Dedicated handhelds offered a comfortable, affordable alternative to home console counterparts. Most of my peers grew up carrying a GameBoy, Advanced or DS. We would play on train or bus rides when traveling together. PlayStations and Xboxes were usually shared at home, and someone would eventually get “their turn” to play what they wanted. Handhelds were more personal, and their price range made it easier for everyone to get their own.

In 2005, an original Nintendo DS went for about $150. Half the price of the then upcoming X-Box 360 at $300. As late as 2018, I was bought a brand new 2DS XL at a similar price range to that DS. Around $130. This was sometime after the launch of Nintendo Switch 1 at $300, when stores were all moving on to new hardware. For me, there was no rush to buy the latest thing. I wanted to play some of Nintendo’s games, but I also wanted to wait and see how the hybrid system would develop before sinking more money into it. 3DS family systems were a nice Plan B. Little did I realize that it was the perfect time to pick one up, before their prices started to balloon in the second-hand markets…

Since the 3DS and its online features are no longer being supported, it’s become more valuable with collectors and enthusiasts (incredibly ironic, considering Nintendo’s infamous price cut for the system). Powerful hybrid systems like the Switch and Steam Deck also mean no more “cheaper alternatives”. Now there’s just one device for $500 or more, not to mention games currently pushing into $70–80.

I think the design behind the DS-3DS family is another lost feature to be admired. That folding “clam-shell” was excellent. A DS or 3DS is about the same size as a smartphone when folded up. Something that easily sits in your hand or pockets. Closing it up to put games on pause or sleep mode feels intuitive. It’s also a nice little way to help protect the system’s 2 screens from getting dirty or damaged.

Hybrid systems are certainly portable, but bulky compared to something like a 3DS. You’re not carrying your Nintendo Switch in your pocket. Not unless you’ve got a big jacket on. It’s going in your suitcase or a dedicated travel bag. Switch Lite is a cute alternative, and almost seems to try filling that “affordable handheld” void…but it also loses the very draw of the core system. It can’t, y’know, switch. Still, the fact that they even made it makes me wonder if there’s still space for dedicated handheld systems.

As mobile games became more and more robust during the 2010s, smartphones became new handheld gaming devices. It presented a challenge to systems like the Vita or 3DS. It’s just unfortunate that “freemium” titles tend to rely on predatory models for ongoing monetization…Buy a GBA or DS game and it was yours forever. Now there’s the possibility of content being locked behind gambling systems, or losing all your investments to a product that reaches End of Service. To me this is no substitute.

I’m confident that hybrid systems are here to stay, and I do enjoy Nintendo Switch 2. It’s just hard to shake the sense of something being lost, as the hobby gets increasingly expensive…

Apple Crushing Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Slashes Price As iOS Sales Soar

Handheld Gaming & Affordability was originally published in ILLUMINATION Gaming on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.