3DS: Worth buying over the last generation?

[Catalyst6]

Edit: My question has been answered. Many thanks, Escapists.

I have a bit of a dilemma, Escapists.

I really want a new DS, and I have a birthday coming up (and still have a few more years on the whole "parents buy gifts for me thing", yay!) and I want to put some money into a new system. I have the very first generation of DS still, the gigantic and bulky one, and it has served me well. But it is time to upgrade to something bigger (er, "smaller") and better.

However, my question is this: do you think that developers will be switching over to making 3DS-exclusive titles, or will they mostly stick with the established DS? Are the 3DS titles worth the extra investment? Is the console any good by itself?

A note, I don't plan on using the 3D feature much, I tried it in a store and it was pretty painful. Plus it sucks up battery like none other, and the idea behind an handheld is to be played without having to find a plug...

So. Any thoughts?

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Maybe not now, but as more and more games come out, it will be.

The DS's library is second only to the PS2 in terms of variety and quality, assuming you don't hate everything ever made in Japan.

I can only assume the 3DS will follow in it's footsteps. Atlus has promised lots of RPG support, to my understanding.

And then there is the inevitable Ace Attorney/Professor Layton/Pokemon 3DS games.

 

[DustyDrB]

I'm probably going to wait on two things:
-A good library of games. A console needs to have at least 12 games I want before I buy it.

-The second generation. The short battery life, bulkiness, and issues people seem to be having with the 3D (restrictive angles, mostly) tell me I should wait for the "3D Lite"

 

[Elamdri]

I have a bit of a dilemma, Escapists.

I really want a new DS, and I have a birthday coming up (and still have a few more years on the whole "parents buy gifts for me thing", yay!) and I want to put some money into a new system. I have the very first generation of DS still, the gigantic and bulky one, and it has served me well. But it is time to upgrade to something bigger (er, "smaller") and better.

However, my question is this: do you think that developers will be switching over to making 3DS-exclusive titles, or will they mostly stick with the established DS? Are the 3DS titles worth the extra investment? Is the console any good by itself?

A note, I don't plan on using the 3D feature much, I tried it in a store and it was pretty painful. Plus it sucks up battery like none other, and the idea behind an handheld is to be played without having to find a plug...

So. Any thoughts?

While I don't feel like the 3DS game selection is fantastic at the moment, there is no reason to buy an inferior system if you can afford the new one. The 3DS titles will NOT play on a regular DS, while a DS game WILL play on a 3DS. And I HIGHLY doubt that they will make DS versions of 3DS games. So if you have the money to buy a 3DS, and are going to buy a DS, then the 3DS is the way to go.

The real question is: Do you need a 3DS at this very moment? If you already have a DS, even if it is an old one, then what you might want to do is wait on getting the 3DS if possible if you are not happy with the current game selection, which is admittedly not fantastic.

Trust me, if you get a regular DS right now, you will be KICKING yourself in the shins when Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time and Starfox 64 come out for the 3DS and you can't play them on your regular DS.

 

[Catalyst6]

The DS's library is second only to the PS2 in terms of variety and quality, assuming you don't hate everything ever made in Japan.

I can only assume the 3DS will follow in it's footsteps. Atlus has promised lots of RPG support, to my understanding.

And then there is the inevitable Ace Attorney/Professor Layton/Pokemon 3DS games.

Yeah, that was the biggest question that I had, whether the DS will be to the 3DS what the PS2 was to the PS3, having the developers make games for the old system for a year or so then switching wholeheartedly to the new thing on the market.

 

[AlternatePFG]

Nah, the DS has a much larger library. I'm sure the 3DS will get more games eventually, but it's extremely sparse right now, and if you don't like the 3D feature there's probably no point in getting right now.

Also, wait till Nintendo releases the inevitable 3DS+.

Edit: Oh it's backwards compatible? Then get the 3DS.

 

[Elamdri]

The DS's library is second only to the PS2 in terms of variety and quality, assuming you don't hate everything ever made in Japan.

