Hey there awesome duders of Giantbomb, I was just wanting to gather some opinions on the 3DS.

I’ve never really been a big fan of handhelds, but the amount of love some games are getting for this system (I’m thinking Mario 3D Land, Zelda, Fire Emblem, Ghost Trick etc) is actually making me seriously consider taking the plunge.

Now, let’s get a few things straight. I would be mainly playing this at home, I have zero nostalgia for Nintendo and I positively hate 3D, but it is still worth me putting down the stacks for one of these?

Also, any feedback on the 2DS would be appreciated, as it’s only £99 pounds here as opposed to double that for a 3DS XL.

I spend 99% of my 3DS gaming time at home on the couch or in bed. I play almost exclusively with 3D turned off. I have the XL model and it is fantastic and I love the system and the games it's got this year. Money well spent.

I've been spending more and more time on my 3DS XL than my 360, PS3, PS4 and Vita (due to the cost of the Sony Memory Cards)

With such games as Fire Emblem, Zelda, Monster Hunter, Pokemon Y, AC New Leaf and Steam Dig (plus others) I like the pick up and play side of my 3DS XL.

BTW the kids have a 2DS which is very comfortable to hold but I don't think the screen quality is as good as the 3DS XL, and the screen size is smaller.

No; you should'vegotten a 3DS. They were going for 150 bucks on BF.

I'm pretty content with a regular 3DS and I have large hands, but maybe I haven't had enough hands on time with an XL to appreciate the difference. The battery life could be better but 90% of the time I'm playing at home anyway so not a big deal to plug it in.

You should get the 2DS simply because of the price and your distaste for 3D. (You aren't missing much, Nintendo overhyped that shit)

I'd go for the 3ds xl, especially if you can find the one bundled with zelda. The 3d can be shut off and who knows.. you might just end up liking/using the 3d.

The regular 3ds has a glossy screen so I wouldn't recommend it. Go for the XL or 2ds.

A million yes. I would have gotten the 2DS, because I can't see 3D, but I bought a 3DS off a friend. One of the best console purchases I have made.

@gatehouse: It comes down to if you'll actually play it or not. There are a ton of great games available. Many that I've enjoyed. But I'm like you, I just don't really do handhelds. So, at this point, the entirety of my 3DS catalog has just been sitting on my 'to play' list while the system sits plugged into its charger next to my bed 24/7. I don't know what it is. I think it's a great system. It has fantastic games. But I just don't want to sit around and play it, ever. The problem has me reconsidering whether I want a Vita, despite how appealing it seems right now. I don't want a second handheld to not play.

I don't necessarily regret the purchase. There have been a few times that I've gotten sucked into it, or the portable nature of the system has come in handy. But, from a fiscally responsible perspective, it wasn't my best decision.

I bought the 3DS XL, and at this point I can't see going any other way. Whenever I see an original, the thing looks like it's about to fall apart. Plus the screen size is jarring, but that's likely just because I'm used to the XL. I know a lot of people prefer the original though, so it probably just comes down to comfort and what you can afford. I have no experience with the 2DS, but it seems like it might be totally okay, if all you're doing is playing at home. Should be noted that some games do make contextual use of the 3D. I can't really imagine playing Mario 3D Land without 3D.

Edit: And don't worry about the nostalgia thing. Nintendo clearly gives zero fucks about updating their old library on the 3DS. You'll get a handful of essential NES games, some Gamegear stuff, and Gameboy/Color stuff too. The absence of SNES on there is criminally neglectful. Also, none of their games carry across platforms. It's a fucking mess, dude.

I've been thinking the same thing and have a couple of questions if anyone here could help -

1) does it work with a bluetooth headset for sound? Would be great if it'd work with a headset instead of having to keep a separate set of earphones when using the 3DS.

2) should I get the XL or just regular? I'd mostly be using it in the flat so portability isn't a big deal. Which is more comfortable, better screen that sort of thing?

Yeah, if you wanna.

I bought one on Black Friday (XL), got Animal Crossing and Pokemon Y.

I spend most of my time with it on Animal Crossing, but it isn't a very active game. I dig up fossils and water the plants, check the stores and that's about it. Maybe a half an hour to 45 minutes.

Pokemon Y hasn't caught on with me yet. Maybe when I have a vacation or something it I will play it more.

@rahulricky: 1) Nope, no Bluetooth support.

2) Disregarding the price difference, I'd go for the XL. Especially since you're just using it at home, the bigger screen is a plus.

@rahulricky:

I'd definitely go for the XL, I got a 3DS XL for £110 last June and have played it non-stop. I haven't tried out the non-XL so I can't comment on the quality but the XL is fantastic, great screen and decent battery life.

