*Insert Picard's Facepalm.bmp*

Desperate Nintendo is desperate.

I've seen a picture of this thing, and I have to say, it looks fake. At least, I hope it is fake, because it is huge, ugly, and looks even more uncomfortable...

That's another $10 piece of plastic and bits of circuits. This means I will definitely wait for the inevitable redesign.


Also, controls that are offset from the center of the screen looks so unpleasing. I'm used to it with my keyboard and mouse setup, but that doesn't make it any less fugly.

I really hope this is a Japan/Monster Hunters - only add on.

Yeah, I agree with TrueNerd. For now I will just assume this is a game-specific peripheral (like the DS had for the Guitar Hero games) and not a system wide thing.

Well, I hope for 3DS fans' sake that this peripheral is better supported than Wii Motion + was, and for maximum effect that the inevitable redesign incorporates it as well.  There are some great perks to having a 2nd circle pad (such as better camera control and easier implementation of 1st person games), so it would be a real shame if the device was under-supported.

On the upside, having Monster Hunter as the standard bearer for the device in Japan should do a lot to give it wide adoption in Japan, so that should encourage the Japanese developers to potentially support it.

I was just thinking that my 3DS was too symmetrical and not nearly bulky enough.

The internet amuses me.  Half the people are saying it better be for one game, the other half are saying it better be more widely adopted...

A port of the Wii game? If it does not include new monsters then this is a no go for me.

On the flip side, it promotes laziness in game design (no game should require camera movement), and first-person games don't work well on a handheld to begin with. The 3DS would be better off without it.

That thing looks annoying and unpleasant.  The game cartridge and stylus are both obstructed by it.  Also, it seems odd that they have a slot for a wrist strap on only the right side when the 3DS has holes for a strap on both sides. 

How does it actually interface with the 3DS anyway?  Is it wireless?  Does it need its own battery?

True, but programming 3D cameras is a tricky business.  Even Nintendo games have been known to have camera issues from time to time.  It's just the nature of 3D environments.  I'd rather have manual camera control if I need it than to have a camera snag on a tree or wall and not have it. 

As for 1st person games, I'm struggling to think of any good handheld ones, but I wonder if that's more due to no previous handheld having 2 analog sticks than the genre just not working on the format.  With the Vita and the 3DS potentially having 2 sticks each, we may better understand the truth of that within a year.

After seeing that hideous add-on, I will take my chances with a single slide-pad, or atleast until the 3DS Lite is launched.

Uh oh.

Did Nintendo forget something? Or are they trying to gain more third party support?

It's a little odd.. I hope it can be used to replicate the facebuttons, but more than likely the developer has to program for it. Too bad, one of my favorites is Geometry Wars Galaxies..

and the first game to use it will be... Super Mario 3DS Land!  or the new Layton...

I don't see how being widely adopted would be a good thing since it means 5 million+ people would be forced to buy this ugly add-on.

I mean, most people who like it would want it to be widespread, so as to not feel like they wasted the investment, like with M+. Meanwhile, people who don't like it would rather not play one game than be forced to use that. . .thing.

Happy for Monster Hunter reveal, though will hope this is a big update on the Wii version which I've already tacked.

Boo the 2nd analog stick. Unless it comes bundled with a game for free, no way am I buying.

I could see the first Nintendo game to support it being Kid Icarus.  SM3DSL doesn't look like the kind of game that'll really need it.  The same goes for Layton, unless it ends up being a 3D exploration game rather than a P&C puzzle game.  Barring Kid Icarus, I could see Nintendo really using this for a 3DS-exclusive Zelda game.

Maybe it's really comfy to hold. There are all sorts of grips and stuff around it. It does hurt portability and the 2nd circle pad will be more exposed to the elements (of a person's bag).

yeah, I mean SM3DSL and Layton as a joke..  ;D

I think someone may want to inspect the picture closer. It looks fake to me, but I'm too lazy to make all the points why.

I wouldn't be shocked if it was fake, there have been time before when a image popped up online with people saying it was from Famitsu and it turned out to be fake.

First of all wouldn't be shocked if this was fake, but second of all, I don't really care because it means I can Monster Hunter on the go. I loved Tri, but dedicating 2 hours to a hunt was a pain, on a portable though... Is it really wrong to be such a sucker as I?

What are he chances of third parties ignoring this new device?

If this story is entirely true it means a few things ...

