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Wii U Getting a Price Drop, Also There Is a Nintendo 2DS Now [UPDATE]

Nintendo's making moves. I'll leave it to you to decide the level of merit to afford those moves.

This exists. HANDLE THAT.
This exists. HANDLE THAT.

Nintendo appears to be in problem solving mode today, including solving some problems we didn't even know existed. Aiming to simultaneously bolster sales of its flagging Wii U console and get more people to buy 3DS systems even though a lot of people have already bought 3DS systems, the company announced a pair of moves sure to get people talking, and maybe even buying more systems. Maybe.

First up, the Wii U, which will see its deluxe model drop to a price point of $299.99, $50 less than its debut cost. Nothing too fancy about that news, though given the lack of consumer interest the Wii U has engendered thus far, it makes perfect sense, especially given the timing of the move. The price drop will officially take hold as of September 20, two months before Sony and Microsoft launch their new console platforms.

On the 3DS side, Nintendo's latest announcement should be of great benefit to you if you haven't ever owned a 3DS and your barrier to entry for the system was $40 and one too many dimensions. Today, Nintendo announced a 2DS. Yes, it's just like the 3DS, but without the 3D functionality. It also retails for $129.99 ($40 cheaper than the standard 3DS model) and ditches the system's clamshell-style lid. It will support all 3DS titles and include backward compatibility for classic DS games.

Again, the Wii U news is kind of a no-brainer, though the timing (and bizarre design) of the 2DS is a real head-scratcher. Like, sure, it's absolutely an entry-level device not aimed at the sort of people who would already own a 3DS, and the usefulness of the system's 3D capabilities has been debated pretty much since the system debuted, anyway. But when you consider that the 3DS is already the best-selling platform on the market as of right now, it seems maybe a bit...superfluous? I don't know. Maybe I'm wildly underestimating how cheap this thing is to produce, and the number of parents of Pokemon fans who will run out and grab this thing for the kids come this holiday season.

You tell me. Is this a thing you, or someone you know would want? And while we're at it, is $50 off enough to get you on board with the Wii U?

UPDATE: Amid the torrent of Nintendo news, I neglected to mention the also just announced Wind Waker HD Wii U bundle. The bundle, which will also launch on September 20, includes a special black Wii U console (with custom gold lettering and symbols on the GamePad), a free download code for the Hyrule Hystoria book, and a download code for the Wind Waker HD game from the Nintendo eShop. Interestingly, this bundle goes for the same $299.99 price point as the regular deluxe model, and comes ahead of Wind Waker HD's October 4 retail release.

Alex Navarro on Google+

372 Comments

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Oscar__Explosion

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As much as I agree with the sentiment of "This looks stupid, why would I buy this" I now understand that the 2DS is not for me. It's for younger children. With the non-clamshell form factor (meaning kids won't break it so easily) and lower price point I can see this being a popular item during the hoildays.

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cooljammer00

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Weirdly, I never knew I wanted the clamshell design so badly until they took it away. So it's basically not portable cause you can't throw it into a bag or your pants pocket.

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cooljammer00

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Edited By cooljammer00

Weirdly, I never knew I wanted the clamshell design so badly until they took it away. So it's basically not portable cause you can't throw it into a bag or your pants pocket.

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W1ck3d

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Edited By W1ck3d

I wonder if the battery-life is better than the 3DS.

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saethir

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@gesi1223 said:

I wonder what the point of tossing the clamshell design is. Is it just to save a few dollars so they dont have to make 2 seperate parts of the thing? Could it be some sort of way to make it look more like a smartphone rather than an old "clamshell" phone? Which sounds pretty stupid, considering the way the thing looks and what it actually is.

From what I understand it's designed that way to be harder for young children to snap in half. That seems to be the primary demographic for this thing, as they cant accidentally turn the 3d on have their little eyes explode.

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fastredponycar

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Windwaker bundle is what finally has pushed me to buy a WiiU.

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WickedSickDanceAttack

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I already bought a WiiU because of Wonderful 101 and Bayonetta 2. But now I wish i had waited.

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Megasheep

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Edited By Megasheep

I dont even understand what is going on in that 2DS picture...is Nintendo trying to make it like a tablet or something?

That was my thought. Nintendo's attempt to break into the tablet market. A half-baked, poorly planned, not taken far enough attempt to break into the tablet market.

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kermite

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Thank you for putting updates at the bottom. You are a true hero Alex.

