Gaze upon the 3DS circle pad attachment

by JC Fletcher on Sep 7th 2011 9:45AM

Last night, we reported on rumors of a wacky 3DS circle pad attachment coming from Nintendo. They're rumors no more, as a picture of the leaked Famitsu article revealing the "SECRET SCOOP" has surfaced.

There it is, in all its glory. Say goodbye to any aspirations of pocketing your 3DS if you get one of these. It is, of course, perfect for Monster Hunter Tri G, as it adds three additional shoulder buttons along with that second stick. As Capcom and Nintendo proved with the Classic Controller Pro, Monster Hunter players demand nothing less than a simulacrum of the PS2/PS3 controller. And this should probably turn out to be ... not terribly uncomfortable for playing that game. At home.

Oh, we just realized -- this adds a new 3D feature to the system. If you look at both circle pads and position your eyes just right, you should see one circle pad floating above the 3DS.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in.]

Source: @south1996

Tags: 3ds, circle-pad, ds, famitsu, monster-hunter-tri-g, nintendo

Reader Comments (117)

Nintendo must be really frightened of the Vita is this is something they are willing to push out.

How much is this thing going to cost, anyways?

@mrantimatter

Nintendo may be concerned about the Vita, but I think "frightened" is probably too strong a term.

It's basically a MH accessory, it doesn't have anything to do with what you think it does. I'm gonna guess it's more of a Capcom thing than a Nintendo thing. But carry on with... whatever you were saying.

@bm111

Indeed. People are blowing this WAY out of proportion. This add-on was MADE for Monster Hunter.

Nintendo would be shooting themselves in the foot if they separated the 3DS userbase.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the most popular Monster Hunter game ever on PSP? A device with _one_ analog circle?

@Co
I'm hoping that it is going to be a MH attatchement but yes PSP only had one analog stick and it worked so this may be an alternate control schema option.

@baby sea tuna

I'm frightened of the homebrew hack job that thing looks like

@NaeemTHM

what userbase?

@Theneverendingsoda

"Considering the PSP was MURDERING the DS for the last year I think it's safe to say Japanese gamers are going to ignore the 3DS entirely when Sony's new handheld drops"

What amazing analytical logic, good sir!

@OnToGloryReturns

The 4 and a half million people that own a 3DS.

Honestly, do people actually think the 3DS is doing poorly? Again, for some strange reason the media is portraying the system like it was dead on arrival. Meanwhile it's doing just fine for a new piece of hardware.

In comparison to OTHER Nintendo hardware; yes this 3DS sales are lacking. However if say the Vita released and sold 4 million units in 5 short months, Sony would be jumping for joy.

@Theneverendingsoda

"Considering the PSP was MURDERING the DS"

....everyone in Japan owns at least 2 DS' at this point. It was only a matter of time before the PSP sales started jumping.

@mrantimatter I say $10 is fair

@mrantimatter

If it becomes the standard then the answer to how much it will cost is too much.

They should also kill two birds with one stone and continue to fix hardware design failures by bundling in a battery booster ........

God is this the start of Hardware "DLC" (tho I guess its not downloadable :P)? Not looking forward to telling my kids about when I was young and we used to buy consoles "Hardware Complete".

@NaeemTHM It is doing horribly. So bad they needed a drastic price cut, how is that just fine? The 3DS is in hot water and needs games drastically.

@mrantimatter:

I dunno, but could a revised Nintendo 3DS with dual analog control be imminent?

@Dcmac Yeah, because it's not like a new Mario game is coming out soon for it or anything.

@NaeemTHM You realize the DS outsold the psp 2 to 1 140 million to 70 million worldwide. The reason psp has been going up is it hasnt... it stayed at the same place the ds has gone down in the last year because I new system was being released... DUH. You know the 3DS is the top hardware in Japan right now and the Flame Red is top on hardware pre-orders at Toy's R Us and Target in the USA.

What purpose could this possibly serve?

@Snide Jackal

Good gravy did you even read the article

@Snide Jackal

This is only to get a dual stick for Monster Hunter. They are directly porting the controls. I doubt there will be another game that uses it.

@FuriousMailman Yea, and I'm not convinced it makes any sense. Playing Monster Hunter is all well and fun, but it cripples the portability of the device, defeating any benefits from playing it on a 3DS. It's solving a problem that creates a bigger problem. If it expanded the battery too then it would be doing something productive.

@Sponge Fair enough, I suppose anything to get more software on it, which as a 3DS owner with two games I guess I should support.

