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That Horrible 3DS Analog Stick Rumor Is Coming True

Bizarre, awkward looking add-on being developed in conjunction with Monster Hunter 3G.

I didn't report on the rumors Nintendo would be releasing an add-on for the 3DS that would provide the handheld with a second analog stick for two reasons. One, I couldn't verify them. In almost every case, if I'm unable to come up with secondary confirmation of a rumor, you won't read about it here. It's not my style. Two, it sounded ridiculous, a move that would make more sense--if any at all--for a re-design. Even if you entertained the idea of it coming prior to a re-design, why split users?

Turns out, it's looking to be true.

The add-on, which reportedly acts as a cradle for the handheld and simultaneously adds several shoulder buttons (there are conflicting reports on this specific fact, hope to have clarity in the morning), has appeared in the newest issue of Famitsu. It's being released in conjunction with Monster Hunter 3G, apparently scheduled before the end of the year, at least in Japan.

What's this monstrosity look like? Your wish is my command, courtesy of Twitter user @south1996.

No Caption Provided

No, you haven't lost your mind! This isn't some crazy dream!

Granted, much could change; we're getting the very first details on this translated from a magazine reveal. Nintendo has a press conference ahead of the Tokyo Game Show this month, currently scheduled for September 13. We should see more about this add-on there. I'm especially interested in finding out whether Nintendo has the balls to charge for this.

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373 Comments

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mcnorhymes

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Edited By mcnorhymes
@1p
link please.
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Raineko

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Edited By Raineko
@Chavtheworld said:
BUT YOU CAN FUCKING PLAY MONSTER HUNTER WITH ONE ANALOGUE STICK YOU TARDS WHY OH WHY CAPCOM WHY.  Just because people don't understand how to claw their hands across a console to use the dpad for viewing doesn't mean you have to make this turd. This better not become a real whole 3DS revision.
You do realize that the D-Pad on the 3DS is below the control stick so that the PSP claw is impossible, right?
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plaintomato

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Edited By plaintomato

There just prepping for a redesign, making the tacky add-on so that they will be free to make games that REQUIRE two analog sticks without making games that are totally unplayable on the original 3DS. 
 
I'm all for it, the 3DS was broken without it, so was the PSP. It's just too bad neen10dough didn't have the foresight to hear all of the many many people begging for two analog sticks in the first place, so they had to wait for the poor sales and the coming Vita to scare them into a forced redesign.

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BestUsernameEver

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Edited By BestUsernameEver
@LEGITLakers said:

This deeply saddens me. I have been a proud ambassador of the 3ds since June and despite the bad sales and lack of games I still had faith that this would turn out to be a wildly successful system in the long-run. This add-on greatly disappoints me and is causing me to question my faith. But who knows if it will even be necessary. Hopefully this will be like that Guitar Hero add-on for the DS and only be used for this one game/series.

There's another big rumor that kid icarus has been developed for another analog, so if true, it's sadly going to be a semi reccomended peripheral for all 3DS's, akin to a rumble pak, only this is integral to gameplay and whatnot, Really bad move on Nintendo's side. 
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JuggaloAcidman

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Edited By JuggaloAcidman

Nintendo is a wierd company... Two analog sticks should be standard at this point for any gaming device!

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megalowho

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Edited By megalowho

@Jackalol said:

i'm pretty sure that this is a third party peripheral, and is only meant to be played for monster hunter and maybe one or two other games so, uh, why is everyone losing their shit over this?

It's a first party Nintendo peripheral, and it's rumored to be part of a rebranding/repackaging of the 3DS next year as well.

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Yanngc33

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Edited By Yanngc33

Cashing

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godzilla_sushi

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Edited By godzilla_sushi

That's pretty awesome. The thing is in 3D, and 3D has really taken off. Why not make the worlds biggest handheld add-on for all those amazing Nintendo remakes from 14 years ago and Monster Hunter? Sigh...

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Rising_ixa

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Edited By Rising_ixa

better come in fucking blue

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yukoasho

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Edited By yukoasho
@TheChadster789 said:
Typical Nintendo behavior.
Not only that, but it's a clear precursor to the redesign that we all knew was coming anyway.
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bug9329

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Edited By bug9329

I can't wait till try tack on 3G support and then cell-phone support, and then longer battery life.  The original 3DS will be a foot thick.

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Mihos

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Edited By Mihos

I think I would be better off just purchacing the inevitble 3DSXL or whatever they call it next year that makes this standard and not an add on.

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Jackalol

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Edited By Jackalol
@megalowho said:

It's a first party Nintendo peripheral, and it's rumored to be part of a rebranding/repackaging of the 3DS next year as well.

is this in the famitsu article? because i haven't seen anything else official that states that outright. 
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Phenwah

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Edited By Phenwah

Like every other Nintendo peripheral, game developers will either not bother supporting it, be required by Nintendo to make the game fully-functional without it, or be required to pack it in with any game that does require it.

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megalowho

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Shaanyboi

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Edited By Shaanyboi

... fine. Okay, fine. Put out this dumb awkward thing, Nintendo. But almost everyone better use this. Resident Evil, anything requiring camera control, everything. Obviously games like EBA or whatever don't need this, but if I see games that don't use this and desperately need camera control, I'm gonna be pissed.

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Trilogy

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Edited By Trilogy

"Are you serious?!"
 
That's what I said when I saw this picture. Have we traveled back to the 90s with the clunky add-on design?

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Beechbone

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Edited By Beechbone

I love the looks of my 3DS but this add-on is butt-ugly.

