New is a step back?

As a fun game to play while you read this post, to make up for the long delay since the last one, take a shot every time the words 2D, 3D, DS, 2DS and 3DS appear.

The other day, Brendon told me about the announcement of the new console Nintendo 2DS. I dismissed it as complete bollocks but the annoying reality is that it's true, and there's a few things to talk about regarding this.

The first thing is the reason I initially didn't believe him, and that's just the way he told me, saying the 2DS was a 'NEW' console, what I couldn't understand about this remark was why Nintendo would bother releasing a new handheld so early in the 3DS' life is beyond me, but the reality is they weren't releasing a brand new handheld at all, just a variation on an existing one, which by my definition isn't a new console at all.

These. these are 'new' consoles.

When talking about a new console, I think of something that will have games specifically for it, with the name of the console printed on the box and whatever, let me use some examples, this means that when they will/did come out:
> The Nintendo DS was a new console
> The Nintendo DS Lite was not a new console, same with the DSi, DSi XL, etc, as it still played games under then name Nintendo DS
> The 3DS was a new console, many years down the line from the DS and having games specifically for it.
> The PS2, PS3 and PS4 were new consoles, having games specifically for them, whereas  the PS3 Slim was not a new console as it was only a variation on the PS3.
So next time someone tells you about a 'new console' try asking them if really is a new console.

Technically, these are all the same console.

Next I come to the 2DS itself, if you're not yet aware it's a 3DS only without the 3D, meaning it plays games from the previous DS, and games from the 3DS in 2D, though it's a good idea in that it allows people who don't have a 3DS to play 3DS games, my problems with it are that if you want to play a 3DS game in 2D, just don't turn up the 3D slider! Simple!

My next issue is that it's only around £25 cheaper for a real 3DS instead of this one, but the worst part is this thing doesn't even fold so storage is much harder, and the shape is so unbelievably weird I can't even imagine holding one in any way which wouldn't feel blatantly awkward.

Surprise! Yeah, look at this thing, it's like a ******* brick!

I can't help but feel the 2DS is a bit of a silly idea from Nintendo... And please, fire that lead designer.

But this is pure genius.