Useless features on the 3DS

[Cat333Pokémon]

The 3DS, while a great system, definitely has at least a few stock features that don't live up to Nintendo's expectations.



My opinion in no particular order:

Nintendo Video - I thought it was going to be like YouTube in that you could watch anything in the collection on demand, but the fact it only has four videos at any given time pretty much makes the app pointless, not to mention this thing hogs bandwidth at the most inconvenient times, so I just turned SpotPass off for it.

Face Raiders - Only opened it once, and it was on a friend's 3DS before I got mine. It's literally the only app (that isn't a demo) that I have never opened.

AR Games - I think I only used this once or twice, pretty much for the same reason as Face Raiders.

Mii Plaza - Ugh. I go to college where I easily max out the number of Miis in a few hours walking around campus, practically forcing me to play this thing every day. It wouldn't be so bad if you could set some kind of automatic mode where it registered every pass without having to constantly open it. I got sick of Find Mii's cheapness early on and simply left that at the end screen so it wouldn't bug me anymore. The stats app says I've opened this thing 435 bloody times...for an average of three minutes per play.

Nintendo Zone - This thing is absolutely useless due to how slow it is and how it is only usable at select locations. I actually have used it several times at McDonald's restaurants. During a busy day where I had to wait a good amount of time for my food, I was barely able to navigate around the system before I had been served. Even sitting around after eating, I got bored of waiting for pages to load and left. It's perhaps one of the worst executed features on the system.

Swapnote - Fun to send a few notes at first, but feels just as gimmicky as the Wii Message Board after a few uses.

Miiverse - When this comes out, I'm surely not going to use it. I'm not fond of online social networks, particularly being forced into one.

DHCP - This is the ability to hold onto an IP address with the Wi-Fi. In short, it can't, meaning I can't use anything except the browser (not even the eShop) on campus without a Wi-Fi bridge.

One app at a time - It was once touted that you could use the browser or game notes while playing a game. Of course, you can't use anything except that game. The main reason I bring this up is Pokédex 3D Pro. The relevant games require fully closing them on the system to even get back to the menu, meaning you pretty much should use two systems for that. Of course, if they plan to update it for Pokémon X/Y, it still will be almost useless, as you still wouldn't be able to launch the app without first closing the game. Heck, you can still go to major Pokémon sites like Serebii or Bulbapedia because the browser still works without closing the game. (Nintendo, you really need to fix this if you want to sell more copies of the Pokédex.)

The battery - It runs out so quickly that your charger may very well stop working before the system does. I have charged my system approximately 400 times.



Things others may think are useless:

3D - A lot of people can't see it, and while it definitely is useless for them, for those of us who can, it may be cool when executed well.

Nintendo 3DS Sound - Set the sound to stereo instead of surround. This works great in a pinch when I need a little music and don't have another player handy. I loaded it with some favorites a while back. And hey, I've used it for 32 hours.

IR port - Quick data linking in certain games

Microphone - Voice chatting while playing online in certain games

Cameras - QR, AR (in applicable games), and in-a-pinch photography

Health & Safety - This keeps Nintendo out of court.

Internet Browser - Yeah, it's bad, but it's useful in a pinch like the cameras.



What do you folks think are the most useless features?

[Reuniclus]

The 3D feature is definitely one of them for me. I think my problem is that I can't hold my system still enough to enjoy the 3D effects. It keeps getting blurry when I try to get it into a good position.
The graphics are pleasing enough as it is without the 3D. :3

[Twiggy]

The 3DS? Useless features? The easiest thing I can bring to my mind is, well... lack of any real multitasking, though I can't fault anything given that it has only 128 MB of (admittedly fast) RAM. Maybe a revision with at least 256 MB of RAM would solve this, but who knows?

One thing I know, though, is I don't bother with AR, and by proxy, Face Raiders. Unless it's Pokémon Dream Radar.

[Velociraptor78]

I actually agree with a lot of these things.

Originally Posted by Cat333Pokémon

Nintendo Video - I thought it was going to be like YouTube in that you could watch anything in the collection on demand, but the fact it only has four videos at any given time pretty much makes the app pointless, not to mention this thing hogs bandwidth at the most inconvenient times, so I just turned SpotPass off for it.

This is the only reason I disliked the app: I thought it would be more than it was, but it wasn't.

Originally Posted by Cat333Pokémon

Face Raiders - Only opened it once, and it was on a friend's 3DS before I got mine. It's literally the only app (that isn't a demo) that I have never opened.

I only played this thing once as well, and it was just to see how it worked. Never even touched it again; it lurks at the back of the folder full of games that I'll never play or use.

Originally Posted by Cat333Pokémon

AR Games - I think I only used this once or twice, pretty much for the same reason as Face Raiders.

