What We Think About The Nintendo 2DS

When news hit the office of the Nintendo 2DS, the Game Informer office erupted in commentary. Here are some of the editors' opinions on the new device.

The caveat, of course, is that we haven't gotten our actual hands on the device – but that hasn't stopped us from thinking our thoughts.

MIKE FUTTER: There are some positive points of the 2DS. I recently bought my son a 3DS and turned off the 3D. Had the 2DS been available, I might have considered it until I looked at the form factor. The design trades sturdiness (no hinge) for exposure of the screens. I've seen what kids do to screens, and it isn't pretty. This is just going to speed up the process and lead to more damage. Even at the lower price point, this is a "no sale" for me.

MATT BERTZ: Given my seething hatred for 3D technology, I would like to buy the Nintendo 2DS just to spite the latest attempt to make a poor technology stick with the mainstream, but Nintendo blew it with the cheese wedge design. The aesthetics are terrible, and so is the functionality. Why lose the clamshell design and expose the screens to repeated scratch opportunities? Why not implement the larger screens found on the 3DS XL? Curious decisions. That said, the price is amazing, so I expect the redesign to move quickly off shelves this holiday.

TIM TURI: I'm happy about the new 2DS design because for once Nintendo has unveiled a handheld iteration I have no desire to upgrade to.

BEN HANSON: The Nintendo 2DS is ridiculous, and I love it. Based on all the warnings of 3D eye-strain directed at younger players, I would imagine that Nintendo sees this as a device for younger gamers. You can't fold it and fit it in you pocket, which might not be an issue for the generation raised on iPad gaming. I won't buy one, but I love that Nintendo can surprise us with something so weird and so horrifically ugly.

ADAM BIESSENER: I don’t understand what Nintendo is doing with the 2DS, but I’ve been saying that since the millions of different versions and skins of the Game Boy Advance a decade ago. This seems like one of those things that isn’t targeted toward me or anyone like me, and that’s fine. Hey, as goofy as it looks it’s bound to be better than a Leapster.

KYLE HILLIARD: Since the original DS, one of my favorite features has been the ability to collapse the system in order to pause your game. I don’t mind that 3D is gone, and even though the 2DS looks strange, I imagine it is probably comfortable to hold in your hands, but the inability to close the system and drop it in your pocket is a deal-breaker for me.

MATTHEW KATO: I can't help but think the open-face, tablet-like look of the 2DS (with localized touchscreen) is not an accident. That being said, even if the 2DS is aimed at kids, I think they are going to be more enamored with their phone or tablets than this system. You can't get Nintendo-created experiences like Pokémon X and Y on a tablet, of course, but then again, you don't have to buy a 2DS to play that or any other Nintendo handheld software, either. By the way, I love how Nintendo's promo video touts that the platform "plays all Nintendo 3DS games in 2D" without embarrassment.

JEFF MARCHIAFAVA: My first reaction on seeing the 2DS was, “Has it been a year already?” Nintendo’s annual handheld hardware revisions are old hat by now, but Nintendo is clearly hurting for new ways to tweak the DS. I’m guessing Nintendo first tried creating a 4DS, but couldn’t figure out how to apply spacetime to games, and decided axing a dimension was easier than creating a new one. In all seriousness, though, ditching the 3D effect and selling it at a cheaper price point would’ve been enough to interest gamers (even if it would just be a DSi at that point). The cheese-wedge redesign? Not so much.