It has probably been the finest month for Nintendo fans who indulge themselves in the news as well as rumours through the internet. From the rumour which the device was going to get a circle pad attachment, as well as a future redesign to the circle pad accuracy been a real thing. The end result seems to be a perplexed emotions and loss of direction from both the fans and the company itself.
What we know for starters is very little, but what we fear has grown to a considerable list. With the 3DS console already having a shaky path, it doesn’t seem like the future is any smoother. While we know that the Circle Pad provides a few more control options and attaches to the 3DS in the ugliest bulky way, does this represent the whole situation Nintendo has put themselves in? A flurry of disjointed decisions to try and restore the brand image of the system after riding off the success of the original DS line, choices such as keeping the original line on life support while launching the 3DS and the slow trickle of any games at all, as well as the huge price tag and the fact that 3D just plan sucks what more could there be?
Regardless of what Nintendos original intention was with the Circle Pad, it has now become a frenzy of bad publicity relating to what if anything would be the future of the 3DS system. Especially when the Circle Pad originally was rumoured alongside a future redesign, as well as rebranding of the 3DS system. There is becoming a zero confidence in the company when reading forums and other websites relating to video games because of the announcement of the Circle Pad.
While at the end of the day the original intention was probably a harmless “an extra option if need be”, and keeping it limited to possibly just Monster Hunters. It has risen to the fear of it been a requirement for future titles, as well as when the inventible redesign will most likely include the additional control methods within the system. Even if Nintendo says that it wouldn’t be required, when 3D also isn’t technically required in games, only one or two games have launched without 3D support for the 3DS. With the original selling point for the 3DS been the 3D factor which failed to ploy the mainstream attraction to the system like the DS had, the new selling point will obviously be about the control methods and styles, sort of going back to the whole “touch” angle, but instead “it has buttons”. Returning to the confusing angle of buttons isn’t going to attract the mainstream audience which since the PlayStation generation have been geared to simpler games and of late motion controls.
It seems Nintendo is going in circles for problems to its latest console launch which where relatively simple when you look at them. Just release some games, advertise the thing outside of random people just looking at the device with seedy smiles and lower the price. Heck the majority of these things have been completed, bar the games thing- which looking into 2012 onwards the system was set to have more support from Nintendo and third parties. Which maybe if we think about it, should of the system just have launched a year later?