3DS Circle Pad Pro Review

By Damien McFerran Published 27 January, 2012

Function over form.

Version tested: 3DS

Ever since savvy manufacturers realised that gamers were prepared to pay top dollar for pieces of near-useless plastic that claim to improve their gaming experience, there's been a flood of largely pointless peripherals for home consoles. Right now, countless Wii Remote tennis racket attachments sit gathering dust in cupboards the world over, waiting forlornly for that dreaded day when they are unceremoniously recycled as landfill.

Traditionally speaking, these regrettable money-wasting exercises are largely confined to domestic hardware. Attempts to augment the functionality of portable consoles have proven largely unsuccessful in the past (remember the D-pad cross attachment that came with the Neo Geo Pocket Color port of Pac-Man? Didn't think so). The problem is that handheld platforms are all about convenience and mobility - nobody wants to strap extraneous chunks of plastic to their console if they can really help it, as additional bulk defeats the object of the device; these machines are supposed to be pocket-sized and effortlessly transportable.

Which is no doubt why the revelation that the Nintendo 3DS would be getting a secondary analogue slider pad via a bulky and downright ugly accessory caused hoots of derision from some sectors of the industry and rampant face-palming from others. Many hoped that it would prove to be an elaborate hoax, but the 3DS Circle Pad Pro is very much a reality - and we've put this controversial product through its paces to prove it.

"There's no easy way of putting this; the 3DS Circle Pad Pro is hideous. When strapped to the console itself it looks almost laughable and far more nightmarish than any cheap Wii Remote accessory you could mention."

Looks Only a Mother Could Love

There's no easy way of putting this; the 3DS Circle Pad Pro is hideous. When strapped to the console itself it looks almost laughable and far more nightmarish than any cheap Wii Remote accessory you could mention. Any notions of aesthetic symmetry are dashed completely, with the right-hand side of the device ballooning out awkwardly from the main body of the 3DS. Unless you own a black console, you'll also have to endure mismatched casing hues, as the Circle Pad Pro only comes in that colour.

Nintendo has decided against employing a complicated locking mechanism to fuse the 3DS to the Circle Pad Pro; instead, grip is offered by a series of rubber pads located around the edge of the gaping aperture into which the console is docked. This limpet-like construction means that many of the machine's controls and ports are obscured by plastic; it's impossible to switch game cards, remove the stylus or toggle the wireless connectivity switch. The volume slider is barely accessible, but thankfully you can still plug in headphones and charge up the machine using the standard 3DS wall-charger. Needless to say, utilising that natty desktop dock that was bundled with the console is now well and truly out of the question.

Connectivity and Battery Life

"Another eyesore is the long, thin block of plastic which juts up along the top of the Circle Pad Pro. Its purpose is vital, however - it provides the peripheral's sole means of communication with the 3DS, via infrared."

Another eyesore is the long, thin block of plastic which juts up in an unseemly fashion along the top of the Circle Pad Pro. Its purpose is vital, however - it provides the peripheral's sole means of communication with the 3DS, via an infrared connection. It's this element of the controller's design that necessitates the need for a single AAA battery, which resides in a slot directly beneath the console.

Reported to offer almost 500 hours of stamina - a claim we've sadly been unable to verfiy during our review period - it's something you hopefully won't have to change all that often. That's a definite bonus, as the battery compartment is secured with a tight metal lock which can only be opened using a coin or knife.

Despite boasting its own power source, the Circle Pad Pro sadly cannot be called upon to bolster the disappointing stamina of the 3DS' own internal battery. Although keeping the cost of this add-on as low as possible was obviously a prime concern for Nintendo, we can't help but feel that a trick has been missed here; a small rechargeable power cell inside the accessory would have granted additional hours of play time (and could have connected to the console via the metal charging plates on either side of the machine's 4.6V socket), drastically improving the 3DS' credentials as a mobile device.

'3DS Circle Pad Pro Review' Screenshot 2
'3DS Circle Pad Pro Review' Screenshot 1

The Circle Pad Pro is supported in key new titles including Kid Icarus: Uprising and Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D. If it improves playability in these games as much as it does for Resident Evil: Revelations, the add-on may well prove indispensible.

Ergonomics and Control

Once the 3DS is in place and there's a compatible piece of software slotted snugly in the card slot, the initial feeling of repulsion towards the Circle Pad Pro slowly recedes. Games such as Resident Evil: Revelations are enriched almost beyond measure, and the increased bulk ironically solves one of the 3DS' biggest problems: its unwelcome habit of inducing hand cramp in anyone with paws larger than a small child's. It may come at the unfortunate expense of the machine's overall portability, but the Circle Pad Pro's ergonomically-shaped rear delivers an almost perfect gaming grip.

As well as adding that all-important second slider, the Circle Pad Pro introduces two all-new shoulder buttons (ZL and ZR) as well as a substitute R trigger (the one on the 3DS itself is almost impossible to make contact with when the accessory in place). The ZL and ZR buttons are digital inputs, yet they are shaped more like the analogue triggers found on the PS3 and 360 pads. Despite the lack of proportional control, they're comfortable to use and easy to hit; the only genuine complaint you could level is that they feel a little on the spongy side.

Compatibility with the Circle Pad Pro is achieved entirely through software - there's no way of enabling the add-on in the 3DS Home menu. Resident Evil: Revelations - the game we used to test the controller during this review - pops up a helpful message prior to starting a new game which asks if you wish to make use of the Circle Pad Pro.

From that point onwards it will always check the peripheral is present before commencing a game, and if you extract your console from the accessory during play, a message flashes up stating that the infrared link has been severed and that the default control method has been reverted to. Reconnection is achieved manually by dropping back into the game's options menu. It's a clunky system and we hope that future games will simply auto-connect, but it's unlikely to bother most people unduly.