@Snide Jackal
I guess you haven't heard about Monster Hunter...

1) Sony released a special PSP for Monster Hunter...
http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/monster-hunter-portable-3-gets-updated-psp-with-improved-analog/

2) Dec 7, 2010: Record sales for Monster Hunter and PSP
http://psp.ign.com/articles/113/1138809p1.html
"In Japan, PSP normally sells 30,000 to 40,000 units per week. Last week, Monster Hunter Freedom 3 pushed system sales into the stratosphere."

I'd say that's a pretty good purpose.

All MH players should be efficient in the ancient art of "the Claw".

@Snide Jackal
You seem to think it's bigger than it really is. It only adds about 1.5" in width and probably another inch in thickness (which might be the more detrimental part rather than width.)

It looks unholy and unwieldy but it probably isn't. Not by a long shot.

It adds 1 shoulder button, not 3. It adds 1 on the right bringing the Total # of shoulder buttons to 3. 1 on the left, and 2 on the right. Like the Gamecube.

3DS: Bad planning

-250 usd launch
-No good games, except for 2 remakes (SSFIV, OOT)
-Fail at sales
-After just 6 months drop its price by 80 USD
-Bribe the naive buyers with 40 roms
-Realize Vita is going to kick your butt, so release an add-on
-Second stick makes the thing unplayable outside home

-mfw

@(Unverified)

"-Realize Vita is going to kick your butt, so release an add-on"

Is this a Nintendo product, or Capcom?

@Punkrawk Bbob didn't Capcom release some dpad overlay for the Psp?

@(Unverified)

added region lock
poor battery life
almost all new games looks like PSP ports with the exception of RE revelations

we can add more

@(Unverified)

It's 20 VC games, not 40. If you're going to slam a system, at least do your research before you make an ignorant statement. It's also very obvious you don't own a 3DS. I have 6 games currently, 7 on Friday when Starfox comes out. All of the games are very, very good. Oot, DoA, SFIV, Pilotwings, Ridge Racer, & Ghost Recon.

Furthermore, the device is most likely only made for this game.. IE: by Capcom. I could be wrong, that will be found out on the 13th, but jumping to conclusions isn't the right thing to do right now. Then again, for someone like you, I'm probably just wasting my breathe..

@eilegz

What games could the PSP possibly push out besides titles like Blazblue? Honestly? SFIV's character models alone far outdo anything on the PSP. DoA's characters and environments are jaw dropping. Pilotwings easily rivals if not surpass any of the "Mii" games that came out on the Wii, graphics wise. Ridge Racer, while not the prettiest game, looks much better than it's PSP counterpart, Zelda looks beautiful while keeping it's roots to the original "feel", and Starfox couldn't be done on a PSP, period.

"we can add more"
Please do! It's obvious none of you own this system. The battery life lasts all day for me, and I use it every day for gaming and music. I swear I hate new consoles/handhelds. It always gives a reason for ignorant, pathetic nuts to come out of the woodworks.

@Shockwave

Except 40 makes it sound better. Perhaps he is being blunt with his assertion and predictions but some of what he says makes a lot of sense.

@Shockwave

Doa/Sf4: the psp could do beautiful fighters as well, go take a look at soul calibur. Futhermore, the iphone can do freaking SF4, and looks nearly as good as the 3DS version.

oot/starfox: texture packs on a port of decade+ year old games. Easily done on the psp, if you actually took the time to port it.

Pilotwings: a nice tech demo, but yeah, most of this could be done as well.

This had better cost me -$80 . . . :(

Coming Summer 2012: Nintendo 3DS+ which features 2 built in analog sticks, and eliminated the 3D feature. Why would anyone buy a launch portable from Nintendo ever? They burned me on the original DS, not again Nintendo. NOT AGAIN!

@Hexidecimal
and then the 3DSi XL, the 3DSit with mutitouch, the 3DS micro, etc.

It really has become the norm to wait a few years on their portables, for the inevitable improved versions.

@Hexidecimal

Ya... I'm kind bummed out right now knowing I'll have to rebuy a 3DS at some point. Ah well, have been enjoying it thus far. Just hope their digital downloads transfer over without having to have both systems at once.

Nintendo needs to get their revisions out of the way before releasing products. The original DS Phat, Lite, DSi, DSiXL... Then the Wii with it's Motion+ extension. It's kind of annoying at this point. It does make the Vita look more and more appealing though. Just no games (RPGs) right now to entice me.

