Typically, video games aren’t on my Christmas list but I have finally decided to stop borrowing my little cousins’ 3DS & get one of my own.

The last time I had a handheld game console was when I had the Game Boy Advanced SP. I think I was probably about 10 years old or so? That lasted for a couple years & then came summer camp.

I know that when people think of summer camp they think of outdoors stuff like canoeing, crafts, & playing catch. Well, I grew up in the desert where it’s hot as hell so we didn’t spend much time outdoors. Instead we spent a lot of time in the cool AC, playing video games for hours on end. However, I did cherish the time we spent outside because that meant I could watch all the cute 13 year olds skateboard <3. Anyways, this was a Christian summer camp so that meant no violent video games & because of this, Nintendo games were pretty much the only thing we got to play.

Nintendo video games are full of imaginary animated characters which means that the games could offer a little mischief but would always come off as innocent or lighthearted enough for the Christian directors. We had every Nintendo game from Super Smash Bros. to Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, which was super popular at the time. Over the summer I fell in love with Dance Dance Revolution, cute skater boys, & Nintendo’s various games.

After this point though video games kind of fell off for me. Middle school came & I actually made some friends. By the time I got to high school, other things occupied my time. It wasn’t until recently that I went back & revisited the world of Nintendo via the Wii. It didn’t take long for me to remember why I had loved these games as a kid & I really just felt like playing again. Plus I don’t have friends anymore so I thought getting a Nintendo DS would be a great addition to my life.

[DETAILS]

For those of you looking to get some real info on the new Nintendo 3DS, I’ll break it down for you:

• IMPROVED CAMERA. If you’re familiar with the DS camera, you’re probably aware that it’s trash. I mean it’s cool that they have cameras & it serves its purpose, just not at the highest quality. There is no real sharpness or fine lines in the pictures or videos. I would compare the quality to a cheap web cam if not worse. There is only a measly .3 MP available in both the old & new 3DS. However, the new 3DS claims a better quality in low-light situations specifically. Which I will say is valid for the most part & I think the updated face tracking might have something to do with that.
• 3D FACE TRACKING. The 3D face tracking feature uses the system’s inner cameras & infrared sensors to pick up on the player’s angle. This will allow for images to adjust to your point of view which makes the 3D images more stable. This is a very important & noticeable update. The 3D feature on the old 3DS isn’t bad but it definitely has a sweet spot. If you were to move your eye out of that sweet spot, you get a drunk man’s vision & not a 3D picture. So to some extent, the 3D feature almost seems pointless. I would rather just turn the 3D off rather than sit up at a 90-degree angle & strain my eyes trying to focus on that sweet spot. With the new 3DS’ updated face tracking, you can prop up however you want & the 3D will adjust to you, making the 3D feature hypnotizing.
• C-STICK, ZL, & ZR. New controls! This might take me a while to get used to. I can handle the circle pad but I already know I’m going to suck at using the c-stick. The c-stick will allow better camera control for more aggressive & tactical games which is a huge deal, I know. I just really suck at camera control in that sense so I’m not sure that the c-stick will make a huge difference in my gaming. The ZL & ZR shoulder buttons also compliment the c-stick by adding even more accuracy to the camera control. All in all, more buttons, more controls.
• CPU PERFORMANCE. Updated processor! The new 3DS must’ve hit an item box & got a star because this console is noticeably faster than the old 3DS. General menu navigation, internet browsing, boot speed, & download speed are all a lot more fluid & a lot less tedious. Not only will it play better but it will look better as well. Eventually games will be built to cater to this feature so this means new games that’ll work exclusively for the new 3DS.
• AMIIBO. Amiibo figures are now compatible with the new 3DS being that it offers a NFC reader on the bottom screen. Amiibo figures are super cute of course but I’m not sure I’ll really be using this feature that much– or at all.
• EASY DATA SHARING. You’ll be able to transfer your photos, music, & other files between a PC & your new 3DS’ microSD card via a wireless network.
• SIZE. Just as the past console, the new 3DS comes in both a standard size & in the XL size. However, the interchangeable faceplates only fit the standard size which kind of bums me out.

In conclusion, I want one. I’m not sure if I want the XL or the standard size though. I don’t want to have to give up the screen size but I really like the idea of the interchangeable faceplates. Also, I think Nintendo should’ve just given the updated console its own name rather than just calling it the NEW Nintendo 3DS. Especially since there will be new games only playable on the the new 3DS. I feel like it’ll just get confusing but maybe I’m just being bougie. What do you think?