The Nintendo 3DS: Still Worth It in 2017?

Hey guys, this is Austin. The Nintendo 3DS originally came out in 2011, but with the release of the Nintendo Switch, should it still exist? If you're considering buying a 3DS in 2017, you have three options to choose from.

Let's start with the Nintendo 2DS, which was released in 2013. This console has a slightly different design compared to its standard DS counterpart. I remember when Nintendo first announced the 2DS, and I thought it was a joke. However, one of the major advantages of the 3DS was its support for 3D. Unfortunately, the 2DS does not support 3D at all. Despite this, it's worth considering, especially since it only costs $80 and comes with a copy of Mario Kart 7.

The 2DS is also an interesting option because it doesn't have a folding clamshell design like other DS or 3DS consoles, making it less pocketable. On the flip side, if you have larger hands, this console can be more comfortable to play on. However, the trade-offs are significant, and it's not clear whether the 2DS is worth it for many users.

Moving on to the Nintendo 2DS XL, which was released just a few months ago. This console has some interesting features, including faster internals that help with load times and exclusive titles. It also supports Amiibo, which can be a nice bonus for fans of the franchise. The new 2DS XL is actually one of my favorite 3DS consoles available today.

Next up is the Nintendo 3DS XL, which was released in 2015. This console has a unique feature - it has face-tracking 3D, which looks really cool. However, for an extra $100, you can get the Nintendo Switch, which makes the 3DS XL kind of hard to justify.

Speaking of the Nintendo Switch, it's worth mentioning that Mario Kart 7 is still available on the 2DS, and it's one of the earlier 3DS games that holds up surprisingly well. If you're a fan of simulation-style games like Forza or Gran Turismo, you might want to consider the Switch instead.

However, if you're okay with giving up the 3D display, which personally I don't find all that useful, the new 2DS XL is a great option. It's cheaper than the Nintendo 3DS XL and still offers an amazing gaming experience. To be fair, the new 3DS XL isn't the worst pick-up, but at $200, it's hard to justify compared to the Switch.

So, should the Nintendo 3DS still exist in 2017? That's a great question. If you're looking for a solid gaming experience and don't mind giving up on 3D, the new 2DS XL is an excellent choice. However, if you're a hardcore fan who really loves these special editions or just want to play the latest games, I would recommend going with the 2DS or 2DS XL instead.

Ultimately, it's all about personal preference and what you're looking for in a console. If you have any thoughts on whether the Nintendo 3DS should still exist, let me know in the comments below!