3DS Circle Pad Pro: The Verdict

"Despite being a ludicrous spectacle, it's near-indispensable for any 3DS owner who wants to get the most out of what we suspect will be an ever-increasing range of must-have titles."

You need only play Resident Evil: Revelations with (and for comparison's sake, without) the Circle Pad Pro to appreciate just how essential that second analogue slider is. In that regard, this is a purchase that every 3DS owner is advised to make; games such as Kid Icarus: Uprising and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater 3D are confirmed as supporting the controller, and no doubt many other titles will follow suit in the future.

Yet providing such a resounding recommendation for this device leaves a bitter taste in the mouth; simply put, the Circle Pad Pro is a totally unnecessary afterthought that reduces the console's aesthetic appeal and drastically impacts its portability. It feels like a stop-gap product, too and only a fool would bet against Nintendo shortly announcing a revised 3DS console that incorporates the myriad interface improvements witnessed here.

When that inevitable day comes, many Nintendo followers will look upon the Circle Pad Pro as a totally avoidable misstep, a retro-fit that ranks as the most embarrassing episode in firm's history since the ill-fated Virtual Boy. Had Nintendo got the design right for the 3DS in the first instance then we would have been spared such a ludicrous spectacle, but for now, it's near-indispensable for any 3DS owner who wants to get the most out of what we suspect will be an ever-increasing range of must-have titles. The Circle Pad Pro is a hack-job that has no right to exist, but for the time being at least, we're thankful that it does.

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About Damien McFerran

Retro fanatic and tech bore Damien has been writing words for professional publication since 2006, but has yet to fulfill his lifelong ambition of being commissioned by Your Kitten Magazine.

Read more articles from Damien by visiting the Damien McFerran archive page.

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Comments (114) Latest comment 3 weeks ago

  • simsini #1 4 weeks ago

    Ridiculous when it was announced and ridiculous in practice. If only there was a portable gaming device that had two analogue sticks built in from the start...

  • jonno394 #2 4 weeks ago

    "You need only play Resident Evil: Revelations with (and for comparison's sake, without) the Circle Pad Pro to appreciate just how essential that second analogue slider is."

    Hmm, in my few play throughs of the RE:R demo without a CPP, I found the setup I used exceptionally functional, so much so that I will not be buying the CPP.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #3 4 weeks ago

    Sounds pretty much like what I expected. Even the most idiotic attachments feel just right when they come from Nintendo. It's just really, really sad that we already have to shell out for new hardware a few months after launch when we have just gotten used to getting a new revision of the same thing every year anyway.

  • Cid #4 4 weeks ago

    It's hardly ideal having attachments for a handheld (especially ones as bulky as this), but I'll definitely get one if Monster Hunter's released here. My 3DS doesn't leave the house anyway, so it's a minor inconvenience.

  • TonyHarrison #5 4 weeks ago

    I got it with the Revelations bundle. Obviously I'd already played the demo without the extra slide pad, so was intrigued to see just how much the second pad actually offers.

    After five minutes, I'd taken it off my 3DS and chucked it in a drawer, because the game plays perfectly well without it. Given that none of the games that support it actually require it, I don't think it will ever be coming out of that drawer, unless it's to throw it away.

  • kingmancheng #6 4 weeks ago

    I played the Revelations demo back at Eurogamer last year and recently with the free demo download. I can't imagine why I need a device added on, it plays just fine, I just need to work on my shoddy aim!

  • richarddavies #7 4 weeks ago

    I think i'll wait for the inevitable updated 3DS which has both sticks anyway.

  • Benno #8 4 weeks ago

    What in gods name is that?

  • Grump #9 4 weeks ago

    Just un-boxed mine and attached it to the 3DS.

    It's even uglier in real life than it is in the pictures!

    My 3DS is always in my bag when I'm out but the CPP is definitely staying at home.

  • abigsmurf #10 4 weeks ago

    Got mine and it's fairly neat, adding to its bulk actually makes the 3DS slightly more comfy (the 3DS gives me slight cramp after a while with my huge hands).

    Some flaws I noticed: Blocks the cart slot and the stylus holder (why did they not add a holder into the add on? It would've literally cost them nothing)

    Makes the console lop sided which although it doesn't make it uncomfy to hold, does add a weird feel to it.

    Can't use the face buttons as well as you can on most dual analogue controllers, you simply have to reach other too far. You usually have to lift your thumb of the right stick on most controllers to get to the buttons but with this, you have to really reach over.

    The battery cover is screwed in. Utterly bizarre given there's zero chance of it being accidentally opened as it's covered by the console.

  • kirinnokoshin #11 4 weeks ago

    @jonno394

    Agreed. I didn't feel like I was missing anything from the demo, and from the early reactions on forums it seems RE is perfectly playable without it. Proof in the pudding when I get hands on with the full game this evening...

  • Shakey_Jake33 #12 4 weeks ago

    @jonno394 - I agree. I don't think I ever used the right analogue stick in any Resident Evil game, and indeed the most useful thing that the Circle Pad Pro adds to the game is spacing out the buttons a bit more.

    There's no doubt that the Circle Pad Pro will soon be essential, but Resident Evil certainly doesn't need it.

  • infernox1 #13 4 weeks ago

    @Der_tolle_Emil few months? its nearly been a year now.

  • pnoodles #14 4 weeks ago

    Maybe I'm weird, but I like it. For the hardcore games that it will be used for it means I get a comfier grip and better control. I can then whip it off and still have a relatively small console for playing the more casual stuff when I'm out and about.

