@BDB: Just assume that every post by PhoenixXXXX is a joke. She's rarely serious (or even coherent).

Actually, how is it a problem for lefties? Everyone's been using D-pads on the left side of a controller since the days of the NES. The only lefty problems I can see are that the stylus is stored on the right-hand side of the 3DS... and there's no analog slidepad on the right for lefties to use if a game requires analog control + stylus input at the same time.

I wonder what the device would look like with dual analogs. o_O

@ray62: So, you're saying that adding a GBA slot to the 3DS will ensure that you can play DS games with the slidepad? That makes no sense...

If I understand your point, it has something to do with re-adding the GBA slot for the occaisional cart that employs Rumble functionality via the Rumble Pack that was included with a Metroid Pinball game.... it really doesn't have anything to do with slide-pad functionality being retrofit to older DS games...and given that a model of the DS (two actually--DSi, and XL) have already done away with this port, those chances are not even slim to none. They are none.

I think its safe to assume that what we're seeing now will be pretty close to the final version--the Prototype DS looked similar to the DS-fat except for some color scheme issues, appearance of the D-pad, the way the hinge joint looked, etc.

I also think it's safe to assume that slidepad functionality will not work with DS games. D-pad and analog control are very different from a programming standpoint, and the games were built on a system that didn't have a D-pad, hence the code to interpret analog controls just isn't there...short of some type of weird emulation miracle on the 3DS, I think this one could also be written off...although it has a higher probability than the triumphant return of the GBA slot.

is gray or blue better?

Imagine playing Metroid Prime Hunters with the Slide Pad

If I understand you correctly I agree entirely. There is no way you will be able to make code recognise analogue input when it has been designed to only recognise digital input. Short of, as you said, some sort of emulation miracle or if there was some sort of prior knowledge of a future system with analogue controls with an agreed upon interface when those games were made.

Still, that doesn't mean you will be forced to use the D-Pad for DS games on the 3DS. You can very, very easily convert an analogue control stick signal into a D-Pad signal. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some sort of option to let you set what input you want to use when playing DS games on the 3DS... kinda like how the DS lets you pick if GBA games run on the top or bottom screens.

But.... the wii's classic controllers can run d-pad based VC games with the joystick.

I think it would be easy to implement the slide pad to previously d pad only games. Obviously it couldn't implement 360 degree movement. It could just support the 8 basic directions so it would be essentially the same except I think it would be much more smooth feeling compared to the d pad.

The Slide Pad is like an analog stick when you play the PSP's

@skywake Just FYI it's likely that Nintendo will implement 8-way input when using the slidepad for DS games. It doesn't make sense that it would be disabled when it's right where the original D-pad was. It's easy to code an analog to digital conversion for input (no miracles required - even the old PSX did it) and it makes sense for them to include it seeing how backwards compatibility with the DS library is a big selling point of the 3DS.

The d-pad seems too low to comfortably play any DS games where you have to use it often, so I hope they'll something that allows you to use this "slidepad" as a substitute.

The slidepad is Super Duper Ultra Mega Giant Cool!

Blue.

You just made me realize that. Dude, that would be awful.