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TC

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So much negativity...

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zMalloc

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Edited By zMalloc

I think I must be the only person here that is actually interested in getting one.

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Chucklestyle

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I...might look into getting one of these. Most portables are uncomfortable control-wise to me, and the button placement seems like it might be more of a fit for my mitts. And I was never going to use the 3D anyway. I will kinda miss the clamshell though.

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Scarabus

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Edited By Scarabus

That design is fucking terrible. I wouldn't even buy it on impulse if it was $99.

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RuthLoose

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Quick question amid a shit storm: will the 2DS have greatly improved battery life? I would assume this is a possibility.

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OFactor16

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@tc: It's a story about Nintendo. Everybody wants them to fail.

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Corvak

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Wow that thing looks dumb. Sticking with my XL, thanks.

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ICantBeStopped

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Even if it were only $50, it'd be $50 too much if I wasn't going to use it. The Wii U needs games, and for someone like me that grew out of their properties in my mid-teens, Mario titles won't do it.

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ICantBeStopped

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Even if it were only $50, it'd be $50 too much if I wasn't going to use it. The Wii U needs games, and for someone like me that grew out of their properties in my mid-teens, Mario titles won't do it.

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AngriGhandi

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Edited By AngriGhandi

I am greatly pleased that Nintendo has gotten to the point where they are actually parodying themselves.

I am even more pleased that it will probably make them a lot of money. It seems fitting!

As for the Wii U, I'll probably buy one later. However long it takes for me to forget about the 400 dollars I'm spending on a PS4. So, probably next summer!

I've got a really shitty memory.

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Regular_Kirk

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I'm holding out for the version of the 2DS that comes with the crust cut off.

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Sooty

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Edited By Sooty

XL is still the only 3DS worth bothering with by the looks of it.

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DayOneAdvantage

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Edited By DayOneAdvantage

I can see why they ditched the clamshell for increased durability if this is more for very young children, but why in the world did they move the face buttons up to the top screen and move the stick and D-Pad up to the middle of the system?

Its like they dont expect anyone to ever look at the bottom screen. I can only imagine how awkward it would be to play the old DS Castlevanias on this thing.

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DayOneAdvantage

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I can see why they ditched the clamshell for increased durability if this is more for very young children, but why in the world did they move the face buttons up to the top screen and move the stick and D-Pad up to the middle of the system?

Its like they dont expect anyone to ever look at the bottom screen. I can only imagine how awkward it would be to play the old DS Castlevanias on this thing.

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DayOneAdvantage

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I can see why they ditched the clamshell for increased durability if this is more for very young children, but why in the world did they move the face buttons up to the top screen and move the stick and D-Pad up to the middle of the system?

Its like they dont expect anyone to ever look at the bottom screen. I can only imagine how awkward it would be to play the old DS Castlevanias on this thing.

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batalskar

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@jimmyfenix: whiskey tango foxtrot??? Ugggghhhhh....I can't even think of.....uggghh

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Roger_Klotz

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Edited By Roger_Klotz

Was Nintendo trying to make a tablet? If that was their intention than, well, they failed.

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BooDoug187

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I thought that 2DS thing was some kind of WiiU add-on...

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deactivated-598577e1aeb21

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Unfathomable

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hatking

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Edited By hatking

Heh... Tooty ass.

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TechHits

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Edited By TechHits

@nadril said:

I could almost get behind that 2DS thing if it wasn't so fucking ugly. Why not just make it the same form as a 3DS?

to make it as cheap as humanly possible.

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teac77

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It would be neat to see a special *gold* Wii U console with custom *black* lettering.

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TechHits

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@nadril said:

I could almost get behind that 2DS thing if it wasn't so fucking ugly. Why not just make it the same form as a 3DS?

to make it as cheap as humanly possible.

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MrL8N

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Edited By MrL8N

@dooley said:

What the shit.

Kinda my reaction! I saw the 2DS thread on GAF and thought it was a joke at first. Like the 3DS is already great, why does this need to exist? I don't

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mrGREEK360

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Wtf is nintendo doing with this pos 2ds? What it needs is dual sticks already, nintendo what the heck are you doing? Your buisness decisions baffle the industry! Not to mention the 2DS is just ugly without the clam shell.

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KittyVonDoom

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Edited By KittyVonDoom

I'm surprised they didn't go all out for the 2DS and include giant bumper buttons and a moulded handgrip on the reverse side. It looks like it was designed for children and the elderly.

