Are you excited about the 3DS? Have you already put down your $250 at your local GameStop? It seems like everyone I talk to personally is piloting the bandwagon for this thing. So am I alone in wondering what the big deal is? Am I just a jaded, pessimistic person? Actually, that part may be true regardless. But really, I just can't seem to get excited about this. 
 

I agree with your second point, I won't be getting one until there is solid software out or at least announced. 
But regarding your first point. I don't see why a second nub is needed. The kinds of games I will be playing on a 3DS don't need them. When I think about my favorite DS games, I think Phoenix Wright, Advance Wars, Castlevania, Henry Hatsowrth. The list is full of games that don't need a second nub. The only reason you would need a second one is for first person shooters, which I don't want on a 3DS anyway, or dual joystiq shooters, for which a stylus can be used as a second stick.

I'm left handed and the 3DS looks like it'll discriminate the shit out of me

I agree with you. When hearing people talk about playing Kid Icarus on the 3DS and how hard it is to control, it made me wonder why they didn't just put a second stick on it. The developers seem to be having to put way too much time into getting around the control limitations. If I had to buy either the 3DS or the NGP, I would easily go with the NGP. 
 
But that doesn't really matter, because I probably won't buy either. My portable gaming platform of choice is the iPhone.

As with the original DS (or any handheld) I'll wait about a year or until the first hardware revision to see whether the system has gained any traction or not.  Your concerns are not unfounded.

I've got an iPhone, so the 3DS is pointless and ridiculous.

Yeah, I don't really care either. They made a more powerful DS. Great. I wasn't looking for power from the DS. The 3D is a gimmick, and the price is too damn high. If they can come out with some compelling games for it, I'll be interested, but I doubt those will be games that had to be on the 3DS. I don't get the point of the system yet, and won't be surprised if there really isn't one.

Gamestop has pretty specific dates for a number of early 3DS releases.  I don't know how accurate they all are, but they seem pretty natural.  It's close enough to the launch of the handheld to see why they'd be wrong.
 
As far as a second nub goes, no, it doesn't need one.  I am a lefty, and it will be weird getting used to games like Kid Icarus, but I'm not going to knock it until I try it.

More and more it seems like Nintendo has become a company that is only interested in releasing rehashes of their past and Iphone app store games (only theirs cost full price.) 

Just for the record.  This is what Gamestop.com has listed for day one... 
 

• Lego Star Wars III  
• Madden NFL Football
• Samurai Warriors Chronicles 
• The Sims 3 
• Super Monkey Ball 
• Super Street Fighter IV

The 3ds doesn't need a second thumb stick because the games Nintendo makes are not geared towards FPS which is mainly what dual thumb sticks are for.  I do agree with your second point as i also will not be picking one up until i start to see some interesting games for it.

I think people were complaining about the PSP's lack of a second stick because it's been somewhat similar to the PS2. For the 3DS, I don't know what to expect, yet. I'm not even entirely sure what the line-up will be, even though I see your post right above mine.

I'm as torn as you are and cannot help you with this particular quandry, but might I remind everyone that iPhone games are shit?

" Just for the record.  This is what Gamestop.com has listed for day one... 
 

• Lego Star Wars III  
• Madden NFL Football
• Samurai Warriors Chronicles 
• The Sims 3 
• Super Monkey Ball 
• Super Street Fighter IV

 
Yeah... great.

"

OP's first point is moot.  Outside for first gen DS software, the bread and butter of the DS has never been aping console experiences.  Funnily enough, it's best games are made specifically with the platform in mind, whereas arguably most of the PSP's best games are console experiences shoe horned onto into a less able platform.   Hence why people were always barking for a second stick on a PSP successor.  
 
I do agree with the second point though.  Even though I have one pre-ordered on Amazon, that launch line up does not excite me.   It looks like I'll be spending a lot of time with Steel Diver until some more meaty titles release later in the year.  
 
As for the final point, it's not clear.  At least in terms of Star Fox 64, its a game people remember fondly.  Slap some better textures on it, re-record Slippy's audio, push in some obligatory 3D effects, and it might be worth a look.  I'd rather have an original Star Fox(or a downloadable release of the canceled Star Fox 2), but Star Fox 64 more or less is the last Star Fox I declare an an unqualified appreciation for.   DS didn't exactly have a bunch of N64 ports that I remember, and it was probably born out of desperation to have some type of high profile title in the launch window.  In all respects, the original DS launch software was just as abysmal as what we're seeing for the 3DS.
 
