
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS is currently being enjoyed by many in Japan, while some Club Nintendo members in the West have also had an opportunity to put the demo through its paces over the past few days. It seems that fast paced brawling may not suit the 3DS as well as previously thought, however.
As you can see in the images above and below, gamers have been hitting up forums in Japan, particularly, to show how the rigours of Smash Bros. have damaged their Circle Pads. In some cases the whole pad comes apart, while on most occasions the rubber top comes off and leaves a semi-functional analogue controller underneath — plenty of pictures are of the standard model, though the XL has featured too. Problems with the Circle Pad have been reported in the past, but the impression seems to be that the new brawler has made the problem worse and more widespread.
It's impossible to tell, based on forum posts and tweets, what sort of percentage of 3DS owners are encountering Circle Pad problems with Smash Bros. in Japan — it's quite possibly a tiny minority. Even within the Nintendo Life team we've had some Circle Pad issues well before playing Smash Bros., with a bit of super glue being a useful fix in a crisis.
We're assuming that the final product will allow control customisation to switch out the D-Pad from taunts — as it is in the demo — to movement, to allow a bit of alternation and controller preservation. Be prepared to make some repairs if you get too carried away in Nintendo's upcoming fighting extravaganza.


Thanks to Benson Uii for the heads up.
[source kotaku.com]
Comments 186
This is what I was afraid of. This, and smashing the buttons in...
This was the reason I stopped playing "Super Street Fighter IV" and "Dead or Alive Dimensions" on 3DS in the first place. I will surely buy the game for 3DS but expect to do more "shiryus" (ah!) gaming on my Wii U.
Can't wait for the Wii U version!
If you are smashing your buttons and Circle Pad, you might want to consider not smashing them...
I don't really mind, seeing as I'll be grabbing a new 3DS next year, I just hope my 3DS original lasts till then :{
I said this before, but I'll quote it:
Shirma_Akayaku wrote:
That's bad my Circle Pad is suffering already with the demo, imagine with the full game...
Also, it looks like only the rubber part came off in those pictures. Can't you simply use a good glue to put it back on?
This is a major issue and this is just the demo, after playing Kid Icarus Uprising im adjusted to quick movements without breaking my circle pad but hopefully the new 3DS will have a stronger one or something.
My circle pad have been like this since last year, I'll fix it soon even though I might need to do it again in a not too distant future
These 3ds systems need medical help! (Sirens) Wiiiiiiiii U! Wiiiiiiiii U!
@Shirma_Akayaku Huh weird that's how i feel with circle pad.Cause the rubber part broke off along time ago, when i was playing resident evil.But i still play and for some reason for me it's way better without the rubber part.
And that is why I have a XL. And I don't want this happening to my game pad for the Wii U version, so I'm getting a pro controller.
@themariobloggie i have a 2ds also love it!
Sadly, the super glue option is not for me. The rubber knob disentagrated during a Mario Kart 7 run two years ago. The stick as been naked ever since...
Bluetooth Gamecube controller anyone?
Nintendo designed a game that will spurt 3DS system sales. Genius!
I blame Sakurai for this. He didnt add D pad support for the game.
Smash is known to break even GCN controllers.
@Nintendo_Ninja This could happen to the Xl too friendo.
ive never broken a controller except for wearing out the springs. pushing a stick or pad past its stop point is something that is easily avoided. just have some self control. doing it wont make u go any faster. and if it happends and your pad breaks or falls off then its probably 100% your fault. yea theres probably some cases of faulty equipment but not many.
My circle pad isn't in any real danger of damage but still I'm really hoping for control customization that allows for D pad movement instead of taunts anyway. The circle pad just feels so awkward and imprecise for the intense reactions Smash requires.
My brother did this with MK7, Monster Hunter and mostly trapping the circle to allow endless walking to hatch eggs without looking in pokemon.
This would never happen to me, people play some video games so violently xD
Any reports of 2DS Circle Pads breaking off because of Smash?
@themariobloggie Nope. I do as well. Love it.
The only issues I've ever had with my circle pad involved lint getting trapped underneath it, making it a bit unresponsive. I have the XL so I always end up with lint all over the inside whenever I stick it in my pocket because of the big gap between the two halves when it's closed. I can't imagine being so rough on it that I would break it though, even when playing smash. I'm thinking this is more of an issue of people being too heavy-handed than a hardware defect.
