Should I buy a 3DS?

[hazeredmist]

I'd say yes, absolutely, but that's because I'm into a large amount of titles in the console's catalogue. Best bet is to look at the games you could play that you might be into and decide from there.

As someone touched on earlier, your needs would definitely be served by a PS Vita too, and the concerns around graphical performance / resolution would be allayed somewhat as that is far superior in that regard. Again though all about the back catalogue you're after as both systems are getting on a bit now, but they could well be the last bastions of the true handheld console, which is a sad thing for me to comprehend as a largely handheld gamer myself. Both Nintendo and Sony are looking to the mobile market quite a bit now which I presume will be far more profitable for them going forward, particularly judging by the furore surrounding Super Mario Run (a game I couldn't be less bothered about personally.)

[KissMammal]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thinks that when it comes to the volume! I've been playing Corpse Party and my God... it is such a quiet system. I want to be able to crank it up so much more!

The thing that drives me nuts about my 3DS (XL) is the positioning of the volume slider. It's right under where my left hand naturally rests, so I'm constantly inadvertently turning the volume down.

I will say, though I stand by my earlier comments about graphics, that the screen on a 3DS - at least an XL - is jarringly low res at first, and has an 'old tech' feel to it, especially if you're accustomed to HD Retina displays on phones and tablets.

[ratsoalbion]

The volume slider on the New 3DSXL is on the upper screen, so that shouldn't be a problem.

[KissMammal]

Yeah, I'm actually borrowing a friends New XL at the moment (long story). It's much better.

The 3D, while on the whole a bit better than on mine, seems intermittently flickery and not as stable as I'd have expected (lots of ghosting), but I'm pretty sure if it's just a dodgy unit rather than an inherent fault.

[KissMammal]

I know a lot of people hate the 3D function, but I'm on the fence. I tend to vary it on and off depending on my mood. It's a bit unreliable, sometimes distracting, but for me it's worth keeping on with most games for the odd, transcendental moments it can sometimes create. The immersive 3D effects of Star Fox and Mario 3D Land kind of blew me away at times.

[Joshihatsumitsu]

The thing about 3D and screen size/resolution, for me, is that I'm 36, wear glasses, and my eyes are getting a bit worse as I go on. So I guess what I'm saying is that I come with built in anti-aliasing! Analogue too! Remove glasses - instant smoothing technology.

[eastmcduck]

I personally love my 3DS. So much so, that I bought a second one when the XL came out. I will say, though, I was actually kind of irked when they announced the New 3DS. Not because I didn't like it, necessarily, but because I already own two and now there's a new and improved model which has better hardware, a better screen, and SNES virtual console support. I've been tempted to upgrade just so I can have a stock 3DS, seeing as my other two are setup for homebrew, but I don't know if the gains are enough to justify spending $180 on one. It would probably be over $200 in the long run, when you factor in taxes and the fact that the charger is sold separately...

I would agree with other people that you might be better off waiting to see what the Switch has to offer, but at the same time Nintendo has a pattern of not releasing much of interest on Virtual Console (still waiting for Yoshi's Island for SNES.) If you've been opposed to Nintendo stuff all your life because it all looks childish in nature, then you might not miss out on much if you don't get one, but if you approach it with an open mind, you might be surprised by some of the gaming experiences you have. There are all sorts of excellent games for the platform, as well as a huge back catalog of DS games that you could play too.

I personally have always found the primitive/cartoony graphics charming, but I also grew up playing mostly Nintendo products, and all my friends had Nintendo consoles/portables as well. It just takes me back, you know? For example, A Link Between Worlds is probably one of the best games I've ever played and it would stand fine on it's own even if it wasn't a sequel, but I think I enjoyed it all the more because it felt so much like A Link To The Past. Same story with Yoshi's Island DS and Yoshi's New Island for 3DS. Both games are perfect sequels to Yoshi's Island for SNES.

My guess is, if you've never experienced the older Nintendo stuff and developed sentiment for it, then the newer stuff might not resonate with you. If you have a friend who would be willing to let you try theirs out for a while, I would do that. Or, if you can, buy one used at a store where you can return it if you don't like it. I know GameStop will give you a week to return used systems for a full refund. Not sure what stores you have access to, but it could be worth looking into. I think it's one of those " you'll either love it or hate it" kind of things. I love it because I'm nostalgic for Nintendo games, but I might not like it at all if I'd had negative feelings towards Nintendo all my life. I think, though, if you're able to overcome those negative feelings, you may just find that you have a whole new branch of gaming to become passionate about, as well as a huge back catalog of excellent games to catch up on.

[nickturner13]

....I would agree with other people that you might be better off waiting to see what the Switch has to offer

Thanks yes I think this is pretty much where I am at now, I'll wait and see what the Switch is like, I'm not convinced I'll be using it as a console at home so it will be just the portable aspect for me... I guess we'll find out soon.

[Suits]

....I would agree with other people that you might be better off waiting to see what the Switch has to offer

Thanks yes I think this is pretty much where I am at now, I'll wait and see what the Switch is like, I'm not convinced I'll be using it as a console at home so it will be just the portable aspect for me... I guess we'll find out soon.

I feel quite confident saying that you won't get the DS experience we have all recommended on the Switch.

Even if it takes the carts, you won't have the screens.

[eastmcduck]

On the bright side, nickturner13, there should be an abundance of 3DS systems available for years to come, so you have plenty of time to think it over.