Nintendo 3DS XL Is Out Now

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Posted by samzenpus on Sunday July 29, 2012 @01:03PM from the bigger-and-better dept.

Busshy writes "A few months after the rather subdued release of the PSVita comes the release of the Larger screened 3DS XL, improvements are the obvious larger screens and much improved battery life, CVG report that the 3D effect has noticeably improved. As you'd expect with a larger display, the sweet spot in which you have to angle the device to consume your trio of dimensions is far easier to find on the XL. The console is shipping in 3 variations with sites such as Amazon offering different deals depending on where you live in Europe. Those wanting the Transparent version of the 3DS XL are out of luck at this time. Slashdotters in the USA will have to wait till Mid August for the new console."

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frosty by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 13:06 · Score: -1

frist stopst!!!!!!!11
"at this time" by Gothmolly · 2012-07-29 13:19 · Score: -1, Offtopic

Can we please stop overusing this phrase? I'm hearing it more and more from low level non technical functionaries attempting to sound important or relevant. The word you're looking for is either "now" or "yet".

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I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
1. Re:"at this time" by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 13:28 · Score: 0
  
  I would have gone for "at the moment", personally.
2. Re:"at this time" by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 14:51 · Score: 0
  
  "at this time" is one of those space-waster phrases college kids fill up their essays with to meet the page limit without having to really develop their ideas.
3. Re:"at this time" by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 14:56 · Score: 0
  
  This post is random, epic, awkward, amazing and ridiculous.
4. Re:"at this time" by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 15:48 · Score: 0
  
  In this case, "for now" is probably better.
5. Re:"at this time" by UltraZelda64 · 2012-07-29 16:49 · Score: 1
  
  Eh, well I would've preferred "for now," but that's just me.
6. Re:"at this time" by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 18:00 · Score: 0
  
  That's what happens when people expect quantity over quality, or a mix of both.
7. Re:"at this time" by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 18:27 · Score: 0
  
  Those wanting the Transparent version of the 3DS XL are out of luck now.
  Hmm, nope, doesn't sound right.
  
  Those wanting the Transparent version of the 3DS XL are out of luck yet.
  Nope, still wrong.
  
  Basically you're a fucking moron with no concept of language syntax or structure.
8. Re:"at this time" by Guignol · 2012-07-29 20:36 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I do believe that this is not actually completely shown as currently being a proven fact
  On one hand, and it is your privilege as the reader of my thesis to decide if it should be the left or the right one, there is some concern about essays overusing proven formulas like the beloved "intro-for-against-conclusion" artificialy lengthened by space eating expressions that will typically generate way too long and difficult to read sentences.
  On the other hand, so far, and as far as this thread is presently being concerned, it has mostly been a concern for anonymous cowards which are at the moment known to not be currently a reliable source for now.
  Therefore, I don't think we can conclude that college kids are the only ones filling their essays with space wasters at this time
9. Re:"at this time" by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-30 07:30 · Score: 0
  
  At this time you're being a douche.
It's out now? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 13:20 · Score: 2, Funny

--
Not all of us live in Europe. Wish /. would remember that. Why so Euro-centric? You know there are OTHER countries in the world other than those in Europe?
That sound whiny to you? It does to us US slashdotters too when you do it.
1. Re:It's out now? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 15:57 · Score: 0
  
  I bought it 2 days ago, in Japan.
2. Re:It's out now? by Tarlus · 2012-07-29 16:20 · Score: 2
  
  From TFA:
  
  Slashdotters in the USA will have to wait till Mid August for the new console.
  
  --
  /* No Comment */
3. Re:It's out now? by Johann+Lau · 2012-07-29 22:51 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah, but until it's released in the US, nobody should hear about it! >:[
4. Re:It's out now? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-30 00:19 · Score: 0
  
  Burn!
Games? by qazadex · 2012-07-29 13:34 · Score: 1

I thought about getting a 3ds, but compared to the original DS, it seems to have a very lacking library. Are there any killer apps for the 3DS?
1. Re:Games? by Darkness404 · 2012-07-29 13:45 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Super Mario Land 3D is pretty awesome. New Super Mario Bros. 2 is also supposed to be good but isn't out till August. If you haven't played it the first time around on the PS2, Tales of the Abyss is excellent. Kid Icarus is also great. And of course Ocarina of Time is too, but chances are you've already played it to death on the N64/GameCube/Wii.
  
  There's also Mario Kart 7 and Resident Evil: Revelations, but I haven't personally played either of them quite yet.
  
