Activision Comes Out in Support of Circle Pad Expansion

Should have had two circle pads to begin with. Now they have a reason to sell us a new 3DS model in 6 months.

should have been there in the first place.
i dont want an add-on for my handheld. paradox

I so hope call of duty modern warfare 3 come to 3ds!

it's only the timing that is annoying, because it comes so early after launch.
the idea itself is fine if they realized too late they should have it's better they put it in now than later. It will open the 3DS to more games and better controls, so I'm excited about it. Even though, it looks clumsy and I will most likely have the urge to trade my 3DS in for the revised version that will for sure have 2 pads and come not far in a future

I wouldn't be too quick to believe all this "redesign" nonsense. There's no reason to believe that a redesign is coming anytime soon.

In fact, it's mostly the shoddy journalism of a few sites (Kotaku, for instance) that has pushed this idea of the circle pad add-on being a fix rather than what it is, an optional add-on. It's the Classic Controller for the 3DS. It's not some sort of change in strategy or admission that the system should have used dual analog to begin with.

Furthermore, I actually think it makes sense to handle it this way — ie, I think Nintendo is better off with this as an attachment than having it integrated. Here's the situation: either you want to use your system on-the-go, or you want to experience home-console style games in the comfort of your home but in full 3D. If the latter, now you have a great "grip" that feels and operates just like a home controller. When you're back on the go, however, you don't need that bulk, you just need the single analog + touchscreen controls and smooth form factor.

yeah but that didn't happen until like a few years down the road...and nintendo has repeated stated that they have no plans to redesign the 3DS...they like it just the way it is....so get over there being a redesign

@TheNintendOtaku: There's no doubt that a redesign is coming eventually. But expecting Nintendo to release it within the first year of the 3DS's life is simply ridiculous. There has not been an instance where a redesign was released within one year of the original.

Like wario said, this is the better option. The 3DS would have been larger and more expensive if the second analog stick was added, and it really isn't that necessary for many of the 3DS's titles. For those who think that it could have gone in the bottom right corner, if I'm not mistaken, that's where the battery is. The 3DS is already compact in its current design.

^What lz said. Bring on 2nd circle pad! RAWWWRRR!!!!

yes what lz said

i know there are a couple of games that require the use of the circle pad and the stylus...will this allow lefties like myself to play more comfortably, or is it only for games specifically built to recognise it?

yeah! that!
I don't care, I don't need it anyway, as long as it's not required.

@11. - I'm a lefty too! But I play righty....

That still doesn't change the fact that I now have to take my longer lasting nyko. Battery out just to use this and have shorter life. Maybe nyko will come up with there own design for us battery users and maybe it will look better then that eye sore!

The 3DS should have had two circle pads from the start and everyone knows it.

Trust Activision to get excited. Heh heh. No thanks to archaic dual analogue control thank you.

@warioswoods, I'm glad there is someone else who is capable of critical thinking. With that being said, I still think a redesign is likely (but as you stated not any time soon, likely around this time next year if they follow the DS/Lite/i timetable). That isn't very frequent, when you really look at it, it's just that people spent so much time on their DS that they were still playing it when the new one came out so it seemed like the gap was shorter....that's my take on the issue anyway. Besides, a second circle pad isn't 100% necessary, but with a redesign incorporating it I'm not so sure I hate that idea.

Is 'Activision' a plural noun? I'm not buying that tagline.

I think this add on just looks bad against the backdrop of the mistakes at launch, if the console had't had any problems I don't think this add on would have generated as much negative comment.

Does look really ugly though.

there wont be a redesigened version of the 3ds soon. they just announced a pink version. it sure will take at least 1,5 years before a total new version will come out

To say Nintendo made the right decision in not including the circle pad to begin with makes anyone look like just another 'Fanboy'. It does nothing but add to the system. And to the person who said it would make it more like a console experience, well DUH! That is a good thing. Now the option is there for developers to make more console-like games available on the 3DS. There's a lot of people who want those games, including myself. Most likely they won't buy a 3DS anyway due to all it's limitations though, and I doubt with how bad this system was botched that we're going to see many high quality 3D (open world) games on the system anyway.

