We all know the drill: A cool new system is released, in anywhere from 1-3 colors. It has 3D! It was released with Zelda! I must play it NOW! So we run out and buy one. They stay with the same colors for the entire run, right? Nope. The big reveal is followed up by releasing cool new colors and special editions featuring your all-time favorite franchises. What is a gaming nerd to do?
Collect them? Stick with your first one? Assuming its affordable, try to think up excuses to buy the shiny new toy? These articles cover a couple of our takes on the topic. This article features
Yvonne’s take:
As I’ve blabbed on about for years now, I started playing video games at a later age: I was 42 years old when I said to my daughter who was seven: “you know, I’ll help you gather some shells and fruit so you can make some money!” You see, during the holidays she got Animal Crossing Wild World for her DS, and as it was in English she needed some help. In my defense, it was what every mother does when her child plays a game, help them along…what it turned into was me hogging her DS. Not my proudest moment but it did lead to me buying my own white DS Lite ASAP.
Why am I giving this background? To clarify that gaming came into my life when I had been working for 20 years. That meant I had the money to make sure I could hop onto getting the newest device that Nintendo brought to us, on release day! And I did, for years to come. Bought a black DSi on day one. Got myself a brown DSi XL when it was available. And an aqua blue 3DS, a red 3DS XL and the regular Switch.
Did you know the Dutch are known around the World as being stingy? Of course it’s a generalization that I will deny but it might just be the reason I have next to nothing to contribute when we are talking about special edition consoles and devices. I guess my games are more important to me, and as the special editions do exactly what a regular device does (as in, run my video games) I find it hard to spend money on them. The only reason for me to go for a new Switch or 3DS would be when the old one failed to do its job.
Yvo’s European and Japanese 3DS’s. The Japanese system is a beautiful green.
The only remotely out of the ordinary device I have is my Japanese 3DS, region locked to play Japanese games only. It’s imported and is a very pleasing soft mint green with white. But even that one isn’t adorned with exciting game images or such! Still, I wouldn’t call it stingy…rather: practical!
CJ’s take:
Nintendo systems are proving to be a rare exception to my normal method of acquiring electronics: Buy the best one I can afford and then use it until it breaks. Replace and do it again.
I currently have every Nintendo device I’ve ever owned. I can’t seem to let them go. As of right now that’s 2 DS’s, a New 3DS XL, a Disney Magical World 3DS XL, and I just grabbed a seafoam 2DS. Unfortunately, the Disney Magical World system is defective and will probably have to be traded in, but I can’t lose my StreetPasses so I grabbed a replacement!
What broke me were the Disney Magical World systems. I LOVE Disney Magical World, and will be over the moon when (I choose to be optimistic!) Disney blesses us with an installment for the Switch. Until then, I’ve found myself with the goal of collecting the merch, which is primarily 3 systems: Disney Magical World 3DS XL, a Japanese version of the same system with a different design, and a pink and white 2DS that was sold with a special themed case. I cheated a bit, because when I found myself looking to replace the defective system, I found a very reasonably priced seafoam green 2DS, and the special Disney Magical World case being sold separately. It was a very cost effective way to replace the system and still get the cool Disney case.
Why yes, you CAN use Wii remotes as makeshift stands in a pinch. The more you know!
If money were no object, I would try to collect all the Disney Magical World systems and all the Fire Emblem systems. As money is very much an object, my current goal is to have a couple functioning systems so that when I go to conventions again I can collect as many StreetPasses as possible!
How about you? Do you own or aspire to own any special edition or uniquely colored systems? Let us know in the comments!
I love all the Nintendo systems I had. But I never imagined getting a switch. My sons got me 2 best system ever.
It is pretty great! I’m still partial to the 3DS, but I have been enjoying the Switch Lite I got earlier this year.