  --
  Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
2. Re:Games? by dontclapthrowmoney · 2012-07-29 14:38 · Score: 2
  
  The 3DS versions also play games written for the DS versions, so the libraries are extras on top of the regular DS library.
  The 3D games/3D effect isn't a reason to buy a 3DS if you already have a DS. It's a reason maybe to spend a little more and buy the 3DS if you don't already own a console of this type at all, but the older non-3D consoles seem really cheap at the moment so now's a good time to get one for each of your kids if you have more than one child.
  My son and also my nephew have a 3DS and they both turn off the 3D effect and never use it, because their eyes get sore after extended periods - as per the warning labels on the console box & games.
  I don't have a good answer to your question because I haven't seen any apps on the DS consoles that I would call a killer app.
3. Re:Games? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 15:44 · Score: 0
  
  New Super Mario Bros. 2 is awesome! if you like that series. I've only finished the first world so far, though.
4. Re:Games? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 16:38 · Score: 0
  
  Super Mario Land 3D is pretty awesome.
  This is THE 3DS game. The special worlds are old-school Super Mario hard. You might think that 3D wouldn't work in a sidescrolling Super Mario game. You would be wrong.
5. Re:Games? by aliquis · 2012-07-29 19:08 · Score: 1
  
  Why is it called Super Mario Land 3D?
  I checked some videos now but it rather seem to be Super Mario Bros 3-inspired?
  Super Mario Bros 3-D?
  Where does the land come from? Or does it have parts of Super Mario Land to? I never had a Gameboy but Super Mario Land seemed pretty awesome and I had the Nintendo magazine with Super Mario Land comics.
  Lovely magazine. No such things nowadays. (I wonder if it wasn't free? Or maybe for a while? Seem very weird if it was but for marketing intentions maybe. Or I just had a nice mom :D)
6. Re:Games? by nstlgc · 2012-07-29 20:32 · Score: 1
  
  It is called 3D because it's (for the most part) a 3D Mario game (like Super Mario Galaxy, Mario 64, etc) and not a 2D Mario game (like New Super Mario Bros, the classic Mario games, ...). The raccoon suit is from SMB3 indeed, but apart from that it doesn't borrow that much elements that are exclusive to SMB3.
  
  --
  I'm Rocco. I'm the +5 Funny man.
7. Re:Games? by RogueyWon · 2012-07-29 21:02 · Score: 1
  
  Yes and no. It depends what you want.
  If you have a massive, deep and uncritical affection for Nintendo's traditional franchises (and let's face it, a lot of people on slashdot do), then it's fairly good. You've got Mario, Mario Kart, a Zelda remake, a Starfox remake and so on. That said, none of these are doing anything interestingly different. They are straight technical facelifts for the old franchises.
  But if you're expecting to find a line-up like the DS had - where the machine was basically the de-facto platform for pretty much any handheld developer and got all kinds of third party games, ranging from spin-offs of big-name "proper console" franchises through to wacky niche Japanese stuff, then you'll be disappointed. The DS was a handheld version of the PS2 - pretty much everything was represented on it. The 3DS, however, is much more akin to the Gamecube or Wii - third party support is poor and narrowly focussed.
  It's not like this in Japan, where the system is well on its way to supplanting the PSP (which was huge there) as the platform of choice for some pretty hardcore handheld gamers. It's got Monster Hunter and all that other stuff now and Japanese sales figures for the platform are very healthy (which can't be said for the rest of the world).
  Unfortunately, that's of no benefit to us in the West. A huge number of these games are staying Japan-exclusive (to an even greater extent than was the case on the PSP) and - demonstrating yet again that despite the halo-of-virtue effect they seem to be imbued with around here, Nintendo has a deeply-rooted anti-consumer culture - the platform's the first ever handheld console to be fully region locked. So even if you know Japanese or have access to a translation guide (or even are willing to just play despite the language barrier, which I've done on occasion), no importing for you without buying a Japanese console as well.
  There are a few bright-spots available in the west. Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy is a pretty good rhythm game which is also a highly potent nostalgia trip if you're a long-time fan of the series. If you can find somewhere that stocks it (which can be easier said than done) then the Tales of the Abyss remake is pretty good. The forthcoming Castlevania also looks interesting. But by and large, these are fairly thin pickings - particularly given the eye-watering prices of 3DS games (Starfox 3d is probably, in terms of cost/gameplay time ratio, the worst entertainment purchase I've ever made).
  I bought a 3DS at launch and gave away my old DS when I did so. In hindsight, that was a mistake. Yes, the 3DS is backwards-compatible, but its battery life (and screen-quality in 2d mode) is poor compared to its predecessor. I could do a transatlantic flight with the DS without even thinking about the battery - the 3DS runs dry half way. The 3DS XL apparently improves the battery quite a lot - but given its price, I can't really work up the enthusiasm to buy one.
  And then there's the Vita. I've got one of those as well. I do prefer it over the 3DS, but it has a whole host of... shall we say... interesting quirks and issues that I won't go into here.
8. Re:Games? by aliquis · 2012-07-29 21:41 · Score: 1
  
  Except the boxes.
  The music.
  The rooms with items..
9. Re:Games? by BenoitRen · 2012-07-29 22:25 · Score: 1
  
  Wrong. It's called Super Mario 3D Land (not Land 3D) because it makes use of the 3D effect.
10. Re:Games? by drinkypoo · 2012-07-30 02:13 · Score: 1
  
  The DS was a handheld version of the PS2
  I think I get what you were saying, but let me just go ahead and be a pedant and say that the PSP was a handheld version of the PS2, spinning disc and all. And the hardware is clearly descended from the PS2 hardware, which is what actually brought me here to whinge.
  