I can only assume the 3DS will follow in it's footsteps. Atlus has promised lots of RPG support, to my understanding.

And then there is the inevitable Ace Attorney/Professor Layton/Pokemon 3DS games.

Yeah, that was the biggest question that I had, whether the DS will be to the 3DS what the PS2 was to the PS3, having the developers make games for the old system for a year or so then switching wholeheartedly to the new thing on the market.

It's irrelevant, because the 3DS is backwards compatible. Any DS system can play a DS game, but only a 3DS can play 3DS games.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Yeah, that was the biggest question that I had, whether the DS will be to the 3DS what the PS2 was to the PS3, having the developers make games for the old system for a year or so then switching wholeheartedly to the new thing on the market.

Forgot to mention...Don't upgrade to just another DS.

The original model DS is fantastic, and built like a tank. The other models don't add anything truly worthwhile that worth investing in until your old DS breaks.

I kinda regret upgrading to a Lite 2 years ago. It's screen hinge broke this time last year, and now the screen flops down and can't lock in place.

 

[Catalyst6]

It's irrelevant, because the 3DS is backwards compatible. Any DS system can play a DS game, but only a 3DS can play 3DS games.

Ah, but if the devs stick with the DS and use the 3DS for novelty gimmick crap games then I can buy the cheaper (and higher-versioned, less bugs) DS and pocket the difference.

 

[Elamdri]

Forgot to mention...Don't upgrade to just another DS.

The original model DS is fantastic, and built like a tank. The other models don't add anything truly worthwhile that worth investing in until your old DS breaks.

I kinda regret upgrading to a Lite 2 years ago. It's screen hinge broke this time last year, and now the screen flops down and can't lock in place.

QFT

 

[Catalyst6]

Yeah, that was the biggest question that I had, whether the DS will be to the 3DS what the PS2 was to the PS3, having the developers make games for the old system for a year or so then switching wholeheartedly to the new thing on the market.

Forgot to mention...Don't upgrade to just another DS.

The original model DS is fantastic, and built like a tank. The other models don't add anything truly worthwhile that worth investing in until your old DS breaks.

I kinda regret upgrading to a Lite 2 years ago. It's screen hinge broke this time last year, and now the screen flops down and can't lock in place.

It just seems so... small! And dim. And old.

Maybe I'm just getting tech shock, still playing on a system 6 years old . I wanted the new one more for the portability and better screens, but it was just an idea anyways.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Yeah, that was the biggest question that I had, whether the DS will be to the 3DS what the PS2 was to the PS3, having the developers make games for the old system for a year or so then switching wholeheartedly to the new thing on the market.

Forgot to mention...Don't upgrade to just another DS.

The original model DS is fantastic, and built like a tank. The other models don't add anything truly worthwhile that worth investing in until your old DS breaks.

I kinda regret upgrading to a Lite 2 years ago. It's screen hinge broke this time last year, and now the screen flops down and can't lock in place.

It just seems so... small! And dim. And old.

Maybe I'm just getting tech shock, still playing on a system 6 years old . I wanted the new one more for the portability and better screens, but it was just an idea anyways.

Trust me. Just keep it. It IS dimmer, but unless you are constant being made jealous of your friends brighter screen, you're should just sit tight and save that money.

 

[Elamdri]

Ah, but if the devs stick with the DS and use the 3DS for novelty gimmick crap games then I can buy the cheaper (and higher-versioned, less bugs) DS and pocket the difference.

Sure, you're taking a risk on a like $100 saving. But my question is that if you already have a DS, why pay more money that does functionally the same exact thing as what you already have. And I can pretty much guarantee you that you won't see non-3D versions of 3DS games for the regular DS because of the hardware differences and the fact that it would disincentive people to buy 3DS systems.

