Accessorize your system right with our guide.
It’s that time of the year again- time to put up the tree, spin the dreidel, and spend time with friends and family. There is one more tradition that comes with the holidays, though- gift giving.
Due to its price cut around Thanksgiving, the month of November saw more than 795,000 3DS units sold, meaning there are over 2.5 million Nintendo 3DS consoles either wrapped up or in the hands of zealous gamers.
With every new console released comes a slew of new accessories ready to enhance your gaming performance. But which ones will serve your gaming needs the best? We break down a list of the best accessories for battery power, protection, and transportation, among others.
Backup Battery: Nyko 82100 Nintendo 3DS PowerPak High Capacity Rechargeable Battery
A common complaint for the 3DS is its short battery life (at approximately 3-5 hours). With any graphically intense game, especially with the 3D turned on, it would be a miracle for the stock battery to last three hours- but not with this baby. Nyko has presented us with a solution in this add-on power pack. It works by removing the backplate from the 3DS, taking out the battery, and replacing it with this small attachment. Nyko delivers on its promise of a power pack that will last twice as long, as well as adding a soft rubbery grip on the bottom (a handy feature for younger players, who may be less careful with the console). It’s a great replacement and at just $10, is an affordable and beneficial add-on to any 3DS. One drawback to the PowerPak is its bulk: the bottom of a case for your 3DS may no longer fit, yet the PowerPak isn’t bulky enough to make the 3DS any harder to handle. As well as this, with the PowerPak installed, the 3DS can no longer fit into the stock docking station. Nyko came up with a solution to this too: for just $5 more, you can get a battery and a docking station.
Price for Nyko PowerPak: $10 if you’re buying from BestBuy, $20 from the company’s website.
Maintenance/ Starter Kit: dreamGEAR i.Sound 13 in 1 Gamer Pack
The dreamGEAR Gamer Pack comes with everything necessary for a gamer at a good price. The kit includes a protective case, a car charger, USB SD card reader, ear-buds, 2 styli, 2 wrist straps, 3 game cases, screen protectors, and a cleaning cloth. Each kit comes in a variety of colors, something that will definitely appeal to a wide variety of people.
Price for dreamGEAR i.Sound Starter kit: neworldit.com has it for $16.69.
Casing: Crystal Armor, Explorer Starter Kit, Nintendo Official Executive Case
For this category, we chose three cases that will help you give three different types of protection: A basic hard case, a whole kit and case, and a basic, professional case.
We’ll start with the Crystal Armor. Normally, the problem with hard, attachable cases is the fear that the protection itself will scratch the outside of the device. Crystal Armor fixes this by adding a soft, thin inner cushion to their Armor, preventing the hard plastic from having any contact with your 3DS. The hard plastic case fits on the 3DS very well and there should be no worry that it may pop off if dropped from a medium height. These Crystal Armor cases are also recommended for their unique designs- the Ocarina of Time Armor comes with official artwork on the front, beautifully designed, as well as a Mario themed version, and another Zelda case. The only downside to the Crystal Armor is the Nyko PowerPak will not fit if you choose this case and the 3DS can no longer be charged in the docking station.
The Crystal Armor is available at Amazon.com for $14.99
Next, we have the POWER A Explorer Starter Kit. This kit comes with a few accessories to enhance gameplay, but I’ve chosen this kit for its case and it’s ability to hold so many accessories, as well as providing good protection for transporting your device. It contains many of the same accessories as the dreamGEAR, though it is officially licensed by Nintendo. This is also a slightly higher priced product. The case itself can hold 3 game cards, as well as one in your system, in addition to two styli and a cleaning cloth with plenty of room for any AR cards. If you have a child who tends to lose accessories or peripherals, this is a good case for them to keep it all together, as well as providing protection.
The POWER A Explorer Starter Kit is available at Amazon for $19.96.
Finally, we have the Nintendo Official Executive Case for 3DS. This fine casing is much more suited for the mature set that prefer a more professional or exclusive appearance to their 3DS. It has a sleek design that blends in well in a portfolio or backpack. Inside, it can hold two 3DS games (including one more in your console) and a replacement stylus. It doesn’t come with the same amount of accessories as a kit, and can’t hold as much as the Explorer case, but what it lacks in space it makes up for in style. The inside is a soft material to protect your system, while the outside is a faux leather. Outside you’ll find the casing is semi- water resistant- a small spill will roll right off the case, but I don’t recommend dunking this in a pool. Overall, this case is very nice for someone who is treating their 3DS like an expensive piece of equipment- not just another toy. It is definitely recommended for young adults, and its minimalist design, as well as providing adequate protection, makes it a good buy. The only downside to this case is the velcro latch- depending on your tastes, this may not appeal to you.
The Nintendo Official Executive Case for 3DS is available at Amazon for $14.96
This leads us to the end of our guide. We hope it helped you determine which accessories are best suited for the Nintendo 3DS.
Happy Holidays!