Other than that, I got to admit, part of the reason I've got one pre-order is pure habit.  I've been a Nintendo early adopter for a long time now.  Still got my Virtual Boy, even if the left eye piece is experiencing vertical hold issues.  The other part, is supply concerns, since there is some possibility this thing could start flying off the shelves.  I'd hate for decent software to hit, and then spend a couple weeks trying to track one down.  

i have to disagree with your first point. most of Nintendo's consoles only have one analog stick so one on a handheld should be no big deal. 
 
second point is right on. i thought launch window meant the first couple of weeks, not couple of months. most of the games dont seem interesting anyway. im not getting one rite away. 

N64 ports are stupid, we are in 2011 you can't be porting from a 15 year old console, the PSP ported PS2 (a generation ahead of the N64) 6 years ago, they are selling us smoke, how can Nintendo not be ashamed that Sony's new portable is several times more powerful than a Wii?, for casual games we have the smartphones, we don't need another $250 device to play games a la angry birds.

I have one pre-ordered. I'm half tempted to leave it unopened and sell it around Christmas time if no game I'm interested in is released/announced. 

While I do agree that only one analog dealy is lame, I also enjoyed playing Metroid Prime Hunters with the stylus for aiming a whole lot, and found it to be a lot faster/more precise than an analog dealy would have been, so there are ways of controlling camera without using the stupid thumb thing. 

The hypocrisy against the PSP is sickening. The 3DS gets a free ride for not having a second analog stick when clearly the games are now fully 3D and needed. The 3DS also gets a free ride of having ports of older console games when the PSP was slammed for the exact same thing.

This Nintendo bias will not stand up anymore. 

I'm not excited at all. Though I have ordered one for my Sisters birthday, so I can pretty much have my 10 mins of fun with it, then never touch it again.
 
Which seems to be the standard for all things Nintendo, since the N64. Shame really.

" @Marino said:

" Just for the record.  This is what Gamestop.com has listed for day one... 
 

• Lego Star Wars III  
• Madden NFL Football
• Samurai Warriors Chronicles 
• The Sims 3 
• Super Monkey Ball 
• Super Street Fighter IV

 
Yeah... great.

"

Shit, man.  Samurai Warriors Chronicles means I am set. "

"

The hypocrisy against the PSP is sickening. The 3DS gets a free ride for not having a second analog stick when clearly the games are now fully 3D and needed. The 3DS also gets a free ride of having ports of older console games when the PSP was slammed for the exact same thing.

This Nintendo bias will not stand up anymore. 

"

" I'm left handed and the 3DS looks like it'll discriminate the shit out of me "

I think Nintendo are taking a risk with the 3DS. Granted that it is a MINIMAL risk because they're loaded right now following their success over the past 3 or 4 years with both the original DS systems and of course, the Wii.
 
But yeah, I have to say - I don't think half as many 'average joe's' are going to pick up a 3DS. It has lost its simplicity and charm and has favoured a gimmick, which will not have any logevity in the environment of the average home. I don't even feel that 3D TV's are going to take off, nevermind this thing. Same goes for full body motion gaming like Kinnect. It has no logevity and these things are often shoved under the bed before long.
 
I don't even believe most 'gamer' types will want to pick it up. Unless you're a huge fan of re-releases and re-hash Mario efforts.
 
I believe the future of POPULAR portable gaming lies with Apple's iPod future models and they just haven't fully realised it yet.

" @TheVideoHustler said:

" I'm left handed and the 3DS looks like it'll discriminate the shit out of me "

This! Holding the stylus in my right hand feels really uncomfortable but I of course don't want to lose the mobility of the stick. So as a left hander I must choose between what feels natural and no analogue, or analogue and uncomfortable hand cramp, it seems.   "

I think you guys are all missing the point. It's 3d dudes.... 3D. But seriously, I don't know how Nintendo does it but this thing will sell like hot cakes and I for one, will not be buying one.

" N64 ports are stupid, we are in 2011 you can't be porting from a 15 year old console, the PSP ported PS2 (a generation ahead of the N64) 6 years ago, they are selling us smoke, how can Nintendo not be ashamed that Sony's new portable is several times more powerful than a Wii?, for casual games we have the smartphones, we don't need another $250 device to play games a la angry birds. "

I wasn't overly excited for the 3DS until I played it, and now I'm much more optimistic. Admittedly, the launch line up is pretty fucking shocking, but I can see it being a worthwhile purchase much later on, when the breadth of games has increased. Kid Icarus wasn't that hard to play, just awkward to get used to, in a similar way to going back to a GameCube or N64 controller is awkward. You adjust pretty quickly. 
 