It's your decision, but I fail to see a good reason to purchase an inferior product to save a measly $100 in the short game. And what will you do if the 3DS does replace the DS and you are thrust into a situation where 3DS development takes over. Now, not only did you buy a system that you already OWNED, but now you have to buy ANOTHER system, so you loose that $100 savings.

Like I said, the real question is do you buy a 3DS now, or wait a few months for the game library to improve, while using your current DS.

 

[Nageck]

Ultimately you'll be happier with the 3DS. Between the rereleased Ocarina of Time and Metal Gear Solid 3, to new games for classic characters like Pit, by the end of the year the 3DS line-up will be pretty good. Also I read that if you use the 3DS to play DS games it practically doubles the battery life, so really there's no reason not to make the jump.

 

[mastiffchild]

Forgot to mention...Don't upgrade to just another DS.

The original model DS is fantastic, and built like a tank. The other models don't add anything truly worthwhile that worth investing in until your old DS breaks.

I kinda regret upgrading to a Lite 2 years ago. It's screen hinge broke this time last year, and now the screen flops down and can't lock in place.

QFT

Seriously??? I found the first DS models to be VERY fragile despite LOOKING like a tank they were way more fragile than later DS models as far as me and my tribe were concerned. I've got THREE gaming kids, a gaming wife and game myself and we all spend a lot of time on short journeys, go on trips and use our portables to fill those times as well as just gaming for fun if we're into a particular game or going to a mates etc. Point is my kids are ROUGH on their stuff(my, now 15 year old, daughter has managed EIGHT mobile phones over the last two years and she's our eldest and most careful child!!)and we felt, by looking, that the original DS would be a good, safe bet that might last well but the two we got were dead within the year and not by anything other than wear and tear. They weren't dropped and weren't smacshed or dunked but the hinges went and thereafter it was either keep replacing the conectors through the hinges or upgrade and we chose the latter. Out of the three DSlites we've bought two are still fine and only one has fallen prey to the hinge issue so we think they've been better than the originals and the one DSI I've got which everyone's borrowed and possibly had more use than any of the others has never had ONE malfunction.

I really don't agree, from our experiences, that later models were easily broken by comparison with early DS models, I can't say we found that at all. Then again we've also got three PSPs of various ages and apart from a couple of buttons missing from time to time on our Fatty original NONE of them have ever broken and EVERYONE says they break DEAD easy so maybe we're just having odd luck-and I've even dropped my 3000 in the bog on one occasion but found, to my relief and amazement, that after a vacuum/lamp/radiator session and a day or two wrapped in towels in a LOW, LOW oven I didn't even lose one pixel and it works fine to this day-and that was about two years ago now.

Whatever, thing is both DS and PSP have proven a lot more robust than iPods and iPhones for our lot as out of four devices across the range only ONE is currently in anything like working order and THAT's possibly cos it's mine and within a moth of buying it I'd gone back to my old phone and carrying a DS/PSP instead! I just don't think traditional games play at all well with THAT touchscreen and with my thumbs in the way SF and MG, great games and good looking though they remain, were both ruined by Apple's lacking controls. Apps, yeah, -and jrpgs but apart from that my iPhone is safe for now. I still feel most people used to serious gaming will chose a dedicated machine like the DS or PSP and now 3DS and , soon, NGP for their gaming on the go needs and find it's often newer gamers who're finding more joy in the appstore. AB and other five minute break fillers are cool but I like more than that myself even if I won't be investing just yet in a 3DS for my lot.

Last year everyone felt the 3DS launch line up seemed t would be amazing buit with many games missing and some less amazing than we'd hoped I'm definitely gonna wait for the drop in proce OR next model before jumping in. the great games existing won;t disappear and if the NGP is amazing at launch I'll not be committed either way. I advise waitng a year or so-not like you'll run out of DS games or PSP games or iPad/phone games in the meantime whatever floats your gaming boat. Unless you MUST have battery eating 3D NOW!! All this said, if Kid Icarus is as good as it looks and you also don't HAVE to use the PH stylus controls for OoT 3D then it could all change for me.