Rumour: 3DS to GamePad Converter in the Works?

Although it seems practically this may be useful for some, I think ultimately it's only going to add to the market-confusion regarding how the Wii/Wii U/3DS sit with each other. If only the 3DS was always intended to be the controller for a new console.. 

Does the 3DS have a gyro in it? What about those games that need movement, are we also not missing a few triggers?

It would be good if it could work though, it might get me to get a 3DS. I still think Nintendo will release a 3DS with a built in 2nd Circle Pad in it and that is what i am waiting for!

Flynnie said:
Does the 3DS have a gyro in it? What about those games that need movement, are we also not missing a few triggers?

Yep - 3DS does have gyros, plus with the Circle Pad Pro it adds extra shoulder buttons to the original 3DS - so you'd have your dual analogue, 4 shoulders, 4 face buttons, touchscreen too. I can see it working, though how much and how well it would work, who knows?

( Edited 03.01.2013 23:56 by jb )

If they then sold a cheaper WiiU with out a pad, then it becomes more tempting to me.

However, its not a exact match; The 3ds lacks a near field sensor and the IR dots for the wiimote. So not everything would work.

I don't doubt it will happen. The rumour was started by Nintendo itself, and the Circle Pad Pro not only adds the necessary buttons, but gives them the same names, and the GamePad also adopts the button names and layout the 3DS already has. Connectivity between the two systems is already starting to roll out, with Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate syncing gameplay between the Wii U and 3DS, some kind of connectivity between both versions of Super Smash etc. It makes sense to put the option on the table for those who have a Wii U and a 3DS.

Not sure if I'm missing something here, but what's the point of this? You have your GamePad anyway, so why use a 3DS, which may or may not work just as good? Unless there's something else I'm overlooking, which I'd appreciate someone filling me in on.

Would be good for multiplayer with multiple gamepads. I really want to see a way of playing DS/3DS on the TV through WiiU. GamePad is perfect to replicate a lower DS screen. Guess it could be done using a downloadable app to connect the DS to the WiiU before booting a game?

Azuardo said:
Not sure if I'm missing something here, but what's the point of this? You have your GamePad anyway, so why use a 3DS, which may or may not work just as good? Unless there's something else I'm overlooking, which I'd appreciate someone filling me in on.

The only benefit I can see from this is when Nintendo do decide to introduce more than 1 GamePad - instead of £100 for a second GamePad, this rumoured 3DS-converter may cost £30/£40 - or less hopefully - so more of a saving/cost-cutting instead of getting a second GP.

Ikana - think that really depends on the DS game. Wouldn't work for many of them where you have to look at both screens continuously. The great thing about DS is that the screens are right next to each other. Splitting them to GP and TV would be a lot of neck movement and impossible to play some games. But sure, some games I guess it could work.

I guess the multiplayer thing for using 3DS could work. Doubt we'll be seeing many 2xGamePad multiplayer games, though, tbh, going on the price of the GP.

Unlikely. Even with the CPP on, the 3DS won't have pushable analogs. That's two inputs gone straight away.

Would explain why they went with shoulder buttons instead of triggers on the Gamepad though...

Azuardo said:
Ikana - think that really depends on the DS game. Wouldn't work for many of them where you have to look at both screens continuously. The great thing about DS is that the screens are right next to each other. Splitting them to GP and TV would be a lot of neck movement and impossible to play some games. But sure, some games I guess it could work.

True - probably wouldn't work for games you're supposed to hold sideways either. Still - there are lots of games where you mostly focus on the top screen (Actually most of them, I'd guess). Meh I just miss the days of big screen Pokémon.

I definitely think using a 3DS as a GamePad would be nice as a cheap / convenient alternative to buying extra GamePads. I can't imagine it would work perfectly though - I'm not certain as I don't have a WiiU (yet - due to arrive in an hour!) but presumaby the 3DS screen is no where near as high quality? And could the 3DS handle the streaming that well?

jb said:

Azuardo said:
Not sure if I'm missing something here, but what's the point of this? You have your GamePad anyway, so why use a 3DS, which may or may not work just as good? Unless there's something else I'm overlooking, which I'd appreciate someone filling me in on.

The only benefit I can see from this is when Nintendo do decide to introduce more than 1 GamePad - instead of £100 for a second GamePad, this rumoured 3DS-converter may cost £30/£40 - or less hopefully - so more of a saving/cost-cutting instead of getting a second GP.

This seems silly, performance would take a hit if the Wii U was rendering for 4 screens. 

JayUK said:
This seems silly, performance would take a hit if the Wii U was rendering for 4 screens. 

I don't understand why there would be a cartridge. That's the part that seems most unbelievable about the rumor. I understand that the Circle Pad Pro might be needed to provide equivalent buttons, but I don't see any reason why a physical cartridge would be needed instead of a software download.

True but that seems overly convoluted/complicated, and unless its easy who's gonna use it. Nintendo seems to be fixing a problem that doesn't exist, when there are more pressing things wrong with the Wii U.