    A 3DS hardware revision that incorporates a second stick will almost certainly have to be bigger to be comfortable to hold and to fit the extra hardware and circuitry.

    I agree it's ugly though, and I've had to remove my Nyko battery as it doesn't fit. Hope Nyko release a Circle Pad Pro with a battery incorporated.

  • Koozer #15 4 weeks ago

    How soon was it after the 3DS went into production that someone noticed they'd forgotten two buttons and a stick? It's really a mindbogglingly odd addon. It'll inevitably be included in the first 3DS revision.

    I'm sure it IS useful though, and I'll probably end up getting one, but it's just...hideous. Kind of the opposite of Apple's philosophy!

  • Kami #16 4 weeks ago

    Yup, U-G-L-Y, it ain't got no alibi, it's UGLY!

    And a necessary stop-gap, but as said, the 3DS as it stands has been a bit of a ball-drop moment for Nintendo - unrealistic expectations and now questions asked about whether the interface needs a total rework.

    Still nice. But jeez, aesthetically this isn't much of a step up from dropping your 3DS in a pile of compost. Just sadly, technically, it's kind of essential...

  • Pikmins #17 4 weeks ago

    But how can Nintendo put another analogue stick in the next 3ds update?
    There are things like Brightness, weight, design or even the 3D, but one extra analogue stick would bring a bid disadvantage for those who already bought the console. Comfortability should not be an option, but a guarantee.
    Edited by 1 at 27/01/12 @ 16:36

  • roz123 #18 4 weeks ago

    Who needs it for RE revelations when the game has in built gyro controls for shooting!!! Only joking, I got mine this morning and its alright haven't had time to play with it yet though. I thought the demo was fine without it but it was free so can't complain.

    Just a note the pad also works with Ace Combat which is already out.
    Kid Icarus only makes it easier for left handed people to use the stylus (which will be difficult to access) so its no use on that game for right handed people.
    Edited by 2 at 27/01/12 @ 16:40

  • Kami #19 4 weeks ago

    @Pikmins; Well, arguably the best way they can do that is by marginally increasing the size of any new 3DS design. Not by much, but it will help... and may make it, as a basic unit, more comfortable with those of us with clownish comedy-sized hands...

  • DSR3 #20 4 weeks ago

    "It's only available in one colour too, meaning that it'll look even worse than it does here if you don't own a black 3DS."

    You have got to be kidding me. o_o

  • CallousB #21 4 weeks ago

    I wouldn't have paid for it by itself..

    ...but since it's free with Resident Evil Revelations at Zavvi..you'd be a bit of a fool to pass up a free one if you were buying the game anyway.
    Edited by 1 at 27/01/12 @ 16:44

  • jonno394 #22 4 weeks ago

    I'm glad there is a proposed demo of MGS: Snake Eater 3D coming out. It will give us the same opportunity as with RE:R to see if we really need to use a CPP with it or if the controls are fully functional without (as with RE:R).

    I'm trying to think what the second analogue stick did in the PS2 version of MGS3, anyone remember?
    Edited by 1 at 27/01/12 @ 16:45

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #23 4 weeks ago

    What an excellent review, praising the device itself but resoundingly critical of Nintendo for dropping the design ball on the 3DS so evidently.

  • StooMonster #24 4 weeks ago

    So disappointed that they didn't include this on the 3DS.

    StooMonster Jnr will have to trade in 3DS for whatever follows it with this second analogue stick built in.

  • DrStrangelove #25 4 weeks ago

    There's no easy way of putting this; the 3DS Circle Pad Pro is hideous.
    That was easy, wasn't it?

  • INSOMANiAC #26 4 weeks ago

    Played revelations with it for a while, took it off. Its ok and it makes the trigger a lot better but didnt like looking aorund with the right stick, its just not resi, I would say the game is better without it. I would gladly leave it on while play GBA games etc as it has give the left side more girth so you can press the D-pad better. HOWEVER, seeings how the L trigger is unusable with it on. Why they couldn't put a L trigger on it as well a the R one is a joke.

    Still, it was free

  • mossychops001 #27 4 weeks ago

    That good then.

  • Torkin #28 4 weeks ago

    @jonno394

    It was for camera control as in most games, but only in MGS3 Subsistence. I don't remember if it was used in the original version, but that version was unplayable for me anyway due to the fixed camera with no radar.
    Edited by 1 at 27/01/12 @ 17:10

  • NotSoSlim #29 4 weeks ago

    Seriously wonder if Ninty listened to all complaints levelled at PSP?

    Dual sticks are essential to give more control options. Sony may have messed up witj Vita memory card pricing and other things but seriously dual sticks was common sense.

  • iago71 #30 4 weeks ago

    My question is when is the updated 3DS coming and are the early adopters of the current one going to get another 20 free GBA games?

    Im happy with my 3DS but this is a bit of a blow. It would seem that there will be a new design at some point but when? Nintendo must be in PR meeting hell at the moment. Imagine all the second hand original DS consoles on ebay that will be barely used?

  • photoboy #31 4 weeks ago

    Personally, I'm going to wait for the 3DS Lite (or whatever Nintendo decide to call it) rather than put up with that monstrosity clamped to my 3DS. I didn't find the demo of RE Revelations unplayable so I think I can live without it... (I hope)!

  • deded #32 4 weeks ago

    Nintendo double 3DS sales when the built-in second analog stick 3DS 1.1 version arrives and owners ditch their old patched ones. Sound likely?

