Last week saw the release of the 2DS, the latest member of Nintendo's popular line of 3DS handhelds. Most of those who were lucky enough to pick up one of these systems will have been enjoying the new form factor and highly portable nature of the device, while others will have been doing things like microwaving their console or pulling it apart to see how it works.
Rose Colored Gaming's Matthew "Wiggy" Wiggins thankfully falls in the latter camp — you may have seen some of his photos appearing on other sites since the 2DS launched. However, we like to consider Wiggy — a man who breathes life into retro handhelds — as one of our close pals, and he has kindly taken some exclusive snaps for us of the pulled-apart system which show in better detail the various components — including that massive screen.
As you can see, the screen is a single LCD which is divided in two to create the dual-screen arrangement. You can also see the 1300mAh battery, which we discovered when we opened our unit up a while back.
Comments 36
Ok, first things first, I think Nintendo needs to get to rolling out some 2DS with something other then the plainjane black or white front and back. They should come out with blue, red, midnight purple and the ever so popular Legend of Zelda versions
@Yamitora1 and with 2 speakers for better sound quality, it's still a great little machine though
@FullbringIchigo I actually have made such a redesign http://fav.me/d6mde6n I am also working on a normal 2DS with two speakers. The one I linked you to, in terms of button placement is more or less a unfolded 3DS. It has a section on the back where fingers can comfortably rest on the shoulder buttons that are tucked away in the indent grove.
We already knew the single screen thing, but it still makes me think that Nintendo will have a true gaming tablet in the next few years. The 2ds is just another step closer.
Got my hands on it a few days ago. Feels ok. The anti stealing device was a little in the way. The screen size seems as big as the original 3DS. That leads to thinking: Will be there a 2DS XL?
I saw one in person yesterday but i could not hold it. Very tempting but i spent more and got the blue pokemon xl. Now i only need a 2ds to complete the family
@Yamitora1 Sorry, Nintendo got the button placements right...
See; they could have made it like this after all*: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhrJhyeVfis&feature=c4-overview&list=UUPRNNGLAaYqhvf_xmif5RiQ
The more you see it the more you know it makes sense...
*Single large screen without the pointless physical divider, that still emulates the two separate screens basically exactly as it does now, for any 3DS/2DS games that just have to be split into two, but also allows you to use the single large screen for much better movie viewing, internet browsing and eBook reading etc. Circle Pad Pro's extra analog pad built-in so developers can choose to optionally add in that extra control to their games. They'd obviously still have to include a single pad control option in there too, like any games that support the Circle Pad Pro already do, for anyone that wouldn't own a 2DS Plus. Stereo speakers. More balanced aesthetically pleasing symmetrical design. A few other little things.
@Yamitora1
Not bad but I think I still prefer my simple tweaked design better and I definitely think they should have went with the one single large screen either way, that simply mimics the split screens of the current 3DS/2DS when necessary.
Who cares about dual speakers for the 2DS! Nintendo needs to make a 3DS XL w/ 2 analog sticks built in already and be done with it.
@IKAY: Anti stealing device...? What's that?
@KnightRider666 I second that!
so much of that screen is wasted, nintendo and their piracy concern causes waste
@GN004Nadleeh I don't know whether that's the case. If you talk about pixels, then yes. But if you look at materials etc., I can imagine that they need less to create this larger screen than two screens. It's cheaper for a reason.
The LCD is edited to support split screen. The LCD screenshots are proof. So it's one big LCD physically edited into two, then put into 2DS.
@KnightRider666 That's nice, friend. So you'll be waiting until the 3DS's succesor arrives, then. Have fun waiting!
Tech porn... lol...
As of right now, I plan on getting a red one for christmas.
@Meaty-cheeky: Thank you.
@JuanitoShet: And a-waiting we will all be!
@KnightRider666 Get the $20 Circle Pad Pro XL off of Nintendo's website and be done with it.
Christ on a cracker people stop asking for 2 sticks, it's not happening on any 3DS models this go around. It's completely pointless. Very few games need it and having 1 stick didn't stop anyone from playing the PSP which had far more games that utilized it.
@Gioku Pretty sure they were referring to playing with a 2DS at a retail outlet that was chained to a display so people couldn't run off with it.
@DimetriWarrior
Nobody is going to "physically" split LCD screen in two just to have two images. It's a lot easier to just remap the address rotated 90 degree in the graphic library, either software or hardware.
Take a look at the LCD connector. Too bad there's not a big close up picture of it. But, do you see 4 wires? or more? If it's 4 wires or less, then there's no split.
Even if there's more, that still depends on the wires. Some LCD screen comes with ribbon interface. I'm kind of curious whether that LCD takes RCA/HDMI, thus interface with Raspberry Pi. I know Adafruit sells the touch screen.
@ramstrong
I said edit, not split. Look at the topmost image. There is something on the actual LCD that 'splits' the screen per say. I made the comment because @Kirk 's design dictates that it's one big LCD, but due to the physical editing, that's not the case.
@Eldoon: Excuse me? That thing is a clunky piece of junk. There is no excuse for that. A second pad should have been built in w/ the XL redesign, period. I'm not going to get into an all out debate about this.
@KnightRider666 Until you've had a hands-on experience with the XL Circle Pad, don't speak for its quality. And seeing as how there are presently only 9~ games that support a second circle pad out of a library of 200+, I see why it's not in Nintendo's cards to implement an underused feature.
If this isn't something you want to discuss, don't outlandishly call for Nintendo to put out yet another hardware redesign that would make the system even more expensive for no good purpose. Same goes for before the XL's production.
@Gioku Didn't know to call theese. On the back of the 2DS the store attached two cables. In first to keep them in place. When you try to get rid of thoose a alarm starts.
In a other store a idiot placed them on the touch screen... -.-
@DimetriWarrior
It IS one big screen.
http://www.cnet.com.au/2ds-has-one-big-screen-339345682.htm
What are you talking about?
@Eldoon: I've owned the CPP for the regular 3DS and was unimpressed. I'm certainly not going to waste my money on the XL version. If Nintendo had built in a second pad in the first place, I'm sure more game companies would have utilized the feature, and more than 9 games would support it. Using dual circle pads would have been the norm on so many games, think about it... Most gaming companies don't want to take the chance on it b/c it's a ridiculous looking accessory that most people won't buy!
@Guitardude7 The placement is the exact same figuration as the 2DS, but lowered, or in other comparison the same that it is with a unfolded 3DS. Also, a extra speaker isn't going break the bank.
@daveh30 The placement in that image is the exact same figuration as the 2DS, but lowered, or in other comparison the same that it is with a unfolded 3DS. The trigger buttons are housed in a grove where the fingers comfortably rest inside/against.
@Kirk Very nice, although I think the plastic divider should still be there, but the bottom touch screen made as big as the top. The divider helps buffer the visuals. At the very least it should be detachable so if Nintendo makes a game that can work with one large touch screen, you're in business.
@IKAY: Ah, okay. I didn't realize you were talking about a demo unit.
@Yamitora1 Oh I can see that... it's not rocket science. But I've also held a 2DS. The angled slate shape (thicker at the top than the bottom), is why the buttons were placed higher. You moved them down in to the position of unfolded 3DS, which has the opposite shape, thicker and heavier at the bottom than at the top. The 2DS is well balanced the way it is. Your design changes would throw off that balance.
I love it! A brilliant machine! Well done Nintendo! Just need some Funkier colours!
Reporting for nudity... Nah, but that's pretty neat.
@KnightRider666 Take it easy, dude. Hating ain't good for the heart.
Wow, talk about cutting back by using cheap parts.
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