Nintendo 3DS Console Cosmo Black Nintendo 3DS Console Cosmo Black

Pros: -Decent battery life
-Actual buttons (and developers treating them as first-class citizens)
-Video previews in eShop
-Hardware backwards compatibility
-2nd screen
-3D
-Built-in note app
-Exclusives (especially the first-party ones)

Cons: -Shortage of new games in the eShop
-Shortage of DS games in the eShop
-Low discoverability in the eShop
-Screen isn't glare-resistent (This is a rather serious problem when you're using the gyroscope)
-Can't game while downloading/installing other games
-Seemingly slow Wi-fi (compared to Vita)
-No formal way to backup games
-No achievements/trophies
-Lack of a 2nd analog
-Dated graphics in many games
-Screens are resistive-touch

Other Thoughts: I own several handles (Game Boy, Game Gear, PSP, Vita), but I do not own a smartphone. This was my first clam-shell handheld. I've bought it around the same time last year, so I've had time to let things sink in.

The system feels good in the hands and it's not too heavy. It doesn't feel cheaply made. My hands don't hurt after playing. The battery life does seem last longer than the Vita, but that's probably because the 3DS has weaker hardware.

To get the latest and greatest games, you'll probably want to look to retail, because, for whatever reason, they don't always make it to the eShop. Aside from the 3DS games that are there, they've got games for Gameboy, NES, Genesis, Game Gear, TG-16, Game & Watch, and, of course, DS. The DS games play like first-class citizens, which is fantastic since games are still being released for that system. Unfortunately, the eShop is missing a ton of the good ones. There are also some "minis" in the store, some of which also appear on the PSP, phones, and PC.

The Netflix app works prettily much identically to the way it works on the Vita, but that's about it for serious multimedia. The browser seems to load pages more slowly than the Vita, but it's capable. Also, I rather like the stylus for browsing.

It may not be a multimedia device, but overall, it's an enjoyable system. It's got some good games out right now, but I'd like to see more breadth. It's always like Mario comes to save the day. I mean, I enjoy (and own) Mario games, but a system shouldn't rely too much on one franchise. I also hope they start taking digital more seriously. Everyone else has day-one digital releases, so why shouldn't Nintendo? Their choice to include video previews in the eShop is a step in the right direction.

Pros: I bought this for my 6yo birthday and he loves it.

Cons: What little bit I played it the 3D feature gave me a headache as I was trying to focus on the screen. Maybe it was the settings. At least there is a slide for so you can adjust the 3D effect and even turn if off if you wish.

Pros: -At least twice as powerful as an Atari 2600
-Can be overclocked to play Everybody Loves Raymond DVDs
-Smells like a bag of mulch
-Can use it to watch old Jake the Snake wrestling matches on Netflix
-Says "kitty-corner" rather than "caddy-corner"
-Litter box trained
-Entering the Konami Code gets you 30 Kit Kat bars.
-Was into M83 WAY before they got big
-Easily forgets his severe gambling problem by playing badminton at his nephew's graduation party
-Appeals to the casual gamer by wearing boot cut jeans and a v-neck t-shirt exposing a generous amount of chest hair

Cons: -Doesn't play Wii U games
-Always takes the car in Monopoly without asking
-You have to buy one
-One time it cut in line at Target with a shopping cart full of Funyuns
-Breaks immediately after being thrown off the roof
-Has Mario games
-Pronounces hamburger as "hamboigah"
-Says he's from Chicago despite actually growing up in the northwest suburbs
-Posts way too many pictures of his kids on Facebook
-Has a degree in ceramics
-Pretends to pick up after dog on walks but is really just reaching down and moving the grass around until you leave

Other Thoughts: I just leave the floss in my teeth so I don't have to do it everyday.

Pros: The 3d display is awesome one of the best handheld gaming systems out there

Cons: flimsy buttons for the 3d and sound

Other Thoughts: A+ to nintendo

Pros: - Nice and light weight
- Glasses free 3d
- Has Super Mario 3D land

Cons: - I dont see any graphically stunning titles.
- Kind of feels fragile.
- Camera is bad

Other Thoughts: Super Mario 3D land is the title that i played most on the 3ds. Must get game.

Pros: I got this pretty much to play Zelda ocarina of time in 3d. Best nintendo portable to data.

Cons: Battery life is kinda low

Other Thoughts: Using an extended battery pack to beat the not so hot stock battery life.

Pros: -Hasn't crashed on me, unlike my PSP
-Backwards compatibility with DS
-You can video gameplay footage and screenshots in the eShop, and the video playback is seamless
-Games and saves can be saved to system memory, if desired.

Cons: -Unlike Sony's store for the PSP, you cannot purchase all of the newest 3DS games on the eShop. In fact, it only seems like you can download small games.
-There is no 1st-party backup solution like Sony's MediaGo
-Dearth of original IP

Other Thoughts: For a first-generation handheld, I'd say it's on overall solid system, as far as hardware. In some cases the graphics overtake the gamecube. Some of the racing games, however, have graphics similar to PSP. Its biggest weaknesses are the services and software with which it interacts, as well as the "too many sequels" syndrome.

Netflix is similar to how it works on PC. Sometimes it takes a while to start up, but once it's up, it's smooth.

Browser is decent. It doesn't have Flash or HTML 5, but it gets the job done.

Camera, which can take pictures and video, is nice to have. It would be nice if there was a way to upload or email them, though. Right now, it seems you have to take the SD card out.

Pros: The system itself has potential even without the 3D aspect but Nintendo is falling behind the times in both game developement and marketing. I fear they maybe the next Sega before to long. I'm thinking they should just be a software devoloper at this point...especially since they have low 3rd party support from other game developers.

Cons: I bought my 3DS at full price (before the price drop) and because I never played it due to lack of games at launch I never bothered to get it on my wireless internet. Nintendo launched an Ambassador program that allows them to make this up to their customer but only if you downloaded the latest update in the summer of 2011.

Since I updated my 3DS in January of 2012 I got cheated once again by Nintendo.

Other Thoughts: Give it a few years and I'm sure the 3DS will take off but Nintendo burned a lot of customers in the process.

Pros: Works good
Plays good old N64 games
Good to kill time

Cons: I purchased the 3DS in June back when it was $250 for my upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. Once I was over there news game out of the price drop and the ambassador program to receive the 20 free games. I had no WiFi or commercial internet to use out there so I was unable to connect to the online store to be enrolled into the program. I called the 800 tech support number to see if they could do anything. I explained my situation of being in the middle of no where and having no WiFi to connect to and asked if I could give them my serial number or MAC address. They then told me to try and go to a place such as Starbucks to get free WiFi from there. I then again told them where I was and we had nothing out here to use and then he instructed me to try and find a Best Buy and connect there. Glad to see Nintendo does all they can to help out the troops.

Other Thoughts: I like the 3DS I just wish they would have at least attempted to do something in such a situation.

Pros: 3d screen great graphics

Cons: bad game selection