  • NotSoSlim #33 4 weeks ago

    <quote>deded wrote:
    Nintendo double 3DS sales when the built-in second analog stick 3DS 1.1 version arrives and owners ditch their old patched ones. Sound likely?</quote>

    Yea it does. Especially if first party games start using it

  • hideous1978 #34 4 weeks ago

    completely unnecessary for resident evil revelations, i have beaten the game on normal and hell mode and am knee deep in co-op raid, all with zero problems on the normal 3ds controls.

    In saying that, i don't get all the fuss about how it looks, fair dues if it is a piece of shit and not functional, but if it does a good job for games like MGS or Icarus then who cares what it looks like? It's not gonna add or detract to the chances of you getting laid is it? it's for playing games with.

    final thing, 1up.com printed a fucking laughable review of resident evil today, basically saying that the circle pad pro is a neccessity for playing it properly. Bullshit. Stop trying to hawk us shit we don't need and marking down quality games because you are shite at playing them. sorry, got really angry reading that 'journalism'.

  • DrStrangelove #35 4 weeks ago

    Looking forward to getting an original 3DS for 15 quid when the new one comes out :D

  • MoGamer2006 #36 4 weeks ago

    I had no problems with the Resi demo without CPP.

  • hideous1978 #37 4 weeks ago

    also, 'function over form'? What? you mean like a penis?

  • Golgo #38 4 weeks ago

    That is an insightful and brutally honest verdict Mr. McFerran! Superb read!
    Edited by 1 at 27/01/12 @ 17:25

  • emailtj #39 4 weeks ago

    I'm buying it just to keep my hands from hurting while I play the 3DS. Any games I get that use it down the road will just be a bonus.

    Too bad buying this means I might as well throw my PowerPak+ (and the extra battery life it brings) in the trash.

  • Xfirus #40 4 weeks ago

    "The battery compartment is secured with a tight metal lock which can only be opened using a coin or knife."

    Or you know, a screwdriver...

  • FluffyTucker #41 4 weeks ago

    When's the 3DS SP release date then?

  • Dismiss #42 4 weeks ago

    Should be free. At least for us poor fellows who can't resist shiny new toys on day 1.

  • TravisTouchdown #43 4 weeks ago

    "Attempts to augment the functionality of portable consoles have proven largely unsuccessful in the past (remember the D-pad cross attachment that came with the Neo Geo Pocket Color port of Pac-Man? Didn't think so)."

    A poor example that smacks of wanting to appear coolly knowledgable. That little ring served its purpose splendidly - which was to limit the travel of the NGPC's wonderful stick to the four directions appropriate to Pac-Man. I still have mine; can I join your club?

    A much better example would have been any one of the appalling clip-on screen magnifiers / speakers for the GB, GBA, Game Gear etc.

    I don't know why I was so annoyed by that. Sorry.

  • INSOMANiAC #44 4 weeks ago

    @emailtj as I say, you pretty much cant access the L trigger when its on so I wouldnt bother

  • Killerbee #45 4 weeks ago

    Got my Resi bundle earlier and I've been playing it with the add on, having tried the demo without.

    Yes, it's undeniably ugly, especially against my Aqua Blue 3DS, and there are all those accessibility problems, but... Resi is definitely better to play with the pad. The standard controls are fine, but it just feels much more natural to play the game with a twin stick setup and aim/shoot with the triggers rather the face buttons.

    It's also perfectly comfortable to hold. I think Nintendo's designers have done the best job they possibly could and short of a full 3DS redesign, I'd say this is a must for any 3DS owner.

  • Bilstar #46 4 weeks ago

    This, coupled with a lack of games and remembering that i never play handhelds, was the reason i sold my 3DS. Felt Nintendo really messed the 3DS up.

  • UKwoods #47 4 weeks ago

    This is the sole reason I have not already gone out and bought a 3DS. It's not like Nintendo to screw up like this, but when they do they seem to do it spectacularly. I'll almost defiantly get a revised console when it comes out. Something tells me that Nintendo are working on it feverishly as we speak.

  • Sparx #48 4 weeks ago

    Sorry i have to STRONGLY disagree, This is not needed at all for Resident Evil Revelations the game plays and controls fine with out it.

    It might work better for the other games when out but if people are thinking this is needed to enjoy the re game its not so dont worry

  • retr0gamer #49 4 weeks ago

    I quite like my virtual boy :/

  • benfresh76 #50 4 weeks ago

    @simsini

    Jesus.

  • evild_edd #51 4 weeks ago

    @gotyourmoney "How does the Circle Pad Pro compare to the Circle Pad Amateur?"

    If my online experiences are anything to go by the Circle Pad Pro would likely turn to its Amateur counterpart, call it a fag, headshot it, and then round off the lesson by vigorously teabagging its corpse...

  • Pinky_Floyd #52 4 weeks ago

    Ahahahahahahahahah!  Omg really? Hahahhaahahhahahah that is pure brilliance! Are there any branches left on the ugly tree or did this smash every single one on its way down?

  • Rob #53 4 weeks ago

    "for now, it's near-indispensable for any 3DS owner who wants to get the most out of what we suspect will be an ever-increasing range of must-have titles."

    What absolutel bol*ocks. Sorry, but that just reads like an anti-Nintendo whine from start to finish. It's an add-on that's not required by even one single title. To label it 'near-indespensable' is preposterous nonsense.

  • CheesecakeBobby #54 4 weeks ago

    I'll probably be living in Japan by the time the 3DS 2.0 launches, and the appeal of one of those Japan-only colours/ limited editions that always pop up, plus the ability to play Japanese games (which of course should have been included) might tempt me. I don't think I would want to bring a circle pad pro everywhere I go even if I got one for free.

