[CNET]

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Nintendo 3DS: Year Two (could there be a Slim?)

The 3DS had a rocky start, but has been gaining ground in sales thanks to an aggressively lower price and a library of games that, while not tremendous, covers the bases with recognizable franchises and strong quality (Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, and the 3D remake of Ocarina of Time). A number of surprisingly good downloadable games have trickled in to the 3DS eShop, many at prices that finally match offerings on Apple’s App Store (Pushmo, Sakura Samurai).

Nintendo can’t let up on the software. A strong second wave of first-party games, and hopefully a greater flow of third-party games, considering the growth of the 3DS platform, should be on deck. New Super Mario Bros. 2 is already a definite. Expect Nintendo to celebrate the sales resurgence of the 3DS for longer than you’d care to listen.

The 3DS isn’t a perfect piece of hardware, though. It lacks a second analog pad, and, more importantly, its battery life has always disappointed compared with the stellar life of previous Nintendo handhelds. Could an improved 3DS Slim be offered? Odds say no: Nintendo usually waits two years before refreshing handheld hardware. The DS Lite came out in 2006, two years after the original DS. In that case, a new 3DS could debut in early 2013, although that’s unlikely.

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