@Punkrawk Bbob yes,after PSP 1000,2000,3000,Go and Wifi Less i can see how Vita won't do the same thing.
If they have a Psp Phone out now,whats to stop them from releasing a Vita phone next year?

@mrantimatter what portable isnt like that?

@Hexidecimal

How did you get burned by the original DS? The thing was awesome and it was what I used until I WON a DSi XL, a Golden Sun contest, which I used until the 3DS launched and I traded it in to get mine at $150 at launch.

@Hexidecimal

How did they burn you with the original DS? The original DS does everything the others do up to the DSi which started adding "optional" features. Like internal storage and a poor camera that never really caught on.

Now the 3DS 2nd analog stick I can see because I can see that becoming a standard on the system and being part of the next immediate hardware iteration. That should have been included in the first.

@Hexidecimal

This impression is what really made initial sales underperform, not so much the price in my opinion.

I loved my DS, but having to buy a Lite just because the original's screen was such garbage kinda ticked me off. Then they made the DSi... and the XL...

Now Nintendo wholly convinced me not to buy the first version of a handheld. As soon as I heard issues about battery life and high cost, I thought to myself "Yep, I can wait a year." Besides, by then Pokemon 3DS will probably be out and I will actually have a reason to own one.

@Hexidecimal

I got burned by the GBA.

Buy the original at launch, then a month or two later "New, GBA SP! New, folding form factor, backlight, and rechargable battery!"

I learned after that, never to buy a Nintendo handheld at launch. Up until that point they were pretty good. Revisions didn't come up immediately, in fact they were years apart. Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Color, all were good and were years apart, being serious upgrades from one another. Once the GBA hit, tho, they started doing revisions almost immediately.

@Drakkenfyre
GBA: 2001
GBASP: 2003

@Drakkenfyre

The original GBA was released in 2001, while the SP came out in 2003. Moreover, the launch version of the SP didn't have a "backlight," as the system was front-lit. It wasn't until 2005 that Nintendo released the backlit version.

Does anyone know if this is an official Nintendo accessory? It's possible a third party created this abomination because Capcom insisted on it. In any case, until we know for sure, there's no point in assuming Nintendo made this thing themselves.

If they did, though, I'm sad... very sad.

What the WHAT?!

It also looks like a charging dock. Hmmmm. Looks like there's a cable coming off of it in one of those pics, too. Can you play this thing while it's charging? Is this going to eat into the battery? Is it made of the same material as the 3DS?

So many questions...

What I don't understand is that they must have been working on the WiiU controller and the 3DS at the same time. How can they decide to go with two slide pads on the WiiU and then think that only one would be sufficient for the 3DS. it's just a major oversight and you just know that they are realizing it now.

@Uncle Jesse

I actually think the mock up Joystiq had on a previous article looked really nice. Two analog circles sitting above the d-pad (L) and face buttons (R), just like the Wii U controller.

I would be shocked if the 3DSi Lite XL doesn't come like that.

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Gaze upon the 3DS circle pad attachment

Reader Comments (117)

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 9:49AM mrantimatter said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:06AM baby sea tuna said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:09AM bm111 said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:24AM NaeemTHM said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:40AM Co said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 11:05AM Grimbear13 said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 11:46AM OnToGloryReturns said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 12:37PM OnToGloryReturns said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 12:49PM Co said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 1:07PM NaeemTHM said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 1:18PM NaeemTHM said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 2:59PM LittleMofreaky said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 3:02PM Scuffles said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 4:34PM Dcmac said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 6:51PM Lawfer said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 6:51PM LittleMofreaky said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 9:52PM yabhero said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 9:50AM Snide Jackal said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 9:57AM FuriousMailman said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 9:59AM Sponge said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:02AM Snide Jackal said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:07AM Snide Jackal said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:18AM Lerkero said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:44AM Pure Black World Tendency said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 11:03AM Mmmmz said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 9:51AM feefernet said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 9:55AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:03AM Punkrawk Bbob said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:19AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 11:04AM eilegz said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 12:00PM Shockwave said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 12:05PM Shockwave said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 12:23PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 2:40PM mrantimatter said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 9:56AM JCDoe said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 9:56AM Hexidecimal said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 9:59AM mrantimatter said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:06AM Punkrawk Bbob said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:17AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:18AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:36AM Suichimo said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 2:56PM Scuffles said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 3:04PM DaDiddles said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 3:08PM Drakkenfyre said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 6:55PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:07PM jblackyear said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 9:59AM batmyke said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:00AM Uncle Jesse said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:15AM Uncle Jesse said

Posted: Sep 7th 2011 10:45AM Co said

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