The best of both worlds - you don't have to have it stuck on all the time.
I wonder how much it will cost? And whether it will be worth the upgrade.

What a suprise! not

as this will be around 20 bucks (what I've heard) and from pictures thath show the design being good and shaped to fit your hands, and as it is not nessecary to play I will get it.

After abandoning my Game Boy Advance I swore never to use batteries in my handheld again.

Nooooo, not Activision!!

@Lionsgate
Or perhaps they realize that the 3DS is, like another user has stated in these comments, a very compact design and there was simply no way to squeeze it in and maintain the systems small form factor. Honestly, they're providing gamers with the option. Whether it should have been there at the start is debatable, but it is there now.

I really don't understand the concern, they are providing gamers with the option AND opening 3rd party support, with CoD developers happy already. Win-Win

CoD on the go, you got me on hello

as true nintendo gamers, we are not interested in activision, nor did we purchase a 3ds for a so-called “console“ experience. thats what the handheld ps3 vita is for. we want UNIQUE gaming on a UNIQUE and innovative piece of kit, with nintendo games that will be played and remembered for generations, not like fast food call of duty emptiness.

The way the 3DS looks now with that makes it look very similar to the WiiU Tablet. And now that this attachment adds 4 trigger buttons, the 3DS should be totally compatible with WiiU as an optional controller.

And that's real good, especially since I might as well use my 3DS to practice my Smash Bros. on the go, then use my 3DS as the controller to play it on WiiU as I may be spending more time with the handheld version for the sake of loving handheld games over console.

Sweet deal for me. And I'd like to keep the 3DS' compact design. The touch screen is going to be the best alternative for most camera controls.

I'll be using the virtual D-pad for MHTriG most of the time anyhow, and use the second slider pad for in home use. And $10 is not bad at all for this.

why is this such a big deal? nobody freaked out with the wii motion plus, or the wii nunchuck, or the wii balance board! so why is everybody having a fit over this!? its the exact same thing. they were ALL add ons to enhance the experience of the wii, same with this. the second circle pad is to enhance the 3ds. i also think this was a good idea

Well people are freaking out as it makes the system less portable, and I do not see it fitting in my pocket. Also people see it as Nintendo admitting that they rushed the system and are using the circle pad as a fix. I do not think it is all bad and all, but I do hope it is not required to have one down the road.

As for the topic of a 3DS redesign, I believe it is way to early for Nintendo to be releasing one. That would only piss off everyone that already spent the money on one, especially people who payed $250 for it as I did. Like others have stated the redesign is coming but not for another year or two (hopefully) !

Thanks for making that tiny grammatical correction, as they say the little things make all the difference.

@5: This is why I read all of your comments.

Meh.

For most FPS games, I don't feel this is necessary. I really liked aiming with the stylus. As long as developers won't remove or stop using stylus aiming in games in favor for a second analog stick, I guess this could be useful though. In other types of action games perhaps.

I think it's nutty for people to judge a peripheral before it's release. Nintendo loves to make stuff like this for their systems, going way back to the 80's. Big whoop. I do want to know if this is a step in making the 3DS compatible with the WiiU, since it would have all the inputs of a WiiU controller with this unit attached.

oh no!! nintendo keep trying to innovate with various peripherals for their hardware! the rumble pak, wii-plus remote, gameboy connectivity for the snes, etc. And now a clip on extra stick to enhance a handful of games which would have camera issues otherwise. Call the police!!

SUP SON??

@moosa

Haha I remember trying to play my GameBoy Color with one of those screen magnifier thingamajigs. Now that I think back on it, I think I had one of those analog stick wannabe things too. Good times, good times...

I had one of those screen magnifiers, and if i remember right it had a light on it as well...... Never had the added speakers and "enhanced" buttons though LOL...!

but the original gameboy should have had those BIG speakers at launch!!! LMAO

I REMEMBER THAT MAGNIFIER THING!!! I had totally forgotten about that...

