UK Mainstream Newspaper Declares 3DS The "Best Console Ever"

Wii's nephew is a brother now? No wonder Wii U is so screwed up!

Well now that praise is a bit much--But glad to see the 3DS get some well-deserved love!

Nintendo 3DS truly is a great console. I believe Wii U can also be as great as the 3DS, soon as Nintendo releases games for Wii U, and it picks up sales then other developers will start to pay more attention to the Console

I've been saying that for a while now... My SNES keeps giving me a look...

They've learned to troll just like on the internet! I just sold my 3DS though, while it was awesome, I found that I was using it too much and that I like having offline off video game time where I can think and write down my thoughts, I refused getting a smart phone or having a phone with texting capabilities for the same reasons. Pen and paper are more fulfilling to toy with than playing games constantly.

I wouldn't listen too mich to this vile tabloid EITHER way though. Look what they've said in past against video game culture. They've got a very bad rep and r only popular cos they're cheap!

I'm not quite sure the 3DS has attained this kind of level JUST yet, but I do have to admit the 3DS has many great games, most notably first-party offerings.
The 3DS hasn't become the machine I'd had hoped it'd be by now, as I had hoped we would've had more RPGs in the second year of it's life, too bad we haven't had much news on Square Enix's release schedule, hopefully E3 will generate more on this side of the 3DS' library.
As for Tabloids, I don't trust 'em, I've never read one in my life but I'm not starting now, isn't The Sun responible for that phone hacking scandal? Yeah I wouldn't take to kindly to them either way though.

Wii is the 3DS's little bro? Just by that they're already screwing up a (should've been) good article.
@Ravyu you got that right.

I'm not surprised at all. 3DS is top shelf.

3DS is the best console ever when you account for its perfect backward compatibility with DS and the great backlog of DS titles, DS had one of the best libraries ever and if you add the new 3DS titles it could very well be the Best ever. 3DS/DS also have third party support unlike their home console counterparts

The 3DS is definitely my favorite console.

@Damo Careful, now, or the next Sun article will be "3DS addicted comes clean".

@ferthepoet Yes and No. I love the DS, it's one of my favourite systems, but the 3DS is terrible at playing DS titles IMO, I don't like how Nintendo didn't get the resolution correct when the original 3DS came out and wasn't surprised when I got my XL. The one thing I hate is the resolution because it makes it blurry, if they had got that right in the first place, I'd be more inclined to agree with you.

Wow, I honestly can't see how anyone could say that the mediocre 3ds is the "best" game system ever. Unless, of course, they were trolling, which is likely here..

The 3DS is defenitly up there in my top 3, although its hard to topple the "pocket SNES" that is the GBA

3DS is legit. If you were to have time travelled from 3DS launch to today, I can guarantee you'd be trippin'.
PS Vita can't measure up in it's current state game wise, no matter how much more powerful it is.
I completely agree that it is the most relevant handheld gaming machine around right now.

No, I don't agree. I had a 3DS and now I have a 3DS XL. Very recently I bought Fire Emblem Awakening and Luigi's Mansion 2. The catalogue of games is getting better but that doesn't make it the best console ever but only the most relevant handheld around right now. Perhaps Super NES was. 3DS has also big design mistakes on the original and even on the XL version.

@Sun
Details.

Snes remains the best one, but 3ds is approaching ...

If I recall correctly this was the same paper that led the way with 3ds causing headaches and being harmful to kids. Its a sh*t paper thats more focused on fiction and the editors wouldnt know a true story if it jumped up and smacked them in the face (hopefully)

I hated the bloody thing when it came out. I used it for 20 minutes and my eyes melted. Didn't have any games, waste of $300 IMO.
Got one for my birthday in 2011....3D land was good, but meh. Sat there for a while. NOW? HOLY GOD YES. On my desk, arms reach. Played EIGHTY TWO hours in march. Love this bloody console <3 And with nintendo ignoring the WiiU and releasing a 3DS game every month? Well.. luckily I don't have a job so game on

An article praising the 3DS...with a picture od Sticker Star?Are we being rused?