Maybe for their next handheld, they should make the top screen indented, so they can put in an actual analog stick.
@Shiryu I've been playing SSFIV3DE for 3 years, DOAD for 2+ years, KI:U 2+ years, circle pad has never once had an issue and I've been playing SSB4 for nearly 3 days. This kind of damage is most down to owners using way more force then required.
From what I've seen of the game on youtube you cannot customize controls to the point of swapping out circlepad for dpad movement. You can switch the shield, grab, special, attack, and 2 jump functions between eachother. That always irked me about Brawl when using the classic or classic pro.
edit: Playing the demo I have had the misfortune of the circlepad giving a slight upward lift when going for a right or left smash and doing either a tap jump or upsmash instead. I've become more careful but those rare moments are bothersome. Also at times if I try to guide the circlepad back to neutral or don't lift my thumb after inputting a smash I've found myself turning around which is also irksome.
@WingedSnagret all the other smash games operate with a joystick too U cant walk without using a joystick nor could u use side+A moves if there was only a d-pad so... yeah.
That's just stupid, why would you be smashing your buttons? Its a handheld fighting game, you should know by now that if you over-force your buttons. It will mess up.
I figure, if I haven't murdered the Circle Pad with sharp movements in Monster Hunter, I'm not hard enough on the system to break it in Smash.
And yeah, Wuu version all the way, for this.
Until now no problems with my XL.
@Ryo_Hazuki-san
I'm with you guys on the 2DS. The biggest drawback for me is that it led me to get a Wii U and getting caught up on tons of game for both systems. My poor wallet plus no relief in sight.
@Nintendo_Ninja That literally made me cry with laughter
my circle pad already fell off
@Kasplat using just the wiimote allowed you to smash with the dpad. I think most of us were hoping for dpad support when it came to the 3ds. Smash is best suited on a gamecube controller so the wii u version won't be an issue IMO. Nintendo hasn't done analogue sticks justice since the purple lunchbox...
I've been playing the demo, and I don't feel like I'm using the Circle Pad too hard, but you never know for sure. I have a fairly new XL so hopefully it will take a while before it breaks. It's good to hear some people actually like it better off though, so it doesn't sound like something I don't have to worry too much about.
@themariobloggie Nope! I too have one.
Yikes. I can understand how this could happen, but some people are too rough with their C-Pad and buttons. I have other fighting games on 3DS(SSFIV, DoA Dimensions and WWE All-stars) and I can play fine without smashing my buttons.
So far playing the 3DS demo, I don't really need to break my buttons in order to play well.
... This happens? I'm oblivious...
The rubber part of my circle pad came off during a session of Kid Icarus: Uprising last week. It actually feels better for me because the rubber part somehow got stretched out a couple of years ago. I'll be getting a New 3DS XL whenever it comes out in the West, but I don't know if I can wait that long.
@Nintendo_Ninja It's happening to BOTH the original and Xls. Check Kotaku's article, they have more pics.
This is what happens when you don't upgrade your original 3DS...
Maybe Smash Bros really wasn't meant for handhelds
Ok, I've seen some of the photos on Tumblr, and let me say this, those must be some day-one 3DSs, as the D-Pads look deformed in some of the photos as well.
@Mega719 Moreso not meant for the Circle Pad.
The rubber on my Circle Pad has come off a couple times, but I just put it back on and continue playing. Weird that Smash is the game that's done that, but KI: Uprising didn't. Uprising probably loosened it though.
I'm not afraid of this happening to me, but I'm still going to be super bummed if you cannot use the d-pad for character movement in the full game. I've been playing a lot of Kirby Fighters and this type of game just feels so much better with the d-pad.
This is stupid, they have no respect for their consoles. They need to calm down, play a bit of classical music, and meditate, while sitting in a place of utter tranquillity.
First Nintendo 3DS : "the apocalypse has come!"
Second Nintendo 3DS : "We must warn the others! "
First Nintendo 3DS : "there's no time! The demo was fatal! Many lost their lives doing what they believed in.
Second Nintendo 3DS : living under the thumb was their choice, NOT OURS! We still have the chance to go completely touch screen, no buttons, no circle pad! what do you say?"
