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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.

Patrick Klepek on Google+

373 Comments

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beargirl1

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Edited By beargirl1

this is the best thing that i have ever seen 

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byterunner

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Edited By byterunner

@Cyrisaurus: Don't act like you know me. I don't have a problem with this right now. We know very little about the damn thing, I've heard rumors that it extends battery life, and I haven't even heard a price point yet. And yes it does look like it would be easier to hold. I have big fat hands, and the 3DS is not the most comfortable handheld ever for me, so the extra bulk can help me with holding it. So stop your damn preaching.

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eroticfishcake

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Edited By eroticfishcake

Yeah I'm not gonna lie this is pretty damn weird. Then again, it's more of a niche product and I'll doubt it'll make every developer go "HEY GUYS WE SHOULD TOTALLY MAKE GAMES FOR THAT PERIPHERAL ONLY!". No biggie.

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ryanwho

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Edited By ryanwho
@LtColJaxson said:
Do I get a brick as a carrying case as well? It'd be about just as practical.
Do you ever leave your house? Then you're fine.
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JJOR64

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Edited By JJOR64
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ryanwho

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Edited By ryanwho
@TheChadster789 said:

Typical Nintendo behavior.

Typical gamer reaction. Especially considering this is probably a Capcom peripheral. 
But hey guys, keep at it. Nintendo being dumb again, like they were when they dominated the market and forced your "real console" to copycat. 
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marcusofadown

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Edited By marcusofadown

With this and the Wii U, Nintendo looks more and more desperate. Jesus christ, people, what the hell were you thinking?!  It looks like... well, a piece of plastic shit to be frank.

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Creme

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Edited By Creme

I think this is just for that game, like the N64 and Saturn RAM expansion, the FFXI HDD, the DS rumble... 
 
I do want a 3DS XL with a better battery life, bigger screen with 640x360 rez at least and OLED type. A second analog stick seems unnecessary I think, unless ports are involved, I always saw the touch screen as the second analog stick.

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Sevan

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Edited By Sevan
@the_dudefather said:
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LOZ!
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paisan13

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Edited By paisan13

Seams like I'm in minority here, but I think this is good. Why they didn't think of a second analog and a bunch of shoulder buttons before (PSV) is kinda strange, but I'll buy it, cause I guess it will be like $10-15, and you'll probably get one for free with some games. But they should strive towards getting it a bit smaller, it really looks big and bulky, and I don't know if you after this one can call the 3DS a portable system if they don't find a way to shrink it down a bit, cause my pockets isn't that big ^_^

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durden77

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Edited By durden77
@DonutFever said:
I got a 3DS day one. Nintendo seems determined to prove to me that was a mistake.
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donutfever

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Edited By donutfever

I got a 3DS day one. Nintendo seems determined to prove to me that was a mistake.

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ltcoljaxson

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Edited By ltcoljaxson

Do I get a brick as a carrying case as well? It'd be about just as practical.

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the_dudefather

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Edited By the_dudefather
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pandashake

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Edited By pandashake

If only this was revealed sooner, I would've love to hear their thoughts about this on the barncast

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lumberingjackal

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Edited By lumberingjackal

Oh my

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Frenden

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Edited By Frenden

Desperation is a stinky cologne.

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dalkalopagus

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Edited By dalkalopagus

It's dumb as hell, but as long as it isn't too expensive... I can't complain about more shoulder buttons and a second stick Hopefuly it will be implimented in more then just monster hunter.

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Tacoboy1986

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Edited By Tacoboy1986
@InsidiousTuna: Holy Shit! I remember this thing! I had it when I was five or six. The damn thing was heavier than I was!
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spilledmilkfactory

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@Jensonb said:

If this is real, it demonstrates Nintendo have spent the last year going from being visionaries to idiots, and pretty much deposits all the faith I had in them.

I actually feel that they'd already been at that point for a while. Ever since the SNES, they've been screwing up, first with the decision to go with carts instead of disks on the N64, then with the abortion that was the Gamecube's online suite, then with the Wii's total failure to do anything interesting beyond the novelty of waggle, then with the 3DS's abysmal launch lineup and poor post-launch support, then with the reveal of the Wii U (although some would argue, correctly, that it has potential, it's hard not to see it going the way of the Wii) and now finally with this absurd add-on. I've realized that lately, Nintendo has just been throwing ideas at a wall and seeing what sticks. It's great that they're willing to go out and try unique things, but it just doesn't work out when they have essentially no business acumen

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Tophat666

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Edited By Tophat666

If it's so big it should give me extra battery life, but it probably won't. Also so what you're saying is my case won't fit anymore? Just………………

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generic_username

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Edited By generic_username

Okay. Fuck it. That's it. I just can't do it anymore. I paid for your fucking 3DS that you have completely failed to make worth the money I paid so far, and now you're expecting me to buy an add-on for it. If you plan on making this dumb-ass, uncomfortable-looking thing a requirement for more games, or release a new system with it built in, and make my 3DS completely obsolete before you've even released any fucking games for it, then I'm done. I've let you kick me while I'm down over and over again, and told myself it's okay because you make great games, but this is too much. I can't be a Nintendo fanboy anymore. I'm hanging up my Mario hat. (Note that this is only the case if my current expensive-as-hell piece of hardware becomes obsolete. And releasing this awful add-on isn't going to mean my 3DS won't be made obsolete. Look at that thing. I'm supposed to hold that? Or carry it around with me? Or use something that rediculous on a bus? Here's hoping I can still play the games I want to without the stick.)
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ProfessorEss

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Edited By ProfessorEss

Luckily for Nintendo it doesn't seem to matter how bad they screw something up they can just re-release a few games and be back on top.

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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..

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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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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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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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niftynichy

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Edited By niftynichy

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

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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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mozgus

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Edited By mozgus

Fugly. What is Nintendo even thinking, anymore?

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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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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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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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BraveToaster

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Edited By BraveToaster

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

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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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DarthB

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Edited By DarthB

only viable if they start giving them away for free.

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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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ohvee

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Edited By ohvee

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

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jettpack

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Edited By jettpack

jeez

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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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digital_sin

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Edited By digital_sin

The old Nintendo is back.

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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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234r2we232

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Edited By 234r2we232

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

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RazielCuts

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Edited By RazielCuts

Truly portable gaming (!)

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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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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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miva2

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Edited By miva2

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

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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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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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Nictel

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Edited By Nictel

$599,-