6th Gen Console purchase justification

[Altairis]

You hit the nail on its head, Altairis. So far many of the arguments I've seen have been backed up with the vast array of other great 3DS games out on the market and those yet to come. But, unfortunately, chances are I won't be buying them. I'm much more of a PC gamer myself, the only handheld game I ever truly stuck with was Pokemon and that's not likely to change anytime soon. Sure a 3DS is fantastic for gaming when you're on the road and need to kill some time, but I've also got my smartphone with which I can access all of the Internet, listen to music, watch videos and even play some tablet games with (although they are usually crap).

In the end it will be my decision whether or not to make the purchase and I think that will only truly be made after the games are released and I can watch some gameplay. They would need some remake-only features that go beyond aesthetic for me to want to drop so much money for them.

If you aren't a hardcore Pokemon gamer and don't really care about being super up-to-date, you could always just replay original RSE :) There's probably a hack version of it with newer Pokemon, too. /shrug. We know the games are just remakes so they will be pretty much the same as RSE, with mechanical and graphical updates and probably a couple of additions.

 

[Bobbylicious]

Really depends, the 2DS really isn't that bad. If you only plan on getting Pokemon and maybe a few other games for it then I'd say go with the 2DS, but there are so many games for the 3DS it really depends. I don't know what games you're into but I guess you should google 3DS games and see if any take your fancy - Zelda, Pokemon, Animal Crossing, Luigi's Mansion, Monster Hunter, soon Tomodachi Life, and SSB4 if you don't have a WiiU are all really good games for the 3DS, there are probably a few more that I'm forgetting. But totally up to you.

TL;DR - if you're only going to get one solely for ORAS, then get a 2DS
- if you think you're going to get a little more invested then go for the XL

 

[Firox]

I specifically wanted a 3DS for Pokemon XY - didn't matter if it was XL or not

The month I was going to start saving, my grandma got me one as a late birthday present (my birthday is on Dec 13 - I was going to start saving $50 starting March 2013 - but my grandma got me the 3DS XL on Feb 22nd 2013) and a way of saying "thanks for all the hard work you have done without complaining".

 

[Altius]

I bought a 3DS with the promise of good games. Monster Hunter especially.

I hated Gen 5 in general... Luckily X and Y were good.

 

[Pepperton]

I bought a 3DS almost entirely for X and Y. I have a few other games now, but the main reason was to play through Kalos. If I didn't do that, though, I'd certainly buy one for ORAS. Hoenn is my favorite region, and I doubt they'll disappoint on any front, so yes, I think it justifies purchasing the console. It's not like all of the other 3D games are terrible, either. Most of them are pretty decent, actually. As far as the 2DS goes, I honestly don't think it's worth the money that you'll be saving. :c

 

[Pokemanz]

I've had my 3ds for a while now and I'm super happy with all of the games to choose from. Can't wait for Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire!

 

[JustAnotherIllusion]

I bought a 3DS solely to play X and Y. Pokemon is the only game I have ever managed more than a fleeting interest in and when I figured that I had never played any of the other Gens except Diamond a little, I figured that it would give me enough hours of entertainment to be worth the cost. I got mine preowned from a cash converters for £70 in almost mint condition. Just a teeny little scratch on the outside, screens were untouched. Got the game second hand too for £20 in the same place. Was definitely worth it.

 

[Thomas]

With the constant sales of the 2DS, I think that this would be an easy decision. Target has plenty of sales where the 2DS goes down under $100. I know that the 2DS isn't the best out of the 2DS/3DS, but I've played a little bit with one and it doesn't really feel cheap at all. The only downside is you can't protect the screen by closing it, you'd have to eventually get a case for it.

As someone who owned a DS and loved it, I can easily say the 3DS has a much stronger library than the DS did at this time after it's release. So many great games especially if you are a JRPG fan.