1. I'll not be getting a 3DS until some kind of new model.

2. I'm no longer interested in the "upcoming MH 3DS game."  I've poured over 500 (joyful) hours into MH3.  I don't need to do it again just to experience a new boss or two and some new shwag.

3. Nintendo is officially making decisions I do not agree with.  Up until 2011 I really thought they could do (almost) no wrong.  This year is turning into a mess! (OpRainfall, bad marketing approach for Wii U, and now a major hardware change for a 6-month-old platform!?)

geeeez...

If they end up bringing the sub fee for DQX to America but not the OpRainfall games? me and Iwata-san are gonna have words.  cuss-filled words.

If it's a device Capcom came up with (which I think it is), I don't see many, if any, other third parties use it (for example, I don't think any company except THQ has used their uDraw tablet).

Looks kinda like that gamepad add-on for the iPhone.

Not saying I like this addon, but another game that could take advantage of it....
.
.
....Luigi's Mansion 2.

This is officially "CRAZY LAND".....

Maybe now with this "boat" thing/add-on, the re-design won't completely alienate early adaptors. Meaning, newer games made after the redisign can still br played on old systems.

Well according to the source a monster named "Blakidios" will be on the cover instead of Lagiacrus. Though no one seems to know if that's a new monster or not. Then again it sounds close to Black Diablos to me.

Extra monsters would be a nice but an improved online experience with voice chat & more than 4 hunters in a town would do it for me. Besides, we still can still swim while the PSP players are too afraid to get in the water.

Eastern ones? Well, to quote Kohler: "When Capcom tells you to make a stupid accessory for Monster Hunter, you ask 'How stupid?'"

Western ones will ignore it, just like they've done every handheld in history. Imagine Babyz doesn't need a 2nd analog to suck.

Actually... seeing it held in the guy's hands in that photo makes the 3DS look a whole lot more comfortable to hold than it currently is. Adds some ergonomic curves to the thing that looks a bit more pleasant. If I wasn't so gung-ho about waiting on the redesign and Kid Icarus, I'd go pick one up now and prepare myself for this add-on.


Looks nifty. I like. :)

What I hate about this is the uncertainty.

Owning a 3DS was a risky proposition already, given the tepid sales and ugly media that Nintendo has been receiving. Prices have been slashed, games have been delayed or cancelled, rumors have been circling with whispers of "failure" popping up online for weeks. Now buying a 3DS without waiting to learn about the future of the system seems foolish.

I still expect there to be enough content to justify my purchase... but my confidence in Nintendo to provide a gaming experience that I'll enjoy has never been lower.

It looks like the charging cradle which before I got my 3DS I held my fiance's in the cradle in my hand and noted that you could leave it charging and still play it. I thought it was funny, but this is just ridiculous in that it makes the system bigger- but whatever. I don't expect this to be supported widely and while I like Monster Hunter Tri the controls really threw me out of the gameplay so I'm going to pass over this whole situation unless Nintendo releases a brand new 3DS model with dual analog next week or year. I would be very upset if a redesign was announced and released so soon.

I feel the same way.

Wow, that looks awful. I didn't think Nintendo would actually do it but I was never good at speculating. I wonder why Nintendo wouldn't just put an L2 button on there. If they're going to do this, they might as well go all out. Why not add another screen too? Or better yet, 2 additional screens. I want to be able to see north, south, east, and west AT THE SAME TIME.

I don't think this splits the market so long as games include a control option where the second slide pad is not needed.

I'm still happy with my 3DS. I got the price drop AND 20 free games. No buyer's remorse here. I absolutely will buy a redesign but I can put off buying it at launch seeing as I already have a 3DS, second slide pad or not.

On the bright side, maybe this peripheral will include a battery supplement so that my 3DS doesn't need to be recharged on a daily basis. I miss the days of never worrying about battery life while gaming with my DS Lite.

Well I be sort of messed over with this add-on since I have an extended battery and my 3DS doesn't go into the cradle now.  I don't even know where my original battery is anymore.  I have to get the box whenever I need the serial number.

Now to a few things if this is real:
1. Being that bulky in the back it better have a battery in there.
2. That doesn't look like a good placement anyway.
3. I wouldn't buy a Revision of Tri knowing that Monster Hunter Portable 3rd has vastly more content.  I would like to have all that content plus the underwater content.  Where are my Dual Swords, Bows, and Hunting Horns?

