Today I’m evaluating the Circle Pad Pro attachment from Nintendo, the game I’m using it to test it out,
Resident Evil Revelations. It is currently one of only two games supporting the attachment. The other Metal Gear Solid 3D, and in the future Kid Icarus and reportedly Kingdom Hearts. The CPP is a simple attachment that the 3DS sits in, giving you a second analog stick, a left trigger (LZ) and a right trigger (RZ). It’s battery powered and connects to the 3DS through the I.R. port. Once you connect the CPP the game recognizes the connection and offers the different control scheme. Awkward looks aside the Circle Pad feels surprisingly fluid. It makes the new RE handle similar to RE5, but you can walk and shoot at the same time! (It’s about damned time.) When you hold
LZ it zooms into a first person shooter type view and you pull the right trigger to shoot.
The CPP offers a few upgrades to game play. For example: when you zoom in to shoot you can only look
side to side. With the CPP, zoom in and you have the total control. The CPP makes walking and panning much easier, similar to controlling a consoles 3rd person shooter.
For games supporting the CPP it’s a must have accessory. The explains why it’s sold out every, that and the lack of manufacturing.
The wonders of this attachment aside, I wonder why Nintendo didn’t just build the system with dual analog sticks in the first place? It’s become a universal standard that many games are better with two thumbsticks. The Vita Did it, all other consoles did it, I suppose Nintendo needed to rebel? There’s a chance that some of the 3DS titles that struggled such as Jaws: Ultimate Predator would have done better with dual stick support. Another question then arises, why didn’t
Nintendo have a better supply of them in the U.S.? GameStop is currently the exclusive retailer in
America, but CPPs are currently sold out company-wide, aside from mild popularity the inventory isn’t available for the retailer. To make up for the shortage, GameStop is allowing people to reserve the next shipment due
to arrive on or before April fourth. If you don’t have one which I highly recommend spending the $19.99 and having the additional play.