Is this the same tabloid that stated the 3DS will make your kids go blind?

@Placlu I invested heavily in the 3DS when it came out, but many of the launch titles weren't particularly up to the standard we know today. Super Street Fighter IV wan't a perfect port, but it was good for the on-the-go SF fan, Nintendogs+cats was ok, but there weren't that many changes from the original version other than the addition of cats and Rayman 3D was just an enhanced port of the Dreamcast version of Rayman 2 (which I enjoyed but got mediocre reviews due to being a port-of-a-port). These are the titles I got at launch obviously, but it goes to show your opinion can change dramatically once the good titles are all continuously being released, each a month at a time.

Today, I am far happier with the quality and we are continually getting better with Nintendo First Party titles, but still not quite with most third party games.

@domdom87 Yes, I believe so, talk about being hypocritical, now it seems they actually favour it over the Vita. I guess this can all be seen as a good thing, but I don't know...

Cool! Can't wait for Nintendo to turn it around for wiiu!

i predict the next time the 3ds appears in a sun article it will be bad press....

Well yes i do play more on my 3DS then on my Wii U, but yeah if you bring a Luigi's Mansion and afterwords a Fire Emblem and then in a few weeks Donkey Kong Country and then Animal Crossing well yeah.. Then i think 3DS is the best console ever at this moment yes hahaha!

I wouldn't call it the best console ever quite yet, but its really come into its own and definitely has a lot of potential. Sure it has its flaws but then so does every platform.

I wouldn't put too kuch stock into what the tabloids have to say but the more good publicity Nintendo gets the better.

@RetroGBHippie92
Regarding the phone hacking scandal- That was 'News of the Week', which last issue was publiched in 2011.
Also, you can play your DS games on the 3DS in their native resolution by pressing Start + Select, while you boot your DS game.

I praise Nintendo for working so hard, to make their systems succesful.
They proof that there is no need for next gen, and allways chasing realism in graphics. The 3ds is going to be a classic system in the history of mankind. Cheers!

It's really surprising... I still play more on PC than on 3DS but I love my 3DS! It's my favorite console.

It's alright I guess... Haven't really played anything that has hooked me in since RE Mercenaries/Revelations & Heroes of Ruin so it has been a dust collector while I constantly play the WiiU

I still still remember the unveiling at E3, you just knew it was going to be great sigh

@bunnyking
1776 called, it wants your name on 'le document'.
In quill tipped pen, naturally.

Yeah, I have no idea how they concluded it's the best console ever since I haven't read the article but I personally disagree.

The big problem I have with the system is the utterly terrible viewing angle of the 3D screen that actually ruins my enjoyment of most games as I'm constantly at war with the decision of whether the use the 3D or not.

I end up constantly switching back and forth between the two options, never quite happy with either.

If I use the 3D I know I'm going to struggle with seeing it consistently because the slightest movement loses it for me and if I don't use it I'm missing out on one of the main features [gimmicks] of the system and without the 3D it just becomes another slightly under-powered handheld with a pretty decent games library imo.

That certainly doesn't qualify it as the best console ever imo.

I'm sorry but I just couldn't give the award of best system ever to a console with such a glaring issue in it's design.

Nope, I'm personally still going with the SNES as the best console ever, or certainly the most fully all-round satisfying console ever.

http://www.ign.com/blogs/dorknaco99/2011/09/09/how-the-3ds-has-surprisingly-become-my-favorite-system-of-all-time

The first blog I was inspired to write.

Proof that the 3DS has been my favorite system for the past 20 months and counting .

The 3DS has really been shaping up, Fire Emblem, Luigi's Mansion 2 and Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate are brilliant recent releases and bolsters the 3DS' already impressive library of games. With more brilliant games on the way, my purchase of the 3DS has been a great investment, I've not been so entertained by a console since the SNES and PS1!

best console ever? No, that's the Super Nintendo but i do agree that the 3DS is the best handheld ever

At least it's not a negative article. Remember the early 3DS days and some of the articles that were coming out then? The Sun was one of the prime criminals.