Uhgg...    I will be honest..  I'm not exactly thrilled about having some frankeinsteined up 3ds.  Honestly having my current 3ds with that, I will be a lot less likely to take it with me on the go.  It's not the size or anything like that.  It's just... Well  the only sound I can make to represent the appeal of it is Uhgg.    Not to mention just the disappointment  in the whole thing.  While I think it should have had a second analog from the start, just to have more options.  The inclusion of something like this after the fact is just disappointing. 

The only way I can see this becoming even used popularly is if it is included in a future soon redesign like the rumors are saying.  Either way I am just disappointed.  I totally expected a redesign someday, with better battery, maybe camera , form factor or whatever. If they go this route of including extra buttons and sticks.  It will really shake my trust in Nintendo as a company.

Guess will just have to wait and see how this turns out and what becomes of it all before really judging. Not really pleased at the prospect though so far.

Looking at the picture you can see part of it extends to cover the IR port, leading me to conclude that's likely how it'll communicate with the system. Unfortunately, it also covers the stylus slot, which will make things a bit irritating.

I really hope this is just an early prototype, because if this is a final design this is going to be a real pain to use. They need to keep the stylus slot open, and make the bottom adjustable to fit with extended battery packs.

Considering how monstrously large it looks, there's certainly room for a stylus slot in the add-on. Even though the point of it is to add a right slider pad and NOT use the stylus, it seems odd to block the stylus and require removing the peripheral entirely just to have access to it.

MAYBE PUT THAT EXTRA bulk to good use.
like leave a slot for an extra battery, so if we want, we can drop some
coin, and buy another battery, with this add on and double our battery life.
Make people want it, then it will sell.
Also, im a big ninitendo fan, if they sell a new version next spring,
i'll put down another $200-250 for bigger battery, second anologe,
(and please god, slightly larger screens, love my XL)

To everyone who didn't believe the rumor: I told you so!

$200-$250? There's only one way you could have gotten that kind of expendable cash. My advice: You should return that Aztec gold to the Chest of Cortez. It's cursed.

About Monster Hunter 3G: I read that it has all the content from Tri including the underwater stuff. There will be new areas and new monsters too.
I kind of feel like the  "3DS Expansion Slide Pad" (Official Name) is like the Rock Band peripheral for the DS. If other games are going to support it so much then I feel certain that the next Nintendo 3DS XL will have dual analogs. In fact, it should. The 3DS was such a clusterfuck of rush jobs and investor appeasement that it's gone from being Amazing to Apologies in just a few months.
Dual Analogs are coming, I just want Nintendo to wait until it's all bulked out the 3DS to the size of a Game Gear.

$200+ is a lot of scratch. Buying a 3DS (with price protection to take advantage of the recent discount) already broke my entertainment budget for the near-term future. Buying a new piece of hardware is something that I don't take lightly and probably won't be able to afford.

This still could all be over-reaction though. Nintendo has a long tradition of introducing and then not supporting peripherals. Until a full redesign is announced that replaces the current 3DS model, or more developers announce games that require the extra analog input, I'm not too worried about being obsolete.

With regards to this thing providing extra battery power...  how would that even work?  The port for the charger is clearly exposed, and the charging cradle works by touching two metal contacts on either side of it.  There's no way for this thing to provide power to the system.

The cradle has some sort of screw or metal contact in the middle. In theory, this could connect up with a modified back plate to provide power. Or we can hope this is a prototype and that they will add that capability in.

Once this is out there, I hope a third party comes up with a case mod to add in the pad (or a nub, depending what will fit).

oh my god, hilarious!!! hahahaha

sad 'n' true. =(

Nintendo has come up with some hideous add on, but this one is  just plain ugly and totally uncalled for, it makes the system look cheap and ugly, it reminds me of the old DS Fat.

I am shocked to see this thing is likely a real product.  Looks uncomfortable and ugly too, quite the opposite of what one used to expect from Nintendo.

Is 2011 going to be the year everyone points to regarding the fall of Nintendo?  The 3DS has been a fucking disaster and stuff like this and the price cut comes across as desperate moves.  Nintendo used to always come across as very calculated, even when things were falling apart around them.  They came across as out-of-touch a lot but it always seemed like at the very least they thought they knew what they were doing.  The 3DS feels like a mad scramble where they don't know what they're doing and are just doing these kneejerk reactions.