  --
  "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
11. Re:Games? by RogueyWon · 2012-07-30 02:43 · Score: 1
  
  Oh, in a technical sense, you're absolutely right. What I was talking about, however, was the software line-up and the general market position.
  The PS2 dominated its generation in a way that I don't think any other console has achieved before or since. It had a vast installed base, but that's not all of it - the Wii also has an installed base, but is a long way from being a dominant platform. What the PS2 had was the game-sales momentum to go with that installed base that made it a pretty much unstoppable force.
  The other platforms had a few big-name exclusives. The Gamecube had the Nintendo first-party games, Eternal Darkness and... erm... Resident Evil 4 (which later went multiplatform). The Xbox had Halo and KOTOR, but even those it had to share with the PC. Everybody else didn't have much choice but to release for the PS2, whatever other platforms they were aiming at. That's despite the fact that the PS2 was, by all accounts, underpowered and difficult to develop for. The PS2's dominance was so great that the platform was basically the main competitor to the PS3 for a year or so after it launched (indeed, the PS2 got many of its finest games after the PS3 launch).
  The DS was in a broadly similar position in the handheld world - the installed base was so huge and the attach-rate so high that developers couldn't ignore it. The dual-screen thing was confusing for some and Nintendo have a reputation for being an unpleasant company for third party developers to deal with, but you really didn't have much choice about the matter.
  The 3DS, by contrast, looks unlikely to ever achieve equivalent dominance. Ok, perhaps the comparison to the Gamecube was a little unfair, but its market position is certainly more akin to that of the PS3 - it's just one competitor among several, and one which in some ways feels curiously out of touch with the times.
12. Re:Games? by Golddess · 2012-07-30 04:13 · Score: 1
  
  It is called 3D because it's (for the most part) a 3D Mario game
  I think aliquis was questioning why Nintendo used "Land" in the title, not why they used "3D" in the title.
  
  Remember the old Super Mario Land game for the original Gameboy? While I don't remember much, what I do remember is that it was even less like a Mario game than Doki Doki Panic was, while Super Mario 3D Land is very much a standard "go beat up Bowser and rescue Princess Peach" Mario game. Definitely not like Super Mario Land for the original Gameboy at all. So why use "Land" in the title?
  
  --
  "I'm not sure I like the fugnutish tone you used in your post!" -RogL (608926)-
13. Re:Games? by scot4875 · 2012-07-30 05:09 · Score: 1
  
  If you have a massive, deep and uncritical affection for Nintendo's traditional franchises (and let's face it, a lot of people on slashdot do), then it's fairly good. You've got Mario, Mario Kart, a Zelda remake, a Starfox remake and so on. That said, none of these are doing anything interestingly different. They are straight technical facelifts for the old franchises.
  Yeah, that's it. A massive, deep, and uncritical affection. It couldn't be because people get tired of sifting through drek and don't mind that there are consistently solid (if not always truly inspired) games available for Nintendo's systems. I didn't bother reading the rest of your spiel because I've heard it before.
  But besides that, why the fuck do you care what people play?
  --Jeremy
  
  --
  Jesus was a liberal
14. Re:Games? by Galilee · 2012-07-30 06:46 · Score: 1
  
  Make sure you try one out before buying one. I bought a 3DS on launch day and then I found out that the 3D effect gave me a headache within minutes of play.
15. Re:Games? by gfxguy · 2012-07-30 06:49 · Score: 1
  
  My son... a long time GB and DS fan, got the 3ds for his birthday very close to the time they were initially released. The 3D effects was interesting, if not particularly useful, but what was cool was that we were on vacation (coincidentally) on his birthday... and we got home with a number of 3D pictures he took with it, including a bunch as the aquarium that came out really well. We downloaded some anaglyph software to convert the images to red/cyan... pretty neat. But yeah, I don't think the library of 3D titles is still all that great.
  
  --
  Stupid sexy Flanders.
16. Re:Games? by RogueyWon · 2012-07-30 07:02 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah, that's it. A massive, deep, and uncritical affection. It couldn't be because people get tired of sifting through drek and don't mind that there are consistently solid (if not always truly inspired) games available for Nintendo's systems. I didn't bother reading the rest of your spiel because I've heard it before.
  
  But besides that, why the fuck do you care what people play?
  Because the thread's about whether there are any killer titles for the 3DS? And because, as a 3DS owner, it's fair enough for me to offer an opinion on the quality of first-party 3DS games. And also to provide fair warning that - as you have so amply demonstrated - finding impartial opinions on said games can be very difficult, due to a particularly widespread and obnoxious fanboy factor associated with Nintendo (not the only one in the industry, for sure, but certainly the worst - worse even than Apple).
  
