On Friday August 29th 2014 Nintendo unvieled a new model of the 3DS, their current generation of handheld gaming devices. This new model offers a second analog stick (the little grey nub on the right above the face buttons), another set of shoulder buttons, and more powerful hardware. This system, called The New 3DS, will be released in 2 sizes similar to the current 3DS and 3DS XL models. Both models are schedueled for release in Japan by the end of the year, but are not likely to make it to Western countries until sometime in 2015.

I’m going to say it, I don’t think it’s unreasonable that Nintendo release a new 3DS system with updated hardware. The original 3DS came out in 2011, so by the time this comes out in The West the original hardware will have been around for about 4 years. We live in a world where people upgrade smartphones every 1–2 years, so I don’t think it’s unreasonable for Nintendo to come out with this. Sure they have released the 3DS XL, and more recently the 2DS, but those machines don’t really have different hardware capabilities (aside from the 2DS not having stereoscopic 3D).

I think this is a great new system based on what we’ve seen so far. I think it fits right in line with what famed Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto was saying recently about Nintendo focusing more on the hardcore audience. In terms of buttons, the 3DS is now on-par with the Playstation Vita which will allow a greater variety of games on the system. If the second analog stick functions as a Circlepad Pro in games that support that accessory then that’s even better.

I’m really interested in the possibilities this revision will bring to the table. With a more powerful CPU we will definitly be able to start seeing more advanced games. A great example to is the announced port of Xenoblade Chronicles, an RPG that originally released on the Wii and pushed that system to it’s limits. The additional buttons may also allow the system to share some more multi-plaform titles with the PS Vita, though that may still be limited due to the apparent difference in raw power.

Another interesting thing about the additional control options on The New 3DS is that it now has the same exact inputs as the Wii U, Nintendo’s current generation home console. This could lead to some very interesting integration between the 2 systems. We could see cross-platform games similar to Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate which has multiplayer between the 3DS and Wii U versions of the game.

Taking a page from Sony’s book with the PS Vita, we could also see the ability to stream Wii U games to the 3DS. The Wii U already streams games (very well I might add) to its Gamepad accessory, and is great for playing while someone is watching TV. But not all games support this, and you lose having 2 screens. Having dual-screen Off-TV Play functionality would be an amazing addition to the Wii U’s capabilities.

Something that gamers of a certain age would really be thrilled with would be an expanded virtual console selection. Rather than port classic games over to newer systems Nintendo has been running these games in an emulator, software that simulates older hardware, which can get pretty resource intensive. It’s been speculated that the current 3DS just doesn’t have the juice to emulate 16-bit consoles like the Super Nintendo or the GameBoy Advance, nevermind the likes of the Nintendo 64. With hardware that seems closer to the Wii, which could emulate those consoles, we’ll finally be able to enjoy the classic Nintendo games of the 90's on-the-go.

Of course, it all comes down to price. How much is this thing going to cost when it reaches our shores? The standard model will retail in Japan for ¥16,000, while the XL model will be ¥18,800. In the US that’s about $156 and $183 respectivly. Granted they usually add a few dollars to the price due to shipping and import tarrifs, so I think we’re looking at these new devices hitting the same pricepoint as the current 3DS models. So we’re probably looking at $169.99 for the standard model, and $199.99 for the XL. I’d be surprised if they were cheaper.

Overall I think Nintendo has a great update to the 3DS coming up. There are some fantastic possibilities with this new system in terms of what it can offer gamers. It seems like Nintendo is really coming out of it’s “appeal to everybody” phase and focusing in on its core audience. My biggest concern is wether it can stay competetive price-wise with the PS Vita, which will be shipping as a bundle with Borderlands 2 for $199.99 in September.

I’m very excited to see what lies around the corner with The New 3DS.