Topic: 3DS XL FAQ

[Zetsuo]

In my opinion the segmentation if the right analog pad was included would be worse that with the motion plus, because if included it could gain more weight when the developers plan their control schemes and it could become more important when playing games and 3DS users would have to rely more and more in an atachment to play in the same way that 3DS XL users.
And, personally, I don't like playing with any kind of accesory attached to my handled.

[ControlerFleX]

If this article had a "Like" button, I would click it. 

This is what I wanted. "Dual analog" didn't care. I play my DSi LL exclusively because is perfect. I use it as my "Nerd ID" when I'm out and about. 

Now I can finally up-grade and there are a slew of games for me to chose from. My patience has become my virtue. 

I do plan to wait for the first super awesome bundle/new color that'll be here for Christmas. Ohhhh Yeahhhh!!! 

[TJ Spyke]

Chozo was the first reply and he asked a question that IMO is easy to answer. No 3DS model will ever have a second analog stick unless there is at least one game that REQUIRES a second analog stick (no game released or announced so far requires it).

[NWR_insanolord]

Chozo was the first reply and he asked a question that IMO is easy to answer. No 3DS model will ever have a second analog stick unless there is at least one game that REQUIRES a second analog stick (no game released or announced so far requires it).

It's a catch-22. No game will require the second circle pad unless enough people have one to make that feasible, which would only really be the case if it was built into a revision of the hardware.

Again, I'm fairly certain Nintendo is purposely burying the Circle Pad Pro, and that they don't want it to become widely used, and that's the primary reason you'll never see it built into the hardware.

[ejamer]

Chozo was the first reply and he asked a question that IMO is easy to answer. No 3DS model will ever have a second analog stick unless there is at least one game that REQUIRES a second analog stick (no game released or announced so far requires it).

It's a catch-22. No game will require the second circle pad unless enough people have one to make that feasible, which would only really be the case if it was built into a revision of the hardware.

Again, I'm fairly certain Nintendo is purposely burying the Circle Pad Pro, and that they don't want it to become widely used, and that's the primary reason you'll never see it built into the hardware.

Tend to agree.  Don't much like this move, and wonder how Capcom feels - or if they even care - as apparently the Circle Pad Pro accessory was largely a move to get them to release Monster Hunter on 3DS.


It's disappointing to see this happen when Resident Evil: Revelations and Monster Hunter both play better with the extra stick, and Metal Gear virtually requires it to be playable at all.  All of these games are already released in at least some regions.  They also represent the most "core" series on the portable at this point.  Why am I not surprised they get kind of screwed over?


(Again, it may be a good business decision by Nintendo because core games will probably always be a notably minority on their hardware.  My complaint is that it feels like Nintendo is actively changing "probably" into "certainly".)

[Adrock]

There are pros and cons to including the right circle pad. 3rd parties could have held their games hostage or threatened to move development to Vita if they really wanted to force Nintendo's hand. Nintendo, in turn, could have made it a prerequisite that all games have a single circle pad option. There are a number of ways this could have played out that could have had positive and negative effects on consumers.

Ultimately, I don't believe this will affect 3DS in the long run. It's still a viable platform. Sony released 3 revisions to PSP and never added a second analog nub. That wasn't the reason DS dominated it. And Sony actually doubled the RAM which could have affected performance. People didn't really kick up a fuss about that. If I was a 1000 model owner, that would have irked me.

Like most things, I think people will generally forget about this after a while. Many games play just fine without it. I always go back to God of War: Chains of Olympus. It was extremely faithful despite less functionality. Most developers will make good games regardless. So far, they have.

[Art_de_Cat]

Can this new battery be fitted into the original model of the 3ds? Don't need a bigger screen for a portable system.

[Chozo Ghost]

3rd parties could have held their games hostage or threatened to move development to Vita

I don't think 3rd parties would go through the trouble of threatening it. They would just simply do it... and some of them probably already have.

[NWR_insanolord]

Given how terribly the Vita's selling in Japan, they'd have to be really pissed off by this to jump ship at this point. They really don't have much choice but to support the 3DS. Whether they like it or not, that's where the money is.