Ahh the nostalgia......

and my ordinary t.v was rush released way too early. it should have have had 3d and internet as standard! On a morw serious note, the 26 vita launch games arent great and even a japanese analyst stated that there is no guaranteed smash hit amongst them.

They should give this out to anyone who popped on the system especially those who paid the original price. Most likely it will be $20 retail and with some key game for $10 higher as a package deal as that's how they roll, stupid and greedy. And yes by Christmas 2012 or shortly after there will be a hardware revision I'm told unless plans change yet again and again and...

@tanookisuit: They're so greedy? The new price tag says otherwise

The attachment just makes it easier for Activision and the big
publishers to port there other games from the PSvita.

the vita is a more powerful machine than the 3ds. ports arent possible.

Well it's a start I suppose......

@Subterraneanboy

The power has nothing to do with it, once the basics are in place publishers can reduce textures use alternative sources etc to make ports work. Take Capcom for instance they managed to port a version of Street Fighter IV to the 3DS and basically ported the Mercs mode from Resident Evil 5 to the 3DS, so yeah I can see the possibilty of Vita ports on the 3DS.

The price point is fair but the one AAA battery is a disappointment. They had the chance to add more battery power to this, instead you have to use another battery. At 15 to 20 bucks I cant rly complain if its gonna boost my gaming experience.

um RATOR78, mercs is a port gamecube port from resi 4. u cannot directly port from vita to 3ds.

AAA Battery? They mean a very small one? A penlight? Are they even available as re-charcheable batteries? Because I don't want to buy a penlight every few weeks. It's also very bad for the enviroment too (yeah people, I DO care about the eviroment! I can't help it!).

@Henmii
They are available, although they aren't as common as rechargeable AA's.

Getting sick listenin to people crie over this !

If dont like it! Then dont buy it!

I see it as other way further are gaming library!
and hopeful giving use new and exciting gaming experiences

this sucks that it has a AAA batterie

@SUBTERRANEANboy

Have you actually played Mercs and Resi 4 & 5...
You will find that most of the content is Resi 5 based not Resi 4 based.
And what of the Street Fighter IV port, you failed to mention anything about that aside from your rhetoric of "ports arnt possible" and at no point did I nor blurays say anything of direct ports. If you actually read my statement you would have understood how they work.

@SUBTERRANEANboy
taken for the Nintendolife profile & review itself...
"Resident Evil™ The Mercenaries 3D features re-mastered stages from Resident Evil ™ 4 and Resident Evil™ 5, delivering the intense Mercenaries gameplay experience for the first time on a handheld console."

"Low-key 3D aside, the visuals are reasonably impressive. The characters and locations from Resident Evil 5 have naturally taken quite a hit in terms of complexity, but they remain a close match despite jagged models and low-resolution textures. "

So although not perfect and by no means a direct port, so as Blurays pointed out "The attachment just makes it easier for Activision and the big publishers to port there other games from the PSvita." of which he makes a fair point. It makes it easier to port them over due to the similar control system.

@warioswoods That critical thinking was good enough to change my mind. Thanks!

@SUBTERRANEANboy , I hate it when people demand others to get their facts straight when their own are crumpled up. The gaming definition of "port" is to get the game on every system chosen with any changes needed. Tell me, how is Call of Duty on both PS3 and DS? Isn't the PS3 literally 10+ times as powerful as the DS? So why is there a port of CoD on the DS then? And don't come back at me telling me it's crappy anyway "cuz tah garfix arnt gud enof", because IT IS SILL CALL OF DUTY.

