Today Nintendo announced the 2DS. It’s a 3DS that removes all the things that define the 3DS – that it folds up like a clamshell and has 3D.
Instead the Nintendo 2DS is a piece of toast with buttons and a screen on it. In four words – what was Nintendo thinking? Let’s take a closer look at the 3DS’s version of godawful Wii Mini.
Nintendo 2DS
AKA Toastie
Wedge-shaped from the side, like a fresh slice of Hovis from the front, the Nintendo 2DS is one of the strangest-looking consoles we’ve ever seen. It has two screens, but in ditching the hinge it gets rid of a smart design move that Nintendo has been making ever since the Game & Watch in 1980.
Oh, but wait – it can play DS games too.
Just like the 3DS. And is it a lot cheaper? Of course not.
Think that’s bad, though? Here are some of the ugliest consoles ever produced.
Atari Jaguar CD
AKA The Crapper
If the Atari Jaguar was ill-fated, the Jaguar CD was doomed to die from the moment it was conceived. What’s the best way to respond to a console that’s not selling well? Make another console that requires the first one, of course.
Atari didn’t do the Jaguar CD any design favours either, seemingly modelling the thing after a toilet. It was a commercial disaster, but at least someone at Atari has a sense of humour.
RCA Studio II
AKA The Conjoined Twins
Released in 1977, it’s no surprise that the RCA Studio II is barely recognisable as a console. It looks more like a mating pair of telephones, or something you’d find in the cockpit of a dilapidated yacht from… the seventies, suitably enough.
If you’ve not heard of it, don’t feel bad. The RCA Studio II was a flop, having been steamrollered by the far superior Atari 2600, released less than a year later.
Atari Lynx I
AKA The Flip-Flop
From flop to failure to flip flop, the original Atari Lynx looks a good deal like the popular pool-side footwear. Atari seemed to realise the design was a stinker too, releasing the more compact, marginally more stylish Atari Lynx II two years after the first one’s launch.
Although technically impressive in many respects, with full colour graphics and longer battery stamina than a Game Gear, the Lynx did not sell.
Philips CD-i
AKA Betamax
Generally forgotten by younger generations of gamers, the Philips CD-i was one of the first consoles to try and pioneer the video-based gaming genre made possible by the CD format – responsible for some of the worst games of all time.
Philips made a pretty decent-looking top-loading version of the CD-I, but it also produced this monster. It’s one of the largest games consoles ever produced. Put it next to your VHS, betamax and Laserdisc and you’d have a pretty sweet 1980s home entertainment rack.
Next, read our look at the seven reasons why the Xbox One is better than the PS4.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