And in the same year they left the Wii, one of their biggest cashcows EVER, to rot with no games and they released the Wii U tablet controller to a big "huh?" at E3.  The most exciting thing about the Wii U is that it will have modern hardware.  The gimmick of it isn't generating any buzz at all.  It just seems like Nintendo's future is in doubt and last year it didn't seem that way.  2011 has just been a huge clunker.  They're no longer indestructible on handhelds and, as always, they have no momemtum on the console front.

As I mentioned on another website about this, I doubt any developers will require the use of the peripheral for their games, and that they'll still have to create control schemes that don't utilize this (as well as making those control schemes decent). It's just an option, nothing more.

I kind of predicted this in the rumor thread except I said Halo as the third party game, not Monster Hunter.

I can sympathize with what Ian is saying in that this should have been built into the hardware right from the get go so that the add in isn't necessary, but for whatever reason it wasn't. Is this add on ideal? No, absolutely not. But there is no other way another analog slider can be added. And this isn't just a great thing for Monster Hunter. It would be great for many other games as well, such as Luigi's Mansion for example, which is the game that I am thinking provoked Nintendo into developing the addon in the first place because the original Luigi's Mansion depended on the dual analog of the GC controller so it was kinda necessary. I think when development began on that game Miyamoto and his team instantly hit that problem and that's what set the addon in motion. That's my theory anyway.

People have said FPS games were never big on handhelds, well that's probably because handhelds never had dual analog before so it wasn't really possible to do FPS correctly. The Vita is going to have dual analog, so its necessary that the 3DS does also because if it don't then VITA will hog all the FPS support.

I don't get why anyone would be shocked, though. Rumors about this have been circulating for weeks. Its not like the appearance in Famitsu came spontaneously and without warning. Where there's smoke there's usually fire so when you start seeing rumors about something there's a good chance its real. No, not every rumor ends up being true, but you shouldn't just dismiss rumors just because you don't like them.

Honestly, this is going to be their excuse for a remodel of the system. They'll release this so people can make, play games with it, while they tinker with it until they figure out a model that has both sticks and doesnt compromise screen width. calling it

3DSdsXL
(3DS dual slider XL)

I called it first.

I am officially pissed of at Nintendo, and I'm never mad at them. I have the battery add on, so it probably wouldn't even work on my 3DS unless I switch batteries.  The only way I will ever get this is if there is HUGE support for it, not including FPS games.

I still don't believe it, and I'm not just saying that in a Luke-Skywalker-looking-at-his-floating-X-Wing kind of way.  If this thing is real, it's probably something Capcom came up with instead of Nintendo.

Nintendo........ :-\

I thought they wouldn't do this but it's here. Not sure how I feel about it. It just seems that there was clearly no communication at all with third parties when this system was designed. Which paints a increasingly negative impression to me that there is and was no communication between Nintendo and third parties when it comes to the Wii U regardless of what Nintendo is trying to spin.

I will most likely get Monster Hunter and if it comes packaged with the game I will get the bundle. Monster Hunter is a expansive enough game that it would warrant the purchase. If other games use it that's great. However for those that aren't interested in MH seeing how Nintendo will sell it everyone else will be interesting. Maybe Kid Icarus will use it.

For everyone b!tching, lets take a little history tour at Nintendo peripherals.

Rumble Pack - Bundled with Star Fox 64.

Expansion Pack - Bundled with Donkey Kong 64

Bongo Drums - Bundled with Donkey Konga and Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat

Wii Speak - Bundled with Animal Crossing: City Folk

Motion + - Bundled with Wii Sports Restort, Flingsmash, Wii Play + and Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Last time I checked, every peripheral Nintendo has released has come bundled with at least one of their games.  So it's not like Nintendo has ripped anyone off since any game they release that will require it will have it bundled in so everyone can play it.

They ripped me off with the Expansion Pack, since I bought it for Rogue Squadron before DK64 was announced.  When I wrote a complaint letter to Nintendo, the rep told me that it wasn't really a raw deal because the Expansion Pack bundled with the game was free.  Idiot.  What could I do with an extra one, anyway?  It didn't weigh enough for a paper weight.  It wasn't long enough for a back scratcher.  It wasn't edible enough for a salad garnish.  I simply refused to buy DK64 instead.

Wasn't DK64 a regularly priced game? The Expansion Pak *was* free. Remove the Expansion Pak and that game would still be the same price as every other new game.