Guys, i tried to feel what it would be like if the circle pad had been added below the face buttons originally, its actually very uncomfrtable for me, and i have to shift my hand for extended use

@SuperSonic

Thank you, somebody who gets it.
Just because the 3DS doesnt have as much under the hood as the Vita doesnt mean that they cant port games to it, and as Blurays implied this new atachment may just be the push developers needed to even think about porting their game over. Which has to be a good thing overall because it will only mean more titles for the system.

call of duty is a joke on the ds and is not a port of anything. it was specifically/individually made for ds. also, everybody can see through capcoms pr rubbish. mercs is basically a portable gamecube game with some monsters from resi 5 and we all know it. and lets just see how many games that start on vita are "ported” over to 3ds as you put it. slim to none is my guess. you also say that street fighter 4 was "ported" from console versions, albet with slightly different graphics and controls. but was it?? the word "port" is short for "import". thus if street fighter was ported to 3ds but the transition basically resulted in a completely different game to what console owners were used to mastering playing, the word "port" is misconstrued and therefore wrong. if i IMPORT a fine wine over from chile, i expect it to arrive here exactly as it should be- not watered down and some missing. the word port means, if anything, only that the franchises name is being ported, unless the two consoles are similar at spec level.

CoD4 was ported to the Wii, even though the Wii is less powerful than the PS3/360. And the control scheme is different. The same could be done here between the PSVita and 3DS without the 3DS SPE.

again- "ported“, REALLY?? so it had the whole online experience which it was basically designed for? cod 4 along with fifa on wii and countless other franchises were begrudgingly made FOR wii and its controller, with the only thing ported from 360 and ps3 being the franchise name, as ive said already. comprende?

@SUBTERRANEANboy

Ported, as defined by dictionary.com, related to computer software means "to create a new version of (an application program) to run on a different hardware platform (sometimes followed by over )." The term may be derived from the word import, but like many other computer terms (ie cookie) it cannot draw a literal comparison. To port a game from one system to another is to take a game designed for one set of specs and adjust and modify it to run under different specifications. Therefore, CoD4 on Wii is a port. If games designed to run on Vita and are also made to run on 3DS, this peripheral will make it easier to port because it will allow the developers to use a similar control interface.

i read the dictionary definition of port bfore i posted and that was my point- that the word port is basically a made up term, and perhaps the phrase compressed or adapted street fighter 4 code would be more apt. the fact that the dictionary gives definition, "to create a new version...“ is my point. the only reason activision is happy with peripheral is because they cannot be bothered using the 3ds unique functions such as the mic, gyro, even utilizing the toychscreen in innovative ways. also, unlike the word cookie, the word port can and indeed started out as being literally short for import- i.e. "to import code from one board to another". but it has became almost meaningless slang these days, in almost the same way as the term "hardcore" gaming is basically meaningless and can be subjectively adapted to suit your own agenda.

i bought a 3ds for unique gaming experiences, worth the price even if there are only two or three games that will be remembered for generations, not watered down samey fps with the need for a bulky add-on. Originality and innovation. 2 things that crappy adaptations of vita stock will never achieve.

and the whole point of buying a 3ds was because it has a UNIQUE control interface and 3d visuals. i didnt want a bulky portable ps3 controller!!!

I am sorry, but your post (#67) doesn't make sense to me. If port means "to create a new version to run on different specs," how can games on one system that have slight variations from the originals not be ports? The biggest differences are often in the games coding. They may use lower resolution textures or fewer polygons in their models, but the game itself is often almost identical. Not to say there aren't exceptions (such as Driver: San Francisco), but games like CoD are pretty much identical in game play content. You go through the same missions, completing the same objectives. The multi-player features the same maps with the same game modes.

Also, who is to say Activision won't use the 3DS's unique features. The Wiimote didn't stop them from porting CoD4 to Wii with only pointer controls, despite the Wii having support for the Classic and Gamecube controllers. Recently, they have utilized as many control options as possible. Goldeneye allows you to use Wiimote and nunchuck, Gamecube, or Classic controllers. CoD:BO supported the Wiimote and nunchuck and the classic controller. All I am saying is, don't bash them just for enthusiastic about the grip.

to create a new version of code is not,strictly speaking, a port is what im saying. activision will never utilize the 3ds properly and thats a fact. they would have been happier re-hashing ds code for a game rather than start from the ground up and thats why theyre happy about this new peripheral. face facts. most third party companies see a flagging system and have no inclination to adapt their game making for it. and why should they? when this current generation revolves around facebook and u-tube, fast food and short burst gaming on the go. while nintendo doesnt.

if i am going to port my genetic code to a spare body and call it john, but bfore i do, i rearrange parts and dissect little pieces, then you WILL have my genetic code, AND my name john, but there is no way in hell that anyone who knew me bfore would state that it was ME!! i didnt port my genetic code. i adapted it and like the dictionary said, "created a new version". i only imported my name in the truest sense.

cod 4 on wii is not using the same code as xbox 360, as it has been changed and modified. therefore they should be treated almost as two seperate games(even though storyline, etc the same),with only the name in common- which reviews of the two bear out, with xbox 360s version destroying the wii.

