In a lot of ways, Nintendo's newest handhelds have kept the company going. The Wii U is still struggling to find an audience nearly two years after the console was released, but the 3DS family of handhelds started off strong and has continued to do incredibly well.
While the 3DS has always sold well, the 3D effect wasn't suitable for younger children, which meant that Nintendo wasn't able to take advantage of one of its biggest demographics. Thus was born the Nintendo 2DS: a cheaper, 3D-less handheld that younger players could use without worrying about eyestrain.
Since launch, the 2DS has gone on to sell almost as well as its 3D brethren, and as such, Nintendo is set to release some special edition models that take us back to the company's handheld heritage. That's right, Nintendo just announced transparent plastic 2DS models.
Meet the Nintendo #2DS Transparent Red and Nintendo 2DS Transparent Blue, set to arrive on 07/11 pic.twitter.com/TfVUDklC5X
— Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) September 23, 2014
The picture was originally posted by Nintendo UK, and as of this writing, no listing for a U.S. release has materialized. For the time being, it looks like the transparent 2DS will be a Europe-only item, set for launch on Nov. 7. The new 2DS will also be bundled with Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire on Nov. 28.
For those that may not have been alive all those years ago, the new 2DS models seem to be a throwback to older transparent Gameboy models. Several different models of the handheld were released over the years, and nearly all of them were given a clear plastic makeover at one point. It's something fans haven't seen since the birth of the DS lineup back in 2004, and after a decade, it'll be nice to see the insides of our gadgets again.
So far, the only 2DS special edition to be released in the U.S. was a bundle with New Super Mario Bros. 2. The 3DS family has received several since its debut, and will receive a new special edition for the upcoming Super Smash Bros. release on Oct. 3rd.
2014 is shaping up to be a big year for the handheld, with Super Smash Bros. releasing on the handheld first, followed by the Generation 3 Pokemon remakes in November. Nintendo also announced a new handheld, the New Nintendo 3DS, which features improved hardware and 3D capabilities.