The MSRP for Donkey Kong 64 was $79.99, but it may have gotten marked down at some point.

There was still the part where I'd already spent hard earned allowance money on one.  I was an Expansion Pack Ambassador, and yet all I got for it was the news that I'd been played.  If I'd bought DK64, Nintendo would have gotten more money from me than from anyone who didn't buy an Expansion Pack early.  It didn't matter that the second one would have been free; Ninty still would have double dipped in my wallet.  That rep did a very bad job of assuaging my anger back then, but I'm over it by now.  I just wanted to counter Luigi Dude's point.

You could have sold it on ebay or gave it to someone you know who might be able to use it.

But with that said, you do make a good point. But I think that issue can be solved (and usually is solved) by not having every single copy of games be bundled with whatever the thing is we happen to be talking about. Take for example the Wii Speak thing. I know it came bundled with Endless Ocean, or at least certain SKUs of it. Yet there was also SKUs without so if you already had it you could just get the SKU that lacked it and you didn't end up with a peipheral you already had and don't need. I know that's also true with Red Steel 2 which had M+ bundled with some which is how I got it, but you could also buy the game without M+ if you happened to already have it.

So that's the way it could and should be done in my opinion. Plus you can always just buy games used anyway if you don't want the extra peripherals. Gamestop is notorious for throwing away cases and manuals, so I'm sure they would be happy to oblige you in throwing out bundled peripherals as well.

Am with you on that, i have never been mad at nintendo, but this is a cheap shot.

Something just occurred to me... It's pretty guaranteed to include its own battery, otherwise how would the circle pad get power? Since you can clearly tell from the picture it doesn't use the SD slot, it definitely connects wirelessly. And if it's wireless it can't draw power from the system.

meaning you'd have to keep track of a SEPARATE charge for the add-on? wowzers.  I am dying to play some upcoming 3DS games, but I'm waiting for the new model. that's for sure.

Besides the slide pad add-on looking like ass, I'm not one of the people bitching about this. Like I said in another post, I'm okay with it existing even if I don't plan on supporting it. I'm not salty as a current 3DS owner and eventually I plan on buying a redesign, 2nd slide pad or not 2nd slide pad. However, I can see why people don't like this and I'd like to offer a counterpoint. All of the things you mentioned are peripherals for home consoles. Add a toaster and a Guy Fawkes mask to the controller or console for extra fun and functionality but it's still generally meant to stay in people's homes. I believe a major point of contention for this thing is that it makes 3DS significantly less portable. It'd be like Apple offering a glove sized and shaped attachment for the iPhone 4 to get 4G. It's not necessary for the hardware to function but it's a desirable enough feature that's awkwardly implemented.

I think it's far more likely that the battery that comes with it will replace the current 3DS battery and will power BOTH.

Supposedly, the peripheral shown in the magazine is only a prototype made by Nintendo that is being put to use by Capcom for developing MH3G.  If that is true, then we might see them redesign the addon (maybe making it a bit more pretty), considering MH3G won't go retail for months.

They almost have to redesign it. I don't think I've seen one positive opinion about the looks of that thing.

...I had to look to see if eBay was even around with DK64 was released... :D

I think this add-on is strictly for Monster Hunter: so Capcom can release it multi-platorm, on 3DS and Vita.
MH is a huge seller for Capcom in Japan and Nintendo probably approached Capcom for some of that selling power, hoping that MH on 3DS will help to sell more 3DS units. So, it will be 3DS exclusive for awhile then ported to Vita. That's my prediction.
I don't think the peripheral will get any more traction than that and I certainly don't think a hardware redesign is around the corner for 3DS.

I also still think the peripheral story could be entirely fake.

It's not.

Well, also consider the western market loves their FPS's so if Nintendo wants the call of duty
fanboys to buy their system, they have to add a second anolog.
when a parent is faced with $170 dollar 3ds's or $250 Vitas for their 3 boys to play a
CoD game, the lesser choise is prefered.
but thats speculation. and i don'thave gold, i just sell some drugs for the gaming
itch. (Sarcasm)

If parents are thinking of getting Call of Duty for their kids, why not just get it with Xbox 360 and 2 controllers? That's cheaper than three 3DS'sesses and three copies of the game.