  The question for you might be why you even felt it necessary to get in such a pissy fit over a negative comment in an otherwise reasonably balanced post? Worried I might make Nintendo cry?
17. Re:Games? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-30 07:19 · Score: 0
  
  It's because it's for a portable system. Typically, Super Mario Bros/World was for home consoles and Super Mario Land was for portable. Of course, this has all blurred together with the numerous new names.
18. Re:Games? by dontclapthrowmoney · 2012-07-30 10:47 · Score: 1
  
  I didn't know it could take 3D photos - thanks for the tip.
19. Re:Games? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-30 12:14 · Score: 0
  
  I feel I need to mention that I was not all that impressed with the quality of the 3D photos.
20. Re:Games? by antsbull · 2012-07-30 21:40 · Score: 0
  
  The Wii has dominated games wise also - you probably need to research a bit better before making unfounded assumptions - it has 17 games that have sold over 6 million units, 7 of which sold over 20 million units and 3 which shifted 30 million+ units. No console has ever done these sorts of numbers over its top selling games. It also has 140 titles which are million plus sellers. The PS2 in fact had one game that just topped 20 million units (GTA San Andreas), and only 10 games that topped 6 million sales. Another unknown fact that most X360/PS3 fanboys miss is that the Wii has roughly the same attach rate as the PS2 and PS3. 150 million more game units have been shifted for the Wii than the X360, and quarter of a billion more units have been shifted on the Wii than the PS3. How do you get from that the Wii has no momentum sales wise? Attach rates (sourced from vgchartz): X360 - 9.46 games per console sold PS3 - 8.40 games per console sold Wii - 8.28 games per console sold PS2 - 8.17 games per console sold
21. Re:Games? by gfxguy · 2012-07-31 04:39 · Score: 1
  
  No, you're not going to get great "professional" quality... the resolution is not that great, for one, but 3D cameras cost a lot, so it's a nice extra for something like the 3DS to have, and the pictures were really cool and a fun thing for my son to be able to do.
  
  --
  Stupid sexy Flanders.
they should learn from Apple by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 13:50 · Score: -1

no one wants a 100 slightly different devices to choose from. god, how many fucking nintendo ds variations are they going to come out with? i thought about buying a ds once but i always ended up waiting for "the next one" since the next one always seemed to be right around the corner and now i've lost interest.
1. Re:they should learn from Apple by Darkness404 · 2012-07-29 14:03 · Score: 2
  
  There really aren't very many DS versions though and they are all functionally identical. More options are better. Want a small, pocket sized console or have small hands? Get a 3DS. Want a larger console for those with larger hands? Get a 3DS-XL. Both will play the exact same games and have the exact same functions, its just that an 8 year old and a 28 year old have different hand sizes. A 3DS will feel cramped for those with large hands, a larger version won't. On the other hand, a 3DS-XL will feel huge if you have tiny hands.
  
  If you want to complain about different models, look at Sony where there are different models that are not functionally identical (for example, a 60 GB PS3 can play PS2 games, a 160 GB PS3 cannot, and they both look the exact same).
  
  --
  Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
2. Re:they should learn from Apple by DanTheManMS · 2012-07-29 14:49 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  "They should learn from Apple"
  Apple has released 5 iPhones in 5 years, usually with an accompanying iPod Touch model to go with it. Nintendo has released 6 "DS"-branded consoles in 8 years: the DS, DS Lite, DSi, DSi XL, 3DS, and 3DS XL. I'd say they're doing something quite similar to what Apple is doing. Apple releases two versions of the same product depending on if you want the addition of the phone functionality or not; Nintendo releases two versions of the same product depending on if you have larger hands or not.
  Now I'll concede that the DSi models don't really differentiate themselves from the original two DS models as much as they should have, but the 3DS is enough of a complete change that I would say it's a brand new machine.
3. Re:they should learn from Apple by flimflammer · 2012-07-29 14:53 · Score: 1
  
  100 slightly different devices? You mean 2? The DS lite was designed to replace the original DS in the lineup in the same way Sony and Microsoft occasionally sell newer revisions of their consoles. There was no need to get it. It merely sported a better backlight and battery life. The XL was mainly for people who couldn't see smaller screens or would enjoy larger screens.
  The DSi was a straight upgrade from the DS line in the same way Apple went from the iPhone 1 to the iPhone 2. Specs were better, screen was better, more services, had specific games (but remained backward compatible), etc.
  The 3DS is an entirely different product line from the DS and only shares "DS" in the same way the Gameboy shared it's name with the Gameboy Advance. So far the 3DS and the 3DS XL are the only two products to choose from in the 3DS line, and like the original DS line, it depends entirely on your physical needs whether to get one or the other.
  What a pointless thing to whine about.
4. Re:they should learn from Apple by Osgeld · 2012-07-29 16:24 · Score: 0
  
  ds ds liite dsi 3ds 3dsxl all in what a span of 8 years?
  compare that to gameboy
  gb, gbp, gbc,gba,gba-sp in the span over the span of 19 years?
  shit if they spent a little more time focusing their goals instead of chasing trends (who even cares about 3d now) they might have a better product worth wanting, I like the op keep looking at them and saying "why bother" the next one will be out soon, but then another one will be out soon, and then another one soon ... I dont like buying shit thats obsolete within months.
5. Re:they should learn from Apple by Keen+Anthony · 2012-07-29 18:15 · Score: 1
  
