I feel that a second circle pad would only be favored by developers using the handheld for console-like games; personally, those aren't games I want to play on the 3DS. The CPP is a nice option for those who desire it, but it isn't necessary and shouldn't be treated as necessary for most 3DS games.

And that's not even touching on the large issue of abondoning large parts of the userbase if dual pads was pushed forward.

It was never required.

Company's will NEVER add anything like this or change specs for redesigns for the simple reason that the people who first brought the system at launch will be getting screwed over. So what...when they start bringing games that use 2 circle pads out all the launch model people will have to buy the circle pad attachment?

People always say this type of stuff with the consoles, like "they should add more RAM for a redesign" well that would be silly because when devs start making games utilizing the extra RAM the old consoles wont even be able to run the game

Already gave my other 2 cents over here, but if they wanted to add more circle pads, they should have taken the DSiXL design and just put the circle pads underneath the standard inputs, not above, Dpad and buttons are higher priority and need to be comfortable. Either way I don't care since I'll be going home-portable this generation with the Wii U.

I'm not complaining, personally, I wouldn't mind if the first circle was removed or swapped places with d-pad (it should be backward compatible after all). Oh well, Nintendo doesn't want me to buy it.

Ah, so it would be just like the Gamecube. A great controller design that was.

I guess so, or you could swap the places ABXY buttons with the second pad, meaning the pad will be on top. Whichever is more comfortable

Yeah, below could be good, but since the Wii U has it above, I thought that would be the new style in a way that people would get used to for nintendo games. It would be tricky to switch back and forth between the two styles.

For the people that say the second circle pad "isn't needed" because there aren't that many games, I disagree. Sure it isn't "completely necessary", but the added functionality is a valid thing. The opportunity for developers to use it is a valid thing. For example Kid Icarus Uprising comes with that stand to hold it in place because it is very difficult to stay in the 3D sweet spot when you are controlling the camera with the stylus. I think that shows partly why a second circle pad would be particularly good for the 3DS. It would be easier to control, I think, and stay in the 3D sweet spot.

Don't get me wrong here, I love it all the same and will no doubt be getting one at launch, but I just had my heart set on the second circle pad!

I will also be willing to bet that Nintendo tried out the design with the second circle pad and decided against it for some functional reason, but I am not sure why. But I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Its incredible how no one seems to notice the touch screen between the buttons and the analog,

It can become anything thats coded on it. The 3DS can have 5 analog sticks if a developer decided to code them in.

Thinking in Vita terms with the 3DS doesnt really work. That is why the 3DS is a better system. It has flexibility.

Considering that there are only a handful of genres that would really, really benefit from a second stick, and considering the potential of games in said genres to break the norm and offer fresh experiences by utilizing unusual control schemes... I have a hard time caring about this supposed problem.

Then again, a second circle pad would be nice for ports. And for Monster Hunter since that series stubbornly refuses to adapt to any platform it's on.