Nintendo has been doing handhelds since the advent of portable gaming, yet their hardware is still cheaply made, unergonomic and overpriced. Each new revision they introduce, while improving certain things, still has glaring issues.
Reading up on the Best way to play DS games? thread made me realize just how bad the situation for the n3DS/3DS actually is.
Some context: I have been playing Monster Hunter Generations on my n3DS XL the past couple days and can't stop beeing annoyed at how terrible the n3DS hardware is:
So, why is this the case? How does Nintendo still get all this stuff wrong in 2016? They should have enough experience at this point to get this right. Is Nintendo plain chasing higher profit margins by cheapening out on their hardware?
Do they plain not care because they need to justify releasing new hardware revisions every couple years? Are there any reasons that don't let Nintendo stand in a bad light here? As a consumer I kinda recoil in disguist when I think about having
spent 180 for this. The only reason I put up with this is because of exclusive games I can't play on other platforms.
Reading up on the Best way to play DS games? thread made me realize just how bad the situation for the n3DS/3DS actually is.
Some context: I have been playing Monster Hunter Generations on my n3DS XL the past couple days and can't stop beeing annoyed at how terrible the n3DS hardware is:
- The handheld is an unergonomic mess that I personally can't use without a third party grip. Without grip I can play for about 10 minutes before my hands/fingers start cramping up.
I have about average/a bit above average sized adult hands. I play piano regulary and have above average finger flexibility because of it. I don't have this problem with my mobile or any Sony handheld.
- Nintendos handheld battery life has gone from good/acceptable in the DS/DSi era to absolutely terrible in the 3DS era. I can run my DSi XL for double the amount of time before it runs out of juice, compared to my n3DS XL . Enough said.
- Vastly different circle pad/c-stick/button/dpad quality across different revisions. There have been some real winners (DSi XL buttons/dpad) and loosers (DS lite diagonals, n3DS/3DS Circle Pad and C-Stick ) over the years here.
- Build/Parts quality: Creaky, bendable plastic casing, a screen hinge that feels like the opposite of sturdy, the n3DS screen panel lottery, laughable speakers, a bad sound chip, unacceptably bad og 3DS 3d effect, etc. .
- Terrible pricepoint. Not much to be said here but: Outdated hardware with questionable part/build quality priced close to a premium product.
So, why is this the case? How does Nintendo still get all this stuff wrong in 2016? They should have enough experience at this point to get this right. Is Nintendo plain chasing higher profit margins by cheapening out on their hardware?
Do they plain not care because they need to justify releasing new hardware revisions every couple years? Are there any reasons that don't let Nintendo stand in a bad light here? As a consumer I kinda recoil in disguist when I think about having
spent 180 for this. The only reason I put up with this is because of exclusive games I can't play on other platforms.