First Nintendo 3DS : "Buttons are everything we've ever stood for and YOU WANT TO THROW THAT ALL AWAY!!"
Second Nintendo 3DS : It's the only way, Carl! It is what Apple would have wanted!
First Nintendo 3DS : " NO... NOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Don't really know where that was going! Just really bored.
This happened to my brother's 3DS long before this game. He blames Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon primarily. (I wouldn't be surprised if Kid Icarus: Uprising had a hand in it too.)
Anyway, I've been worrying about breaking my circle pad on this game since it was announced. So many GameCube joysticks in my household got worn out during Melee. No Wii joysticks wore out playing Brawl though! Except maybe for one that I think could be showing its age.
It's not too hard to replace the circle pad on either model. I can see how you could do this when you smash but I think these may be some extreme cases but I really don't like how thin they made the stick on the circle pad.
My circle pad's rubber cover came off last year. I dabbed a bit of superglue on it, wiggled it back into place, and haven't had a problem with it since.
@Shirma_Akayaku Is the circle pad without the rubber comfortable?
@themariobloggie A friend from my school has a 2DS, so your not the only one.
If this is supposed to stop people form getting, playing, and dedicating their lives to the new smash bros, i don't think it'll work
Can't you just go to options and change the movement setting to D-pad? I find D-pad works much better in Smash Bros games.
I'm still buying it.
I smacked that stick around pretty hard while playing Uprising and nothing like that happened. Hopefully It continues to hang in there. If not, Nintendo can probably fix it for free, right?
I was always kinda afraid of that outcome. For the consoles, I usually always have a specific worn out Smash GCN controller (Video Game Collector here, so I don't have to use my nicer controllers)
In all honesty, I think the reason why it breaks off is because of Smash Attacks. On the GCN controller, you have the C-stick that alleviates you from having to quickly tap the analog and A button. I know it's hard to imagine but think about how easy it is to pull off Smash Attacks in Melee and Brawl with the C-stick. Now think of that but using the Circle Pad. That's more pressure than the Circe Pad could probably take after logging a lot of game time. The D-Pad is probably the best way to play Smash on 3DS.
Hmm I haven't played the demo enough to even notice. I just figured it would also have d-pad support. Can't believe it doesn't!
My old NES controllers (even a NES Max) still work fine, so I wonder if people are just being too harsh on their controllers.
My circle pad cover thing already fell off, so i'm good 4 SM4SH!!!! =W= =W= =W= =W= (Those "=W=" are for @RandomlyPikachu, cause i'm gonna smash that Pikachu like a bug!!! >: U)
Ehh, if i break my 3ds, it will give my parents a reaon to get my the Smash 3dsxl style one!
Thee undead is good with his 3DS...he smashs the enemies, not his device!
I still have all my PS2 controllers and they are not damaged in the least. I'm not worried about this.
It's a good thing the New 3ds is coming out soon.
Anyway, you'd have to flicking that thing around pretty darn hard if it's breaking. With how I play Mario Kart, I thought mine would have been busted a long time ago but it's still 100%. If your circle pad breaks, it's all on you. If there is one thing Nintendo can do, it is to make uber durable products.
Nintendo should had take a lesson from SNK in terms of designing a suitable joystick for portable fighting game. Those circle pad thing are terrible in 2D fighting game. Heck, even Aksys refused to support it, just play BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II on 3DS if you don't believe me.
This is a reason why the NeoGeo Pocket Color rules. The joystick in this handheld is solid.
My pad's rubber top was already loose, the demo made it finally come free completely. Currently using super glue to keep it stuck on the plastic base, but it doesn't seem to be very effective....
Thankfully I'm not getting the full 3DS version (hate the controls); Wii U version will be superior in every way anyway.
Quoting a proverb from my homeland - Italy - "the man biting the dog is much more likely to make the news". As worried for my circle pad as I am, I've been enjoying the demo without any problems so far, and I guess the same can be said about the full game as well. The fact my Gamecube controller has endured Brawl and Melee before it might say a lot. As much as Smash might be tough on 3DSes, I'm pretty sure that's nothing that can't be prevented by being a wee bit careful.
@AVahne You can edit the controls in the full version I'm pretty sure.
@WaLzgi well it is called Super "Smash" Bros after all...
