Is the 3DS Good in 2018?

The Nintendo 3DS is over seven years old, and while many are wishing the system a well deserved retirement, Nintendo isn't so keen on the idea. The 3DS is still getting some attention from Nintendo, but even the hardest of hardcore 3DS fans must admit that it's getting a lot less love than it used to. Which begs the question, is the 3DS still good?

Model:

The 3DS that launched seven years ago is old. It's usable, but it won't win any awards. The New 3DS is capable of playing all of the same games, but has better 3D (2DS not applicable) and can load some games faster. While many of the points I make will apply to both models, I only use a New 3DS XL, but here's a basic rundown of literally every 3DS model.

3DS: Small, cheap second hand, design creates cramps and digs into hands.

3DS XL: Big, hard to find, rounded design is nicer.

2DS: Small, incredibly cheap, doesn't play anything in 3D, questionable design.

New 3DS: Small, hard to find, plays New 3DS exclusive games, plays SNES Virtual Console, has C-Stick, stable 3D.

New 3DS XL: Big, plays New 3DS exclusive games, plays SNES Virtual Console, has C-Stick, stable 3D.

New 2DS XL: Big, plays New 3DS exclusive games, plays SNES Virtual Console, has C-Stick, no 3D.

And in 2018 those are the models. Overall the choice for the best comes down to preference, but I would recommend one of the "New" models for maximum compatibility.

One downer is the screen on every single 3DS model, which is only 240p. On a smaller 3DS this isn't a huge deal, but any of the big 3DS models stretch those few pixels quite far, resulting in blurry graphics with some games.

I also want to mention the C-Stick of the New 3DS models, which is less of a stick and more of a pencil eraser you press down on. It's very hard to explain, and I'd love to tell you that it's great once you get used to it, but I find the opposite is true. The C-Stick is so hard to use that I almost avoid games that heavily benefit from using it. It's also not that uncommon for it to stop working right, speaking from my own experience.

Games:

No game system is going to be good if the games on the system aren't, so how is the 3DS' game library? I'd challenge you to find a portable system with a better library, even if you include the Switch.

The 3DS has games like Animal Crossing New Leaf, Mario Kart 7, Xenoblade Chronicles 3D (New only), Ocarina of Time 3D, and Majora's Mask 3D. That's also ignoring the insane amount of Virtual Console games, including rare games like Shantae. And the 3DS is an unparalleled Pokemon machine, with the ability to play all but the 3rd generation of Pokemon games thanks to backward compatibility with the DS.

Extra Apps:

In the age of the Smartphone, it can be hard to use a portable device that can't do things like Twitter. Unfortunately the 3DS is a gaming system, and anything else is going to be dependent on a Smartphone in the other pocket.

The 3DS has an app for Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, and music, but the music app is the only one that works really well, and you're limited to MP3 and AAC files you stick on the SD card. Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube all have severe limitations and slowness issues, and the 3DS will only run those apps connected to Wifi, and it lack Bluetooth, so I hope you still use wired headphones for music.

If you have a New 3DS, there is one ray of sunshine. The web browser is capable of watching YouTube videos, and you can use the 3D effect as well. It works a lot better than the YouTube app does.

Noteworthy Hardware:

The 3DS features two outward cameras and what would nowadays be called a selfie camera, but don't be fooled by two cameras on the rear, because it's only for the 3D effect. The pictures you take with either camera is laughably low quality. And I'd love to say the 3D effect in these pictures is nice, but, no. The 3D effect is a gimmick in pictures even more than it is in games.

And it's time to talk about the reason the 3DS is even called that. The 3DS allows you to play some games with a 3D effect like you see in 3D movies.  As someone who is typically pretty favorable to 3D movies, I can't get along with the 3D effect on the 3DS. It tends to distract from what I should be reacting to. And no, you can't watch 3D movies on the 3DS. That being said, I wear glasses and the 3D effect has always worked fine for me. Your mileage may vary.

Charging the 3DS is done with a special cable that connects directly to the wall. No micro USB or Type-C here, and no wireless charging either.

The 3DS is the first Nintendo handheld to feature an analogue control method, and I'm not a big fan. It always feels like it could snap off, and I have seen plenty of cases where other people's have. This is especially true if you're playing Smash Bros.

Overall Opinion:

The 3DS was made for gaming. If you want anything else from it, get a good Smartphone. The 3DS is a great system to play the games that were made for it, and some that were re-made for it. Nintendo still wants to give the system another year or so, so have fun with it.