The same paper that called the 3DS terrible before its release and had stories about how it was destroying people's eyesight with the 3D effect? Not to mention all the other lies they have told in their past - Justice For the 96! - and present. I wouldn't believe a single word in that poopiedoodle rag and, quite frankly, anyone who even touches a copy.

@Bluezealand NOTW was effectively Sunday's Sun, with staff working on both papers and run by the same person. The Sun were also phone hacking so are also responsible.

It's a little early for that, but I'm not gonna argue against it.
If the system can keep up the releases like this it'll sure end up somewhere around the top.

I'm pretty sure they once had the headline "Nintendo killed my son!"

Anyway, typical Nintendo, paying a UK mainstream media organisation to advertise their product that is doing well while the other console is choking on its own guts.

Really the SUN the most reliable paper on the market, i would take this with a pinch of salt seeing as they almost say anything for popularity votes.

If you think payment or other perks between Nintendo and The Sun weren't involved here, you are deluded! There's no way this article would happen without a rather nice back-hander for the Sun's game "journalist"...

Maybe this article is a satire? Anyway, I love my 3ds, but I wouldn't necessarily call it the greatest console of all time. In fact, I don't think there has ever been a "greatest console". However I do think that the 3ds is the greatest handheld of this generation. In order for PS Vita to be it, it would have to get some games, and smartphones/tablets don't stand a chance.

monster hunter 3 ultimate made 3ds that status

At current I have a Wii U, PS3, Wii, PSVita, iPhone5, and the 3DS - And I agree the 3DS is my favorite system by far right now I even carry it with me at all times lately - I have the 3DSXL with a circle pad pro and love it My current favorite title is Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate a true Masterpiece in my opinion .

Wasn't it the Sun which reported that the 3DS makes kids blind when playing games in 3D? Yeah, they have no credibility... I don't care what they say, they're just making a u-turn on their opinions to satisfy popular opinion. Even if the 3DS is the best console ever, they're just saying it to sell copys. I hate UK tabloids...

I agree with Bulby, wasn't this the same rag that literally went on an anti-3DS run right after its launch?

Seems like the ranting guy of one year ago discovered gaming by Nintendo.

LOL.

Nintendo has almost single handledy made this at least top 3 of my favorite consoles of all time with their huge amount of games. I just cant lose fauth on Wii U because sone third parties think its underpowered.

Ignoring the outrageous hypocrisy, this is exactly the sort of press the 3DS needs, informing the consumers about its deep games which are better than the 69p variety in the App Store!

I have over 20 retail titles and countless eshop games. Its not there yet but by the end of this year it will be close! So many good games in one year has valted it to this status. I'm in fear for a let down though next year but I'm surre ill hae enough to play well into next year!

@Damo It's not the first time I've heard of that. I had someone else say they were getting too addicted to it and it was taking up all their time so they sold it.

If you still pay for and read a newspaper, you are probably close to 70 years old.

@Kirk Interesting opinion.

@bunnyking
well hey get off the Internet and get back to your paper!

@Royalblues what get outta here

Crazy talk.

It's still too young to be at that level, but give it a few more years with release schedules this packed with top-notch games...

@Sun

Well it's just how I honestly feel about it.

I genuinely like the idea of the system but in practice it never feels quite as satisfying as I'd like because of that restricting 3D view angle that half the time just goes out of sync for me during play.

If I just turned that feature off and played it like any other handheld I'm sure I'd have a lot of fun just as it is, there's certainly a good selection of great games now, but I just can't ignore the fact that this really isn't how the system was/is supposed to be enjoyed in the first place.

To be brutally honest, given that I really don't think the 3D tech is quite good enough to serve it's purpose ideally, I often wish it just wasn't there at all and then I'd never have to think about how it doesn't quite work as well as it should.

It's one of these really kinda silly but deep seeded conflicts I have with Nintendo products of late, that often have little niggling issues like this, and it's why I prefer the likes of SNES ultimately as an overall satisfying experience because even though it does far less when compared to modern consoles, what it does do it does pretty much entirely flawlessly and beautifully with nothing that detracts from the sheer fun I can have with it, and for me that is what gives me pure joy and satisfaction.

