By: Stephen Duetzmann, editor in chief
Nintendo came out with a TON of news today. The biggest announcement of the day was for a new handheld system call the Nintendo 2DS. This is, for all intents and purposes, a stripped down version of the 3DS hardware that is being sold at a budget price of $129.99. The system will launch on 10/12/2013 which is, interestingly enough, the release date for Pokémon X and Pokémon Y.
The there are two main differences between the 2DS and the 3DS. The most significant is that the 2DS does not have the 3D technology that inspired the 3DS’s name. It will, however, still play all of the existing DS and 3DS games. This is a big deal because there are a lot of parents who are concerned about the 3D effect and its potential impact on young and developing eyes. This gives those parents a worry free option for their child.
The other difference is in the actual physical shape of the machine. The 3DS is shaped like a hinged clamshell. The 2DS has no hinge. Both screens reside on one side of a tablet-like device. This has the advantage of protecting the device from hinge breakage (there isn’t one). This does come at the expense of a risk for more frequent damage to the exposed screens.
The lower price point is also welcome. The internet exploded when the announcement was made, but there was universal agreement that a $130 machine being released alongside a Pokemon game is a killer combination that will result in a lot of happy children (and Nintendo executives) this holiday.
What do you think? Are you picking this up for your family?