On the issue of a second analogue stick - I'm not that fussed, I think including a second one would have made the use of the ABXY buttons to un-ergonomic, and rendered the whole reason the DS exists (the touch screen) pointless, which would be bad business sense for Nintendo.

I don't know how Nintendo looks at that launch lineup and says "Okay! I think we've got a strong launch here, let's do it!"  
It just looks like the original DS launch + Nintendogs & Street FIghter.  
 
And what's with the stupid N64 rereleases? That was what the DS was for. I want Gamecube games on this piece. Of course, they'll have some trouble with that given it's controls. Why no second analog stick? That seems like folly to me.  
 
The 3DS had me hyped as a DS sequel, but honestly the 3D seems uninteresting, and the controls don't look great.... friend codes again. I don't know if I can deal with Nintendo's annoying hardware design again. They overlook simple things making the Wii in HD, or having any real online infrastructure. I mean, sure they got their audience, but seriously, Nintendo seems really behind in their design. They're lucky the games they make are so good. 
  
 On the other hand the NGP looks like a behemoth that'll cost an arm and a leg. It could be totally sweet, but there's no real games announced yet, so we'll see. 
 
 I'll probably stick to my iPhone/iPad at this point. 

I'm holding out for Mario Kart...or anything that's worth a damn. The whole 3DS fiasco is super weird to me. Why are people so pumped about Kid Icarus? There's been two games in that entire franchise, the last one releasing in 1991! I never played the GB game, but the NES Kid Icarus game was "meh". I'm dumbfounded no one is bitching about the lack of a second analog stick, the online store won't be available on launch, and the biggest day 1 title (Street Fighter 4) is a game that we've all bought twice and can play a better versions elsewhere.   
 
It's ludicrous that anyone is excited for the 3DS with its price, lack of games, and lack of features at launch. 

I'm probably not getting one and if I do it'll be the second gen version and even then I'll still be skeptical.  Only thing that might push me over is the next pokemon game which won't be for a while since b/w hasen't even been released in the u.s. yet.  It's just a gimmick I don't see myself falling for for a long while.

" I'm holding out for Mario Kart...or anything that's worth a damn. The whole 3DS fiasco is super weird to me. Why are people so pumped about Kid Icarus? There's been two games in that entire franchise, the last one releasing in 1991! I never played the GB game, but the NES Kid Icarus game was "meh". I'm dumbfounded no one is bitching about the lack of a second analog stick, the online store won't be available on launch, and the biggest day 1 title (Street Fighter 4) is a game that we've all bought twice and can play a better versions elsewhere.    It's ludicrous that anyone is excited for the 3DS with its price, lack of games, and lack of features at launch.  "

I think that the stuff downloaded on Wii needs to be played on the 3DS, that way people can save money. Both WiiWare, and especially virtual console needs to be on 3DS, cause the 3DS doesn't need a separate download service. That is all in my opinion. 
 
I ain't sold on 3DS either. I mean it looks great, but I'm questioning if it's really going to be great.

like, realistically, the touch screen IS your second analogue stick, and how would you use both, along with the touch screen?

" @GlenTennis: @Hailinel: @wickedsc3: @UltorOscariot: @WR311:   You guys saying a second analog is unnecessary are terribly short sighted.  Your argument is that past DS games are designed to not need it?  That's like saying the SNES doesn't need six buttons because NES games are designed to require only two.  DS games are designed to not use a right analog stick because there simply isn't one.  If given that option, I'm sure developers would seize the opportunity to use it.  Not just for FPS games, but for camera control in any type of game. "

" @Laketown: Developers should have the option. Not everything HAS to use the touch screen. "

" Just for the record.  This is what Gamestop.com has listed for day one... 
 

• Lego Star Wars III  
• Madden NFL Football
• Samurai Warriors Chronicles 
• The Sims 3 
• Super Monkey Ball 
• Super Street Fighter IV

 
Yeah... great.

"

If nothing else, I would prefer to see the analog disk on the other side. Why would you put the two directional inputs on the same side? It did almost nothing for the PSP.

" @gladspooky: I'm not sure how you correlate "pick up and play" with no need for refined controls.  Why even have one analog stick then?  A second stick would enhance gameplay not just for FPS games.   "

I'm excited because I will be able to get an older DS for much less money now.