gaming Is the 3DS Worth It?

[Colon Leftbracket 971]

I've noticed that there's a large number of Ponies that come from the 3DS forums and share their 3DS Friend Codes which makes me feel a little left out.

 

I've said in the past that the only way I'll buy a 3DS is if a) there's a large library of games I actually want they put on that second analog stick pad that's "SO important" c) they make a new model with longer battery life (i've heard bad stories of 3DS batteries) d) if I had people to play with (no one I know in person wants to give the 3DS the time of day)

 

Now I'm one to often be too critical (understatement) but would the Ponies here say that they're satisfied with the 3DS. I'm still most likely will hold out for that longer battery life (and I need more money of course). Do you think it's worth buying? What games and features would you say is the best of the 3DS?

 

I would like to play Star Fox 64 3D haha

[FIuttershy 49]

I wasn't happy with the system. Personally, my only enjoyment came from it's 3D but that itself was short lived due to how you have to maintain your position. Screen size should have been bigger and a second circle pad is necessary yet didn't have. It had no games, but I had Pokemon White, even so no one I knew owned one.

 

I will buy it again after the second generation release with a second circle pad. By then I hope to claim some games for it also.

[Twilight Sparkle ✨ 8,527]

I'm quite satisfied with the 3DS, personally. It may not be a multitasking monster like the iPod Touch, but it was designed for gaming first and foremost - and with a good pair of headphones, the experience can be every bit as great as a home console. If there's one thing Nintendo are fantastic at, it's designing comfortable gaming hardware. The 3DS has just the right amount of bulk, is super-light, and while it's no Vita, it is by no means a weak system and has more than enough grunt under the hood to hold its own in the modern world.

 

My responses to your criteria for buying a 3DS:

 

1) No matter what, if the games on it don't interest you, there's little point in buying a 3DS. Its library may be a little small at the moment, but it's only set to grow. 3DS Buzz, the site I used to work for, has an exhaustive list of every single announced game and I'm positive you'll find a few things to like there.

 

A few of the notable games that are already out or are coming soon include Dead or Alive: Dimensions, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition, Sonic Generations, Rayman Origins, and Devil Survivor Overclocked. Luigi's Mansion, Super Smash Bros. 4, Kid Icarus Uprising, Paper Mario, Resident Evil: Revelations, and Tekken are just a few of the upcoming games you can look forward, too. I don't know about you, but it's looks like a damn solid lineup to me.

 

2) The second analog stick is overrated. Seriously. I haven't played a single game yet that I felt would honestly benefit from it. Don't let that factor into your decision - when it doesn't have a second analog stick, developers learn to design their games appropriately not to rely on one. Trust me - they're doing well so far.

 

3) It will last for around 4-5 hours of continuous gaming with 3D and WiFi enabled. As long as you take it inside a building every night, I find it difficult to believe you'll be clocking 5 full hours of gameplay during your average day. People keep ranting about the battery life, but I've yet to hear a story from anyone for whom it has actually been a problem. If you're going on a long trip, put $10 towards a car charger and problem solved.

 

4) Hasn't been a problem for me. Though the 3DS's local multiplayer is every bit as awesome as the DS's from what little I've tried of it, it also delivers an absolutely fantastic single-player experience that I'm sure you'll enjoy very much.

 

I also want to note that the 3DS costs only $169.99, or as much as a DSi. It was quite expensive when I bought mine at launch, but it's really not so bad now, considering what you get with it (a next-gen handheld, quality glassesless 3D, and access to a quickly-growing library of awesome games). At $40 each, 3DS games also cost less than PSP, PSV, PC, or console games, so it's a somewhat more budget-friendly system in the long run than its competitors, too.

 

The 3DS has lots of features, like a 3D camera app, Face Raiders (an amusing diversion for killing time), AR Games (a stunning tech demo - great to show off to friends), Netflix, full backwards compatibility with most DS and DSiWare games, and an interesting MP3 player app that's quite different from what you'll find on an iPod. The MP3 player is something I use every day, and it's a function that you might use a lot, too, if you listen to music often.

 

Now, of course, all of the above is only my own, personal opinion. But hey, opinions are what you asked for, so I'm happy to give you mine and try to explain it well along the way.

[Zoop 8,384]

Megaman Legends 3's cancellation sadly pushed the 3DS from "grudgingly purchase" to "wait and see" status for me. I imagine I'll probably end up buying one eventually, though it'll probably be after a hardware revision or two if the DS is any indication.

[Colon Leftbracket 971]

(Yeah what he said!)

 

That's a very nice and detailed evaluation. Strange though that I imagined it entirely in Twilight Sparkle's voice!

Anyhow, I looked at the Line Up and like modern Nintendo consoles 90% of the third party games are complete garbage. (That's being generous saying that 10% is worth anything!) But it shines in first party Nintendo games. I see a few game I have in mind and now that I look back a few DS games is all I ever bought. I counted and I think I only bought 5 games! (Beats the Wii I only bought 3 games and after Smash Bros the console went into storage) I guess I'll take the 3DS into consideration when I have money to spend. Shame that they had to do away with the GBA port. It would be a nice added extra, but alas GBA is dead.

[Zoop 8,384]

Shame that they had to do away with the GBA port.

Eh. I think I used the GBA port on my DSLite all of about twice. I wouldn't really look at it as being a massive loss a this point.

[Pony Joe 583]

At $250 and with a very small library, it definitely was not worth the purchase. Now that it's much cheaper and has some awesome games (some available now, some coming soon), it's definitely worth it.

 

Of course, your final decision (as with any console) should boil down to the question, "Do I like the games it has to offer?" Most of the best 3DS games are from Nintendo, Capcom, and indie developers, with support from Square Enix and Kojima coming soon. I their games appeal to you, by all means pick one up.

 

On the subject of battery life, it's no big deal at all. The battery, in my experience, has consistently outperformed that of an iPod Touch or PSP.

 

And please, don't hold your breath for a new version with 2 slide pads. Nintendo has never been one to release a new version of their console within 2 or 3 years (people tend to mistake them with Apple in that regard).

[Slendermane 477]

I have been enjoying mine. My only peeve with it is the lack of games. However, there are plenty of great games coming out for it later. I think the 3D is wonderfully done, and this coming from someone who thought 3D movies was a fad.

[Lady Rarity Pony 4,892]

I personally never found mobile devices like that of use to me, if you're interested then go ahead but I don't recommend it

[Marshmallow 1,137]

Honestly, no.

I bought a 3DS at release when it was 250$. I must say that this was easily my worst purchase this year. There aren't so many good games, and it's not very powerful (at least compared to the vita). The 3D effect is cool at first but it gets boring quick. It's now sitting on my shelf and collecting dust and has been for the past 3 months.

 

And that is coming from a guy who once was a somewhat active member on 3DSforums...

[Discordian 6,015]

Knowing Tales of the Abyss is coming to 3DS makes me want it just for that. <.< >.>