NOOOOOOOOOO! DON'T LET THEM TOUCH YOU, NINTY!

im afraid that with activision its all about money. the wii had the biggest share of the market for a time and thats why they were bothered shoehorning in motion controls. the 3ds has no grip on the market. if it DOES pick up after xmas, watch them declare undying love for it.

YES 2 CIRCLE PADS THANK YOU NINTENDO!!!!!!!!!

@ SUBTERRANEANboy
If you wont listen to us mabey you will listen to a proffesional analyst from Electronic Entertainment Design and Research
"The days of publishers developing a single game for multiple technologically differentiating platforms are over,Madden NFL 09 for example was developed for the PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox, Wii, Nintendo DS and PSP, all of which required at least 4 different internal teams. If the 3DS rumors are true and Nintendo plans to add a second analog stick, it would at least group the Vita and 3DS into the same category. While the technological differences would require additional development resources, more so than when an Xbox 360 title is ported to the PS3 (or vice versa), adding a second analog stick to the 3DS at least make game porting between itself and the Vita possible." - Jesse Divnich

On reflection its better than redesigning thr console and reselling an updated RDS. That's what Apple would do. Most of the games requireing or compatible with the attachment like to be hardcore-ist anyway. 3rd parties should relly try and get innovative with the gyro, touch screen etc instead of resorting to an archaic (thou cool) control method

Eh, third parties just suck in general when it comes to Nintendo consoles. Either they won't even try to do something interesting and do the same old generic controls and game features or they'll find some lousy way to use gyro controls that unnecessarily fudges up the gameplay and make that the main selling point.

my father is a computer programmer, and even he says that the word "port“ has been misconstrued over the years. you can quote who you like, but you have bought in to the bastardization of the word, "import".

and my other point was that the 3ds was never meant to be played like a ps3 controller. so no wonder activision lovebthe peripheral.

Funny because the term "port" comes from the word "portable" rather than "import" and portable is derived from a latin word which means to carry over.
Thus anything that could be "carried over" from one thing to another no matter how big or small the amount is deemed "portable" and true somethings are never really that "portable" due to the amount of additional work that is involved, by making hardware very simlar between systems means that less work is required to make it "portable".

portable code means importable. i.e. ive got a portable code that i wish to import to another console.

Oh! the computer definition of import... "To recieve data from another source"
because that is what Import means in computer terms.

@Raptor78, your comment means the devs said, hey N guys, we will be providing full support for Vita/PS3/XBoX, and if 3DS is redesigned or extra addons are available, might be it will have some support from us too, as long as we do not to waste too much time in the conversion. But the problem is that there is a so tremendous difference in performance that I dont really know how that addon alone might do the trick. Recent history tells us it will not happen, Wii has the Classic Controller Pro and 99.9% of common PC/XBoX/PS3 games were never ported to Wii.

seriously... the difference between the 3DS and Vita are like the original xbox and game cube.... did they not have the same multi platform games... ... although the xbox was clearly more powerful and could handle more advanced shader functions the game cube still had the same games just without the fancy shaders... why does everyone have to freaking think they know what they are talking about... wether it's a port or a DIRECT PORT who cares!!!... if there's cross platform, games we win!