  I'm an Apple lover, but I definitely don't want Nintendo following Apple. I've found that it's been very easy to find just the right Nintendo I want for whichever target person. Nintendo has done remarkably well here. It's only really a problem if you're the sort that wants to own one of each because you'll have to buy one more iteration. Apple does make it mostly easy to decide which Apple model one wants, but I myself often tend to fall in between the cracks where there's either overlap between models or a gap which none of the models fill for me.
6. Re:they should learn from Apple by flimflammer · 2012-07-29 19:50 · Score: 2
  
  First of all, the GB -> GBA SP was not 19 years, it was 16 years, and even then you're putting the Gameboy and the Advance into the same product lifecycle, when they were two distinct products that were merely part of the same branding line. You're also skipping products. It goes: Gameboy -> Gameboy Pocket -> Gameboy Light (JP only) -> Gameboy Color. Then the Advance cycle goes: Gameboy Advance -> Gameboy Advance: SP -> Gameboy Advance Micro.
  The original Gameboy line went from 1989 until 1998 and had 4 products in those 9 years, the first 5 years remaining largely untouched, however after those 5 years, Nintendo had consistently released new revisions of their Gameboy in two year increments.
  The Advance line went from 2001 until late 2005, releasing 3 products, and ever single one of them involved minor hardware tweaks, and one of them seemed to be a complete gimmick (the micro). You could have played every game on a first generation and had no issues with the latest and greatest games.
  The DS line went from 2004 until 2009, releasing 4 products, and only one of them had any edge over the others (the DSi, which had software specific to it and was the only one you might feel you "needed" to buy). The others were just tweaks that were not necessary or even necessarily better (some cases worse, as the XL had worse battery life than the DSi).
  My point is that as far as Nintendo handheld products go, this has been business as usual for Nintendo since the original Gameboy days. Every 2 or so years (with the exception of the XL series which is one year, and is mostly a choice and not considered an upgrade path)
  This doesn't even just happen to Nintendo, either. Sony has released 5 different PSPs in 6 years.
  This happens at the console level too. Look at Sony and Microsoft. They're constantly releasing new revisions of the same hardware, adding or removing features, and reducing production costs.
7. Re:they should learn from Apple by damnbunni · 2012-07-29 22:00 · Score: 1
  
  And is it me, or is the Xbox 360 the only one of the current consoles that hasn't lost features along the way? The Wii lost the ability to play MP3 files in a software update (though it was optional and you could refuse it), and the newer Wiis drop backwards compatability. The PS3 dropped Linux on all versions, and the originals could play PS2 games and SuperAudioCDs, which the new ones can't. The Xbox 360 added HDMI, but hasn't removed anything as far as I can tell. (Though their new dashboard SUCKS, it doesn't actually remove anything.) They did release a no-hard-drive model but only after they started letting you use USB sticks instead.
  As for the 3DS XL, I don't plan on getting one. I do have a DSi XL that I use for ScummVM and watching movies on, but since the 3DS hasn't been hacked worth a darn yet, I can't use it for homebrew.
  However, I do like the 3D effect! It's quite neat, and luckily I'm one of the folks that it doesn't give a headache to.
8. Re:they should learn from Apple by BenoitRen · 2012-07-29 22:35 · Score: 1
  The DS models are not all functionally identical. Things changed with the release of the DSi:
  
  doesn't have a Game Boy Advance slot, so you can't play GBA games on it and the DS can't use the slot for extra functionality.
  added an online store that you can buy games from.
  added support for the 802.11g standard.
9. Re:they should learn from Apple by BenoitRen · 2012-07-29 22:38 · Score: 1
  
  Now I'll concede that the DSi models don't really differentiate themselves from the original two DS models as much as they should have
  
  "should have"? They were still DS consoles that primarily played DS games.
10. Re:they should learn from Apple by BenoitRen · 2012-07-29 22:41 · Score: 1
  
  The DSi was a straight upgrade from the DS line in the same way Apple went from the iPhone 1 to the iPhone 2. Specs were better, screen was better, more services, had specific games (but remained backward compatible), etc.
  
  The specific games were mostly games you could buy on the online store and a couple retail games. The DS game library was still the primary medium of the device.
11. Re:they should learn from Apple by BenoitRen · 2012-07-29 22:51 · Score: 1
  
  You can't really put the Game Boy Color in the same line as the original Game Boy. While the hardware was mostly the same, it had its own game library. Early Game Boy Color games were compatible with the Game Boy, but if I remember correctly that introduced a limitation on the amount of colours you could use in the Game Boy Color version.
12. Re:they should learn from Apple by BurningFeetMan · 2012-07-29 23:33 · Score: 1
  
  I don't believe that I've ever bought a game for any of my Gameboys that was 99 cents. Heck, even looking at games that are a year or so old are an absolute bargain on Steam (although my laptop is not as portable as a Gameboy).
  
