Take Sony's Playstation Vita. On the day that portable system was announced I knew I wouldn't have any interest as a consumer. Never had a device been released where it's future seemed so inevitable. I was left contemplating why Sony even released it in the first place. I can only guess that having already invested considerable amounts of cash into developing the Vita, the idea of just ditching the project probably wasn't in Sony's interests. But with no real excitement behind it, and no Monster Hunter to help it along in the Asian Markets (whereas the PSP was arguably saved by that behemoth franchise) one couldn't help feel the handheld was doomed before it even hit store shelves. But anyway, back to Nintendo.
That said, for those that have yet to sink their teeth into a 3DS, the XL might just be the perfect entry point. A bigger battery is certainly a big positive when the original 3DS's battery life is taken into account, as is the larger screen which some might just prefer. From my point of few, one of the potential positives about the XL is the simple obvious fact that it's larger. As someone who as severe joint pain in both hands, holding handheld devices can be a real issue. Holding the original 3DS caused me some pain after extensive use due to it's design and size, as does Sony's dual shock controller. So that's one of the reasons I've shown interest in the XL. But I'm not won over just yet.
The larger screens could be a negative or a positive. Nintendo have stated that internal hardware hasn't changed so basically you'll still be running 3DS games suited for the bog standard 3DS but on a bigger screen, which could result in a poorer quality picture. A few previews out there have given off mixed messages. Some say screen quality as taken a hit with the larger sized screens while others have said the differences are barely noticeable, there have also been some reports that Nintendo are using some sort of filter to help with picture quality. This is why I think it best to wait until a much broader picture can be painted as we near it's release. I'm unsure what to make of the XL just yet, but as someone slightly tempted to jump back aboard the 3DS train, I'll certainly be keeping a close eye on it as we near release.
Handheld gaming as changed. While it's difficult to say if that change as been for the better, change is usually a positive thing and I can't help but wonder how handheld gaming will look in another three or four years time. Will Sony risk developing another portable system considering how poorly the Vita is doing right now? What about Nintendo, will we see a successor to the 3DS? Smartphones have changed the very essence of portable gaming, making it difficult for both Sony and Nintendo to compete. Its almost as if the two companies are desperately hanging onto a dying genre of gaming hardware, it's just that Nintendo have a slight better grip on the ledge then Sony right now. Still, that doesn't mean we can't get excited about a new Animal Crossing... that's a cool thing to be excited about right?
Thanks for reading,
Joseph. :D
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