Hasta La Gadget!

Nintendo may be AWOL on the TGS show floor (as usual), but that’s not stopping Capcom from strutting the big-N’s hardware in its stead — we dropped by its booth for a gameplay-free handling of the 3DS extended slide pad add-on. The control-extending cradle is every bit as bulky as it looks, killing any hope we had of cramming the rig into our pocket. The trade-off? It’s much more comfortable to hold than the naked 3DS, giving our meaty hands a smooth, contoured surface to grip. The new right-hand circle pad feels just as solid as the handheld’s dedicated pad, and didn’t significantly obstruct our access to the 3DS’ face buttons. All in all, the cradle is a comfortable, if awkwardly large extension to the 3DS that doesn’t seem to compromise the handheld’s existing input. Hit up the gallery below to size up the plump peripheral for yourself.

Nintendo 3DS extended slide pad add-on, first hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 23:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Satoru Iwata came on stage at Nintendo’s pre-Tokyo Game Show shindig and announced the 3DS will be getting a few upgrades soon. No word on any hardware changes — yet — but owners can expect 3D video capture as well as upgrades to the Street Pass Mii Plaza and eShop. The press conference is still ongoing, so check back for more details as they’re announced or watch the live video stream (in Japanese) embedded after the break.

Update: And it’s all over! Nothing else new to speak of on the hardware front, and we didn’t catch any more news about those software changes either. We’re just getting our TGS team on the ground in Japan now, so expect more news in the days to come.

Nintendo 3DS to add 3D video capture, upgraded eShop and more originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Big N has today confirmed our suspicions: people buy more things when they’re cheaper, and in turn, the laws of economics are still sound. The longer version is after the break.

Continue reading Nintendo on price reduction: no glasses required to see 3DS sales boost

Nintendo on price reduction: no glasses required to see 3DS sales boost originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reports from the Japanese end of the internet are claiming that Famitsu magazine has the scoop on that Nintendo 3DS analog add-on we heard about last month. A page from the magazine (above) shows a rather meaty cradle hugging the sides of the stereoscopic clamshell, reportedly adding an R2 button in addition to a starboard circle pad. The plump peripheral may have been designed specifically for Monster Hunter Tri G, an unannounced (and unconfirmed) game that was leaked in the same issue. Famitsu made no mention of the reported hardware refresh that accompanied the last analog add-on rumor — and price, release date, and official confirmation from Nintendo are still AWOL, of course.

Update: Kotaku seems to have an official confirmation from Nintendo: “We can confirm that Nintendo plans to release the Circle Pad attachment, but Nintendo’s regional subsidiaries will make further announcements about its availability at a later date.”

Is this Nintendo’s 3DS joystick add-on? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 02:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to Engadget’s Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we’re here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we’re getting our game on — and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they’re added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back — at the end of the month we’ll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides — and hit up the hub page right here!

Let’s be honest, balancing coursework with recreation is just as important as maintaining a balanced food diet — perhaps even more. After you spend countless hours hitting the books, cramming for tests, and writing papers, you’re just going to need something to turn your brain to mush. Don’t worry, we have just the thing: video games. It doesn’t matter how many midterms you have, we’re sure we can find something to help you slack off. Of course, it’s not going to be easy; you’ll have to wait until next semester (at least) to get your hands on the PlayStation Vita, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t have options now. Jump past the break — we can probably help you find something to get you through mid-terms with your sanity intact. Don’t want to shell out cash to have fun this semester? Enter our back to school sweepstakes! Simply leave a comment below for a chance to win, and drop by our giveaway page for more details.

Continue reading Engadget’s back to school guide 2011: gaming

Engadget’s back to school guide 2011: gaming originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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