I guess the child in me just wants to play, carefree and full of joy, but the adult in me often can't see past these kinds of glaring issues and if they weren't there in the first place then both child and adult would surely be perfectly satisfied and happy.

Love my 3DS XL to shreds but I hope a revision with a higher resolution screen and a 2nd circle pad is released in the not to distant future.

3DS is top dog for now... The Wii U will get there too.

The 3DS is nice but, due to region locking, I cannot call it the best system ever. Also, due to its battery life, I cannot even call it the best handheld ever. For my money, the GBA SP still holds that title.

The 3DS is great,and I like the way it's going but the 3DS is not the best console ever.

"Why Wii's litile brother is best Console...EVER"

That title sums up everything that is wrong with the WiiU right now. The WiiU has been out for over 6 months but the 3DS is still the "Wii's" little brother? You can't get much more insulted than that.

The WiiU is the Chuck Cunningham of video game systems.

@rjejr

You win the internets just for the Chuck reference.

Nevermind the fact you didn't read up the fact this very same rag ran several pieces about how terrible the 3DS is when it was released - Its pure hypocrisy.

http://www.destructoid.com/hypocrisy-the-sun-calls-3ds-the-greatest-console-ever-253601.phtml

Once again The Sun gets something completely wrong. No surprises here.

The Sun is such a joke newspaper. I remember when the 3DS launched they were shooting it down in flames, claiming the 3D was ruining people's eyes and that it was going to fail bigtime. Roll on 2 years and they flip their opinion 180 degrees, now they're being made to eat their words from 2 years ago. They say the 3DS is the Wii's little brother, then they say the 3DS is the Wii U's little brother?! They need to stop referring to the Wii U as the Wii (and confusing the public). I wouldn't say the 3DS is the best console ever, but it's slowly getting there (for me). Honestly, either the newspapers are hammering and writing extremely negative press about Nintendo, or they're writing overly positively. There's no middle ground.

I'm guessing when the next Nintendo handheld launches The Sun will be doing similar reports on it, claiming it's a failure far too early on. Don't buy this newspaper people, you're only encouraging reporters like that Derek Brown to write in the way that he expects people will want to read it.

I won't necessarily say that the 3DS is the best system ever but it is certainly my favorite system to date. It has quite a good selection of games available and by the end of the year, I will have more games than I know what to do with!

@Kirk Another interesting comment indeed. I feel the same about 3DS, as far as the view angle is so narrow and the console itself is also the controller it does not make much sense because it is impossible to play not moving a little bit the device. They really need to improve this if they want to keep the 3D on their next handheld. But I have more issues with 3DS and 3DS XL, the former is not comfortable to hold and use by big hands and the later makes my left thumb hurt after some time. That happens to the right thumb as well when I am using the Circle Pad Pro. This is due to the fact that the circle pads are flat. My fingers are perfectly fine on the Wii U GamePad analogue sticks and were perfectly fine during my long Wii sessions. Another poor feature of both console models is the low resolution which is more annoying on the 3DS XL as you can see the black lines between the pixels lines (although I still prefer the XL model and its much bigger screen as the 3DS screen is very small). All in all the 3DS/3DS XL hardware itself is not very good but yes I do enjoy some of its games.

Yeah this is nothing new. Nintendo launches console...said console has a hard first year...press says it will fail and compares it to another console that failed before and says that more powerful consoles would achieve more success...Nintendo console ends up being successful...press says it is the best console ever...console reaches the end of its lifecycle and sales slow...press says that the console is failing and Nintendo will fall...and the cycle restarts. More or less the same thing happened with NES, SNES, Gameboy Pocket and Color, DS, Wii (although much of the press negativity for Wii came before launch and at the end of its lifecycle, and Wii did not have a hard first year aside from the supply and demand issues), 3DS, and now it is happening again with Wii U.

Well, it is my favorite system that currently, ever maybe not so much. However, it is with me every single day, gaining coins and street/spot passin people. I even take it hiking and enjoy a quick play when I'm taking a breather or having lunch.