  Nintendo is doomed if it continues to price its games in the traditional sense.
13. Re:they should learn from Apple by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-30 01:50 · Score: 0
  
  Did you see how much they were charging for Diablo 3? Blizzard is doomed.
14. Re:they should learn from Apple by VGPowerlord · 2012-07-30 01:54 · Score: 1
  
  added support for the 802.11g standard.
  ...which isn't supported for standard DS games since Nintendo put the Wi-Fi settings into the games rather than the firmware*.
  *There's enough internal memory to save your Wi-Fi settings on a standard DS, though, which is why it's remembered across games.
  
  --
  GLaDOS for President 2016! "Well here we are again. It's always such a pleasure." -- GLaDOS, 2011
15. Re:they should learn from Apple by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-30 01:54 · Score: 1
  
  100 slightly different devices? You mean 2? The DS lite was designed to replace the original DS in the lineup in the same way Sony and Microsoft occasionally sell newer revisions of their consoles. There was no need to get it. It merely sported a better backlight and battery life. The XL was mainly for people who couldn't see smaller screens or would enjoy larger screens.
  The DSi was a straight upgrade from the DS line in the same way Apple went from the iPhone 1 to the iPhone 2. Specs were better, screen was better, more services, had specific games (but remained backward compatible), etc.
  The 3DS is an entirely different product line from the DS and only shares "DS" in the same way the Gameboy shared it's name with the Gameboy Advance. So far the 3DS and the 3DS XL are the only two products to choose from in the 3DS line, and like the original DS line, it depends entirely on your physical needs whether to get one or the other.
  What a pointless thing to whine about.
  Nintendo hasnt had a original idea in decades. They really havent.
  The 3ds is a upgrade of a dsi, which is a upgrade of a ds lite which is a upgrade of a ds. They are all essentially the same system, only slightly upgraded each time. Take a original ds game and compare it to a 3ds game, sure the 3ds game might look a little better but its still the same games with the same look and the same feel because its still limited by the same hardware. Nintendos inability to provide more than minor tweaks has locked the system into a repeating cycle in terms of the games.
  Just like the wiiu is a slightly upgraded wii, the wii was a slightly upgraded gamecube with a motion controller.
  Even nintendos games are unoriginal. They have been making the same franchises for decades with no signs of anything thats new. Every game is another mario game, another zelda game, another pokemon game. The same games with the same characters.
  Whats funny really is people complain about companies like activision for making the same things over and over and over but they praise nintendo for doing the exact same thing.
  And the iphones were upgrades yes but they offered users a lot more in each model. Better and improved noticeably hardware, more features, enchanced old features and generally improved them. What did nintendo do? Added in a shitty 3d effect that doesnt actually make the games better. They just minorly tweaked the systems and sold them as something new when in fact they arent new or have a lot of new features. When you break down the ds its about games and whether you have a dsi or a 3ds your basically still just playing the same games on the same system. Least the iphones added in a lot more than just talking on the phone and texting and the hardware was a pretty big improvement across the board instead of just a couple minor tweaks.
16. Re:they should learn from Apple by NearO · 2012-07-30 01:54 · Score: 1
  
  Nintendo is doomed if it continues to price its games in the traditional sense.
  Nintendo has been doomed for a long while, you know. ;)
  
  --
  foldl1' (\ a f -> (f =<<) . a) fs
17. Re:they should learn from Apple by Golddess · 2012-07-30 04:45 · Score: 1
  
  I believe what DanTheManMS means is along the lines of "I already have a DS Lite, why should I buy a DSi?" Focusing just on upgrade releases and not new console iterations, in my opinion:
  
  -The smaller size and crisper screen of the Gameboy Pocket made it a worth-while upgrade to the original Gray Brick.
  -The front-lit screen of the GBA SP made it a worth-while upgrade to the original GBA (even to owners of GBAs modified with the Afterburner lighting system, again IMO, just as all of these are).
  -The back-lit screen of the revised GBA SP made it a worth-while upgrade to the original GBA SP / original GBA.
  -The clearer (back-lit?) screen of the DS Lite made it a worth-while upgrade to the DS Phat.
  -The larger screen of the DSi XL made it a worth-while upgrade to the DSi/DS Lite/DS Phat.
  
  For me at least (and I suspect DanTheManMS), the DSi was not sufficiently different enough from the DS Lite to justify the purchase. Yes, I am aware of what differences the DSi had, I'm just saying that I felt they were insufficient to justify a purchase.
  
  --
  "I'm not sure I like the fugnutish tone you used in your post!" -RogL (608926)-
18. Re:they should learn from Apple by CastrTroy · 2012-07-30 04:55 · Score: 1
  
  Don't forget the Wii Family Edition which removed the ports for GameCube controllers and memory cards which meant it couldn't play GameCube games.
  
