Hasta La Gadget!

Nintendo’s announcement of the Nintendo 2DS is one of the most surprising developments in the gaming world this year. As an entry-level variant of the Nintendo 3DS, the 2DS can play all 3DS games and thousands more DS games. But unlike the 3DS and the 3DS XL, the 2DS can’t be folded. It’s upper screen also can’t display stereoscopic 3D, hence the lose-lose situation regarding its name. It’s an honest name, but for some people it will be like being told that a Honda Bivic exists. And it’s a Civic.

According to Kotaku, the 2DS’ screens are the same size as the ones on the 3DS. The lower screen is still a touchscreen and the 2DS will also come with a stylus. But as you can see its Circle Pad and face buttons are on the upper half of the device. I think the buttons were shifted up so that the shoulder buttons – which are at the top of the device – will still be within your index finger’s reach while your thumbs are on the Circle Pad and face buttons.

Aside from the “slate” form and the lack of a stereoscopic 3D display, the 2DS has a few other deficiencies compared to its big brothers. For one, it only has a mono speaker, but you can still get stereo audio via its headphone jack. It also has no physical Wi-Fi switch; you’ll have to toggle that from within the menu. So it’s a lesser device, but that means it also has a lower price. It will only cost $130 (USD), $40 cheaper than the 3DS and $70 cheaper than the 3DS XL.

*Update: Kotaku also shared Nintendo Europe’s nifty comparison chart (pdf) between all three 3DS models.* The Nintendo 2DS will be available on 10/12/2013, which is also the day Pokémon X and Y are released. That timing should help push units right from the get go; it will be enough for many people to see that the 2DS can play the latest Pokémon game. But only time will tell if Nintendo’s questionable naming scheme and hilarious yet also depressing decision to ditch their system’s main feature will pay off.

Will customers think that there are 2DS games? Or that the 2DS can’t play 3DS games? Will developers still care about the quality and functionality of stereoscopic 3D in their 3DS games? Will Nintendo finally realize that they have to come up with a practical naming scheme for their devices? Seriously, why didn’t they just name it the 3DS Jr.?

[via Nintendo & Kotaku]

If you need a new weapon for your desk and fancy yourself a sniper, this USB powered BB gun should do the trick. Shoot your co-workers and make a nuisance of yourself all day long.

This USB-powered gun is made to fire BBs, but that’s not all. It also has an onboard camera above the barrel so you can use your computer screen as viewfinder. The barrel can be rotated 120 degrees horizontally, and has a 35 degree vertical range of motion. How cool is that? This sniper rifle will fire BBs at a 30m/s velocity and has about an 8m range. I’m not sure how hard that is, but it probably doesn’t feel too good to get hit with one.

Pew pew pew all day long. It is a great way to kill some time at work while pretending you are a sniper. It sells for ¥9,999 (~$101 USD) over at Shanghai Donya – which is an odd name for a store located in Japan.

[via Everything USB]

It started out as a joke, but Shark Pony and the Glitter Riders sounds like a pretty amusing concept for a comic if you ask me. And while the comic itself looks hilarious, this plush creation by RoboShark that goes with it is what really caught my eye.

The comic follows “4 Dude Bros who steal a spaceship and are transformed into 3 Magical Girls and a Sharkpony.” That’s more than enough for me to want more.

If you want to see what happens to Sharkpony and his posse, you’ll need to pledge at least $5 on Indiegogo for the first issue of the comic, and you’ll have to pony up 300 smackeroos if you want one of the three limited-edition plushes.

This awesome custom Link action figure has it all. Look out Ganon. You are about to have a very bad day. This amazing custom figure was made by KodyKoala, who wanted to explore what the Zelda games would be like if they were set in a steampunk universe.

After seeing this, I believe that he should be the one to populate that universe. He wanted to make a futuristic Link, but still keep some of the classic things that we all love. He also wanted to have a fun way for Link to carry all of his inventory. It looks like Link has about fifty some items he is carrying here.

It took a lot of parts, so it ended up being a more expensive than he wanted. But that is why it looks so good. This figures stands about 6 inches tall. You can buy it for $300(USD) in his Etsy shop.

[via albotas]

If you like LootCrate, check out Nerdblock. It’s also a geek-oriented subscription that sends you a box containing 5 to 6 items every month. Each package contains a t-shirt plus other geeky items. The biggest draw of Nerdblock is that it gets its merchandise from major brands and companies like Star Wars, Nintendo, Marvel and DC.

The company’s retro-style introduction video comes off as a bit patronizing, but it does explain everything you need to know about the service.

Ready to surprise yourself? Head to Nerdblock’s website to sign up. It costs $20 (USD) per month but you can cancel anytime if your heart can’t take the suspense anymore.

[via Geeks Are Sexy]