Because they can't take a 360 along on car trips. Plus multiple kids sharing a single console or anything tends to lead to disaster. Its better if they each have their own.

ok heres the deal, we all know there will be a redesign of the 3ds, which is why i didn't buy the original in the first place.
those who did are fucked...
sort of
concession. bulky Circle pad add-on, at least you can play. Complain? You should have known better. Its ugly, but i bet still functional and probably even comfortable. So when 3ds+ comes out, that's what i'll get.  expect 3ds+ to be announced when all the badassed WiiU games are.

Ah.....Wii U connectivity. But we all knew that was gonna happen....

This was announced awhile ago, not really sure what's the big deal.

It's an addon just like any other, true I rather what for the redesign 3DS lite but at least this will make sure those that have the older model can still play games that require two analogs.

Looks like someone took the cradle charger and added some crappy home-made plastic mod.  Looks faker then fake to me.

As a consumer I "should have known better?"?  Are you serious?

Sorry but as a company if I get my consumer base is to the point where they wait for the revision as a mantra.  I'm doing it wrong.  I at that point need to design 2 versions of hardware at the get go.  The Awful first revision and the better second revision.  Take a loss on the first revision in good will and money so, I can be profitable on the second.  That is just terrible business sense and you should strive to reverse that thinking.  Its easier for people to wait as long as they think something better will be around soon, like a new revision, not a desirable place to be.

I would just like to point out that the DSi is really the first time that a revision added some functionality that made some new games not playable on the old models, and even that was largely download games that most people didn't care too much about. And that revision wasn't the first revision of the DS, it was the second one, and it was introduced about five years after the DS. Systems like the Game Boy Pocket and Game Boy Advance SP don't have any exclusive games that won't play on an older model, nor do they have any features accessible only on the new model.

If a revision happens soon, it would be unprecedented for Nintendo, both in that it's introduced very early, and that it would add functionality to games and could potentially split the userbase. So, I wouldn't say that anyone should have seen that coming, and it would be a very bad thing for Nintendo to do.

Gameboy Color.

That was a new system, not a revision (I know some people will try and claim it was a revision, but it WASN'T).

Whatever you want to call it, the GBC and DSi are nearly identical in the types of changes they brought.

I understand the reasoning behind the comparisons of the GBC and DSi, and also why some people don't consider the GBC a successor. But as far as I'm concerned, one of the things that determines a successor is the marketplace. The Game Boy Color replaced the original Game Boy on store shelves, and all new games were GBC games and soon could no longer be played on a GB. The same cannot be said of the DSi, which is sold alongside the DS Lite and the number of retail exclusives could probably be counted on one hand.

The big difference is that the GBC was successful while the DSi was like some weird joke only suckers bought.  What really defines a videogame system is the format.  GBC was a common format of games with many games that could only be played on the GBC so I see it as a seperate system from the original Game Boy.  The DSi technically had unique games as well, though they were very obscure.  Did any retail DSi only games come out in North America or were they all DSi Ware?

The DSi is like the SuperGrafx.  It's a unique format but had dick all games released for it.

Now the DS Lite is NOT a different format so it is just a variation of the DS.  There is no such thing as a DS Lite game or GBA SP game.

Exactly. The GBC only added color to the games and nothing else.

Except that the GBC had twice the RAM and a faster CPU, so new games could run more smoothly than GB games. Just compare Tetris Attack to Pokémon Puzzle Challenge for an example of this.

I wouldn't deny that the GBC was an uninspired successor that added little to new games, but I still view it as a successor.

Well, that was my point. The DSi has 4x the RAM and 2x the processor speed of the DS/DSL. The only real difference was that Nintendo didn't give the DSi enough time to build up before releasing their next system.

Did Nintendo release any retail exclusives for the DSi?

Why do only retail releases count? There were hundreds of games on DSiWare.

While Nintendo did not release any retail exclusive DSi titles, there were three DSi-only titles - System Flaw (very similar to Face Raiders on the 3DS), Foto Showdown and something else...

Because retail is a much larger market that more people care about. And the DSi didn't replace the DS on store shelves like the GBC replaced the GB. Also, if Nintendo and other companies didn't switch over to making retail DSi games, maybe they didn't think of it as a successor either. That wasn't the case with the GBC, where all new Game Boy games were GBC games even if some of them were still playable on a GB.