I mean look at Street Fighter IV... a Freaking PS3 game... that's on the 3DS in a portable version... capcom took the assets they used to make SSFIV on consoles and PORTED it into the MT framework mobile engine to make a portable version for 3DS.. only difference is the backgrounds aren't moving... all other gameplay elements are in tact... It is stupid to think that other games like that aren't coming... UMVC3 is another game that will probably make it to 3DS ... street fighter x tekken... and more and more...

it is ridiculous to say tnat we are playing a ps3 game on 3ds. only bcause street fighter is like a animated cartoon do the two games look remotely similar,

Then you are saying that Yoshinori Ono is ridiculous because the producer of Street Fighter IV himself stated that the 3DS version will be a perfect port of the PS3 and XBox 360 version of the game.
So far not only are you making very poor points you are also arguing with statements made by one of the most respected games analysts and the producer of one of the games that was in his own words "ported" from the PS3/ 360 version.
You are getting further and further off topic, this all started when somebody said the additional circle pad would make it more likely that we will see developers making their games on both systems because of the similarities in control setup which is very much a possibility.

"They are available, although they aren't as common as rechargeable AA's"

Thanks for the answer!

@Raptor78 THANK YOU!... ... @SUBTERRANEANboy ... they are using the same assets (character models, textures shaders... )... converted and ported into the MT Framework engine... that is what porting is... it's the same game on a different system... do you own it on the 3DS? it looks and plays great!...

like i said, only the franchises name is purely ported. the 3ds code is not the same ps3 one that it started out as.

Silly trolling is silly.

I for one, am actually excited about this. The larger grip means my big, meaty claws will fit more comfortably around the system, the second circle pad (hopefully) means more support for lefties such as myself, and the capabilities it brings to the table are enough for me to set an extra place.

Bring it on!

most of us are going to buy it. but my point is im not buying it because activision are happy about it and will make a crappy cod for it now because it resembles a ps3 controller now.

@SUBTERRANEANboy (post 89)
The code being different does not make them different games. Porting means optimizing a piece of software to be able to run on different platforms. You do realize that the code for any multiplatform game is different depending on the console, right? Even between PS3 and Xbox 360 editions of games, there are variations and differences in the games' coding. For example, in the CoD games, when your weapon is low on ammo, a message appears at the bottom of the screen showing you which button to hit to reload (X on Xbox and ■ on PS3). Another example would be games like L.A. Noire that use multiple discs on Xbox, but fit on a single PS3 disc. Additional code must be added to the Xbox editions of these games to indicate when the player must change discs. This isn't even taking in to account the dozens if not hundreds of small changes that must be made to the games' code in order for it to be able to work with the console's operating system in order to utilize the system's resources. By your statement the"the code is different, so the games should be considered different" every multi-platform game should be considered its own game. In a sense your right, and thats why every game has the name of the system it is for stamped at the top of its box. However, you would be hard pressed to find anyone that would agree that multiplatform games aren't the same, content wise, across most platforms. If I buy MW2 on 360, I won't be experiancing anything substancially different from someone who bought it on PS3. Porting relates more to the content of a piece of software than it does to the code itself. The definition of porting practically implies that some changes to the code will be necessary to allow the software to run under new hardware specs. I don't think that the term port is missused in any way, shape, or form. It is just applied to more mediums now than it used to be and software programs have made it easier to create ports, but they still fit the definition.

Also, your statement that "Activision will never utilize the 3DS properly and thats a fact" is, in fact, not a fact. It is simply your speculation. That is, unless someone's managed to invent a Plutonium powered, time traveling DeLorean and I haven't heard about it. If what they did with the Wii is any indication, I think there's a good chance we will see plenty of software that utilizes the 3DS's unique features. Like I said earlier, they didn't add support for more traditional control schemes in their games until last year. Up until that point they were strictly using the Wii's motion controls. Noone forced them to; Wii has supported Classic Controllers and GameCube Controllers since day one.

This dongle reminds me of the argument that they couldn't make Katamari Damacy for the Wii, because it only had the one analog stick. Seems developers are still saying this, as Nintendo has made this... thing, only for a handful of games, seemingly to please these "One stick? How do you work with that?" thinkers.

The irony, of course, is that these same IPs get released on iOS just fine.... apparently NO sticks is good, one is bad, but two is good again..?

"Activision Comes Out in Support of Circle Pad Expansion"

with words NOT action. i.e. developing a game for it!