  • Mister-Wario #55 4 weeks ago

    @TravisTouchdown I actually have a clip-on light/magnifier thing for my Gameboy and it's an alright solution.

  • Ryze #56 4 weeks ago

    8/10

    For comedy value.

  • Astro-Creature #57 4 weeks ago

    People always moan that it makes it less portable. But everyone I know who owns a handheld, always plays them at home lol

  • ExcellentBenji #58 4 weeks ago

    Definitely going to wait for a hardware revision that includes the stick before I buy a 3DS... a shame, because some of the games look great.

  • suzakuseven #59 4 weeks ago

    I've been messing around with one I picked up today and I must say I prefer the fact it bulks up the machine. It actually makes it much more comfortable to hold.

  • Rimau #60 4 weeks ago

    I had a light/magnification clip-on for my original GB too. As a kid, I found it to be useful for playing my GB at night. But man it was atrociously ugly and made my GB even heavier.

    As for the circle pad, well, I just hope they're going to bring out a redesigned 3DS one day.

  • Gojiratron #61 4 weeks ago

    I'll be getting one as the 3DS is uncomfortable as fuck for me to hold for prolonged periods, due to my long, bony fingers. I couldn't give a toss if it's ugly - if it prevents me from getting Beadle claws it's worth it.

  • Marshall2008 #62 4 weeks ago

    Expect a revised 3DS in the very near future, with annual sales forecast at only 14 million and a half a billion dollar loss Nintendo need to shake things up. 14 million may seem like a lot but when you compare it to 15 million iPads sold in the last quarter (at over twice the price of the 3DS) nintendo are really struggling to gain traction. And this is without wide availability of the Vita which could easily eclipse the 3DS sales in Europe and the USA.

  • supanova #63 4 weeks ago

    Looking forward to my full refund from Nintendo for releasing an unfinished product. Top tip, wait for wi u v2.0

  • FenderMaster #64 4 weeks ago

    Not touching this with a 10 foot pole. If they announce a new 3DS with dual analog, then I'll just trade in mine for the new model, but that would be quite a drastic revision to make, especially if it also adds 2 more shoulder buttons (a necessity in dual analog games where the thumbs are engaged with the analogs). What a mess though... Splitting the userbase is never a good thing.

    Some other articles have suggested that the rresistance on the CPP slider is different to that of the one on the 3DS which also adds to the awkwardness.

    I'm not too fussed though, I played Resi 4 just fine without dual analog controls, Kid Icarus doesn't look good, and i already have MGS3 on PS2. Kingdom Hearts played just fine on PSP without a second analog, so that should be okay too.

  • cloudskipa #65 4 weeks ago

    I think the reviewer is being a bit optimistic around the support for the gadget. Kid Icarus is only supporting it for left handed players. I don't think it will be indispensable at all. I've been playing Resi Evil Revelations just perfect without it (as was Mercs 3D), no Resi Evil game has made good use a second analogue stick so there's no sudden need to use one now either.

  • Rack #66 4 weeks ago

    @Koozer Well its intentional isn't it? I mean selling hardware revisions to portables is part of Nintendos business plan so they pretty much have to make the first revision unusably awful so they can double dip early adopters.

  • darkmorgado #67 4 weeks ago

    "When that inevitable day comes, many Nintendo followers will look upon the Circle Pad Pro as a totally avoidable misstep, a retro-fit that ranks as the most embarrassing episode in firm's history since the ill-fated Virtual Boy"

    Bit dramatic, no?

  • darkmorgado #68 4 weeks ago

    @simsini

    "If only there was a portable gaming device that had two analogue sticks built in from the start... "

    And if only it didn't cost as much as a home console and didn't require a propietary memory format, or have games that cost more than home console releases.

  • darkmorgado #69 4 weeks ago

    @TonyHarrison

    "Given that none of the games that support it actually require it"

    Monster Hunter says hi.

  • doctorgonzo #70 4 weeks ago

    I had the cross-pad attachment for the NGP!

  • tomjoadsghost #71 4 weeks ago

    It *is* super comfy if you are blessed with large hands, Havent played RE without it but its a blast so far with it.

  • Jorendo #72 4 weeks ago

    I still think Nintendo should give this thing for free to 3Ds owners. They already screwd the fans by dropping the price quickly and gave in return a few games that can't justify the price drop. Especially not cause guess what, i already owned most of the GBA games so what is my win in this hm? And then when people go like "well okay, they admitted they where wrong can't get...wait you say Nintendo announced something new?" and bam Nintendo says "Heeeeeey fans, guess what, we screw you guys again, OMG YOU PEOPLE ARE SO FUNNY TO BE SO STUPID TO BUY OUR PRODUCTS FROM THE START HAHAHA YOU PEOPLE SUCK BWHAHAHA GIVE MONEY PLEASE".

    If Nintendo where really sorry about screwing up the launch they would give this for free. This device also makes the 3ds no longer handy to travel around with so we are Fucked anyway when you want to play it on the road. I can only see the south park episode now where the Japanese tried to take over America and every time a adult found out they gone like "Oooh but you have such a huge penis, we have such small penis you are so great" and then the adult would forget all about. This is happening now in RL, though not trying to invade America but screwing their fans and then trow in a decoy just to screw them again.

  • darkmorgado #73 4 weeks ago

    @Jorendo

    "
    If Nintendo where really sorry about screwing up the launch they would give this for free."

    They already gave away 20 games for free. What more do you expect? Be thankful they gave anything at all, they certainly weren't obliged to.

    Christ, kids these days...

  • MattEdWithCheese #74 4 weeks ago

    Err no... Resi 4 barely used the right stick, you won't NEED it in this...