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- Hey guys, this is Austin.The 3DS originally came out in 2011,but in a world with the Nintendo Switch,should the 3DS still exist?So, if you want to buy a 3DS in 2017,you're going to be picking fromone of these three options.To start with, we have the Nintendo 2DS,which came out in 2013.Now, as you might be able toimagine, this has a little bitof a different design.I remember when Nintendooriginally announced the 2DS.I totally thought it was a joke.So, in the transition fromthe standard DS to the 3DS,one of the major advantages was the ideathat it did support 3D.However, the 2DS, notonly does it look weird,but it doesn't support 3D at all.That doesn't really bother me though,as I very rarely use that3D feature to begin with.So, there are a coupleof other trade-offs here.Most notably that it has acouple of fairly small displaysand the actual speakeritself is kind of quiet.But, when you considerthat this only costs $80and comes with a copy of Mario Kart 7,it starts to look like a pretty good deal.Take a closer look at the 2DSand it is a little bit odd looking.So, this is the only DSor 3DS that doesn't havea folding clamshell design,which means that it isdefinitely not as pocketable.But, on the flip side, if you'resomeone with larger hands,this is actually oneof the more comfortableconsoles to play on.Next in the lineup, we havethe new Nintendo 2DS XL.Now this actually only cameout a couple months agoand I did do a full video on it,but if you guys missed that,there's actually a lot ofinteresting stuff with this guy.Because this is a newerconsole, Nintendo are stillrolling out some newcolors, including this whiteand orange, which I actuallythink looks pretty nice.But what I really wanna get my hands onis the Poke Ball Edition,which comes out next month.Unlike the original, thenew 2DS XL doesn't give upa lot over a 3DS.So, you're getting those larger displays,you're getting the upgraded speakers,and of course, it'llactually fit in your pocket.There are also some niceupgrades like faster internals,which help with load timesas well as give you acouple of exclusive titles.And, you do have Amiibo support.Long story short, this is actually oneof my favorite 3DSs you can buy today.Which brings us to theonly actual 3DS here,the new 3DS XL.Open this guy up, and we'll see the samequick start information and AR cards,as well as the console itself.What you don't get is anA/C adapter in the box,which is weird considering that this isthe most expensive 3DS you can buy.I will say though that someof the limited editions,such as the Samus edition3DS XL, look really nice.So, this originally came out in 2015,at least for thenon-special edition version.What you got here was verysimilar to the 2DS XL,except with facetracking 3D.I do have to admit,this looks really cool.But, the problem is, isthat for only an extra $100you can go all the way upto the Nintendo Switch,which makes the 3DS XLkind of a hard sell.If you've never owned a3DS or just haven't playedin the last few years,then there are a lotof great games for it.Mario Kart 7 is one ofthe earlier 3DS games,but it still holds up surprisingly well,especially considering thatit comes for free on the 2DS.So, I will say that I'm typicallya fan of a little bit moresimulation-style games,like Forza and Gran Turismo,but it is really hard toargue with just how much funMario Kart is, even though150cc is not my strong suit.It is hard to talk abouta Nintendo handheldwithout mentioning Pokemon.This is the series thatkeeps me coming back,and there are so manygreat games available,including the upcoming Ultra Sun and Moon.But, the original Sun andMoon are also not too bad.This is a game that I've actually puta fair bit of time into,and one of the things that's actually niceabout playing it on the 2DS is that,even though it doeshave a smaller display,it's the same resolutionas the bigger ones,which means that, this actuallylooks a little bit sharperthan playing on the 3DS XL or 2DS XL.On top of playing prettymuch all of the Pokemon gamesfor the last 10 years orso on the 2DS and 3DS,you'll also have a couplein the Virtual Console,including Red, Blue,Yellow, Gold, and Silver.I grew up playing theoriginal Pokemon games,so they definitely have aspecial place in my heart.But, I've gotta say it isreally nice to be able to playthem on a backlit displaywith a headphone jack,having a battery.It's a lot nicer thanthe old-school Game Boys,I've gotta admit.All 3DSs can also playoriginal Nintendo DS games.So, the only issues is,is that because the screenis slightly higher resolutionthan the DS screen,you're either dealing with alittle bit of blurry upscalingor you just can't use theentire display for the games.But, in return, you're gettingone of the best handheldlibraries of all time.The games really arewhy you should considerpicking up a 3DS in 2017.Sure, Nintendo is slowly bringinga lot of these franchisesover to the smartphone,but at the end of the day,there are a lot of gamesthat you just cannot playanywhere else besides the 3DS.I think it's only a matterof time before the Switchtotally replaces the 3DS.But, for now, I think it makes sensewhy this exists in 2017.There are still newgames coming out for it.If you just wanna playthrough a few DS or 3DS games,then the original 2DSis not a bad pick up.For $80, you're only a singlepair of headphones awayfrom having a prettysolid gaming experience.My favorite 3DS isn'tactually a 3DS at all.It's the new 2DS XL.So, if you're okay withgiving up the 3D display,which personally I justdon't find all that useful,you're pretty much gettingthe full experience here,and it's cheaper.To be fair, the new 3DS XL isn'texactly a terrible pick up,but at $200 it is so hardto justify picking this upwhen the Nintendo Switchis only $100 more.Unless you're a hardcorefan who really likesthese special editions, I wouldgo with the 2DS or 2DS XL.So, what do you guys think?Should the Nintendo 3DSstill exist in 2017?Let me know in the comments below,and I will catch you on the next one.