@liquidsaiyan3@lumley thanks for the feedback! I'll see if I can find an XL used for a decent price.

3ds is a piece of junk, but if you do get one, get 2DS, since it seems to be the most comfortable model by far, and the dpad is in more within reach.

Don't even think about getting the XL, it's clunky, and ugly. it's like a cross between a minivan and a pencil case, and comes in bad colors only. (edit: My bad, it's available in black now.)

excuse me while I save my animal crossing play session. Yes, get it, by all means, it's wonderful. Pushmo and Steamworld Dig are delightful little gems worth picking up

If you're using it at home then there's no point in the system being a clamshell.

@egg: Other than the, you know, 3D part of it, and the part where the screens don't get covered in dust always.

Yes, you should.

@canteu:

Just put the system face down and voila! No dust!

@egg: What kind of moron puts anything screen down?

@egg: I put my psp in a bag, actually. And oddly enough, I close my 3DS.

Yes, sure I have a disability, whatever you say. Don't be so fucking rude.

@egg: The fact you have a Shadow the Hedgehog avatar seems totally appropriate.

Yes, the 3DS is a great system. It has a great library of games and will likely continue to shine in the future. I'd recommend the XL over any of the other models, but if you're on a budget the 2DS seems like a totally reasonable purchase.

Only do it if you actually, actively want to play some of the games on the system right now. Fire Emblem, Zelda, Animal Crossing, Mario 3D Land, Phoenix Wright and Bravely Default - do they excite you? Do you get sucked in to games in those genres?

If you do decide to go for it, make sure you get Attack of the Friday Monsters from the eshop, because it is GOTY 2013.

@canteu:

it was a joke. and besides, you're the one who said "what kind of moron.."

Is it true that the 3ds doesn't come with a charger? Some ebay auctions I'm seeing are suggesting the charger is a bonus included in the auction, which seems insane to me.

I bought my 3ds XL new and it is worth it. I haven't owned a handheld since the Game Boy (Not color, no advance...the GAME BOY) but with all these great titles, plus being able to play DS games on the cheap it's worth it.

I tried a 2ds but didn't like it. I have big hands (I'm 30) and couldn't really get into the fact that the main screen was smaller than my phone's. The 3DS XL has a great sized screen. and because of the folding I even watch netflix on it.

Here are a few bullet points:

Legend of Zelda: Four Swords is FREE for a limited time on the eshop

Lots of great downloadables including classic NES games.

Fire Emblem: Awaking might be the best game on the system, but I'm also really enjoying Link Between Worlds and Batman: Blackgate

There are tons of great DS games.

I play it mostly at home now as well.

Hope it helps!

I believe the XL version doesn't come with a charger. Can't remember. They're cheap anyway. No reason to worry about it.

Also, I don't buy Nintendo for nostalgia. I buy for quality games. 3DS is my favourite Nintendo handheld so far and there're plenty of high quality titles for it. It does help however if you enjoy Japanese games. The region lock sucks and I had to buy a Japanese 3DS because of it. Disappointingly, it doesn't have a proper account system either.

So, check if there are enough released or upcoming games you're interested in and decide for yourself. Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Pokemon X/Y are great games for instance but that doesn't mean everyone will enjoy.

Yes, it's a great system. I got an XL for Christmas and it's definitely worth it. That said though games are too expensive.

3ds systems all come with charger in the west.

the no charger thing was was in Japan only

funny tho how ninty pulls that stunt in Japan one time and now gamers in the west have to constantly ask if the system will com with a charger before they buy it. =.=

eBay listings, hell even the freaking battery cover is treated like a bundled item. so I wouldn't think too much of it.

forget the charger though, get a USB to dsi/3ds adapter, there's an eBay listing for one for like 2 or 3 bucks. its the one with 30 or so watchers.

You just summarized egg quite well.

@gatehouse Last year's 3DS releases alone make the system worth it. I can't recommend the XL enough, especially if you're not going to be taking it out of the house much. It's just so big and comfortable to hold without feeling like you're handling a brick. The regular 3DS's screens just look too small for me after playing the XL and the 2DS looks ugly, cheap, and uncomfortable. Some people claim that the XL's screens make the graphics look worse because they stretch the picture, but I've never noticed anything.

You should probably see if a store somewhere has a 3DS or a 3DS XL on display so you can know which one is more comfortable in your hands.

As for the 3D, my 3D slider remains permanently off. The only time I've ever found it remotely useful is in a handful of Super Mario 3D Land bonus stages that were designed with 3D in mind, but even then you don't really need it. It's an absolutely useless feature.