Whether you love or hate the Fisher Price-style design of the robust 2DS, we can all agree on the need for longer battery life in our handheld devices. With that in mind, Mugen is just about to release a battery upgrade for the 2DS that doubles the capacity of the internal power cell and costs a princely $89.99 (which works out as about £52.99).
The package comes with a replacement rear shell, new bigger battery and a magic screwdriver for fitting it. This is easier to install than it sounds and instantly offers a longer-lasting Nintendo handheld. Simply unscrew the existing rear cover (it should be noted that this likely invalidates your warranty) pop out the old battery, pop in the new one and screw the new rear shell back on.
The result is a slightly chunkier (and top heavy) unit but one that remains pretty close to Nintendo’s original design. In fact, seeing this made us wonder if there may be a 3DS XL in the works from Nintendo itself.
Either way the attention to detail here is to be applauded. Not only are the colours matched to the original 2DS casing, but the quality and materials used also look spot on. Similar to Mugen’s 3DS and 3DS XL replacement batteries, the result is a little heftier but no less pretty.
The new battery offers 2500mAh as opposed to the original’s 1300mAh, which pretty much doubles the battery life. As you can see in the video there is quite a bit of unused space that made us wonder if the replacement battery could have been larger – Mugen's 3DS XL solution boasts a 5800mAh capacity. We suspect that squeezing in an even bigger battery would have resulted in a less aesthetically pleasing design, though.
As it stands, the new rear cover not only looks in keeping with the overall design but also grants the 2DS a customised sensibility. Kids like the idea of having a unit that looks unique and different from others, while adults will like the idea of not having to charge it up as often.
Are you convinced? Is the extended battery life worth the upgrade price, or do you think it compromises the 2DS’s clean lines? Would you buy an official 2DS XL? Let us know with a comment.
Comments 23
I would buy an 2DSXL...
@CorporalPegasus That thing would be tablet sized. No thanks.
@Maelstrom It doesnt have to keep the same form factor, it literally can just be a 3DS XL without 3D for a cheaper price.
At that price, I'd rather buy a second 2DS. =
@sillygostly
Yeah, because you could just charge both, and when one dies, just use the other. GENIUS!
There is already released a Nintendo 3DS XL from Nintendo
Yeahhhh, I want this and all, but not for that price.
>>>HERE IS THE REAL 2DS"XL", dont front.. its NOT me in the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNMhx0mJWqY
@tj3dsXL nor is it my Mii !
You lost me at £52.99 for a battery WTF!
"In fact, seeing this made us wonder if there may be a 3DS XL in the works from Nintendo itself."
It's like you're psychic! (All in good fun, continuing the long-held tradition of berating writers like us for minor typos).
Seriously though, $90 for a battery? I'll just buy another 2DS at the sale price and switch off when one dies.
Well it looks like a pretty decent looking example of an extra batter pack.
Thy really expect this to sell ?
That's more than I paid for my 2DS. And, Amazon has 10,000 mAh universal external batteries for $30. So....yeahhh.
The difference between this and Nintendo's price gauging is they are not selling as many so it must cost more.
I have the Mugen Xperia Play Battery and it is great. (Lasts absolutely ages and improves the weight distribution).
I'd rather not sacrifice my warranty for a longer battery life.
I bought a charging cradle for my 3DS for $3. It tripled battery life. This is definitely not worth it.
I would buy a 2DS XL but not the battery.
There's something to be said about a bigger battery though. sure it lasts twice the time but it takes twice the time for a full charge too !! I have a huge battery on my own original 3DS, which increases the whole thickness of the system by about 50% and multiplies the whole battery life by about 4... but when the battery is dry, a whole night of charge isn't enough to charge it back up (which is why I usually charge it back up before it falls below the 50% mark)... it makes the whole console a lot more bulky but I like the idea of being able to leave the house and always having plenty of battery life left.
@andyrob_24_7 In the third paragraph, it says "*3*DS XL" instead of "2DS XL."
I got an xl and my kids got the 2ds...I don't think the battery life is that bad...at least not bad enough to pay almost the same price that I paid for there systems.
Aren't 2DS or whatever going for 99 bucks now? It would pretty much be better to just buy a second system lol
@Kafei2006 thank you! No one ever cares to point this out and it frustrates me so much
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