**rimshot**
@Undead_terror
Even so, I NEED a Gamecube controller in order to play decently at this game.
@themariobloggie NOPE!! i love mine! playing smash on it feels nice!
Wow, this is not what people should do in fighting games. Even if it's on the 3DS.
My original 3ds had that rubber off. So I sold it and got an XL only to realize that the XL is even worse.
I knew the Wii U version is the most ideal one seeing that you have an analog that rotates instead of a pad that slides.
I wonder if the new 3DS models will resolve the pad issues........
The rubber on my original comes off occasionally, but it has not happened even once with Smash Bros.
But all that line adjusting on Yumi's Odd Odyssey was the main reason the rubber came off in the first place.
I know I'm going to sound negative for a second, but for breaking your Circle pad, this is basically your fault for breaking the Circle pad. It's your responsibility for what you did to your 3DS and it's controls. Once you break it, it's your fault. (Even though you can just send your broken Circle pad to Nintendo to fix it.)
EDIT: Or just put Super Glue..... :/
My 3DS has been through hours of Street Fighter 4, Kid Icarus, and countless other twitchy games, and it's circle pad is perfectly fine.. I think it'll make it through smash AOK. The demo hasn't even made it seem like it'll be hurting for me either..
@WaLzgi 100% agree, i have DoA D and never been rough with the circle pad because im always careful not to break it, i bought my xl on dec of 2012 and is still in good condition aside from some scratches on the top screen shell with the 2 cameras are. to all, you can buy replacements on the cheap and it is very easy to install, just watch some tutorials, no my xl needs no replacements of any kind.....yet.
This reminds me of all the people throwing Wiimotes through their TV's......sure it happens occasionally but it is usually the fault of the user. As always though......the stupid wheel gets the greasy 3DS.....or something like that.
@KodyDawg
Hopefully, Smash Bros. has always allowed you to change up the control scheme in many different ways. For those who are too rough or are just worried about it ever happening hopefully we can map taunts or something to the C-Pad.
My circle pad came off earlier this year, one thing to watch for if your glueing it on, I got glue under the black control and now it goes haywire from time to time.
Reminds me of the whole "Wii Remotes breaking televisions." fiasco.
@AVahne I can be beast with any controller apparently, managed to beat lvl 9's and other people with all controllers! now I must do so with the 3DS!...well I already beaten lvl 9's with the 3DS but I must try beating others!
It's a fast paced fighting game what do people expect, stuff like this is going to happen. When things get intense in a match no one's gonna focus on how soft or hard they push on their 3DS.
@Undead_terror
Awesome. Personally I haven't played much Smash Bros in years, so I simply can't feel comfortable playing the game with anything but the Gamecube controller (it was always my go to controller for Brawl).
KId Icarus has taken a mighty toll on the sliders and Shoulder buttons of two xls over the last year, I can only imagine another Sakurai game will send one of them to bed forever. Hopefully the new 3ds will arrive just in time to remedy the problem.
I've already got seventeen hours logged into the Smash Bros. 3DS demo and haven't had a single predicament relating to the Circle Pad or any other buttons yet.
I think it's safe to say I'm not going to have any problems...
The circle pad rubber came of for me back when i was playing KIU. My L button died too when i used to play KIU. I still love that game though.
@WaLzgi It's called an impulse Lz.
After playing the demo, I have no intention of buying it on the 3ds- the control is just AWFUL. However I anxiously anticipate the WiiU release.
The rubber on my circle pad came off a long time ago anyway. At first it was a small tear but it came apart quickly after that.
As someone who got the JP version full game, I'd say that there's no way to switch D-pad and circle pad (D-pad is used for taunting.) You can switch the functions of ABXYLR, and turn on/off the circle-pad's up as jump. That's all you can do currently. However, it's possible that the game will add more options in future updates.
I'm glad I've never really had this kind of problem, the only time I ever broke a controller was because of Sonic Riders.
If you are breaking your circle pad and smashing in buttons its time you put the game down and realize its just a game...
I guess its to just get to known the minimum force it requires to exceute a smash attack and to be sure when you do the smash attack, that you are in the center of the joystick. That way the force will come from the center, and not the sides, so you wont snap the plastic circle of the joystick.
And this is why it should support Gamecube-controllers, lol.
