I didn't say it was required, it's optional but with RE for example, it work a lot better than using the stylus in place of the second analog. And considering nintendo made the prepherial instead of telling everyone to suck it up and use the touch controls, they realize the stylus option doesn't work as well. If 3d camera control is needed a second analog stick is a must with a handheld since using a gyroscope will make you shake around the whole screen.

And so few games support it because its a relatively new and its a prepherial. There is little incentive to make a third party game that would benefit from an add on. If all future 3ds models included a second analog, it will make developers far more interested in developing games using it. I hope any future 3d zelda and mario titles allow use of the circle pad pro considering how the only problems with super mario 64 ds, phantom hourglass, and spirit tracks were the mediocre controls.

That is a good point. I do not know where they would be able to fit that. But using the touchscreen to switch weapons is something that isn't cumbersome with the touch screen.

My problem with the CPP was that it was used as the left hand nub, so what the left did, the right did. When I bought a CPP after trying to play Kid Icarus (which I enjoyed in spite of the controls since I am left handed) without one I was disappointed they weren't seen as two different nubs, so if all the CPP does it duplicate the exact same control from the left to the right, it is not necessary.

I will buy the XL also, but what I find odd, and maybe I'm wrong, adding a second nub above on the right would duplicate the control scheme found on the Wii U GamePad and allow it to function as a GamePad.

Despite that, as they say, Nintendo, take my money. Give me decent graphics and a fun experience, if I want high end multiplats, will be nice to see them on Nintendo, but my GTX 690 can do what others cant, so I am happy on my PC with certain things.

Seriously, having only one analog is no problem at all if the developer knows what its doing.

resident evil revelations works perfectly without it. you got left shift as a modifier for movement and right shift as a modifier to aiming. When both are pressed the movement one takes priority and the gun aim stays on the last direction it was pointed. It works PERFECTLY!

The problem is developers apprantly never figured this out with the PSP and tried to have players aiming with the face buttons and moving with the analog. End result = crappy games. MGS Peacewalker, the siphon filter series and even the newest MGS3D they went with that sad solution.

Its not the lack of second analog stick, its lazy developers.

Also, TOUCH SCREEN! Monster hunter 3G has a directional button you can use on the touch screen to control the camera... how about that? God... its like all the good devs stayed at capcom.

You take that Logic of yours and leave this thread, son!
We don't take your kind nice around here.

I don't know why people complain, the 3ds doesn't have a C-pad because that's how it was meant to be, or even if not, the reason doesn't matter, original 3ds didn't have a c-pad, and this is the original 3ds but bigger that's it, i will buy it.

I think tis is somehting nintendo should have done at launch. however did not so result was the CPP.if the original CPP didn't have shoulder buttons, it would have been easier decision to probably make the extra pad on the XL revision. unfortunetly it is probably too late.

I reall hope nyko make a power grip pro for the XL version.

http://www.nyko.com/products/product-detail/?name=Power+Grip+Pro

Benefits of still having one pad:

• won't alienate original adapterson 3DS with one circle pad.
• addon from nyko (as above) would provide the option of a second pad and it bosts 3x longer game play with the extended battery built in.
• would get the additional shoulder buttons.

Controls are not bad on normal 3ds, but a 3ds XL with a second stick would have been a dream come true.

Not including the second circle pad is a missed opportunity to provide a control scheme that is superior for certain forms of gameplay. Gameplay developers want to use. By having it, it doesn't undermine controls that don't utilize it, it isn't replacing anything. The solution now is to create a larger circle pad pro or it effectively discourages developers from making certain titles and they will migrate to the Vita. I don't know why Nintendo modeled their control scheme after the PSP, when controls are the big criticism of that console. By adding a second circle pad they could have encouraged developers, ideally to provide secondary circle pad controls optionally, at the same time boost circle pad pro sales and prime a new regular sized model with a second circle pad down the road.

This is the Circle Pad Pro with the second analog. I think it should make clear why it doesn't work with the XL (while I think there will be a version for the XL in the future).