Nintendo 2DS: Budget Handheld Holds Up

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By Chelsea Stark2013-09-05 17:57:06 UTC

Nintendo shocked everyone last week when it announced the 2DS — a budget version of its popular handheld aimed at kids that did away with some features for the sake of price.

The console isn't coming out until Oct. 12, and Nintendo said it was going to be making the media rounds later in September. So we were surprised to find two strapped to a Nintendo employee at PAX in Seattle over the weekend.

The Nintendo 2DS is a flat version of the normally clamshell shaped handheld, and all the buttons have been repositioned to accommodate that. It still features two screens, like the 3DS, but without that system's stereoscopic, glasses-less 3D that was one of the much-touted features when the handheld launched.

I got about five minutes to hold it, and my initial impressions were much more positive than I would have guessed. First off, the system is sturdy. It's clearly designed with children in mind — it felt like a brick in my hands. That's probably a good thing for kids — or clumsy adults — prone to dropping things. The whole setup is much thinner and lighter than you'd expect, and definitely lighter than the 3DS currently on the market.

All of the system's front buttons have been repositioned so that smaller hands can still reach them and the two triggers, which are placed on the top ridge of the 2DS console. The buttons worked just about as well as they do on the 3DS, though the triggers were a little more audible and sticky than previous versions.

The screens are the same size as the original 3DS — which is a little jarring if you're used to playing on its upsized cousin, the 3DS XL — and they are placed a little closer together, also making them appear small. Reports online indicate that Nintendo actually used one large screen for the 2DS, covering the top section with plastic so it couldn't act as a touch screen.

The graphics look just as sharp as the original 3DS, and some people also might be fans of the handheld's lack of 3D. All 3DS games carry a label recommending that children 7 or younger refrain from enabling the 3D feature, so this obviously makes the console ideal for young children.

Overall, it wasn't a terrible gaming experience, though it may take some getting used to for fans of the original handheld. I can see the appeal for children, especially since the 2DS will launch the same day as Pokemon X & Y. A Nintendo rep confirmed that accessories like carrying cases will be available at launch for the 2DS.

Image: Mashable, Chelsea Stark

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