I thought the AR games were pretty cool, but then I found out there's only like 10 things to do with it. Haven't played it since last year.

Originally Posted by Cat333Pokémon

Mii Plaza - Ugh. I go to college where I easily max out the number of Miis in a few hours walking around campus, practically forcing me to play this thing every day. It wouldn't be so bad if you could set some kind of automatic mode where it registered every pass without having to constantly open it. I got sick of Find Mii's cheapness early on and simply left that at the end screen so it wouldn't bug me anymore. The stats app says I've opened this thing 435 bloody times...for an average of three minutes per play.

I have the exact opposite issue with this: There's only around three people in my city that have a 3DS that I can use for this. I either have to cash out on my Play Coins to fill up Puzzle Swap, or get with one friend twelve or so times so that I can beat Find Mii.

Originally Posted by Cat333Pokémon

Nintendo Zone - This thing is absolutely useless due to how slow it is and how it is only usable at select locations. I actually have used it several times at McDonald's restaurants. During a busy day where I had to wait a good amount of time for my food, I was barely able to navigate around the system before I had been served. Even sitting around after eating, I got bored of waiting for pages to load and left. It's perhaps one of the worst executed features on the system.

I have no idea what this even is because I live too far away from any hotspots to use it properly.

Originally Posted by Cat333Pokémon

Swapnote - Fun to send a few notes at first, but feels just as gimmicky as the Wii Message Board after a few uses.

This is my generaly feeling for most of the 3DS's features: Fun at first, but after a while it feels cheap and outdated.

Originally Posted by Cat333Pokémon

Miiverse - When this comes out, I'm surely not going to use it. I'm not fond of online social networks, particularly being forced into one.

If it handles the same way as the WiiU's Miiverse, it might be fun.

Originally Posted by Cat333Pokémon

DHCP - This is the ability to hold onto an IP address with the Wi-Fi. In short, it can't, meaning I can't use anything except the browser (not even the eShop) on campus without a Wi-Fi bridge.

Again, I don't know what this is since I have no real use for it, but it doesn't sound that appealing.

Originally Posted by Cat333Pokémon

The battery - It runs out so quickly that your charger may very well stop working before the system does. I have charged my system approximately 400 times.

I usually just leave my 3DS on the charger in case it decides to update or something.

Originally Posted by Cat333Pokémon

3D - A lot of people can't see it, and while it definitely is useless for them, for those of us who can, it may be cool when executed well.

I have rarely used the 3D, not because I can't see it well, but just because I don't really see a use for it.

Internet Browser - Yeah, it's bad, but it's useful in a pinch.

Great for when I'm up at 3 AM and I want to find out how much Jurassic Park made when it first came out. According to Box Office Mojo, around $350 million.

[kakashidragon]

Internet browser helps me so i dont have to go on the home computer or my ps3 to use the internet if im stuck on a game.

The nintendo video does sort of suck as u have to be in sleepmode/streetpass to get videos from it. [which sometimes i dont get anything]

The battery sucks when im online with browser or netflix. [i have to charge it like every 2-3 hours with online turned on]

I hear the 3ds gets flipnotes in may which will be fun.

That miiverse thing not sure how to get it/use it.

[isbragg]

Nintendo Video can eat up lots of space on an SD card, especially lower capacity cards. It can take up the entirety of a 2 GB card! The videos are actually downloaded and overwritten, rather than streamed.

Originally Posted by kakashidragon

That miiverse thing not sure how to get it/use it.

That is still in the works.

[Yoshi648]

Nintendo Video - Meh, only getting 4 videos aint much.

Face Raiders and AR Games - Only used a handful of times, but that's about it

Swapnote - Alright for sending random goofball messages to your friends every now and then

1 app at a time - I haven't done anything yet that this would be a problem for (if I need to look up something I just use an actual computer)

Nintendo Zone - Ain't much in it and goes slow.

Originally Posted by Cat333Pokémon

Mii Plaza - Ugh. I go to college where I easily max out the number of Miis in a few hours walking around campus, practically forcing me to play this thing every day.

Having a constant stream of people? That's the saddest story I ever heard. Funny, my 3DS isn't equipped with a gun forcing me to play it like yours seems to be. I've also said this to you a billion times in person but you don't seem to listen. If you don't like it, then don't play it. Simple as that.

3DS Sound, Camera, and Internet Browser - I got other devices capable of these three, but are alright if I need something on-the-fly.

3D - Most of the time I have it off. It's cool in small bursts, but can be a little annoying after a little bit (especially if you are like me and constantly moving your arms around).

[PureAurorae]

The feature which I find the most useless is probably Face Raiders, I played it once and I thought it was so stupid that I never used it again. Other features which are kinda useless are Nintendo Video, 3DS sound and even the 3D feature. I can't even see the 3D that well and it hurts my eyes so I have never used it.