[Chozo Ghost]

In any case, I think Nintendo owes it to Capcom to create a new CPP peripheral for the XL.

Let's not forget the CPP isn't just another circle pad, its also shoulder buttons as well. Aren't these needed?

[TJ Spyke]

3rd parties could have held their games hostage or threatened to move development to Vita

I don't think 3rd parties would go through the trouble of threatening it. They would just simply do it... and some of them probably already have.

Not to mention the fact that all the stories we have heard are of developers canceling their PSV games, sometimes moving them over to 3DS, because the PSV is pretty much bombing everywhere.

[Oblivion]

...which is a shame, because I loved Vita's hardware. I just wish games came out for it.

[Chozo Ghost]

The Vita just came out. The PSP also struggled at first, but look where it ended up after it got Monster Hunter as an exclusive.

[Oblivion]

Not much better? When I had my PSP, only four games interested me. And not enough to entice me to keep it. As with the Vita, the PSP's hardware was more compelling than the games.

[tendoboy1984]

Nintendo is so hypocritical. They didn't put a second analog pad on the 3DS because the touchscreen is supposedly a good substitute. Yet the Wii U has both a touchscreen and a second analog stick.

Why put a second analog stick on one device, yet leave it off of another equally capable device?

[NWR_insanolord]

First off, the 3DS isn't "equally capable" to the Wii U. Second, it's not hypocritical to have different approaches to different hardware platforms. You may not agree with them, but Nintendo has its reasons for doing what it does and it's a gross misuse of the word to call that hypocritical.

[Chozo Ghost]

Nintendo has its reasons for doing what it does

Can you list some of these reasons for why they omitted a second analog on the 3DS? I can't think of any good reasons to omit it, other than the like 50 cents or whatever they save on manufacturing costs by leaving it out. Other than saving a few cents worth of plastic there is no negatives/cons to including it whatsoever.

The only logical explanation is that the omission was an oversight. It was one Sony had made with the PSP, but apparently Sony learned from that mistake because they went dual analog with the Vita. I think the problem is the 3DS design had been finalized before Nintendo was aware Sony was going with dual analog in the Vita. Had they known that, I'm sure they would have followed suit... but since the 3DS was the first analog controlling handheld Nintendo has ever made they never learned this lesson the way Sony did.

What's weird though is Nintendo was the first to learn this mistake with console controllers. The N64 controller only had one stick, but apparently Nintendo agrees 1 isn't enough because with the Gamecube and every traditional controller they've made since then they've always gone with 2 analogs. Why they think only one would be acceptable for a handheld when they already know 2 is needed on controllers is beyond me.

[tendoboy1984]

First off, the 3DS isn't "equally capable" to the Wii U. Second, it's not hypocritical to have different approaches to different hardware platforms. You may not agree with them, but Nintendo has its reasons for doing what it does and it's a gross misuse of the word to call that hypocritical.

The Wii U controller and the 3DS are equally capable in terms of controls. They both have a touchscreen, d-pad, A B X Y buttons, analog sticks, etc. If the Wii U can get a second analog stick built in, then the 3Ds should have had one as well. Not everyone wants to use a touchscreen or gyro for aiming.

[NWR_insanolord]

Nintendo has its reasons for doing what it does

Can you list some of these reasons for why they omitted a second analog on the 3DS? I can't think of any good reasons to omit it, other than the like 50 cents or whatever they save on manufacturing costs by leaving it out. Other than saving a few cents worth of plastic there is no negatives/cons to including it whatsoever.

The only logical explanation is that the omission was an oversight. It was one Sony had made with the PSP, but apparently Sony learned from that mistake because they went dual analog with the Vita. I think the problem is the 3DS design had been finalized before Nintendo was aware Sony was going with dual analog in the Vita. Had they known that, I'm sure they would have followed suit... but since the 3DS was the first analog controlling handheld Nintendo has ever made they never learned this lesson the way Sony did.