  • Jorendo #75 4 weeks ago

    @darkmorgado Saying kids these days. I just said i already owned most of the GBA games so i didn't even get 20 free games. They could atleast let us choose from a wide range of games. And we shouldn't complain cause we got 20 games while they couldn't have given us anything? The fact remains they screwed the day one fans, no mather how you turn it. 20 "free" games won't make it up. For many older games it are games they already owned anyway.

    Or better, had us choose between a refund of the price difference or pick those 20 games. They don't have too true, but it doesn't make them the good guys for giving 20 games that aren't worth the price difference and for older gamers are games they already own.
    Edited by 1 at 27/01/12 @ 22:37

  • darkmorgado #76 4 weeks ago

    @Jorendo

    But you did get 20 free games. Unless you have a mutant 3DS that has somehow spouted a GBA cart slot, you got 20 games for free.

    Bitch all you want that you paid extra at launch, but as with any other piece of tech, that's the price you pay for being an early adopter.

    I queued at midnight for my 3DS and I paid full whack. Was I a bit gutted that they announced a steep price drop six months later? Yes.

    Was I angry about it? No, because they threw in 20 great games that you can't get through official means anymore (and in the case of the GBA games, STILL can't be obtained by other 3ds owners), and it was own fault for buying a bit of tech on the very first day in the first place.
    Edited by 1 at 27/01/12 @ 22:48

  • Pwnsweet #77 4 weeks ago

    I stood dumbfounded when the 3DS was first shown to only have one circle pad. I simply couldn't believe that they hadn't learnt from the mistake the PSP made.

  • darkmorgado #78 4 weeks ago

    @Pwnsweet

    Hasn't stopped it from selling more than the DS over the same amount of time though (a system which - gasp - didn't even have one analgue stick!). And it hasn't harmed the games so far.

    Second analogue sticks are primarily used for moving the camera about, or in FPS games. Outside of that one genre, a decent in-game camera will negate the need for a second stick.
    Edited by 1 at 27/01/12 @ 22:51

  • lucky_jim #79 4 weeks ago

    @darkmorgado
    I remember when Microsoft dropped the price of the original Xbox not long after launch, I got two top-quality full price retail games and a monstrously huge, but free, controller. That felt like much more like an actual consolation than Nintendo's bunch of roms.

  • Doctor_What #80 4 weeks ago

    Standard functionality in 3DS-2?

  • RPTGB #81 4 weeks ago

    Maybe I don't play enough console FPS or maybe I'm just too much of a luddite but I really don't get this insistence that only having one analogue stick is somehow wrong and evidence that Nintendo, with all their designers, hardware engineers and decades of game and hardware creation, clearly don't have a clue what they are doing.

    Nonsense. Outside of FPS games, how would a second analogue stick benefit a game any more than the lower touch screen? I have been playing the RE demo and never felt that the controls were nobbled because of a lack of a second stick.

    Games one Dreamcast never suffered for lack of a second stick

    Its up to the designer to create the games that play on the strengths or work around the deficiencies of the target machine. Let's face it, most of the time the secondary stick is only used a "look around" or aiming stick, nothing that can't be done with the 3DS in its current version using the touch screen.

  • Ashcroft #82 4 weeks ago

    If they don't release a 3DS with the 2nd circle pad as standard, I will not buy one. I'm not lugging that thing around.

  • FuzzyDuck #83 4 weeks ago

    I was also whining about the CCP when it was first revealed - no way was i buying a 3DS before the inevitable revision.

    But i did, and the games i've bought for it so far (MK7, SM3DL, OoT, Pullblox and Zen Pinball) have given me hours of joyful gaming.

    If you want one, just buy it; it's a bloody nice console.

  • Okamiwolf #84 4 weeks ago

    Ugliness over good design. And people negged me yesterday for calling the 3DS a gimmicky children's toy.
    Edited by 1 at 28/01/12 @ 00:35

  • darkmorgado #85 4 weeks ago

    For what it's worth:

    Circle Pad Pro

    The negatives:

    1) My god, it feels cheap. And tacky. This is what you would get if you licensed your peripherals to fisher price. Cheap looking, cheap feeling, chunky and extremely ugly.

    2) Hang on, I need to use a f***ing screwdriver to remove panel and install a battery? Are we sure I haven't just bought a transformer or a Furby?

    3) I'm sure that the Sega Game Gear I owned twenty years ago wasn't this big.

    4) Assymetry. BAD. DESIGN.

    5) I can't switch games without taking out the 3DS from the cradle? This all feels a bit krypton-factor.

    The positives:

    1) It's cheap

    2) It works bloody well, actually. The stick is responsive, and while you may expect a degree of lag due to the IR signal transmission, none is apparent.

    3) The larger form factor is actually more friendly to western hand size

    4) Two more shoulder buttons!

    Is it worth it?

    If you already have a 3DS, and have no intent of upgrading to the inevitable dual-stick revision in a year's time, then yes. For now, RE Revelations might be the only game on our shores that uses it, but many more are to come, and it is cheap enough and unobtrusive enough that it adds more to a control experience than it detracts in its form factor.

    If you don't already own a 3DS? You might be better off waiting another 6 months to see if Ninty reveal a new form factor at E3 before purchasing the machine. There's some amazing games already that have absolutely no requirement of a second stick (Super Mario 3D Land and Ocarina 3D are arguably worth the price of the machine alone), but you can't escape the fact that a second analogue stick built into a unit will ultimately feel more natural, and a lot less cumbersome, than a plasticky addon, whether the upcoming games make use, or need it, or not.

