The Nintendo 2DS is an entry-level version of the Nintendo 3DS video game console. The console features a slate-like design rather than the clamshell seen on previous models. It was announced on August 28, 2013 and will be available in North America, Europe, and Australia on October 12, 2013.
The Nintendo 2DS's internal hardware is almost identical to that of the 3DS, but the 2DS lacks the 3DS's autostereoscopic display (which removes its ability to play games and view content in stereoscopic 3D), and its internal speaker only supports mono sound (but the headphone output still supports stereo sound). Its overall hardware design is also a significant diversion from that of the 3DS; while it is roughly the same size as its counterpart, the 2DS uses a "slate" form factor instead of the clamshell form that was used by the Nintendo DS and 3DS. Its buttons are positioned slightly higher than those of the 3DS, and its shoulder buttons are concave in shape and relatively thicker. Although it cannot display content in 3D, the 2DS still has dual cameras which can take photographs in 3D; photos can be viewed in 3D if they are transferred to a 3DS. Sleep mode is activated using a new slider switch in lieu of closing the shell.[1]
The 2DS's software is identical to that of the 3DS, still supporting features such as Wi-Fi connectivity (toggled through a software button instead of a hardware switch), StreetPass, and all existing games released for the 3DS and DS.
