, but still makes quite a bit of money. You want the 3DS to end? Fine, but ignoring the revenue point makes your argument emotional. Regardless of the facts that you're bringing along.

But like I said, nice try.

Not only did you ignore his main arguments but this is one of the most irrationally rude posts I've read on Gaf. 'Get through your thick skull.' Jesus Christ dude we're talking about video games here.
Click to expand...
Oh please, give me a break. I've seen way worse on this forum and all of that came from discussing video games as well.
 
W

WillyFive

Member
moltonasty said:
They did. It might not be in stock anymore but u can still get it second hand or refurbished easily.

I'm hoping they do a final 3ds revision, as I love the 3D effect. Sucks cuz I like the look of the 2ds but without that feature I won't pick one up.
Click to expand...

Having to pay $200 for a secondhand one (one that originally came out for $99 at retail) on eBay is not exactly what I consider easily.
 
M

mrk8885

Banned
I like the looks of this thing....but I own a n3ds and a n3dsxl so I suppose getting this is unnecessary lol.


Also why can't Nintendo fix this ongoing hinge issue? Drives me nuts.
 
M

Minions

Member
Wouldn't be surprised if they start taking the choice away from you soon. I feel like soon they will stop production on the 3ds models entirely and just leave this 2ds model on the market soon along side the switch. Probably a good idea to lock in now if you want a new 3ds or new 3ds XL.
 
G

GamerJM

Banned
I'm mostly curious about how the buttons/d-pad feel. This is always the number 1 thing in determining what model of a handheld I use.

I have it preordered for the collection but I'm probably just gonna use it a couple times as a novelty and remain using my New 3DS XL since that'll probably be the superior system.
 
C

Creamium

shut uuuuuuuuuuuuuuup
I played around with the 2DS XL today at a post E3 event and the hinge is sloppy indeed. Also not impressed with those screens. I'm used to the New 3DS and this model feels pretty cheap in comparison.
 
UltimaKilo

UltimaKilo

Gold Member
WolfStark said:
I don't think that is how the phrase works, however you are ignoring the arguments. You point to the revenue, which is nice but my argument were a bit broader than that, like the sales of the hardware. I never said that you aren't making money with the branche, I said that it's at the end of it's lifetime, because the hardware sales are low and they are a lot lower than they were at the same time in the last generation. That's not emotional, that's objective.
Click to expand...

You're just embarrassing yourself man. Whatever you do, stay away from the financial markets.
 
L

LegendofLex

Member
WolfStark said:
The arguments are pretty awful. Every generation has an end and the 3DS is at it's end as is visible in the sales, that are a lot worse then they were with the NDS back then. Nintendos reasons are mostly emotional, not rational.
Click to expand...

I don't know how "we can't replace the entire Wii U + 3DS revenue stream with Switch in its first year, so we're going to keep 3DS going until our Switch business grows" could be anything but rational.

I can see how "3DS's tail sales aren't as good as DS's, so Nintendo should drop it" might be emotional, though.
 
//ARCANUM

//ARCANUM

Member
Well the news that this thing has a screen just as floppy as the other models is a huge bummer. I was actually considering getting one of these if it had a rigid screen. The XL model I have is just way too floppy and super distracting (to me). I guess i’ll stick with my standard n3DS, which has the most rigid screen of any model I’ve used.
 
S

scamander

Banned
So, I just watched a review of the white/ orange variant and the stylus included with that is the black one. What the hell, Nintendo. You had one job. -.-
 
D

Deja

Member
Got both on order. One for the Mrs and one to replace my Hyrule Edition N3DSXL which is getting quite tatty!
 
F

FaintDeftone

Junior Member
I like the design of this thing, but nothing will replace my white New 3DS with the Zelda triforce faceplate.

This thread just reminded me that I should really go buy Ever Oasis.
 
G

Galdelico

Member
Bruce Springsteen said:
Is the big screen quality on this worse than the N3DS XL?
Click to expand...
People reviewing the console seem kinda clueless about it.

From IGN:
I immediately noticed how much brighter the New 2DS XL's top screen is compared to the New 3DS XL's. However, that "oooh shiny" moment passed when comparing it to the New 3DS XL in other ways. Primarily, the colors displayed on the New 2DS XL are ever so slightly washed out. It's as if the picture's brightness setting was turned up too high, making the blacks less deep and the colors less vibrant. The contrast is lacking, and turning down the console's actual screen brightness doesn't fix the issue. It’s another very modest difference that you might not notice just looking at it, but definitely discernible when comparing consoles side by side.
Click to expand...