O_O Ok, I'm scared. My 3DS is practically an antique this point
This ain't good...
I honestly think of it as people being too rough with their 3DS'es.
I know its Super Smash Bros. but JESUS CHRIST take it easy.
Wii U version + PRO Controller is the solution.
I don't have a 3DS yet and I've always preferred the DPad for fighting games, racing games and platformers. Heck even on MK8 and SM3DW I use the DPad all the time. I hope I won't be forced to use the analog stick when SSBU comes. I'm thinking of getting a 3DS soon so I hope we could use the DPad on SSB3DS by then.
Edit:
We could use the 3DS as a controller to the Wii U SSB. What if there's an option on the Wii U that enable us to use a Wii U controller to the SSB 3DS?
That happened to me while playing KIU, to me it feels better... either way if you are afraid of that happening to your 3ds, you might wanna try... ammm I don't know, not playing like an animal?
This was my chief concern about putting Smash Bros. or any fighting game on a portable system, especially one with hinges and sliders (as opposed to joysticks) like the 3DS (also the issue with keeping the screen at the right angle not to "blur out" when in the heat of battle, which the new model will address but which existing users may/may not want to invest in). Watching how intense a lot of people get into these types of games, you know going in that the interface will be taking some abuse. If this problem becomes too widespread it could backfire into a huge P.R. disaster for Nintendo and we may never see another Smash Bros. release on one of their portables ever again.
To be honest I was on the fence about picking up the 3DS version anyway; this news pretty much pushed me into "No thanks" territory. I'll stick to the Wii U version.
@retro_player_22 you speak truth, good sir
My orginal 3ds came to a sticky stick end with SSF4. There's a little rubber ring inside the d-pad that was supposed to keep the circle aligned, but a few too many Zangief spinning piledrivers chewed it up. It got caught on this ring and caused the direction to get stuck meaning mario would keep running when I wanted him to stop. I converted to an 3DSXL at that launch and it's survived so far. Here's hoping it can hold out until the new 3DSXL!
I don't understand how people can play fighting games with an analog stick or circle pad anyway. It isn't accurate at all, and too slow.
And what about the hinges? With such frantic gameplay, I think that those will get a hard time too.
I find the Circle Pad to be sensitive in how responsive it is. I never can do an Up-Tilt without jumping first, so I know not to smash the Circle Pad around.
This happened to me one time but what I don't recommend is using super glue. It would be the end of you're c pad rubber cap. I got new ones from Japan that you can use as extension on the one you got right now or use only the extension instead.
Nintendo probably anticipated that, they launched the New 3DS knowing people are going to break their old 3DS while playing SSB and buy the new one. Smart move Nintendo!
I've owned two 3DSs (an original launch console and an xL) which I'e never had any probs out of the circle pad.
My one complaint is the pad is too slick, ie they need to give it some texture so it doesn't slide out from under my finger if my thumb gets sweaty. It's also an issue speed-running Mario levels on the Wii-U gamepad. I wish the Wii-U thumbsticks were concave like a PS3 instead of convex.
Zero issues with durability. Also it is possible Suerglue may be too acidic as it may corrode rubber or make it brittle. e7000 or another craft glue will create a strong bond but possibly have a gentler Ph that won't attack the rubber pad.
Also Smash Bros was designed friom the ground up as a console game. It will assuredly play better on Wii-U than 3DS, although there may be enough exclusive content for die-hard fans to get both versions. If you own a Wii-U, I'd get that version even if you have to wait longer.
@Nintendian
With a huge install base that is already out there? Nonsense. It's not like everybody that is going to buy SSB, also is going to buy a new 3DS especially for it, just because it's more durable. Also, Nintendo designing hardware that they know that is not going to last? They are not that evil nor that stupid!
i have that problem since tales of the abyss came out, i just put it back in lol
@themariobloggie you're not alone my friend!! Now we are two!
@themariobloggie
I actually think it's better to play SSB on the 2DS, because;
1. You don't need the 3D effect to enjoy this game
2. The d-pad is better (quicker and more accurate) for fighting games.
3. The d-pad is much better positioned on the 2DS than on the 3DS.
You have a 2DS! Good for you
@Jazzer94 That's the difference between the original 3DS circle pad and the 3Ds Xl circle pad right there: Most of my friends with 3DSXL had to send their consoles to Nintendo. When they got them back, they had a regular 3DS circle pad fitted instead. I believe the XL default circle pad is not as good as the original 3DS. I own an launch day 3DS btw.
bubbling paint and now defective circle pads this is not the quality you expect from nintendo. i took nothing but utmost care with my 3ds and still the paint work on 3ds bubbled off.
nintendo needs to better fuzz testing of their products not just function testing maybe then these issues would not arisen.
