"New 3DS" Exclusive Titles

[Ventus]

To avoid further confusion, I call it the 3DS.5 because it is an upgrade but also almost its own thing. In Japan's latest NIntendo Direct they announced the New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS LL. Alongside the new systems they announced Xenoblade Chronicles exclusively for 3DS.5. That means a regular 3DS or 3DS XL cannot play them.

So with that in mind, how many of you will be purchasing a 3DS.5?

Remember that they were announced with msrp of 16,000 yen and 18,000 yen, respectfively. That equates to about $154 and $180, respective.

 

[JuicieJ]

I'm definitely going to be getting it. It'll no doubt be getting more exclusive titles, and it's what the original 3DS should have been all along.

 

[Jamie]

I'm sorry, WHAT? That is so unfair to current 3DS owners. Certainly there will be an add-on that will allow people to play this game.

However, what about Ambassadors? I want to keep my Ambassador stuff when I inevitably buy this new 3DS; the only Nintendo console I've never owned were the XL consoles, the 2DS, and the GB Micro, and anything that sold like garbage like the Virtual Boy. Please Ninty, give me a way to keep my Ambassador stuff.

 

[Azure Sage]

It depends. I might try to get one if my current 3DS XL breaks down or something. If not, then I'd have no reason to get one. Now, if they released a Zelda exclusive for it, I'd be more inclined to get one sooner. But as it stands, there's no need for me to get one right now.

Is this "New 3DS" supposed to function better than a regular 3DS or 3DS XL? Or is having the ability to play exclusive games the only thing that sets it apart? I didn't watch the direct, so...

 

[Justac00lguy]

Meh, it looks neat and all, but I'm not willing to spend over £100 for a simple upgrade to a console which I think is fine already. It's great for people who haven't got a 3DS, but I'm perfectly happy with my 3DS XL at the moment, so it's a no purchase for me. Though I am disappointed that they're only releasing Xenoblade for the newer version. That seems like a marketing tool more than anything else. Sucks because I've always wanted to try out that game.

 

[Jamie]

You guys are noobs, clearly. I had the GB, GBC, GBA, GBASP, DS, DS Lite, DSi, 3DS... GOML pls.

 

[Onilink89]

I for once am pissed. very very very very veryyyyyyyy pissed! Xenoblade is exclusive and they put in a second analog stick which would be good for MH4? Nintendo is trolling me hard.

First of all, why make this remake for 3DS? Why not Wii U?

To make things worse its exclusive for "new" 3DS just because it has a better CPU. And there will be more exclusive titles to it? In my eyes, that reason only makes it a new console entirely, rather then just a model. If i buy this it will be my 3rd 3DS, thats alot of money!

And now they suddenly decide to put in a teeny tiny second semi-analogish stick? Well yeah IMO its better then nothing and also better then a ugly add on that works on batteries. But they should have done this with 3DS XL. They are too late with this.

 

[Mercedes]

Is this "New 3DS" supposed to function better than a regular 3DS or 3DS XL? Or is having the ability to play exclusive games the only thing that sets it apart? I didn't watch the direct, so...

Right the first time. The "New" 3DS features extra buttons (2 new shoulder buttons, new button-stick thing), and an improved CPU; there are other additions too, like a bigger battery and microSD support, NFC built-in, there's better screens and improved 3D functionality too, and you can back-up your data wirelessly to a PC. And coloured buttons!!! With that said, it's not like they couldn't skim the game a bit to get it onto a standard 3DS, referring to the Xenoblade game, they are just doing it to shift units, and I personally don't judge them for that. It's not like every great 3DS game will now be exclusive to the New 3DS.

Also, for anyone wondering, there's been no Western release dates announced, but Nintendo have said it'll be hitting our shores sometime in 2015.

 

[JuicieJ]

First of all, why make this remake for 3DS? Why not Wii U?

Because Xenoblade Chronicles X.

 

[Onilink89]

Because Xenoblade Chronicles X.

Really JJ...thats your argument? I don't see how or why thats relevant for not making the remake on the Wii U.

Look if it was on the normal 3ds i would be like "ok 3ds is selling better then wii u, and since NA had limited copies of xenoblade for wii and EU and JAP sold well on this, i guess its a wise choice"

But no, you want it? Buy new hardware again!

 

[JuicieJ]

Really JJ...thats your argument? I don't see how or why thats relevant for not making the remake on the Wii U.

Yes, because it would cut into Xenoblade Chronicles X's sales.

 

[Onilink89]

Yes, because it would cut into Xenoblade Chronicles X's sales.

It would actualy promote for buying the sequel. Thats like saying WW HD would cut future wii u zelda games.

You know what cuts sales? You know whats bad marketing? Take the upcoming Smash Bros for instance. The 3DS version would cut the sales of the Wii U version? Especialy when the 3DS version is released way earlier then the Wii u version. Its a fact by now that 3DS is doing way better then Wii U. Thats also the main reason why a big title like MH4 is on the 3DS and not Wii U.

Wii U needs all the help it can get. Instead of investing properly into Wii U, they make a new hardware. This move is even worse then SEGA.

 

[AbrahamLinkoln]

It will still play DS games right?

 

[hwrdjacob]

Presumably. It also supports Circle Pad Pro functions for games like Metal Gear Solid 3D : Snake Eater and Kid Icarus Uprising. As well as NFC for Smash For 3DS. I'm starting to question if a similar upgrade will be made for Wii U...


Now I'm more worried that only the smaller one will be customizable. That would be the true kick in the balls out of all of this.

 

[Mercedes]

So it seems like there may be more improvements to the New 3DS' hardware than what Nintendo has said. We know of some upgrades which Nintendo have flat-out told us about, like the faster processor, but while filing through the latest firmware updates for the 3DS, coders may have uncovered a little bit more. Remember this is just a rumour for now:

Based on disassembly of certain sysmodules for code added/changed with in the 8.0.0-18 update, it appears that the "New 3DS" has the following changes:

• They extended FCRAM from 128MB to 256MB.
• They added another VRAM (?) of 4MB.

3DBrew, via NeoGAF

As noted above, the original 3DS has 128MB of RAM (FCRAM just means 'fast cycle RAM'), and it also has 6MB of VRAM. The New 3DS will perhaps, then, have a total of 265MB of RAM and 10MB of VRAM, which is not a small upgrade. This is not official or confirmed so take it with a pinch of salt, but if this is true then you may see a lot more New 3DS exclusive games than people may have initially thought if they utilise the improved hardware fully; the processor upgrade is relatively negligible to overall game performance, but not a RAM upgrade like this.

On a small side-note, it has been confirmed that the New 3DS won't play any existing 3DS games at any kind of increased graphical fidelity despite all the upgrades, regardless of whether the above is true or not.