There are several "DSi" games that are also playable on DS. One difference is that there wasn't an appreciable change in features or performance, so you don't notice it and/or there wasn't a reason to highlight the difference and confuse consumers. The other thing is that the initial GBC games were all backwards compatible. The DSi didn't really last beyond the equivalent initial period to the point where we would see many DSi-exclusive games. If the 3DS hadn't come out, I'm pretty sure we would have. All that's beside the point though because the bigger fact is that the business model is/was changing, so to declare retail the deciding factor is absurd.

I don't see anything wrong with declaring the vastly larger retail market as the deciding factor. It almost sounds as if the DSi is sidestepping into a different market the way you describe it...

But as I said, it's debatable if the Game Boy Color was a successor and it always will be. It doesn't change my original point, though. Even if one were to consider the Game Boy Color a revision, it was still the second (or third in Japan) revision, and it was released 9 years after the original Game Boy. So if Nintendo were to soon release a 3DS revision that added functionality, it would be unprecedented based on history. Sure, things change, but then I'd get into how it's a bad idea because games are (or should be) what sell a system.

Technically speaking the DSi was as much a successor over the DS as the GBC was over the GB. The only difference was Nintendo didn't treat it as such and released the 3DS only a year later. But if you can imagine the GBC getting released and getting a few titles but then the GBA coming out just a year later and nipping it in the bud then its the exact same thing.

The more I think about it the more I realize the DSi is kinda like Sega's 32X scheme, and the 3DS is the equivalent of the Saturn. In both cases it was something that probably never should have been released in the first place, but it was and then it was almost immediately eclipsed by a successor.

Not at all, the DSi was just a revision of the DS while the Game Boy Color was a brand new system. I think the GBC was a placeholder system though, they knew the GB was aging but their next system wasn't ready for release yet.

Repeating that doesn't make it true.

It's instructive to look at how Nintendo classifies the systems:

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n02/dmg/
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n08/
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/

It's pretty clear that GBC is considered the same as DSi.

Eh, I've seen Nintendo bundle all Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance models in one, so I think it's more that they see the Game Boy and DS brands as one entity. I go by the market as the main indicator, but that's just me.

yes as a DS phat owner, yes yes. I learned my lesson. Theres pluses and minuses to being an early adopter, plus you get to play it sooner, minus you pay more, minus if they release a redesign. Also mop_it_up was saying its unprecedented, but I still don't own a Wii+ controller or add on. They have released add-ons and the upgraded versions of systems. Its not a big deal, nobody should complain about having the beta 3ds.

also, i barely just played 3ds a week ago for the first time at a best buy. Great system, screw the haters.

I owned both a DS Phat and a DSi but I paid $149.99 for the Phat and then $169.99 for the DSi, even though the DSi came out like 5 years later. So you don't necessarily always pay less by being an early adopter (at least not if you want the latest and greatest model), but that is more an exception than the rule.

Ha, burn.

I love my DSi. I needed another DS to play Contra 4 and Phantasy Star 0. I never used my DSLite for backwards compatibility. It has the best form factor of any Nintendo product ever. Ever. I admit that I expected more from DSiWare, but I did get to play Shantae: Risky's Revenge last year and it's a really great game. In fact, while I own a 3DS, I still use my DSi today whenever I play DS games. I'm currently playing through Chrono Trigger again.

Doesn't look terrible. Kinda bulky. My only problem with it is that it makes the 3DS look unproportional. :P:

I will respectfully disagree.  I believe the Original GBA design holds that title for me.  Shame about the screen.

Seriously? I had to get a PlayStation controller-esque attachment so that one wouldn't hurt my hands to play.

Really?  SP->3DS Hurt my hands in long play sessions, especially SP, though to be honest the 3DS is now better with the extended battery. While the GBA and I logged a LOT of hours and I had no problems in that manner.  Not to mention the Dual Shock design gets to me as well in long durations.

I actually think that Nintendo handhelds have gotten less and less comfortable with each new system they introduced, which is probably related to how they kept getting smaller and more cramped. The original Game Boy is still the best for me, which has a nice large size and easy-to-reach buttons. The 3DS has the most components shoved into the smallest possible system, which is probably why it's their least comfortable handheld yet.

There has never been anything like the original Gameboy or the Gamegear. Those were truly "Phat" systems with a lot of meat on their bones. Since then everything has got not only smaller but thinner too. The Gameboy and Gamebear were like bricks or loafs of bread, and the handhelds of today are like individual slices of bread in comparison. They are easier to fit in your pocket, but they aren't as cuddly to hold.

Ha ha, indeed.