  --
  
  Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
19. Re:they should learn from Apple by wed128 · 2012-07-30 05:06 · Score: 1
  
  Nintendo hasnt had a original idea in decades.
  Motion control gaming hadn't been done well before the wii came out. The DS was pretty original (although maybe derivative of the old game-and-watch toys).
  
  The same games with the same characters.
  These are consistantly the most fun video games on the market. I don't care about the newest features, Mario et all are a great diversion! Every Zelda game is a fun adventure that I look forward to embarking on.
  I don't need new charecters to be honest; the old ones are just fine.
20. Re:they should learn from Apple by scot4875 · 2012-07-30 05:11 · Score: 1
  
  So, what, are you trying to argue that -- unlike the refreshes of Nintendo's handheld hardware -- the yearly refreshes of the iDevices are functionally identical?
  --Jeremy
  
  --
  Jesus was a liberal
21. Re:they should learn from Apple by petermgreen · 2012-07-30 11:47 · Score: 1
  
  The Xbox 360 added HDMI, but hasn't removed anything as far as I can tell.
  The S models no longer have the slots for memory units. They also require different hard drive modules from the originals.
  
  They did release a no-hard-drive model but only after they started letting you use USB sticks instead.
  In the west (japan didn't get it until a bit later) the xbox 360 was available without a hard drive form the start.
  The first no-hard-drive model was the xbox 360 core system. It came with no user storage at all so if you wanted to save your games you had to buy a hard drive or memory unit seperately. It was later replaced by the arcade which came with 256MB or 512MB of storage*. This in turn was replaced by the 4GB S model.
  Support for USB sticks didn't come until april 2010 and was presumably done in preparation for the release of the S models in june 2010.
  * Initially this was a 256MB memory unit, later replaced by 256MB onboard and then 512MB onboard.
  
  --
  note: i'm known as plugwash most places but i screwd up registering that here somehow in the past and now can't register
22. Re:they should learn from Apple by Osgeld · 2012-07-30 12:42 · Score: 1
  
  The advance line went till 2008
23. Re:they should learn from Apple by flimflammer · 2012-07-30 13:33 · Score: 1
  
  My dates were referring to dates in which Nintendo was developing or releasing new hardware for the product line. 2005 was the release of their last Advance hardware, but of course games continued to come out after this date.
24. Re:they should learn from Apple by Osgeld · 2012-07-30 15:06 · Score: 1
  
  AND they still produced hardware post release (imagine that) till 2008
  SO the lifespan of the gameboy is 2008 - 1989 = 19
  sheesh
25. Re:they should learn from Apple by BenoitRen · 2012-07-30 22:55 · Score: 1
  
  No, I'm not. The iDevices are a different case.
26. Re:they should learn from Apple by BenoitRen · 2012-07-30 23:03 · Score: 1
  
  -The smaller size and crisper screen of the Gameboy Pocket made it a worth-while upgrade to the original Gray Brick.
  
  Don't forget that you only needed two batteries for this model instead of four.
  
  The back-lit screen of the revised GBA SP made it a worth-while upgrade to the original GBA SP / original GBA.
  
  I hear it's not that much of a difference. Not like I can see for myself as the revision was only distributed sparsely in a couple European countries.
  
  -The clearer (back-lit?) screen of the DS Lite made it a worth-while upgrade to the DS Phat.
  
  I find the better battery life to be much more worthwhile. It even has a couple more backlight strength settings to play with, one of them strong enough to play with while under the sun. Of course, it drains the battery faster.
27. Re:they should learn from Apple by Golddess · 2012-07-31 11:55 · Score: 1
  
  Well as I said, those were simply the features that made them worth-while to myself. And I'd forgotten about the Gameboy Pocket battery changes. That would be another thing that made it worth-while (though IIRC it used AAA instead of AA). As for the GBA SP front-light vs GBA SP back-light, I'd say the difference between those two is about equal to the difference between the DS Phat and DS Lite screens.
  
  --
  "I'm not sure I like the fugnutish tone you used in your post!" -RogL (608926)-
Can't wait for the North American release by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 14:09 · Score: 2, Interesting

Can't wait for the North American release. I've had a 3DS since launch day and despite the naysayers it's more fun than a barrel of Donkey Kongs.
1. Re:Can't wait for the North American release by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 15:15 · Score: 0
  
  Sure, but is it more fun than a barrel of donkey dongs?
2. Re:Can't wait for the North American release by O('_')O_Bush · 2012-07-29 15:39 · Score: 1
  
  I had one, lost it(slippery shell), and got a replacement in red. The platform itself is pretty wild, but I was a bit underwhelmed by the titles. That is, until I got ahold of a ps2 favorite, Tales of the Abyss, with improvements. Now all I need is them to release a Monster Hunter and I may never put it down.
  
  I was disappointed that they released the XL, out of jealousy, since it seems to fix the battery life issues and the small screen for not crazy amounts of money.
  
