Nintendo Announces 2DS Handheld — Plays 3DS Games In 2-D 156
Today Nintendo announced a new handheld gaming console called the 2DS. It will play all games from the DS and the 3DS, but games from the latter will be shown in 2-D (essentially as if the 3DS's depth slider was turned all the way down). The 2DS abandons the clamshell design of the earlier handhelds; instead, the device is a slightly wedge-shaped tablet with two small LCD screens — thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom. "It's a design that seems calculated to reduce manufacturing costs and durability issues, but it also seems fated to make the system nearly impossible to fit inside most pants pockets. The buttons and controls that were on the bottom half of previous DS and 3DS systems are now shifted toward the top, so you can reach the shoulder buttons that now rest above the top screen. This means you grip the 2DS from the sides rather than supporting it from the bottom with the corners resting in palm of your hand, like previous DS models." Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said the new console is target at younger children, as the 3DS is recommended for players age 7 and up. It's also cheaper than the other models at $130.
Less travel-durable (Score:4, Interesting)
Besides the larger flat design not being pocketable, the new 2DS is also missing a great feature of the clamshell design from the AdvanceSP, DS, etc... the screen and main control button protection a clamshell design gave you. Unless you were really picky about the outer casing getting any scratches it essentially was it's own protective case. Now we'll have to work about scratched screens again.
Re:Less travel-durable (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Nintendo's taking a lot of flak for this... (Score:4, Interesting)
The nice thing about Nintendo portables for a long time has been the pocketability (depending on your definition of pocket). But the 2DS looks like a disaster. Squares don't fit in pockets nicely, especially not big squares.
Well, there is the bulk- to me, there's also the fact that the flat design looks a bit naff aesthetically, but mainly that the inability to angle the second screen *looks* un-ergonomic (whether or not it is).
But regarding those screens and the inability to fold the device, there is a very telling comment after the Ars Technica article (emphasis mine):-
Actually, according to USgamer it is a single screen, masked by the case design:
... -next-move [usgamer.net]
http://www.usgamer.net/articles/oh-so-t
This explains the hingeless design. A single screen is cheaper and more power efficient than two screens with the same area. The case merely makes it look (and function) as if it had 2 screens.
Regarding your other point:-
The D pad and buttons are halfway up the machine, making the lower touch screen a real PITA to use
I agree; I'm no gamer (though I own a DS Lite that I don't use often) and my first thought was that the buttons should have been a *quarter* of the way up (i.e. halfway up the lower screen as they would be on the original DSes and the 3DS).
Re:Nintendo's taking a lot of flak for this... (Score:4, Interesting)
Though, it really does help in some games. Sure, you can play Super Mario 3D Land in 2D, but due to the camera angle, you might easily misjudge some of the jumps and die.Same with Animal Crossing, 3D really helps on judging distance with bug catching.
Is it necessary, no. Is it damn useful when properly done, definitely.