Yesterday, we heard news that upcoming Nintendo 3DS game Kid Icarus would be shipping with a free stand for the console.
Previously only announced for Japan through Uprising designer Masahiro Sakurai’s Twitter account, Nintendo has now confirmed that the stand will be available in all territories.
The stand is designed to hold up the handheld while the user plays the game. The Kid Icarus control scheme requires one hand to be on the Circle Pad and the other to use the stylus. Playing Kid Icarus requires fast movements and aim, and holding the 3DS with one hand can apparently become a bit uncomfortable for some users.
When we inquired about the accessory Nintendo issued the following statement:
Nintendo is including a free stand with all copies of the Kid Icarus: Uprising game for the Nintendo 3DS system. The stand holds the Nintendo 3DS at an angle above any flat surface and provides players with a comfortable option for playing. The game’s control scheme was designed to fit the game’s unique blend of flight, shooting and melee combat, and offers tremendous precision. Our product testing demonstrated that players found the stand to be comfortable and enjoyable.
While that is nice for sitting around at home, it’s probably not as convenient for use on the road. The 3DS is a handheld, and that usually involves being able to open it up and play a quick game, then drop it back into your bag or pocket.
Can you play without the stand? Of course you can, and this does feel a bit like a workaround for a control scheme that may not have been as simple as the designers had originally hoped. Add a second Circle Pad, and soon this little guy will become more like a Virtual Boy than a successor to the DS. Either way, like the additional Circle Pad, it does feel like a bit of an afterthought.
[Image via Masahiro Sakurai/Twitpic]