Nintendo unveils the 2DS; announces price cut for Wii U

Nintendo has unveiled a new handheld gaming device. Don’t get your hopes up, however, since this isn’t a successor to the wildly popular 3DS. The device, dubbed the 2DS, acts as a side-grade rather than an upgrade. It is essentially the same as a 3DS, albeit without the 3D display. The 2DS is set to cost $129.99 (Rs 8,940 approx), which will be cheaper than the 3DS by quite a margin.

Along with the 3D, Nintendo has also ditched the original form factor of the DS handhelds. Instead of bearing the traditional clamshell-styled design that can be closed, the 2DS opts for a slate-like design where the device can’t be closed. Both the screens of the 2DS are visible on the same plane.

According to Nintendo, the 2DS maintains many of the same hardware features as Nintendo 3DS: dual screens, gameplay controls and touch-screen features. The system also has backward compatibility with the existing library of more than 2,000 Nintendo DS games, as well as access to wireless connectivity features like multiplayer online game play, Nintendo Video content and digitally distributed games in the Nintendo eShop.

Along with this, Nintendo also announced a price cut for the Wii U. The Deluxe Set of the console is now cheaper by $50, which brings its price down to $299.99 (Rs 20,640 approx). The company has also announced a Wii U bundle which will include the upcoming Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD.

The Nintendo 2DS is a far cry design-wise from the previosu DSes

The bundle includes a black Deluxe Wii U console; a GamePad controller adorned with gold lettering, a gold Hyrule crest and gold symbols from the game; a download code for the digital version of  Hyrule Historia, a book that details the chronology, history and artwork of  The Legend of Zelda  series; and a code that can be used to download  The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD from the Nintendo eShop immediately at no additional cost.