I do think the 3D adds something extra to the experience. I am still upset about no 2nd Circle Pad and Nintendo's blatant discouragement of the Circle Pad Pro.

One of the best ever in my opinion. I think it's right up there with the SNES.

the person who made that article obviously hasn't played better systems, such as PSOne And who actually takes gaming advise from newspaper people? Let someone like Game Informer say the same thing, THAN people will have to admit to it, but a newspaper? blahh, it's like Nintendo fans have to scan every source in the world and bring forth the one good news, especially with all the hate with Nintendo lately. Give me a huge gaming website that deals with all things gaming, and lets them say the same thing, THAN that would be news worthy ^-^

I'm not much of a Nintendo fan anymore, but I would have to say the best system are a tie between PSOne and Game Boy line-up, not the 3DS.

I try to balance my time evenly between Wii U and 3DS!

I think the point is that in addition to all the new games and gimmicks, it also plays a ton of games that can be stored on the system, as well as a ton of classic games also stored on the system. No need to switch out game cards most of the time. Now, if the 3DS Virtual Console were to be expanded, you'd really have something there. All that history, plus all new innovation, all in one little bundle in your pocket. It's possible the 3DS is the best console ever. At least, it may have the potential to be. I'm not sure it's there yet.

Just to tack this on, the 3DS still has problems, as others have stated. No second circle pad, short battery life, etc... and the resolution isn't great. If the next Nintendo handheld can somehow improve on all of these, it will really be something impressive.

@Sun

Yeah, it's a bit disappointing Nintendo didn't give it a higher resolution in the first place, as well as include a second analog stick and also address a few other little niggles.

A couple of little improvements to the basic design in the first place and I just feel it would have been a much more satisfying handheld overall.

I mean just imagine a 3DS at launch with a slightly higher-res screen, a second analog stick, a better 3D viewing angle (although this one is more difficult to just address if the tech doesn't really exist), a slightly better battery life, a couple more AAA first party games and a more reasonable price...

Now that truly could have been something very special indeed and maybe even lived up to the all-round greatness and satisfaction of the awesome SNES imo.

I also definitely think it would have been a bit more successful around launch too if they'd avoided those little design niggles right out the gate, as well as having a couple more truly compelling games obviously, since people would just have a couple less reasons to skip it.

That's the issue I have with most of Nintendo's modern consoles; they're so close to being great but there's always one thing or another that just doesn't quite hit the mark and it's frustrating because often those issues seem extremely obvious to me so I don't get why they didn't just address them in the first place.

Man, I miss the simpler times of the SNES...

@hydeks

I do not think that PSOne is a better system...but that is just it, this is only my opinion and that is your opinion. I think that it is kinda ridiculous for the press (even if it is gaming press) to make these articles because the question "what is the best console" is subjective, they might as well make an article saying what is the best colour or best food; everyone has their own criteria. I personally think the Wii is the best console because of the its exclusives, virtual console service, and low failure rate but I am not going to write an article claiming that the Wii is the best console ever because my criteria for what is the best console will not match another individuals criteria.

@sonicfan1373

Well all I know is this...

In it's time the SNES had:

The best graphics of it's time, if you consider the main consoles of that generation that everyone was covering and comparing.
The best sound of it's time, if you consider the main consoles of that generation that everyone was covering and comparing.
The best constructed and most advanced controller of it's time, if you consider the main consoles of that generation that everyone was covering and comparing.
The best and highest rated first part games of it's time, if you consider the main consoles of that generation that everyone was covering and comparing (using the average critic ratings as a measure).
The best and highest rated third party games of it's time, if you consider the main consoles of that generation that everyone was covering and comparing (using the average critic ratings as a measure).
The highest sales of it's time, if you consider the main consoles of that generation that everyone was covering and comparing.

Overall I think I'd feel comfortable in saying objectively it's certainly one of the best consoles ever made.

Some people may love other consoles more but I genuinely think that objectively speaking you can very convincingly argue that the SNES is probably the best console ever, all things being relative and equal, whereas at the same I genuinely think you couldn't very convincingly argue that of the likes of the 3DS or the Wii for example.

