New 3DS... To upgrade or not to upgrade

[cpd2009]

Figured that since this is a mostly tech related post, I'd post here instead of the Spam Thread. It's also very late and I should be in bed, but I need to write this so I can hope to make a concrete decision.

Lately, I have been using my original Nintendo 3DS a lot more. It was originally a college graduation gift from summer 2013, and while I did use it on and off over the years, I found out that I'm missing out on a lot of great games. I also like how 3DS/DS games are designed to be played in short time frames. I have a busy work day, so between the two jobs I have during rest periods, I can play my games for that length of time, and just put the console to sleep when I have to return to work.

Lately, I have been going back and forth deciding whether or not I should upgrade to the upgraded "New" 3DS, specifically the XL model. This all started when I tried out Super Smash Bros for 3DS, aka SSB 4. I noticed that on my system, it took forever to start up and when you exit, the system restarts. I researched this, and learned that this game pushes the limits of what the 3DS can do and it's more or less optimized for the upgraded "New" 3DS. With my console, the game does run fine when it's loaded up, but Miiverse and the web browser are disabled. On the "New" 3DS, you can multitask while playing this game and the load times are significantly shorter. SNES Virtual Console is only supported on the "New" 3DS as well. Several other games also make use of the upgraded hardware, usually performance improvements and use of the C-Stick and ZL/ZR buttons. A comprehensive list of such games are listed here on the nifty 3DS subreddit... https://www.reddit.com/r/3DS/wiki/exclusives

There is also hardware improvements... better 3D camera, face-tracking 3D, faster processor, etc. I hardly use the 3D feature since it's mostly a gimmick, but honestly, the face-tracking 3D does pique my interest. You can even use amiibo figures and cards without the use of an external reader/writer. I ended up ordering one for my original 3DS just yesterday, which I could have held off for a little while longer I guess.

I am so tempted to upgrade and give Nintendo $170 for a like new refurbished unit (since nearly every store I been to hasn't had 3DSes because of Nintendo's stock "issues"), but I really don't know if it would just be an impulse buy.

I have a few things that sway me towards Yes... There is only one "New" 3DS game I am moderately interested in, Hyperlight EX. There are actually some SNES VC games I do want such as Earthbound and MegaMan X and X3. Those game carts cost an arm-and-a-leg on eBay, especially EarthBound. I am intrigued by the increased performance of the system and certain games overall. I also would be more likely to use the 3D more with the new console. Built in amiibo support is also nice.

Here are the points that sway me towards No... my original 3DS has a physical Wifi switch, which is handy in case I need to shut off Wifi quickly to conserve battery. The "New" 3DS has a software switch built in to the Home menu settings, which takes more time to find and switch on or off. The included stylus is a comfortable metal telescoping type. The SD Card is easy to access and takes full size cards. The "New" 3DS has a microSD card.... inside the battery cover.... and it takes a bit more work to replace. Besides the exclusives I mentioned and SSB 4, my 3DS library runs fine and dandy on my current 3DS, and so will the games I have my eyes on.

And there you have it. I have trouble making up my mind on things like this, and perhaps someone could steer me towards a final decision. It's my choice in the end though, and who knows... maybe between now and summer a game will be announced that takes advantage of the "New" 3DS and it will convince me to upgrade.

[huckleberrypie]

Personally I think the improved performance should outweigh most of the other quirks the New 3DS has. Still with those drawbacks it can be a bit of a hard sell.

[cpd2009]

Well, I decided that I will hold off on the "New" 3DS. The features of the upgraded model are rather attractive, but I don't know if any of the games I have or want will make use of them. I also discovered that those rare SNES games are available on the Wii U VC. As much as I avoid the VC, I admit it's the only affordable way for me to try games like EarthBound or the MegaMan X series. I long for the physical carts, but their prices are insane. It's one of the major drawbacks of retro game collecting. :/

[huckleberrypie]

There is that too, as few games are able to take full advantage anyway, and Nintendo would be better off if they issue a minor hardware revision to correct issues like the SD card placement and whatnot.

[cpd2009]

There is that too, as few games are able to take full advantage anyway, and Nintendo would be better off if they issue a minor hardware revision to correct issues like the SD card placement and whatnot.

I doubt that will happen. While Nintendo claims the Switch won't replace the 3DS, I highly doubt that claim. The 3DS is still somewhat popular, but if the Switch is a sales success, Nintendo would put their resources towards the Switch rather than the 3DS. There was news going around a day ago that Nintendo's president apparently said he wanted a successor to the 3DS, but from what I read on the 3DS subreddit, it was a mistranslation. http://nintendoeverything.com/clarificat...ssor-news/

I think the whole reasoning behind the 3DS/Switch co-existence claim is Nintendo's way of having a backup plan in case the Switch fails to meet expectations. Back when the original DS came out, Nintendo stated it wouldn't replace the GBA yet a few years later, the GBA was quietly discontinued as the DS became popular. Perhaps Nintendo was also thinking of a plan B in case the DS bombed.

[huckleberrypie]

Yeah the DS was initially meant to compliment the GBA, not replace it outright as they were basically testing the waters to see if this novel approach of theirs would work. It sold well, and since the original DS and the Lite revision were backwards compatible with GBA titles (though not with legacy GB[C] games), the Advance would be mostly redundant anyway.

[RAMChYLD]

The SD Card is easy to access and takes full size cards. The "New" 3DS has a microSD card.... inside the battery cover.... and it takes a bit more work to replace.

Checking forums for accessibility, have to reply to this because.

In exchange for the easier-to-access SD card slot, The new 3DS has a SAMBA server built right in.




YMMV on whether that's good or bad. I kinda like it, no need to fiddle around with USB cables or take the card out. It's slow no doubt, but if all you want to do is put music on the device or get your pictures out, it's no big deal.

Also, I don't blame you for not knowing about this, not many people knew about it. Nintendo didn't advertise it for some reason.

[cpd2009]

Well, I did get the New 3DS XL, Galaxy Edition. I will post my own review in a separate thread.


Funny story... I was at the hotel trying to set up my "New" 3DS. I had my original 3DS with me anticipating this. However, the hotel Wifi has some kind of proxy, with a browser-based login page. The 3DS has to check your NNID before transfer, but since the 3DS keeps failing the wireless connection test due to said proxy-thing, the transfer won't start. Here is what I did...

I set up a Hosted Network using Greta, my laptop, which was already logged into the hotel wifi, following the instructions below.
http://www.windowscentral.com/how-turn-y...ss-hotspot

Once I got my custom Wifi network setup, I simply connected both my 3DS consoles to said custom network, and verifying the connection did work. After this, I was able to perform the wireless system transfer from old 3DS to "New" 3DS without problems, though it took about an hour and a half.


Later on, I did decide to upgrade from the 4gb Lexar card to a SanDisk 32gb Class10 card. My PC now has a microSD reader in it.