New Nintendo 2DS XL Pikachu Edition is Heading to Europe

Wish I had one
Then again, I don't play on my 3ds so I'd just have it for bragging rights.

No my heart! I need it! I need that 2DS!

Thats an ugly 2DS.

I do like the look of that system, too bad I've never been into Pokemon

Anyone interested in running out to pay $150 for a 7-year-old console missing the 3D feature with little to no first-party support on the way? Anyone?

In all seriousness, though, I would be surprised if Nintendo is prepping any more major releases for the 3DS after this year. I think USUM was the last big thing.

I have 3 3ds already. No matter how cute this is i don't want another 1

I'm still saving for the SNES themed 3DS XL.

I got the pokeball one, so I'm fine.

Just got the Pokeball one for Christmas so won’t be getting the Pikachu one but am excited for Crystal

Originally, thought this one was better but got the poke ball version as that was available. Kinda prefer the poke ball version now anyway

All hope is not lost then! Play-Asia had the Asian release that was NTSC-US formatted and I missed out on it

It's cute but the 2DS/3DS line is just such old news now. Nintendo always seems to do this towards the end of the line for their outgoing handhelds, they release a bunch of special editions and so on. Personally I am totally over it.

@thesilverbrick Yeah... every Switch owner sure wishes that narrative was true.

However... it isn't...

3DS/2DS 1st/3rd party games releasing in 2018:

• Pokemon Crystal (Nintendo)
• Kirby Battle Royale (Nintendo/Hal Labs)
• Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology (Atlus)
• Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux (Atlus)
• The Alliance Alive (Atlus)
• Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age (Square-Enix)

Plus whatever is announced in the next Nintendo Direct and E3 in 2018.

I think by 2019 the 3DS/2DS will be retired, tho.... maaaaaaybe.

@GC-161 I have no vendetta against the 3DS. In fact, I still play mine almost every day. And you’re misunderstanding me. I said “little to no first-party support“ is left for 3DS. I wouldn’t consider a VC release of Pokémon Crystal and a Kirby game that has already released in every region except America to be huge first-party support for 2018. Third parties may still release games throughout the year, and Nintendo may surprise us with a small game or two, but Nintendo itself has largely pulled the plug on the 3DS and have redirected just about all of their efforts to Switch. To state otherwise is naive. And honestly, I think if you don’t own a 3DS and never have, it’s a great system to buy. I just think $150 for that ridiculously flimsy and stripped-down model of the system this late in the game is way too expensive.

@thesilverbrick LOL I wasn't implying that YOU had a "vendetta" against the 3DS.

I was just thinking out loud about how most Switch owners wished that Nintendo would pull the plug on the 3DS/2DS and instead focus entirely on the Switch. What you posted reminded me of that sentiment.

But that system is consistently selling better than the PS4 in Japan (plus the last Dragon Quest game sold better on 3DS than on the PS4) and millions still play on it worldwide. So its not an easy proposition for Ninty to just kill the dang thing. Its still a good source of $$$

And I do own a 3DS. Still play on it despite the Switch being vastly superior to it, hardware wise (still lagging waaaay behind in terms of software, tho... IMO)

Anywhoo... the 3DS/2DS still has some life in it. I expect that system to be fully replaced by the Switch as soon as said system gets proper sequels to Animal Crossing, Pokemon and any portable game that made owning a 3DS worth playing on the low res screens.

@GC-161 I see what you’re saying. And I do expect Nintendo to still try to sell the 3DS throughout 2018, I just don’t expect them to support it with much new software. They’re trying to milk the system for everything it’s worth without pouring too much development resources into it (like they did with the Wii Mini, DSi XL and GBA Micro), because new games on the 3DS last year performed underwhelmingly, with very few exceptions. They are going to bank heavily on people buying the 3DS for its small form factor (it definitely is easier to carry around than the Switch) and vast library of pre-existing games (they’ve been marketing New Super Mario Bros. 2 like it’s a new release, for crying out loud). But that kind of momentum can’t be sustained without new, big budget titles, as we saw with systems before the 3DS. Nintendo tried to push the GBA, DS and Wii long after they stopped supporting them with new games and it didn’t last long. The long and short of it is, I think we have seen the last of Nintendo’s major first-party software support for 3DS. It had a great run, but I think it’s safe to say it will be effectively put out to pasture before 2018 is over.