@ChessboardMan Those first 3DS had a problem?
wonder if the New 3DS is better built?
@IceClimbers i feel the same way with Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D because of that game's increasing difficulty you need precise timing making you keep retrying the levels over and over and over again. Thumbs were hurting in one of the temple levels i feel i may accidentally break my system
@Shiryu I've also had an XL for a year now, 0 problems.
@Jazzer94 Lucky man, lucky! I have 4 friends who had to replace their circle pads already. And they don't really abuse it as much as I.
The top of my circle pad fell off when I played A Link Between Worlds. I had to glue it back on with superglue but it's still quite loose so I don't see it surviving this.
@Shiryu Maybe I'm just super cautious these days I have had a few comments from mates saying my system still looks brand new despite KI:U putting it through it's paces lately including the Smash demo. I feel that my experience with handhelds when I was younger may be the reason for me trying to be careful these days.
Work on your style people. No one wins trough physical force.
Seems the old 3ds break earlier, time for a new one and you will have a refreshed warranty
I will get the game for Wii U. Not sure yet if for the 3ds too.
@Jazzer94
Well done young padawan ..you learned to regulate your emotiones wisely!
Hmmm, this makes me think of the original Mario Party on N64, where the frantic rotating of the analog during certain mini games would eventually grind the stick to dust. Bring it, lol
Legitimate reason to buy the new 3DS next year!
@WingedSnagret What I really hope for is to change the D pad to smash attacks instead of taunts. I alwayed used that in previous smashs and its saved me too many times to remember.
This makes me not want to buy the game on 3DS, no wonder Sakurai had injuries in his tendons during development I will probably now wait until the Wii U version.
@Interneto Probably? I was really suggesting that the damage was as much due to age and years of constant use, than directly Smash Bros. Fault. Like Smash was the straw that broke the camel's back. Though, it was probably a straw made of lead, I'd still guess that Smash is only a small part of the reason behind this happening.
Saw this coming months ago. Yet another reason the Wii U version is the definitive one. I'm viewing the 3DS version as a glorified demo to tide me over until I can play it on a TV with friends, the way Smash was supposed to be played.
As someone who owns the Smash demo and used to own Cartoon Network Punch Time Explosion, I can say that I've never encountered such issues while playing, despite my reliance on Smash Attacks. I'm sure that Smash won't break my pad, at least for a long while.
@Xamorus Or it would grind people's palms into a blistery crater. I couldn't stop playing that Shy Guy wind-up toy minigame. Totally ruined both of my palms.
@ChessboardMan yeah ok
My circle pad's rubber would come off all the time when playing Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D.
@Xamorus Except those minigames were painful for the player as well, not just the controller xD
That only happened to me on my classic 3DS, needless to say it happened before smash brothers with Kid Icarus Uprising (Also killed my R Button) and Luigi's mansion. This has never happened on my Pokemon XY 3ds XL though.
That sucks. I never thought about this. But it makes complete sense. My friends and I play smash rose games really hard with the controller, so I would like to see how long it lasts for me.
@themariobloggie i use one as well and prefer it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICFJO7wBruY
Whaaaa the pad came off because I keep MASHING it! That is SO UNFAIR
@Jazzer94 I'd almost ask you to repost this because you are right on the money. I have never broken a controller playing a fighting game and I play a lot of fighting games. Some people act like the dead zone on the sticks is a mile in circumference. You don't need that much force to play and even in the heat of the moment you should have enough control not to use that much force.
I believe I have been saying this for months... that thing is not meant for such a fast-paced game.
@Diddy_kong And I've been saying that gamers need to not mash the dang thing unnecessarily.
My circle pad broke off after many, many hours of frantic Animal Crossing New Leaf play. But Nintendo came to the rescue and installed an entire new pad assembly, free of charge.