I mean, what? It's like, 'wow, compared to the N3DSXL', but then it's not?
I remember reading a while back, the N2DS was going to be dual TN, like the regular N3DS. Is that confirmed I guess?
 
S

SomewhatGroovy

Banned
Sounds like getting a used or refurbed n3ds is a better value proposition.

Gamestop has the n3ds' for $150 so I may just roll with one of those before they're completely gone.

I was surprised to learn that the size of this thing is on the bulky side.
 
Toadthemushroom

Toadthemushroom

Member
HotHamBoy said:
I agree, crazy they are charging $150 in 2017 for this ancient tech.
Click to expand...

The price of a lot of the components isn't going to go down just because of their age - if anything they'd be more expensive because they aren't being produced in the same scale as they would have been back in the day.

Still, it is poor value compared with the N3DS XL, which has more solid build quality (as evidenced by its weight), higher quality finish/materials, an extra screen (2 upper IPS screens for the 3D effect) and (presumably) beefier/higher quality speakers among other things like an IR blaster for face tracking 3D.
 
T

takoyaki

Member
Agreed that this thing isn't worth $150.

I got to try one yesterday and compared it to my n3DXL. The n2DSXL screen is about as bright as the n3DSXL screen but it's more reflective so using the n2DSXL outside can be challenging in the summer. The hinge is wobbly just like the reviews mentioned. I also didn't think it was that much smaller/lighter than the n3DSXL and the material feels a bit cheaper and less sturdy. Easier access to the SD card is a pro, but the speakers getting covered by your hands is a big con of the new design.

The n2DSXL feels like a budget device and should be priced accordingly. I like how it looks, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone over the the n3DS/n3DSXL if you can get a used one/during a sale for the same or a comparable price.
 
C

chronic_archaic

Member
cw_sasuke said:
You can still get a 2DS if its too expensive for you.
Click to expand...
I don't think that's the point - the price point for the hardware in the system means they're probably getting like $75 out of that $150 of the price, where a 2DS is probably like $55. The plastics are nice, okay, but everything else is super cheap inside any 3DS now.
 
O

OmegaFax

Member
DR2K said:
I don't see why this device should be over $100.
Click to expand...

HotHamBoy said:
I agree, crazy they are charging $150 in 2017 for this ancient tech.
Click to expand...

DR2K said:
It's not even the ancient tech, the removed the most expensive part and it's $70 more than a regular 2DS?
Click to expand...

I assumed they would have eventually revised the current 2DS form factor with the hardware of the N3DS line and kept it under $100. It almost feels like this XL model is a confused product because they aren't marketing it for the 2DS crowd and it's not the New 3DS XL. It's like pretending a middle ground exists? It did but they killed the N3DS.

The $100 New 3DS was an excellent deal and value proposition if you could get a hold of one. It almost didn't make sense from Nintendo's standpoint to have a more feature rich system for about $30-$40 more than your entry level 2DS.

As much as I loved the New 3DS form factor and swappable faceplates, the TN displays were not that great, particularly if you've ever owned a system with an IPS panel. Movement, in games like Binding of Isaac, were muddy when you moved around on screen and colors were washed out in other games.

Apparently Nintendo needed a sales/awareness boost they weren't getting with these limited releases of the New 3DS in North America. They never fully committed to marketing the New 3DS in North America.

Even if Nintendo was clearing New 3DS inventory in North America with one last $99 push, I don't think they were losing money on each unit sold. The $50 difference between an older design with 3D/faceplates and this newer one. It's a refresh. They exhaused the marketing viability of a full N3DS launch in NA and needed a new product moving forward.
 
P

Piccoro

Member
I've decided I'm gonna get one. Here in EU is 149€ and it comes with a charger.
I've never had a Nintendo portable before, so it will be cool to play DS and 3DS games that I missed. Plus some Game Boy games in the Virtual Console.

I'll maybe be sad that there is no 3D effect (especially in the Sega 3D classics), but I think it's worth it anyway...
 
H

Hispanic! At the Disco

Member
Sold my 3ds for the switch and all its games thinking I wasnt going to care much for the upcoming games on it. I hadnt played it in over a year before that so I figured I was done with it.

Then this design shows up and I love it. Helps that I hate the 3D as well. Bought Xenoblade Chronicles and buying AC: New Leaf and RPG Maker with it next weekend. I love animal crossing but skipped new leaf thinking I'd get a Wii U AC game instead :( very excited :)
 
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