New 3DS hands-on impressions, and what the console means for Nintendo

A couple of weeks ago at Tokyo Game Show 2014, our Games in Asia Indonesia writer Fahmi got to try out the New Nintendo 3DS (New 3DS) at Capcom’s Monster Hunter showcase.

The gaming populace has been far more accepting of this new console out of the gate, especially when compared to the surprisingly not awful, doorstopper-lookalike that is the Nintendo 2DS. But, being skeptical journalists, we were unconvinced—after all, how much of a difference could a bunch of new buttons, a new coat of paint, and a teeny-tiny C-stick make? We wouldn’t know until Fahmi tried it for himself, of course.

Here’s what he thought of Nintendo’s New 3DS.

My first impression when I saw this handheld was “wow.” The New 3DS definitely looks much prettier than the classic 3DS. The hardware looks edgier and is a nice change from the old model with curved corners. It reminds me of the original Nintendo DS getting compared to the Nintendo DS Lite.

One of the most important changes in the New 3DS is the number of new buttons. These new ZR and ZL buttons are about as significant as they were in console controllers: optional and even useless for some games. Not all games will need these, but they will definitely help out some other games. It’s too bad they were designed so small, and are also difficult to reach with your fingers. Dont be surprised if you forget these buttons exist.

The second analog C-stick also looks unimportant and even uncomfortable, but when I tried it I unconsciously wasted more time playing with the camera rather than actually playing the game. As small as it is, the second analog stick is going to be a game changer for the 3DS.

In terms of comfort, I didn’t feel any problems during fifteen minutes of playtime. The New 3DS is comfortable to hold and play with, even when it was chained to the table (for security purposes during the show!), which should affect comfort levels critically.

I also enjoyed the 3D effect produced by this model. It looked nicer compared to the previous model’s effect and didn’t make me dizzy even when I spent 15 minutes with the 3D depth slider set to maximum.

The New 3DS certainly is panning out be an upgrade everyone’s going to happily adopt, though given the availability of the Circle Pad Pro, it definitely isn’t a must-buy for gamers who are pinching pennies. That said, this is definitely more than Nintendo just releasing a “new” console for the sake of it.

Although, I wouldn’t say no to these at all.

The Circle Pad Pro is presently only needed for a select few games, and even these can be fumbled through with the console’s existing buttons (hi, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate!). With a second analog stick being available natively, both development of games that make use of it and user adoption of the function are going to rise. It’s possible that the next wave of Nintendo 3DS games might just focus more on the action and less on the cute, cementing the console as a heavyweight in its arena.