Nintendo 3DS Slide Pad brings an ugly, but effective second analog stick at TGS 2011

Written by Matt Swider on September 15, 2011

3DS Slide Pad News: It's not pretty, but the Nintendo 3DS is getting a second circle pad in the form of an attachment.

Also see: List of Nintendo 3DS Slide Pad Games

There's a lot to like about the Nintendo 3DS circle pad. It brings 360-degree maneuverability to the portable system, yet maintains a flat design thanks to an analog stick that's flush with the portable device. There's just one problem: there's only one circle pad when many games since the PlayStation era have used two analog sticks to control on-screen characters.

Meet Nintendo's 3DS Slide Pad. Announced at the Tokyo Game Show this week in Japan, it adds a second circle pad to the right side of the handheld for 15,000 yen (about $20). It also adds some bulk and heft to the gaming device, which is already twice the size as the average cell phone. The required AAA battery won't help is stay light and slim, either.

While the Slide Pad causes the 3DS to jut out on the right side, the effectiveness of a second circle pad on games in development will outweigh its ugly form factor. So far, the attachment has only been announced for a December release in Japan. No word on a North American Slide Pad release date, but considering AAA games are already going to make use of the accessory, we expect to hear about one shortly. We also expect to hear about a Nintendo 3DS Slide Pad system revision by E3 2012. Nintendo is known to come out with accessories and then incorporate them into future models. Plus, the goiter-like form factor is just too ugly to stick with for very long.

source: Nintendo of Japan