By Bryan Smith on February 18, 2015 at 4:03pm
First off, let’s get the name out of the way - It’s stupid. Especially when the successor comes out, god forbid it’s another 3DS iteration. Anyway, the New 3DS is out and from what I have seen has been sold out considerably fast just like Nintendo’s brand of amiibos. It brought some new features that’ll help the 3DS in the long run. That begs the question: is it worth buying a New 3DS if you have an original 3DS? Well, that depends on several thoughts.
New Shoulder Buttons, Nub C-Stick, and Other Goodies
The New 3DS has launched with several new features. In terms of hardware, there are two additional shoulder buttons, a nub C-Stick, and some different allocations of sliders. The shoulder buttons and C-Stick function as they did with the Circle Pad for the original 3DS. The only thing that needs work is the C-Stick requires some getting used to, since it doesn’t work like a traditional C-Stick. It doesn’t move but still recognizes your finger’s movement. I’m just hoping that this doesn’t prompt another 3DS iteration that replaces the nub for a legitimate C-Stick, making the New 3DS seem worthless in terms of purchasing.
For the software side of things, the New 3DS offers better processing power and better 3D. Comparatively, the New 3DS is quite a bit faster, making load times less sufferable if there were such occurrences, such as “Super Smash Bros.” for 3DS or “The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D.” With the new 3D tracker built into the camera, the New 3DS focuses on your eyes to ensure that the 3D doesn't falter if you move. This has been a complaint from many people before and for someone such as myself who didn't use the 3D for the original 3DS for this problem, this is certainly a welcome fix.
Getting to the Micro SD Card Is a Royal Pain
Now for those who aren’t reliant on swapping out the SD card of the original 3DS, then there is some good news with the micro SD cards as it is 4GB, as opposed to the 2GB the regular SD cards that came with the 3DS. However, for those who want to upgrade your micro SD cards to something with more capacity, getting to the micro SD card is the most frustrating part of the New 3DS.
As opposed to the easy process of getting a standard SD card out of a slot on the side, the micro SD is located on the back and you need a screwdriver to get at it. Not only is this a tedious process if you need to get at the micro SD card multiple times, the card is wedged in there so tight that you may feel you’re ripping the poor thing out. I have a feeling that the hardware team didn’t look too far into the future to see how much of a hassle getting the card is.
All Dependent on Your Tastes
Other than the few bits stated, there isn’t too much new about the New 3DS ironically. It works and feels just like the original 3DS. Even with the smaller version of the 3DS, there doesn’t feel to be any major differences.
Now, seeing that we are dealing with a handheld system, I don’t think I can with good conscience give the New 3DS a score number. I can only give my thoughts and recommendations. As such, here’s what I think:
If you still haven’t bought a 3DS, the New 3DS is an absolutely fantastic start. With the great amount of quality games, you can’t go wrong with this handheld. On the flipside, if you do have a 3DS already, that’s dependent on how you feel about upgrading for two shoulder buttons, a nub to control camera for supported games, better 3D, and better processing. If you feel that you need those added features, then you should get a New 3DS. If you don’t, then you’re perfectly fine not buying one.
With that said, however, it should be noted that “Xenoblade Chronicles 3D” is exclusive to the New 3DS. Whether you want to get this particular or not, please keep in mind that future games can easily be dropped from the regular 3DS and put only on the New 3DS.
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