  • Pipemould #86 4 weeks ago

    @Killerbee "The standard controls are fine, but it just feels much more natural to play the game with a twin stick setup and aim/shoot with the triggers rather the face buttons."

    You know that config C in RE:R is for camera controls on the face buttons and firing on the trigger right? Using A, B, X, Y to move the camera is suffice.

  • roz123 #87 4 weeks ago

    @Marshall2008 The 3ds has sold 15 million worldwide so far. Compare it to any other console or handheld and You will see that it's doing great in it's first year. Gamecube and the original xbox sold 20mill each over the whole generation for example. Yes that's nothing on iPad but that's like comparing console sales to PC sales, they can be used for games but a high percentage of owners use them primarily for other activities or work.

  • myms1ps3 #88 4 weeks ago

    Aesthetically, it's an absolute abortion of a device.

    And now i find out there's going to be ANOTHER 3DS!!!! A VARIATION!!! I JUST FUCKING BOUGHT ONE!!

    WTF NINTENDO!!!

  • up_the_ante #89 4 weeks ago

    Welcome to 1993....again

  • OJSlaughter #90 4 weeks ago

    @TonyHarrison I feel Metal Gear Solid would be good with it on, although that game was originally made with two analogue sticks in mind.

  • SimonM7 #91 4 weeks ago

    "a retro-fit that ranks as the most embarrassing episode in firm's history" you say and cite a relic like the Virtual Boy? Nintendo launched the Game Boy Advance *without a backlight*! Looking back on it now I dunno why we didn't all collectively pull our pants down to fart at them! I genuinely feel sorry for past-me, awkwardly angling my GBA to make out what I was whipping in Circle of The Moon. The fact that they made us go "oooh!" over basic functionality with the SP was some sort of mass hypnotism.

    If anything, looking back at the 3DS' lack of a second control stick/slidy pad/whatever will evoke that kind of emotion; personal, deep shame for not going totally ballistic earlier.

  • Daikon #92 4 weeks ago

    Indeed. As a day-1 DS phat buyer I decided to learn from my experience back then and wait a bit for the first inevitable new model. I'm glad I did.

  • Capa26 #93 4 weeks ago

    How about I get one of these for free as an 'ambassador'? Free games are great (especially considering the quality of the titles), but I'm more concerned at having shelled out a significant amount of money for what will essentially be an outdated console design by its next iteration.

  • beatwolf #94 4 weeks ago

    lol whats up with the author of this article looking like some gay pop singer.
    And yeah, just go ahead and neg. Who gives a fuck anyway.

  • trugs26 #95 4 weeks ago

    Call me a fool then. I doubt they'll release a version with second analog built in any time in the near future.

    Good review anyway. Even if I don't get games that support the device, I still might get it - My hands get cramped, as they are quite large. Getting this device will solve this problem.

  • eviroboy #96 4 weeks ago

    Wow, another Eurogamer comments section full of hate, what a surprise.

    Personally I like the add-on, it adds to the experience, important to also note that even with the 3DS in, it's still smaller than a Vita so if you can put that in your pocket, this'll fit just fine too.

    No matter what Nintendo do, the majority on this site will still just bitch and moan. Sad. Fanboyism at it's finest.

  • Zerobob #97 4 weeks ago

    Yes, two analogue sticks make it easier to control 3D games. This has been conclusively demonstrated on consoles for well over a decade...

    ...so why hasn't the 3DS got two analogue sticks built in and why are Nintendo customers having to buy an extra one to control games properly?

    Is it because as usual Nintendo, you are trying to extort as much money from your user base as possible, just like you did with the R.O.B The Robot on the NES, the short-lived and barely supported Super Scope on the SNES, the over-priced games packaged in cardboard and the extra RAM upgrade required on the N64, or just like the pointless attachments to the Wiimote, not to mention Motion Plus?

  • riz23 #98 4 weeks ago

    Many comments here seem to contradict the necessity of this device that the reviewer seems to think is a given.
    However there is no doubt that it is an ugly embarrassment of a peripheral. I really don't want to use one.

  • ZippyNL #99 4 weeks ago

    At least I finally know what the infrared port is for. Was I the only one wondering?

  • Obli #100 4 weeks ago

    Amateur after-thought. I'd rather wait for a new 3DS. In the words of AVGN, "What were they thinking?!". Still, not as bad as this...

  • penhalion #101 4 weeks ago

    Wait a second. There's an infra red port on the 3DS?

  • darrenb #102 4 weeks ago

    I cant see the point of Nintendo ever releasing a 3DS with the second stick. The type of games that have always helped sell Nintendo handhelds have always relied on simple controls. I dont think I have ever bought a game on the DS/3DS where i feel that the controls have suffered.

    To add a second stick would be a little luxury that few games would benefit from, would make the machine more bulky and would make it another "me too" console for developers to just throw straight ports at.

    I like the fact that there aren't too many "toned down" ps3/xbox ports on the 3DS.. as soon as a second analogue stick is available I am sure that would change.

    And thse saying you wont touch a 3DS until a possible new revision but accept there are already some good games on it.. JUST BUY ONE, t is only Ł130!!!

  • KopparbergDave #103 3 weeks ago

    It's things like this that make me despair at Nintendo just a little. It's hard to describe just how horrific this add-on really is, and why Nintendo never just thought to add an analogue stick onto the console in the first place. To me it just highlights how much Nintendo just plunge into something and seemingly think very little about it. Maybe a bit of arrogance after the success with the Wii? Everything they do just feels pretty cheap to me, and with a bit (a lot) more effort Nintendo could be producing really high quality hardware combined with their great software... sadly they're not doing that and I think if the PSV can make the most of it's advanced features it can really show Nintendo up.