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Jackalol

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Edited By Jackalol
@megalowho: well i guess i'll eat crow then!  
 
still, i doubt that very many games beyond, like, a handful at most will support this. i can see it going the way of so many peripherals nintendo has put out in the past.
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awadnin

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Edited By awadnin

why nin ten do why?

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liako21

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Edited By liako21

really nintendo?  
 
on top of this DQX is an online RPG?!?!?!?!

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BooDoug187

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Edited By BooDoug187

Know what this thing needs,,, 32X

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Dookysharpgun

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Edited By Dookysharpgun

This has to be a joke..right? RIGHT?!? 
 
Oh if it isn't then nintendo are going to get so much shit for this...
 
"But gamers of the world" nintendo will say "don't you want a peripheral that makes no difference to the consoles many, many flaws whatsoever? Do you not want to be treated like a 5 year old, being given the treatment equivalent to shaking keys in front of a babies face? See, we really can't tell what demographic we're going for anymore, so contradictions and really bad ideas are kind of our thing now"
 
Seriously, fuck this, if it's just an unfortunate mistake, and something better is coming, fine. If this is the real deal...then may god have mercy on nintendo's crippled, contorted and rotting remnants of a soul...

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Nictel

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Edited By Nictel

$599,-

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wickedsc3

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Edited By wickedsc3

Looks like a fine add-on to me. But then again I think handheld gaming systems are pointless, so take that as you will.

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SlightConfuse

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Edited By SlightConfuse

nintendo what ps vita does . since i have no intrest in monster hunter i will not be buying it .
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miva2

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Edited By miva2

lolol
why not add a fighting stick and a driving wheel too

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toowalrus

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Edited By toowalrus

Ya know what, if it's just an addon for Monster Hunter, I've got no problem with it. However, I've now gotten my hopes up that Nintendo will release a hardware update with the 2nd stick built in. It's cool with me, because I haven't bought a 3DS yet (and because that 2nd stick would be good for Luigi's Mansion- I mean, you use the left stick to suck in the ghosts, and the right stick to change Luigi's direction- man I fucking love Luigi's Manison.

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Soap

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Edited By Soap

This reminds me of the late 90's so much it hurts a little

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RazielCuts

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Edited By RazielCuts

Truly portable gaming (!)

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234r2we232

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Edited By 234r2we232

Finally. Nintendo is making that Game Gear 2 everybody wanted.

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leinad44

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Edited By leinad44

*Flashes back to the Sega CD and 3DX add-ons for the genesis*

Man, I thought we were past this. Nintendo have really dropped the ball for the 3DS.

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digital_sin

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Edited By digital_sin

The old Nintendo is back.

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zor

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Edited By zor

Is anyone else reminded of the serious same gun thingy? I forget the name, but it was on the last quick look for serious sam, where they could just attached 6 guns together... 
 
I wonder when they'll add a chain saw to the 3ds...

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jettpack

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Edited By jettpack

jeez

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ohvee

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Edited By ohvee

A whole lot of hubbub over something that is pretty insubstantial.

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This_Dude

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Edited By This_Dude

Hopefully the 3DS "lite" will incorporate this extra slide pad into it's design,  along with a better battery and various other features.

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DarthB

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Edited By DarthB

only viable if they start giving them away for free.

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KaneRobot

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Edited By KaneRobot

It would be cool if this add-on also added an extra "D."

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BraveToaster

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Edited By BraveToaster

Ugh... It's looks ugly and a tad uncomfortable.

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YOUNGLINK

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Edited By YOUNGLINK

I like it a lot, whatever games its supports besides monster hunter i'll take a look at with more enthusiasm. Aside from split user bases, whats wrong with it? WHATS WRONG? eesh, sensitive ass mofos

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Echoblade

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Edited By Echoblade

Can't say this looks appealing. MH in 3D will most likely add nothing to the experience as it is and the addon thing is just bizarre. Something that vital being made an addon later on down the road just baffles me.

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SlackerMonkey

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Edited By SlackerMonkey

I wonder if this was all Capcom's influence.  Aside from Dragon Quest, Monster Hunter is king in Japan.  Well either way, both Capcom and Nintendo have been acting pretty wacky lately.

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mozgus

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Edited By mozgus

Fugly. What is Nintendo even thinking, anymore?

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saethir

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Edited By saethir

What is this shit? This is the ugliest thing I have seen in the last decade, peripheral-wise.

How about you just design games for the system you are making them for?

This is stupid. If I ever see someone around with this attached to their 3ds, I am slapping it out of their hands and onto the ground.

Then I'll pick it up and beating the shit out of them with it.

/nerdrage

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niftynichy

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Edited By niftynichy

God this seems like a horrible idea. Poor nintendo:(

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Hairydutchman

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Edited By Hairydutchman

Boy, am I glad I didn't buy one last week. I'll wait for the revision now.

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Bollard

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Edited By Bollard
@Raineko said:
@Chavtheworld said:
BUT YOU CAN FUCKING PLAY MONSTER HUNTER WITH ONE ANALOGUE STICK YOU TARDS WHY OH WHY CAPCOM WHY.  Just because people don't understand how to claw their hands across a console to use the dpad for viewing doesn't mean you have to make this turd. This better not become a real whole 3DS revision.
You do realize that the D-Pad on the 3DS is below the control stick so that the PSP claw is impossible, right?
If anything the claw is easier on the 3DS. Controlling the Circle Pad is the easier thing to do, so doing it with your index finger isn't hard. And then it frees your thumb up to do the dpad view.
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sins_of_mosin

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Edited By sins_of_mosin

Oh man, this is gonna be an awesome train wreck to watch!
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killer_catt

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Edited By killer_catt

This looks like something out og the 90's.. It doesn't seem very comfortable to hold..