These games make it clear that the casual mobile games industry should be responding to Nintendo’s recent announcement that they plan to make smartphone games with as much anxiety as the watch industry has about Apple’s entry into their domain. Angry Birds, Dots, Cut The Rope, Doodle Jump are not even in the same league. The mobile game world is clearly still guessing about what constitutes a hit; meanwhile Nintendo can consistently and intentionally turn out perfect challenges, perfect user interfaces, perfect mechanics, perfect controls.
But enough about the games. The real question is whether or not the new 3DS is worth an upgrade? I really don’t know. Overall, the improvements are small but significant. The stable 3D is awesome. The stylus slot holds the pen better. The new device has amiibo support. And it just feels slicker in your hands. It seems to run smoother and faster. I’m not sure how I feel about the nipple-like C-button/stick. I’m even a ThinkPad user, so this kind of input device is familiar to me, but on the 3DS it feels odd. Maybe that will change; I still haven’t played a game that needed it.
The device as a whole is clearly an upgrade. With a 2DS and multiple old 3DS XL consoles in the house, I always go for the new one. But do you need to upgrade? Probably not yet. But I expect you will want one eventually. If you’re short on cash, wait until there’s more New 3DS only games, or more games that use amiibo. If you’re buying a new portable console for yourself or for your kids, however, there’s no doubt that this is the best choice.
Also, you’ll need a case. I should recommend one that outperforms all the others—functionally and aesthetically. I’ve now gone half way around the world with my New 3DS XL tucked into the City Slicker case from Waterfield Designs.
The construction of this case is first rate: beautiful leather mixed with ballistic nylon. The new console fits perfectly and feels well protected. There are slots to carry three cartridges (which is all I need for a trip) and a zipper compartment on the back that holds a charger and any other extras. It is like a classy case for grown-ups; I can pull it out of a brief case without looking juvenile. It is so attractive, in fact, that after enjoying this case, I’m considering buying some of Waterfield Designs other products—laptop bags, wallets, etc.
After a little more than a month with my New 3DS XL, I’m loving it more than I did at the start. At first, it didn’t really feel like it was much of an upgrade. But those little incremental iterations feel more substantial after spending more time with them.
Like hundreds of millions of other people, I loved the 3DS and DS. There’s a reason the device, in its multiple iterations, is the bestselling handheld game console of all time. It just feels right. And with the New 3DS XL, Nintendo makes just the right amount of improvements, addressing the bugs without changing things too much.
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Original URL: article on forbes >>
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Original Author Name: Jordan Shapiro, Contributor
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