I mean those consoles fall short in so many of those objective ways of measuring the likes of success and quality etc beyond just subjective opinions.

Wait, The Sun actually reported something intelligent? Hell has officially frozen over!

Well I'm a Michael Jackson fan so I generally regard everything in the tabloids as a lie, especially The Scum... but they've got this spot on! lol Got my 3DS just before Christmas & I love it. 'Just because you read it in the magazine or see it on the TV screen don't make it factual...' Tabloid Junkie

@hydeks

The PS1 produced my favorite JRPG. Still waiting on that sequel, Sony...

I love my 3ds, it has great games and there are more to come, I'm sure it'll get even better

@RetroGBHippie92 Eh?
...
You know you can play DS games at their native resolution...right?

@Kirk said 'That's the issue I have with most of Nintendo's modern consoles; they're so close to being great but there's always one thing or another that just doesn't quite hit the mark and it's frustrating because often those issues seem extremely obvious to me so I don't get why they didn't just address them in the first place'. Yeah, I am happy I am not the only one. It is embarrassing that they release the systems with those shortcomings when it is so obvious there is something wrong with them right from the start. Besides, their pig-headedness is shocking.

Look at the sales, it's crushing everything

@sonicfan1373 yup, I'm completely agreed with you, it really depends on your preferences, and honestly, I can think of like 5 systems better than 3DS. Does that mean the 3DS is terrible? No, not at all, it has lots of great games, but so has such systems like the NES, SNES, PSOne, PS2, Xbox etc.etc. that so far, deserve the "best console" award over 3DS

@Midnight3DS scratches head wondering what game it could be I'll guess Legends of Dragoon, that was a awesome RPG that REALLY needs a sequel

@hydeks

Bingo

"Rare display of common sense from The Sun"

Wow, Nintendo Life. Just... wow.

@GameLord08: I take it you have some sort of problem with our tagline? If so, I'm sure the editorial team would love to hear from you via the Contact Form.

@theblackdragon: Nothing that I'm willing to take up with anybody, actually. I'm just surprised at such an openly contemptuous statement.

I kinda like the Wii better, partly because of the huge game library (including VC games and Gamecube backwards compatibility), but the 3DS is still an awesome console. It's like the PS2 of handheld consoles.

I agree totally. The 3DS is my favourite system so far and I've owned nearly all of them sinse the Atari 2600. I just can't stop playing it. I'm hooked on Fire Emblem at the moment and I wish I had more time to replay all of my other 3DS games. There's also so many great fun games coming out for it.
I love the 3D this system has, I find it really immerses me in the games like no other system can. For me 3D looks better then HD. It's much more effective at creating an immersive effect. The 3DS is is the best game system out right now.

@Midnight3DS - Legend of Dragoon? You must be old, no wonder you got my Chuck reference. And as much and as long as I've wanted and waited for a sequel, I'm afraid it would wind up like Xenosaga to Xenogears.

The GameCube is the best console ever!!

i totally agree the 3ds does have some problems they need to work on,But when i say i love my 3ds i love my 3ds i have WiiU and yes i play it but its like i can never leave my 3ds, and lately i just downloaded a batch of games on eshop, and there just so addictive and i usally would be on Friendslist talking but the Dam console its just so addictive.

The Sun is pure garbage.

Remember the crap they printed about the 3DS when it first launched?

Typically terrible British media.

EDIT: Still, I love all the positivity surrounding a handheld that was declared 'dead' a couple of years ago. Nintendo haters really are stupid, aren't they?

@GameLord08 - you don't read the Sun, I take it.

@OptometristLime: Haha. Though in any case, who exactly would willingly pick up a copy of The Sun?

@GameLord08 You are right.
@theblackdragon It's much better to complain on here than to send you a private message saying are you sure that is the right thing to say?

By the way my nickname has nothing to do with the newspaper of course.

NO. I like the DS better as a handheld, only because it's been out much longer and has had the chance to get alot of good games. To me it is not the best handheld ever, and it is nowhere near the best console ever.