What's weird though is Nintendo was the first to learn this mistake with console controllers. The N64 controller only had one stick, but apparently Nintendo agrees 1 isn't enough because with the Gamecube and every traditional controller they've made since then they've always gone with 2 analogs. Why they think only one would be acceptable for a handheld when they already know 2 is needed on controllers is beyond me.

I don't know specifically what their reasons are; I'm simply working under the assumption that they're not picking courses of action completely at random. Also, I'm willing to bet Nintendo's put more thought into this than you have.

[Adrock]

Here are some 3DS XL Impressions

I'm really excited to get this. I have to try it myself but judging by the pics and video, the only thing I would change is where the controls are located. I would move them down a bit. That would make moving my thumbs to the bottom of the larger screen and Select/Home/Start a bit easier and not cramp my hands when pressing the shoulder buttons. That was unavoidable on the standard 3DS, but not with the XL.

[TJ Spyke]

The Wii U controller and the 3DS are equally capable in terms of controls. They both have a touchscreen, d-pad, A B X Y buttons, analog sticks, etc. If the Wii U can get a second analog stick built in, then the 3Ds should have had one as well. Not everyone wants to use a touchscreen or gyro for aiming.

No they are NOT equally capable. The Wii U controller has 2 more shoulder buttons and clickable analog sticks. That right there gives it 4 extra buttons (in addition to the second analog stick). And there is a difference in portable and home gaming.

[Chozo Ghost]

Also, I'm willing to bet Nintendo's put more thought into this than you have.

I'm sure they've put a lot of thought into the overall 3DS design. That doesn't mean they couldn't have made an oversight, though. It reminds me of something I heard about Napoleon did at Waterloo that cost him the battle... I forget exactly what it was, but the point is no one can deny Napoleon was a military genius, but on this day he had made some simple amateurish mistake which cost him the battle. So my point is even the most well thought plans by the greatest minds can still be missing some simple detail that they overlooked. I think that's what happened here with the 3DS.

And there is a difference in portable and home gaming.

Not like there used to be. The lines are becoming increasingly blurred as they both approach the great convergence that will happen sooner or later. Nintendo might be resisting it, but Sony has designed their Vita system to essentially be a portable PS3 with all the same horsepower and buttons and all that as the PS3 has.

Granted, the Vita will be a generation behind compared to the PS4 (whenever that comes out), but its on par with current consoles, and because of the law of diminishing returns the noticeable difference will be very minuscule. Its very different than the original Gameboy which had 8-bit graphics on a spinach screen. Handhelds and consoles are converging together whether Nintendo likes it or not. Sony has already embraced it.

[Adrock]

And how's that working out for Sony? Do people really want a portable home console? Right now, it doesn't look like it.

I prefer Nintendo's approach with DS which they've strayed somewhat from with 3DS. DS offered many experiences you couldn't get anywhere else. It was partially what made DS such a runaway success.

I hope for further distinction between console and handhelds. The Wii U GamePad gives their console 3DS-esque functions but what sets it apart is that the 2 screens aren't tethered to each other. Is that enough of a distinction? Ehh, probably not.

[Chozo Ghost]

And how's that working out for Sony? Do people really want a portable home console? Right now, it doesn't look like it.

Yeah, but people said the same thing about the PSP at this point in its life, and come to think of it... the same was said about the 3DS in the first months of its life as well. You need to understand that things can and do turn around. The way the Vita is performing right now is not an accurate assessment of how it will have performed over all by the end of its life cycle.

Sony has deep pockets and they will be in this for the long haul. They aren't like Sega where if the console doesn't do well initially then its all over and they have to abort. No, they are relentless and will not give up. That's how they were ultimately able to turn the PSP into a success (especially in Japan) even though everyone joked about it for the first few years of its life. But until recently its been the best selling system in Japan. Only after the 3DS cut its price and came out with better games was the 3DS able to pull ahead, but the fact the PSP was beating the 3DS (and DS) for awhile should tell you something.

[TJ Spyke]

The PSP was never a big success outside of Japan, it only did moderately well in other regions.