How do you make your failing hardware event better? Clunky add-ons!
It is no surprise that there are rumors that Nintendo is planning on a redesign of the Nintendo 3DS. The company is known for putting its portable hardware through a series of physical revisions during their lifespan(s). What is a little surprising is that the first physical alteration of the handheld could be a “do it yourself” addition of a second circle pad... yeah the system’s shortcomings are now your problem to fix.
According to Kotaku, the latest issue of Japans’ Famitsu magazine outs Nintendo’s plan for a new accessory that will attach to the 3DS and give players the option of a second circle pad. The new accessory would snap onto the system and enable dual-analog-style functionality for games, specifically a rumored 3DS port of Monster Hunter Tri.
It will be interesting to see if they add such a device in this manner as we would imagine that a revision this drastic would come in the form of an official redesign. Then again, adding such an item to the console would alienate those who already own the system but we all know that Nintendo doesn’t have any problem with doing that. It would make sense for an option to exist to give these gamers access to the new pad, perhaps by means of a snap-on accessory. As functional as this may be, judging from the picture above, it just looks tacky and uncomfortable and will likely lead to more fuel being added to the Nintendo 3DS hate-fires running rampant throughout the industry.
Only time will tell as Nintendo has a press conference set for next week at the Tokyo Game Show. Perhaps an official announcement will come at the conference or the show.