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Velirno

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Edited By Velirno

The 2DS is basically the kid-friendly model. The hinge is not very durable on any of the DS models, and this thing looks pretty durable. Would have been better if they had managed to debut it at $99, but whatevs.

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Carac

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Edited By Carac

When I saw the 2DS announcement.

No Caption Provided

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sternone

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Edited By sternone

Its not meant for everyone, its meant for kids under the age of 7. One more model option meant to serve a different market. If you don't like it, guess what - you don't have to buy it! Its a shocking concept, I know, the idea that a product made by some company may not be designed for every human on the planet.

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Edited By DeF

Wtf is nintendo doing with this pos 2ds? What it needs is dual sticks already, nintendo what the heck are you doing? Your buisness decisions baffle the industry! Not to mention the 2DS is just ugly without the clam shell.

It does NOT need dual sticks. That is still the most nonsensical idea people keep having. Throwing two sticks on that thing would add nothing other than fragmenting the userbase and the games wouldn't change regardless. 3DS does not have third/first-person shooters by the dozen so that it'd need two sticks for something.

2DS is perfect for kids. It's literally made for kids. Parents worrying about 3D ripping out their kids' eyes is a thing. Parents are weird. The thing does look incredibly odd, though.

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civ2boss

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This is totally what Nintendo did with the 3DS all over again. Who didn't see it coming?

Drop the price of the 3DS and release a zelda remake.

Drop the price of the Wii U and release a zelda remake.

I just have to say...it worked for me for the 3DS and it's working for me for the Wii U.

@kumis said:

I think it is really stupid of Nintendo to announce a price drop almost a month before it happens. It's gonna kill most of the small amount of sales they were going to have...

I think the amount is so small they don't really care.

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BaddArt

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300 bones for the WiiU is still too rich for my blood. Although the Wind Waker pack-in is enticing, I essentially just want the console for Smash Bros and Earthbound and they aren't worth throwing down that first down payment.

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jakob187

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Edited By jakob187

Man, when they say "2DS," they MEAN 2DS...because it looks about as two-dimensional as it fucking gets. Ugly as sin. Why the hell would you take away the one thing that makes a DS so convenient to travel with? Who the fuck is going to carry that thing around and actually SHOW it to people?

As for the Wii U, that's STILL too much money for seven year old architecture using a gimmick up front.

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TehChich

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Edited By TehChich

"I bought my kid a 2DS but I can't find any games for it. Only 3DS ones"

.....fuck.

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Tireyo

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It doesn't even fold! This is a really stupid idea.

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PimblyCharles

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oohh a 2ds sounds awesome

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mikael110

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Edited By mikael110

For all the people saying that this is a device for parents concerned about their kids playing games in 3D / for people who feel the 3D takes too much battery power and causes strain.

You guys do realize that 3D is a completely optional feature on the 3DS right?

The 3D feature can easily be turned off via the slider and can even be completely disabled via parental settings in such a way that the slider will no longer turn the 3D on anymore.

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Oscar__Explosion

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Edited By Oscar__Explosion
@def said:

@mrgreek360 said:

Wtf is nintendo doing with this pos 2ds? What it needs is dual sticks already, nintendo what the heck are you doing? Your buisness decisions baffle the industry! Not to mention the 2DS is just ugly without the clam shell.

It does NOT need dual sticks. That is still the most nonsensical idea people keep having. Throwing two sticks on that thing would add nothing other than fragmenting the userbase and the games wouldn't change regardless. 3DS does not have third/first-person shooters by the dozen so that it'd need two sticks for something.

2DS is perfect for kids. It's literally made for kids. Parents worrying about 3D ripping out their kids' eyes is a thing. Parents are weird. The thing does look incredibly odd, though.

It's the PSP all over again.

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Oscar__Explosion

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@tehchich said:

@rincewind said:

"I bought my kid a 2DS but I can't find any games for it. Only 3DS ones"

.....fuck.

yeah. I can totally see this happening...

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Cold_Wolven

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Edited By Cold_Wolven

Well I can honestly say I didn't see that one coming, a 2DS (stupid name) that doesn't fold to at least reduce the size and keep dust off the screen. Good move on the Wii U price drop and Wind Waker HD bundle.

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jgf

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Actually I think I'll buy this thing. Cheaper, better battery life and better 2d display. Missing 3d is no concern to me. Sounds like the device the 3ds should have been from the start.