@E_Blackadder I hear you on that. I juggle my playtime between the 3ds and wii u and recently got a ps vita. I'm gonna need to take out a loan for all the great games coming lol.
The only issue I've had with the 3ds is the home button on my aqua blue original model. It won't register sometimes. Luckily the xl fixed that by making it one button instead of a long bar. The bottom portion scratching the top screen is annoying also but I've learned to live with it.
I learned my lesson with Street Fighter II: World Warrior on the Snes fighting the no charge kick version of Bison.
No problems with SB or my circle pad yet and I have an ambassador system.
That's only a flesh wound. If the circle pad is completely off and the buttons mashed in, then I'll question even more how someone can treat their stuff like that.
This wouldn't have happened in the first place, if Nintendo would have allowed to play with the D-pad instead of the circle pad.
@Ryu_Niiyama Pretty much, I've played the demo long enough to get a good feel for the force required so I'm not worried about breaking it.
@Jazzer94
Ive been slowly getting back into gaming the last 3 years, and im unfamiliar with the fighting genre. Does street fighter have a big following and community like smash does? What about mortal kombat, tekken,
Etc.? How do you become involved in these groups?
I am going to wait for the Wii U version. I don't want this to happen to my precious 3ds lol
I wonder what the overlap is between people who have had this problem and people who broke their TVs with Wii remotes. Maybe we should all get squishy 3DS covers in case some folks start flinging the system into others' heads.
Also reminds me of the iPhone 4 antenna, when people were concerned that if they held the phone is some very specific way, their signal would drop slightly. Could it be better? Yes. Is it worth a whole "controversy?" No.
@LetsGoRetro There is a following for USFIV has a following on both 360 and PS3 (I think larger on 360 though but I play on PS3), Capcom have remade a plethora of classic 2D fighting games like Third Strike and MVC, I don't play MK so I'm not sure, Tekken scene will probably return with 7 theres also MVC3U but I don't know if we'll be getting a forth game now that Disney own Marvel.
I'm also neglecting a bunch of other more hardcore fighting games like Guilty Gear and Blaze Blue, really I'd suggest doing some research plenty out there to play and enjoy.
As a term of endearment, through the years, I've "smashed" N64 and several GCN controllers. It's a consequence of the game itself. That's why I knew there was no way in hell I was going to get SSB3DS... even if I was careful, I can't take that chance. When SSBWiiU comes, I will definitely whip out the GCN controllers that have survived up to now. I consider a portable SSB novel, but I find it problematic. It's console version all day for me...
Then this is a pretty big design flaw in Nintendo's 3DS consoles. Imagine if this actually happened back in the day when you played Street Fighter II on your Super Nintendo for hundreds of hours. It would be outrageous. Christ, even the N64 analog stick held up much better than this and there was a Smash Bros game on that system too.
@BensonUii I'm the same. I can't stand using an analog stick for any 2D platformer or racing games. on street fighter 4 on 3DS I only use the d pad. I was so happy that MK8 lets you use the d pad. It just feels so much easier to control. If the full version smash 3DS doesn't have the option to use d pad for movement I may skip it. I'm playing the demo and enjoying it but hate using the circle pad.
The rubber top got worn off of mine about a year and a half ago, and it still works perfectly fine.
I TOTALLY saw this coming. The Circle Pad isn't as durable as standard analog sticks on normal controllers.
@ted-k
Yep, I'm not buying a 3DS XL and Smash 3DS if they won't allow us to use the DPad. I'll wait for the N3DS if that's the case. Also I'm still undecided yet between Zelda XL and Fire Emblem XL.
Anyway, the Dpad for me is more responsive that's why I've always preferred it. Just one push and it moves. I only use the analog stick for scrolling the eShop/web sites and play some 3rd person adventure or shooter games. For first person shooters, I prefer mouse+keyboard or Wiimote+Nunchuk.
I have been getting the feeling that my circle pad was started to come off while I was playing the demo, at least now I know this is becoming common.
My son has been playing without the rubber on the circle pad for a while with no issues. Although I wish I could find a pad replacement for him.
I think the main cause of this is smash attacks,where you have to move the pad fast to one side,hopefully my original 3ds holds out till the new model comes out next year with it's c stick
I knew this would happen all along and this is the primary reason why I am getting the Wii U version. I hate to say it but, I told you so! The 3DS pad is not suited for an analogue intensive game such as this.