  --
  while(1) attack(People.Sandy);
3. Re:Can't wait for the North American release by Osgeld · 2012-07-29 16:27 · Score: 1
  
  I was board of donkey kong in the 80's, had a slight revisit in the 90's
  thats why I dont bother with nintendo much, its the same franchises in even more stupid situations, I want something new and original but the nintards keep screaming for zelda 103 so its a wonder why the market has pretty much peaked a decade ago
4. Re:Can't wait for the North American release by Taco+Cowboy · 2012-07-29 19:18 · Score: 1
  
  but is it more fun than a barrel of donkey dongs?
  
  How can a barrel of donkey dong be FUN ???
  
  --
  Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
5. Re:Can't wait for the North American release by dontclapthrowmoney · 2012-07-29 22:15 · Score: 1
  
  Don't ask questions you don't really want to know the answer to!
6. Re:Can't wait for the North American release by BenoitRen · 2012-07-29 22:53 · Score: 1
  
  I was disappointed that they released the XL, out of jealousy, since it seems to fix the battery life issues and the small screen for not crazy amounts of money.
  
  But you knew this would happen, didn't you? You could have delayed your purchase.
7. Re:Can't wait for the North American release by O('_')O_Bush · 2012-07-30 01:12 · Score: 1
  
  I didn't know when I made the purchase. That they'd make revisions? Sure, but I was expecting a slim model with dual thumb pads, not a bigger and more efficient one.
  
  --
  while(1) attack(People.Sandy);
8. Re:Can't wait for the North American release by VGPowerlord · 2012-07-30 01:51 · Score: 1
  
  I didn't know when I made the purchase. That they'd make revisions? Sure, but I was expecting a slim model with dual thumb pads, not a bigger and more efficient one.
  I assume they saw how many people were buying DSi XL units for the bigger screens and decided to forgo the smaller Lite model and go straight to XL to pick up the 3DS's lagging sales.
  That the new version would be more efficient was a no-brainer, though.
  
  --
  GLaDOS for President 2016! "Well here we are again. It's always such a pleasure." -- GLaDOS, 2011
9. Re:Can't wait for the North American release by wed128 · 2012-07-30 05:10 · Score: 1
  
  Personally, i can't wait for Zelda 103. Most consistantly fun franchise in the world.
10. Re:Can't wait for the North American release by Taco+Cowboy · 2012-07-30 12:30 · Score: 1
  
  Don't ask questions you don't really want to know the answer to!
  
  I only want to understand how a barrel of donkey dong can be fun
  
  --
  Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
a shit by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 16:31 · Score: -1

a shit product no self-respecting nerd would be seen dead with...
Region locking... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 17:16 · Score: 0

I'm never going to get one of these because they had to add region locking for some reason even though their older handheld consoles didn't need it.
1. Re:Region locking... by muckracer · 2012-07-30 01:27 · Score: 1
  
  > I'm never going to get one of these because they had to add
  > region locking
  I second that.
Look! by Antipater · 2012-07-29 18:12 · Score: 2

Malibu Stacy has a new hat!

--
Everything is better with chainsaws.
FAGORZ by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 20:13 · Score: -1

Vitaolity. Like an Offended somew So on, FreeBSD went
Ah yes, great! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 21:11 · Score: 0

I can't wait not to buy this!
Another Nintendo product I won't buy after being shafted by them with the whole Wii nonsense.
Shame, ZombiU actually sounds pretty interesting. Too bad.
Anybody with any sense of respect will do the same.
Nintendo doesn't care for you anymore. They are a greedy company and have been for a good while now.
No more. Having none of their crap. I have more respect for god damn Microsoft AND EVEN Sony now. What the hell happened there?
Who talks like that? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-29 22:56 · Score: 0

"in which you have to angle the device to consume your trio of dimensions"
Huh? "to consume your trio of dimensions"???
Why not just write "to see the game in 3D"???
1. Re:Who talks like that? by jones_supa · 2012-07-30 05:15 · Score: 1
  
  Hahaha! A good one, indeed. Whoever wrote that to the summary, should be in marketing, if not already.
Holding Out by organgtool · 2012-07-30 01:06 · Score: 1

I'm gonna wait for the 3DSi XL Lite Super Turbo Hyperfighting Edition to be released.
1. Re:Holding Out by Genom · 2012-07-30 01:51 · Score: 1
  
  Nah, hold out for the Super 3DSi XL 64 Turbo Hyperfighting EX Plus Alpha 3rd Strike Championship Arcade Edition 2012 Lite ...which will obviously be the definitive competitive platform, at least until they release DLC.
Revelaitons by HalAtWork · 2012-07-30 05:04 · Score: 1

RE: Revelations is the killer app. It's one of the best games I've played in a while on any system. Super Mario 3D Land is addictive as well, and the 3D remakes of Kid Icarus and Kirby are great for killing 5 minutes here and there.

--
Twinstiq, game news
Sweet spot by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-30 07:28 · Score: 0

"As you'd expect with a larger display, the sweet spot in which you have to angle the device to consume your trio of dimensions is far easier to find on the XL."
I found the sweet spot. It's 2D.
Can't wait for the same old and tired IPs! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-30 13:49 · Score: 0

Keep 'em coming, no reason to be creative, Nintendo!