There comes a time during the life cycles of most great gaming platforms when the quality of the current model and the quality of the game selection are so good that they demand purchasing. For the Nintendo 3DS, that time is now.
Or, perhaps more appropriately, that time was a few months ago when Nintendo dropped Fire Emblem: Awakening.
For all the holdouts out there: do it. Why?
A solid piece of hardware.
When the Nintendo 3DS initially launched, the hardware itself was, to put it kindly, a little lackluster. It felt cheap, plastic and a touch shoddy. The Start, Select and Home buttons were awkward, and the shoulder buttons felt like they’d give up at a moment’s notice.
Furthermore, the battery life of the system was downright paltry. With the brightness up and the wi-fi on, users complained about getting only two or three hours of play out of each charge. Not so hot.
Then came the 3DS XL. Not only is the screen size nearly twice as big, this thing is much, much better all around. Here’s a blurb from an article we ran here at Crave when the unit launched.
But, my love for the system comes down to far more than it being bigger. The Nintendo 3DS XL feels like a more smartly designed handheld. First off, the buttons feel much better. The shoulder buttons, the system buttons below the touch screen and even the 3D slider are built so well this time around. Honestly, it makes the standard handheld look a little less healthy.
Add to that the better stylus and the more than doubled battery life, and you’ve got a perfect upgrade.
Undeniably amazing games.
What seals the deal better than a hardware upgrade? A stellar software library.
Much like the Wii U, the Nintendo 3DS limped out of the launch gates with a weak lineup. The best titles in the opening run? Pilotwings Resort and Nintendogs & Cats. Seriously.
Between then and now, Nintendo righted the ship. Here’s just a smattering of recent and upcoming software that will more than validate your purchase:
- Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon
- Animal Crossing: New Leaf
- Paper Mario: Sticker Star
- Super Mario 3D Land
- Fire Emblem: Awakening
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
- Pokémon X and Y
Still waiting for reasons? You have them.
Of course, Nintendo’s platforms won’t tickle everyone’s fancy. But, for those of you out there who’ve been on the fence since the device’s release, now is the time to bite the bullet.