  • KopparbergDave #104 3 weeks ago

    @eviroboy I think what you're failing to take into account is how shoddy this looks to everyone else but people like yourself. If Nintendo had done their R&D right, thought about it for a minute, then this peripheral would never have needed to exist, and it's a joke, a real joke that this peripheral does have to exist. If you cannot at least acknowledge that fact then mentioning fanboyism is a bit ironic. This is coming out barely months after release, so clearly it was something they'd thought about at some point near or before releasing the console itself. Why alarm bells were't ringing to them and why they actually chose to go ahead and make this peripheral is beyond me. Nintendo just don't seem to be on the ball at all.
    Edited by 1 at 29/01/12 @ 17:04

  • georgelolas #105 3 weeks ago

    Nintendo should never release this stupid attachment for 3DS... I am pretty sure that they will release a revised edition of the handheld, or else the gamers are doomed. Developers will release games that will be played correctly only with the addon (I hope not).

    Btw, anyone remember this?

    h ttp://api.photoshop.com/home_c830f1c2aa2242b5aeb2fbe4f653a35 2/adobe-px-assets/5cf66b6b355a4d52997df1682d2c39f1

  • RandPC #106 3 weeks ago

    If the Circle Pad is as important as you imply to enjoy Resident Evil then it probably should have been mentioned in the review of the game itself.

  • mikeleddy83 #107 3 weeks ago

    Been playing with it all weekend, no problems at all. Can't see me taking it out and about with the CPP attached but then again... would I really want to be playing revelations without being hooked up to a decent sound system or (best used at home where you don't look like a knob, much) quality headphones?
    Edited by 1 at 30/01/12 @ 01:44

  • getittoomebaby #108 3 weeks ago

    Its a touchy subject I think Nintendo generally has issues (or call them compromises) with their controllers since the SNES.

    N64 the infamous Analogue stick (and Z trigger) that wore your thumb out if you played longer than a couple of hours.

    GC controller looked spiffy but again it was a compromise. Try playing 2D fighters with it. Spongy responsiveness.

    Wii well you could argue that the Controller and Nunchuk et al was great but than the precision was not fantastic which required motion plus add on. I had to buy 2 of these cuties.

    DS lite was a good set up I admit but than the DS fat (which I have one) was clunky and before it got slimmed.

    You could argue the same for others vendors Sony introduced dual analogue after the Dreamcast but more specifically after Nintendo 64. But Nintendo grand stand about their controls which is different to MS and Sony (yes they go on about Kinect, Vita and Move now but its catch up to Nintendo grand standing). Look at the upcoming Wii U (or whatever) tablet NIntendo focused so heavily on that at E3. Bet there will be a fundamental flaw with it but we won't know that until more people play around with it. I do have a 3DS I'll be pissed if 3DS version 2 has a second analogue stick.

    Mayhap I should be a laggard in terms of gaming since buying very early in the product life cycle seems to be the main problem.
    Edited by 1 at 30/01/12 @ 08:20

  • chiptoon #109 3 weeks ago

    I'm not so interested in a revision of the 3DS, but rather of the circle pad pro. I like that the second circle pad is detachable. that's brilliant, because if you want a pocketsize system its there.

    But to cover the game slot and stylus is terrible.

    What I most want, as many have said before, is a battery pack in there. Then it becomes a must have peripheral for me. As it stands I feel like in a month or two Nintendo or a 3rd party will make one with a battery and I'll have to buy it all over again.

  • TonyHarrison #110 3 weeks ago

    @darkmorgado Monster Hunter doesn't say hi I'm afraid, as it's still only an optional control method there.

    There are simply no games that cannot be played without this add-on, and given what Nintendo's first party titles are like (I can't see the 2D Mario game they just announced needing it, for example), any list of games that has it as a requirement rather than an option is likely to be a short one.

  • wizbob #111 3 weeks ago

    @getittoomebaby You could argue that. Or you could argue that each controller was revolutionary and changed the kind of games you could play.

    I'm going to get the CPP because I'm left-handed and I also couldn't believe it when Nintendo announced a one-stick system. Say what you like about Apple, but they've often gone out of their way to support lefthanded people.

  • kingotnw #112 3 weeks ago

    I am annoyed by the existence of this add on. It was beyond stupid to leave a second circle pad off to begin with, and I have always thought that it was a bit difficult to access the triggers on the current 3DS to begin with... My wife owns one.

    Now I have wanted to buy a second 3DS so we could play games together, but this is just ridiculous. Why bother with this add on instead of just putting out the damn redesign so I can buy one? I'm sorry, but I am NOT going to be buying a 3DS until it is complete, and seeing as though I am in the USA and the Vita comes out soon, I may just end up going with that because that is complete out of the box.

    Honestly... I have wanted a 3DS for a while. My wife loves hers to death and plays it all of the time. But I refuse to buy one now based on this device. In what... 3-4 months Nintendo is going to announce a device with a brighter screen, all the controls, and better battery life all for the same price or maybe a little more. I'll wait for that, if the Vita doesn't win me over first.

  • Acteon #113 3 weeks ago

    Since the 3DS unit is almost worthless as a trade-in thanks to Nintendo slashing the price and the fact that a redesign is almost certainly imminent anyway, I'll be ditching it as soon as Vita lands. Sure, Mario Kart was ok but it's the only noteworthy game I've played on the device since launch.

    I can't wait to see what Nintendo forget to add to the Wii U. Power button perhaps?

  • Hamhock #114 3 weeks ago

    It's pretty-much free at the moment with RESI REV. No doubt that will continue with KI and MGS.
    What's not to like?