[Quadcentruo]

The 3D function on the 3DS was poorly executed in my opinion. All it does is add depth to a game's look, but only when your head and system are positioned properly, so I usually end up hurting my wrists, neck, and eyes when it's on.

However, some games have managed to make the 3D function look very nice when it's on, like Kid Icarus: Uprising. Regardless, I still keep 3D off for virtually everything.

[TurtwigX]

3DS Camera- It's quality is way too poor. I'd only defend it because of the Magnagates and AR games.

3DS Sound/Speakers- They're WEAK. CRANK IT UP. The only good part about the app are the little games you can play while listening to music.

Activity Log- Not useful ever, it's just the Wii Message Board except without a notification. Especially when you like to change the time and date a lot. I use it once every three months to check what I did when I first turned on the system.

Nintendo Video- Some of the videos aren't all that good, and you can only get four at a time! I don't even think you can control which ones to keep and/or delete.

Swapnote- Only somewhat. I occasionally enjoy sitting down and reading notes, but sometimes it gets annoying and I NEVER send any out.

Nintendo Zone- I literally forgot what this was used for.

Play Coins- Few games I have actually use them. And if they're used, they're used for useless things. Nice try, pedometer-present.

Mic- It's minuscule and so oddly positioned that I first thought they forgot to add one to the system. It's not entirely useless, it just needs to be moved out in the open, and with a label.

3DSXL- Yes, the WHOLE system. It's waaaaay too fat and the shape is ugly.

But I still love my Lil' Big Pocket Nintendo Baby~ The gods made him perfectly just the way he is.

[Cat333Pokémon]

Originally Posted by TurtwigX

Play Coins- Few games I have actually use them. And if they're used, they're used for useless things. Nice try, pedometer-present.

Oh man, I completely forgot about these things! I'm more annoyed both that they max out at a small number like 300 and that they have no major uses, though. I easily max out the counter five days a week with the ten coins you get, but there are currently only two apps I can still spend coins on:

• Pokémon Rumble Blast - The coins convert to game money, and that stuff becomes useless when you're nearly finished with the game.
• Mii Plaza - See my comment about Find Mii above. I sometimes buy puzzle pieces when bored, though...that is, when I actually do have a puzzle that needs blue pieces.
• Swapnote - I can't currently spend coins on this because I bought all the wallpapers and features.

The feature itself is useless because there isn't much of anything you can do with the coins. But then again, if they let you turn the coins into stuff that was too good, some folks would think you are cheating by having the means to walk a lot.

[Wulf Cines]

I agree, These are two features I could do without:
Nintendo Video is something I never use. It sounds so pointless and it is truly nothing like Youtube.

Face Raiders is a game I just wish I could delete from the system memory. It's so creepy how it uses faces that are yours and your friends'. Face Raiders seems very pointless and not well thought out of a game.

Now here's a feature I could do more with, and if:
AR Games! If they gave you more AR Cards to work with rather than just the packed in default card, like expansions, I would probably use it more often. I already got bored of it that the fishing and other games aren't as fun when I printed out replacements for my used 3DS. My 3DS didn't have the cards provided, but when I got to play it it was really awesome... Now, as I stated, I just am not as interested in this 3D feature anymore.

Play Coins! Why are we limited to making 10 a day? That is ridiculous because some of us are adults, we do not like feeling limited! Also some of us would like to feel more rewarded for walking/running around town with lots of Play Coins. Then again, there aren't enough games nor features to use them. If there was and the Play Coin limit removed I am sure it would more motivate me to want to set the system into sleep and jog with it everyday. Well, that activity log isn't going to be tracking my steps because I'm walking without the system.

Oh, let me add on. Puzzle Swap! You finish a puzzle to be satisfied with it and can use your Play Coins to start another puzzle, right? Wrong! I finished the first one with Super Mario Galaxy 2 only to figure I'd have to pass by someone else using Street Pass to start yet another one. The lamest part of this? Certain people like myself are not fortunate to come across someone else with a 3DS using such a feature at the time! How do you start another puzzle then? You just don't. Nintendo made a poor choice here on this part of Street Pass Mii Plaza. Therefore everything involving the Plaza is useless to me. Next time make it internet capable fellas, where if I have a friend on my list their Mii can join my Plaza... Or even any of my Mii's in my Mii Maker can randomly appear to help me out so as long as I didn't make the Mii on my 3DS system.

[BigN64]

Agreed on Nintendo Video, Nintendo Zone, Face Raiders and the Internet Browser, those are all highly disappointing features.

The battery life is indeed pathetic. I don't know if it's true but I heard they fixed the battery issue with the 3DS XL.