Rumor: Nintendo working on 3DS with second analog stick
Even with an insane price cut, Nintendo could still be worried that its glasses-free 3D push with the 3DS isn't winning gamers fast enough. A new report suggests that Nintendo might be planning a new 3DS that'll add on a second Circle Pad (analog stick) and downplay the eye-popping 3D effects.
French website 01net, a source that's been reliable in the past for leaking info on the PS Vita and Wii U has the juicy bits of the rumor. The second Circle Pad is said to be an add-on peripheral that sticks onto the right side of the 3DS and will cost only $10.
Gaming blog, 1Up, believes something was lost in translation. For one thing, it could simply be a developer tool used for a future 3DS revision that will come with two Circle Pads standard. And the other major question for such an accessory is how would it connect to the 3DS? There are no ports located on the right side of the 3DS for any such thing to plug in to. We're calling BS on this one.
The second part of the rumor appears to be an entirely new rebranded 3DS that will come with twin Circle Pads built-in and de-emphasize the 3D, as gamers are turned off by its third dimensional effects.
This could all be hocus pocus, but we think that Nintendo's finally feeling the heat from its competitors. After shrugging off smartphones, tablets and Sony's PS Vita as direct competition, it might finally be the case that Nintendo sought out a new charm (glasses-free 3D) and now realizes nobody really wanted it.
Flip-flopping back to 2D-only and giving the 3DS a second Circle pad for better control in games like an FPS could actually make us all forget about the 3DS and its one analog stick (PSP's been there and done that. Developers responded with lackluster console ports that had poor controls) and sometimes blinding 3D effects. Because the 3DS is still so young, Nintendo can still scrap the 3D from its 3DS altogether, but that would be admitting defeat, especially with a lineup of quality 3D games such as Super Mario 3D Land, Kid Icarus: Uprising and Mario Kart 7 on the way.
