The 2ds is actually REALLY good!!! Nintendo 2ds review

NINTENDO 2DS REVIEW

Nintendo's latest handheld, the 2ds, while bearing the brunt of many jokes, is in fact really, REALLY amazing! 

While many people might think that this is just some cheap gimmick from Nintendo to get kids to buy Pokemon, this is not the case. This is, amazingly, the best handheld from Nintendo I have ever used. And I've used a fair share - The original DS, the DS lite, the DSI XL, the 3DS - And this blows them all out of the water.

You see, it was my birthday a few weeks ago (Yay!), and with some money I got, I decided that it was time to say goodbye to my DS lite, and ... Upgrade! So I was shopping around for a 3DSto , but they were just a bit out of my price range (the new 3ds is like $230 + the cost of games), so I decided to get a 2DS instead. And while I was a bit skeptical at first, this is without a doubt the best DS ever.


As a quick little intro, the 2DS is a budget version of the 3DS, with the 3D capabilities and hinge removed, and the price lowered. The 2DS is more aimed at kids (due to the fact that there is no eye-damaging 3d, as well as no snap-able hinge), and also to the budget adult (due to the relatively significantly lower price  - about $70, or ~30%, cheaper than a 3DS here in AUS). Here is what it looks like -

I think the 2DS' greatness is due to a number of things -

First of all, the removal of the hinge means that all the buttons, along with the analog stick, have all been moved up the 2DS, and now rest kinda in-between the 2 screens. While this may seem a bit trivial, this makes a HUUUUUGE difference! The 2DS feels absolutely amazing to hold, almost as though it was molded to your hands.

The second main factor is that it's cheaper! Although, that is at the cost of the 3d feature, but for the majority of people, that won't matter a whole lot. I don't know what the price gap is like in other countries, here in Australia it was a decent size. The new 3DS costs around $230 AUD, whereas the 2DS costs only $150 AUD, with the only differences being the lack of the hinge and 3d.

The only real downside to the 2DS is that due to the lack of a hinge, the portable handheld gaming system has become a little less... well, portable. It isn't too bad though - just don't every plan on being able to fit this thing into your pocket. As long as you have some sort of bag / backpack to put it into though, it'll be OK. Also, the lack of folding screens means that the screens are exposed all the time. 

This should be fine, but if you're worried about scratches, Nintendo sells an official carry case, which you can purchase from Amazon here - Carrying Case for Nintendo 2DS Console - Blue

This retails for around $15, but cases like the one below are available on Ebay for around a $5.


The 2DS can be purchased from Amazon here - Nintendo 2DS Handheld System - Electric Blue


Overall, I think this is a really amazing product, and something you should definitely consider if you're after a new DS. Thanks for reading! :)