 

[Trev]

Invest now. It's totally worth it because we all know that the game selection right now is fantastic and more amazing games will come to 3DS in the future, which is gonna rock. 3DS' actually go really cheap on eBay (mine was about $178) and, like someone above said, Hoenn is life, Hoenn is love. Get that 3DS.

 

[Rivvon]

If you're not interested in the other 3DS titles out there, and you haven't even been playing Pokémon recently (which tells me it's lost its value to you), I actually can't say a 3DS/3DS XL is a worthwhile purchase to you. It's a lot of money for just one game.

But if when more details of the games are revealed you feel you simply can't be without them, I'd recommend getting a 2DS. It's comfortable, and much cheaper than its counterparts.

Either way, I'd recommend waiting--you'll have a better idea of if you want the games, and you can check if some money-saving bundles have popped up in the meantime.

 

[Dying Light]

I feel OLD!

Well, where do I begin?

First of all, I'll be honest here and say it: I have never played B&W or X&Y. Mainly because the cost of game carts has gone up a bit. I could ramble on about how I don't like the way new Pokemon look, but I won't. The brass tax is, I won't spend that much (I know it's not THAT much, but it's incremental) on a DS game.

I also do not own a 3DS.

Right about now, you're probably thinking "get to the point". So I will. I have been into the Pokemon franchise since Red/Blue (Red was my first ever Pokemon game). Fast forward, I get Silver, then LeafGreen, Ruby, Diamond, and SoulSilver. Up until now, I have had very little interest in purchasing B&W (+2) and X&Y. Now, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are announced, and I still don't have a 3DS. Reason being, the 3DS has very little games that interest me, save for Fire Emblem. So seeing as how I do believe the DS had reached the end of it's lifespan, and the remakes for my favorite GBA games are to be released on said 3DS, my question is simple. Would buying a 3DS be worth getting to play the remakes that I had waited so long for?

 

[Altius]

If cost is a great concern, and if you REALLY do not favor any of the other 3DS games, then why not get a 2DS?

It's fugly and has no 3D, but the 6th gen doesn't have much 3D anyway and the console has all the wireless features (unlike some budget crap like the ultimate Wii mini).

 

[06s23]

I dont see the problem with there being no games you like.
I only have pokemon games for the 3DS, and pokemon is the only reason I purchased one!

 

[Jacrad]

Based on what you've said the argument gets complex.

So you weren't able to get into Diamond and Pearl or Black and White. But have you played Heart Gold or Soul Silver? The originals do seem significant to you; even if it's not as significant as Generation Three. If you haven't played those remakes I think it'd be a good test for you to see if a remake is worth it. It'd certainly be cheaper than buying an entire new gaming system.

Do you play the games on your own, with next-to-no interaction with other players? If so then it would probably be best to just stick with the originals. They won't have the fancy new features the remakes will surely bring but it's doubtful those features are worth sinking over a hundred dollars to get. If you play the games largely for the 'community' aspect then it might be worthwhile to get the remakes. You wouldn't be able to get the sense of community with the Generation Three games. While, granted, the Generation Six games will eventually lose their community as well you will still get to enjoy it for a fairly sizable amount of time.

Another important question is if you have other options available? Do you have any friends who would be okay with lending you their 3DS? You could buy the games and eventually sell them later if that's an option. Or you might could just borrow your friend's copy of the game (Providing they don't care about their save.)
Do you think you could satisfy yourself playing the originals and watching walkthroughs of the remakes? The story probably isn't going to change much, if at all, so if you just want to take in the shiny graphics maybe living vicariously through Lets Players would work?
If one of your main concerns is supporting Nintendo you could always buy the games as a gift for someone who wouldn't be able to get them otherwise.

You've got a lot of time to make your decision. If you wanted to you could try and start saving small amounts of money now and make your decision around the launch date. Since you'd be putting small amounts away for a long period of time it shouldn't be as big of a weighty decision. And it's not like you can't change your mind closer to the launch date.