3DS XL Getting Its Own Circle Pad Pro

Many gamers thought that the next 3DS would include a second Circle Pad built in, considering several high-profile games use it and the cumbersome attachment didn’t really go over well with the gaming populace. Still, the 3DS XL was announced and no second Circle Pad was present. Obviously, old style Circle Pad Pros wouldn’t fit the 3DS XL, so how was Nintendo going to market Circle Pad Pro games to the XL market?

Well, a recent issue of Famtisu has revealed that Nintendo has decided to cash in on the accessory craze once again. The 3DS XL will have an extra large Circle Pad Pro attachment that operates the same way the original Circle Pad Pro did. Yes, this means anyone who is trading up to the 3DS XL from their original 3DS has to purchase another Circle Pad Pro as well.

You just have to love that accessory marketing.

The new extra large Circle Pad Pro is set to go on sale sometime this year in Japan and has not yet been confirmed for release on our shores, though I couldn’t dream of Nintendo passing up this opportunity to cash in on accessory incompatibility.

Frankly, at this point I hope Nintendo just stops designing games for the Circle Pad Pro. It’s cumbersome and doesn’t add much to the games that already use it.

By Angelo M. D'Argenio

06/28/2012 05:45PM