I, for one, have NEVER broken an analog stick from gameplay. I suppose, I am swift, yet delicate when I apply pressure. That said, I have many friends over to play games and breaking analog sticks are a regular occurrence for some of them. The wake of abused controllers is quite grotesque, actually. It's gotten so bad that most of us require them to bring their own controllers or attempt to super glue one from the pile if they want to play.
Let me tell you, it's unbelievable how aggressive they are with the thumbsticks...
I've been playing it on my Japanese 3DS for a while now and I haven't had any problems like this yet. Keyword yet.
@Kirk I don't even know what you're trying to say. SF2: Turbo, specifically, killed many of my SNES D-pads. I couldn't even count how many SNES controllers I went through in my youth... And same with the N64. I still have probably 5-6 N64 controllers of various colors with broken analog sticks from teenage GoldenEye sessions. It's the same for almost every system I've owned. Wavebirds, DS2s, Wiimotes, etc... Playing heavily with friends will yield a box of damaged accessories for any platform.
Interestingly, my 3DS has held up through well over a thousand hours of KI: Uprising, MH3U, FE: A, MK8, SMTIV, SSF4:3D, MGS3, etc... Though that's likely because I'm the only one using it. Yet, I can also attest that my wife and kids (5 and 3) haven't managed to break a 3DS either.
@ACK
Hmmm...
Have you ever considered maybe the problem is you?
I owned my SNES for like 15-20 years and played Street Fighter II countless times on it, both in single player and competing against my friends, and it worked perfectly till the day I sold it a few years ago.
I had 4 N64 controllers and all of them worked basically perfectly until the day I sold them too, although I know a lot of people had complaints with the analog stick becoming loose on that controller over time.
Or maybe it's your friends...
@Kirk It's definitely my friends. I take incredible care of my controllers. I don't like wasting money. The point is that I have seen how rough some gamers can be on controllers. I'm not going to put credence in a few random people breaking their controllers because they are likely much more abusive than I. Anyone who can recognize their own aggressive thumbs should probably be worried, but I don't think these reports have any bearing on the quality of the platform's construction.
For what it's worth, I've already logged over twenty hours playing the demo on my launch 3DS against friends. I am fairly certain that the circle pad will hold up fine at this point. Now, if we're talking about their circle pads...
The circle pad on the 3DS XL is very different from the one on a regular 3DS. I think this would happen way less often for XL owners.
@retro_player_22 Yep, microswitches are a beautiful thing indeed.
I just wish Nintendo would've used a "regular" analog stick. Having said that though, I don't dislike the slide pad design, I'm just saying they could have done even better. Afterall, Sony went down that road with the Vita. Again, not a perfect implementation of it, but it's better than the PSP's "stick". Oh..and...let's not forget they actually put TWO sticks on it this time. I bet Nintendo now wishes they had launched the 3DS with dual sticks.
Anyways, back on topic.... people must be really abusing their systems to have that happen. That's pretty much all I can say. I've never noticed the slightest hint of damage on mine.
I can't really speak as to the durability of the circle pad when frantically playing an intense fighting game, because I never use anything other than the d-pad for fighting games.
@Ryo_Hazuki-san Funny seeing you on here. xD
This hasn't happened to me, yet. Hopefully it won't.
@Mus1cLov3r have to know what is going on in the mother land
And this is why you get the Wii U version.
this only happens because people are dumb and use two fingers on the joystick/circle pad when playing smash bros, or push the stick/circle from the side. learn to use things properly people
@Nintendo_Ninja
LOL!!! This wins.
Some people need to be more careful - the force needed to break one of these off is never needed.
@Ryo_Hazuki-san xD
Well, seeing this, I think mine will probably break also. When I played melee on my GameCube I ripped the rubber of one of the joysticks by mistake. Some people are saying its better without it on, I hope their right!
@MyLegGuy Mine fell off because my younger brother chewed it off.
@themariobloggie Nope, I have one too!
oops...
Well it happened to me. It wasn't from pushing so much, it just seemed so much rolling of the the thumb on the top from each extreme loosened it.
Well it finally happened to me.
1. dislodged the rubber
2. continued playing on the rough plastic circle underneath (it felt great!)
3. guess what, eventually broke that in half
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