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Nintendo 2DS · Nintendo official Japanese Nintendo 2DS product image, red finish, front view; complete supplied canvas retained.
2DS
Nintendo's fixed-body handheld for playing DS and most 3DS games in 2D, for collectors comparing the entry model with the folding 3DS family.
- Type
- Handheld
- Output
- –
- Memory
- –
- Storage
- –
- Weight
- 260 g
What reviewers say
Reviewers find the fixed body comfortable and sturdy, and praise access to the DS and 3DS game libraries. Mono sound, a less satisfying D-pad and reduced portability are common complaints. Nintendo Life welcomes it as an entry model; TechRadar recommends it mainly for children, while Stuff prefers the 3DS XL for most players.
From nintendolife.com, techradar.com, techradar.com, techradar.com and stuff.tv
Specifications
Report a wrong or missing specPerformance
- Type
- Handheld
- Disc drive
- No
- Storage detail
- A removable 4 GB SDHC card is included in the European launch bundle; Nintendo's public specifications do not state the internal storage capacity
- Storage expansion
- SD cards up to 2 GB and SDHC cards from 4–32 GB; miniSD and microSD require an adapter (Nintendo's Australian manual)
Display and video
- Built-in screen
- 3.53″ LCD, 400 × 240
- Built-in screen
- Upper 3.53-inch LCD, 400 × 240; lower 3.02-inch touch LCD, 320 × 240; both display approximately 16.7 million colours. All games display in 2D
- Audio
- Mono speaker, built-in microphone and stereo headphone output
Design and power
- Battery life (maker's claim)
- Up to 9 hours
- Weight
- 260 g
- Battery life detail
- Replaceable CTR-003 lithium-ion battery, 5 Wh. Nintendo's Australian manual rates approximately 3.5–5.5 hours for 3DS games and 5–9 hours for DS games; the Japanese page gives 3.5–5 hours for 3DS games. Runtime depends on brightness, software, wireless use and temperature. Full charge approximately 3.5 hours
- Power use
- Approximately 4.1 W maximum while charging (Nintendo's Australian manual)
- Size
- 144 × 127 × 20.3 mm (width × height × thickness); approximately 260 g includes battery, stylus and SD card
- Colours
- Black + blue and white + red at the European launch; later colours and regional bundles differ
- In the box
- 2DS, stylus, AC adapter, SDHC card, six AR cards, quick start guide and operations manual (Nintendo's Australian launch manual); the European launch includes a 4 GB card
Connections
- Ports
- Game card slot, SD card slot, AC adapter connector and headphone connector; infrared transceiver with recommended distance within 20 cm
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11b/g, 2.4 GHz; recommended communication distance within 30 m. Local wireless and StreetPass are distinct from the discontinued internet services
- Controller
- Circle Pad, D-pad, A/B/X/Y, L/R, Start/Select, HOME, touch screen and approximately 98 mm stylus; sleep switch, motion sensor and gyro sensor. One inner and two outer fixed-focus CMOS cameras, 640 × 480 (0.3 megapixels) each
- Backward compatibility
- Nintendo 3DS games in 2D and DS/DSi games; New Nintendo 3DS-exclusive software is not supported. No Game Boy Advance slot or accessories that require it. amiibo requires the separate Nintendo 3DS NFC Reader/Writer. eShop purchases and new free downloads ended on 27 March 2023; most internet services ended on 8 April 2024, while redownloads and updates remain available (Nintendo)
Pros and cons
Pros
- Plays Nintendo 3DS, DS and DSi game cards
- Includes a 4 GB SDHC card and AC adapter in the European launch bundle
- SD and SDHC support up to 32 GB
Cons
- No stereoscopic display, C Stick or support for New Nintendo 3DS-exclusive games
- Fixed body cannot fold; its built-in speaker is mono
- eShop purchases and most online services have ended
Closest rivals
Model | Type | Output | Memory | Storage | Weight | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handheld | – | 640 MB | 1 GB | 219 g | Oct 2013 | |
| Handheld | – | – | – | 336 g | Jul 2012 | |
| Handheld | – | – | – | 253 g | Oct 2014 |
Sources
- nintendo.co.jp/hardware/3dsseries/2ds/index.html
- assets.nintendo.eu/image/upload/v1626222940/NAL/Support/Nintendo_2DS_Operations…
- nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2013/October/The-latest-member-of-the-Nintendo-3DS-fami…
- en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/57847
- Nintendo 2DS Japanese finish lineup, complete supplied composition: Nintendo official Japanese product-page image; complete manufacturer-supplied canvas retained.
- Nintendo 2DS blue finish, front view: Nintendo official Japanese product-page image; complete manufacturer-supplied canvas retained.
- Nintendo 2DS transparent black finish, front view: Nintendo official Japanese product-page image; complete manufacturer-supplied canvas retained.
- Nintendo 2DS pink finish, front view: Nintendo official Japanese product-page image; complete manufacturer-supplied canvas retained.
- Nintendo 2DS lavender finish, front view: Nintendo official Japanese product-page image; complete manufacturer-supplied canvas retained.
- Nintendo 2DS Pokémon Pikachu special edition, front view: Nintendo official Japanese product-page image; complete manufacturer-supplied canvas retained.
- Nintendo 2DS blue finish, rear view: Nintendo official Japanese product-page image; complete manufacturer-supplied canvas retained.
- Nintendo 2DS pink finish, front three-quarter view: Nintendo official Japanese product-page image; complete manufacturer-supplied canvas retained.