" apparently NO sticks is good, one is bad, but two is good again..?"

yeah isn't that totally biased and hypocritical?

I think the 2nd circle pad should have been included in the design of the 3DS from the beggining, but well, the attachment is optional in my opinion, specially talking about Monster Hunter. Don't you guys remember that Monster Hunter was playable on the PSP when it had just one analog stick? Anyway, the attachment doesn't look so bad, it looks like a PS2 controller but even more comfortable!

My main concern is about the battery life, and now with the announcement of the circle pad attachment, I'm pretty shure Nintendo has reason enough to make a revision with:
1) Better battery life
2) The 2nd circle pad (Even being optional they'll probably include it)

I'm waiting for the revision just because for me...it doesn't matter the game type, I'm a hardcore gamer even playing Reversi lol, so, I simply have no patience with short battery life since I know I'll dedicate a lot of time playing something.

@jerryo It looks hypocritical but, 1 analogue stick is almost useless because you can do the same thing with a D-pad, but with 2 sticks you can use one to move and the other one to rotate the camera (for example)

If you pay attention, Nintendo could have placed the circle pad below the face buttons and moved the D-pad to the position where the current circle pad is right now, and the result would be the same, with no need for a 2nd circle pad or extra money...but no, they decided to put the circle pad and the D-pad on the same side. Puzzling design isn't it? xD

I am apparently much greedier than many of you who said that they are looking for a unique experience, not a console experience.

I want both. I want both new experiences that take advantage of the unique capabilities of the console as well as the more traditional console experience.

As I've said before, even though it is late (and arguably should've been in the initial design), a second slider is a good thing. It gives developers more options which hopefully means that we'll get a greater quantity of games offering a variety of gameplay experiences.

On the DS some games really made good use of the touchscreen (Nintendogs used everything) whereas others barely touched the unique features of the DS (Castlevania - basically just a map on the bottom). Notice that both the games I listed were quality titles, but they each took a different approach when dealing with the DS.

It looks kinda bulky.

@Raptor78 I admire the lengths you go through to get your point across. I don't get how he doesn't get it...

@SUBTERRANEANboy Dude, c'mon already. You know 3DS is gonna wipe the floor with Vita WITH OR WITHOUT AN ATTACHMENT. Keep in mind that even though Vita can load more at once cuz of its RAM, 3DS still has twice the cartridge memory! With a slight downgrade in graphics, the 3DS's version of the "port" could be twice as long! (Vita: 4GB, 3DS: 8GB. Not to mention that Sony copied the cartridge idea, too.)

And another thing! Now that Nintendo has pulled off another trick that we do not yet understand, you can see that with this accessory the 3DS now has more buttons than the Vita (which is apparently a problem for Sony)! So now...

A regular day at a Sony meeting:
Tretton: "Man, the 3DS now has more input controls than Vita... This is bad for us and our first person gore games. What should we do?"
After hours of synthesising last resort "innovative ideas"...
Worker #7: "I know! We'll do what we always do to solve our problems! Lets copy Nintendo again!"
Tretton:"Genious! This is why you are my lucky #7! We'll just make an an add on for the Vita, too! Ok, so here it is; lets give it 16 face buttons, 10 index triggers, and 48 analogue sticks!-increasing its size by 10 times! Now we're bound to beat Nintendo..."
A year later, as we all know, the 3DS ended up out selling Vita by three times the amount, causing a major loss of money for Sony, and every multi-platform game had a better "port" on the 3DS.
THE END (for Sony)

This is pretty much how things work out between them.

hmm.. do you think they do this so it has the same controls as a Wii U ?

I think a redesigned 3DS with the 2nd circle pad and extra buttons is now inevitable. When this will happen is still anyone's guess though!

@HugoSmits Yes! And that's why I think Capcom is creating Monster Hunter 4 for the 3DS, they can simply make an HD version and release it for the Wii U (Like the HD version of Monster Hunter portable 3rd for the PS3). Probably the same will happen to Smash Bros. too, since Iwata said the Wii U and 3DS version will work together "in some fashion"