Nintendo 3DS gets more stick

Nintendo is touting an attachment to the 3DS, which plonks an additional slide pad to the right of the button set and readies the handheld machine for dual-stick gaming action. This extra functionality puts it on a par with more conventional console controllers.

Whispers of such a device have been around a while now, but the attachment has gone official, through Nintendo's Japanese page, where it is listed as being available this December for ¥1500 (£12).

The "Extended Slide Pad" runs on a single AAA battery, so it wont draw any further power from the 3DS and its already low juice capacity. As well as incorporating a new joystick, the pad also packs R1, R2 and L2 buttons.

As fugly as the darn thing is, the Slide Pad should come in handy for certain titles. Games to utilise the dual-stick functionality include Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil and Monster Hunter 3D.

Meanwhile, over at the pre-Tokyo Game Show, Ninty was busy officially talking up changes to the 3DS from including a 3D video capture feature, and upgrades to the eShop, to bringing out a new pink coloured model for, er, those who like pink gaming kit.

It also discussed handfuls of upcoming games from Paper Mario to Kid Icarus Uprising. ®