@thesilverbrick I just don't see support losing steam any time soon despite the 3DS having peaked 2-3 years ago.

US retailers still carry it. It has not reached the same situation as when the Wii U or especially Vita was quickly dropped by them.

3DS has certainly seen better days. But I think it could possibly enjoy one more xmas season.

Especially if Nintendo released a 3DS HD

If that happens, boy... I hope not.

@GC-161 Just because stores are carrying the console does not mean it’s going to be here long term. Nintendo has no further announcements at the moment for big budget first party games on 3DS. They cannot expect to sustain the system for another year on the market if they’re not going to release any big games for it. The Pokémon Company has already moved on to Switch, and they are often the last developers to hang on to Nintendo handhelds. The hand writing is on the wall. 3DS has begun to fade out already. Watch the sales figures every week from here on out and you will see them slide further and further down the list. It’s a fact of life; if a console isn’t receiving new games it fades into irrelevance. Nintendo has nothing lined up for the 3DS in 2018 beyond a Virtual Console release of a 20-year-old Pokémon game and a poorly rated Kirby multiplayer title that has already been released in every other region except for America. And all that is left on the third-party front is a bunch of niche Japanese RPGs. Doesn’t bode well for mass-market appeal .

@thesilverbrick Big budget 3DS 1st party games? Is that's your metric being used to assume they're phasing out that handheld? Because that's a lousy one to use. Considering most of the 1st party offerings by Nintendo on the 3DS were hardly of the "big budget" variety.

In fact, on the 3DS Nintendo released several "risky" games (Code Steam) and inexpensive sequels to fledgling IP's (Chibi Robo). Precisely because they could get away with it on that platform.

Never mind the fact that Nintendo itself has not even hinted at dropping support for the 3DS in 2018. They have said quite the opposite.

And like I said, there is still an E3 and several Nintendo Directs on the way that will cover 3DS games. Possibly revealing new games the same way they did this year.

One of us will eat crow. Stay tuned!

@GC-161 Way to miss my point entirely. When I say “big budget“ I mean in a relative sense. Of course 3DS development is very cheap when compared to development on HD consoles, but the fact that Nintendo has zero retail games beyond Kirby announced at the moment should tell you something. Funny thing is, Kirby has already been released in Japan and Europe, so they have zero announced content in the works on the retail first party front. Never in the history of the company has Nintendo ever had a blank release schedule on any platform they plan to continue supporting long term. And if development of 3DS games is so cheap and risk free, why is there nothing announced in the works? Sure, they say they’re going to keep supporting the system, but I’ve heard that line before several times. Remember when the DS wasn’t supposed to replace the GBA and was going to stand as a third pillar? Well, that didn’t happen. Even just less than a year ago, Nintendo claimed it wasn’t going to drop support for the Wii U immediately when the Switch was released and we all know how that went. And believing the system will keep being supported until Nintendo announces they are done with support is a silly notion. Nintendo has never, ever said they are finished with a system. They just drop support and move on. They have never technically said that they were done supporting the original DS or the GBA. They quietly just move on. That’s what you’re going to see with the 3DS this year. There’s no definitive moment when Nintendo is finished, it’s more of a quiet fade out, which has clearly already begun. Look, I’m not saying Nintendo is going to rip the 3DS off store shelves immediately, but watch. Support will fizzle out. I half expect one or two more efforts from Nintendo for 3DS, but don’t expect anything big. I’m basing my prediction on everything I’ve seen in the industry over several generations, whereas your prediction goes against not only what has historically been the case with Nintendo’s consoles, but also logic itself. 3DS is fading. And there’s no need to get antagonistic. This isn’t about “eating crow“ nor is it any kind of competition.

@thesilverbrick STAY TUNED!

One of us will eat crow.