Anyone who owns a 3DS knows how uncomfortable (and sometimes downright painful) using the triggers can be. After playing Ocarina of Time all summer and with Mario Kart 7 on the horizon, I figured it was time to remedy the problem. This grip did that and much, much more. It is definitely the best $13 I have ever spend on a piece of plastic.
Personally, I find the 3DS to be terribly designed from an ergonomic standpoint. The system is short and thin with nothing to grasp, and tiny little shoulder buttons designed for raptor claws. Luckily, CTA's excellent grip fixed all of this for me. It may make your system look like a batarang, but the outward curvature gives your hands something to grip and puts your thumbs and pointers in more comfortable positions on the buttons. Plus, the silicone grip is a nice touch (even though mine doesn't seem to be perfectly molded at the "seam" it's not something I notice while playing).
It has been so comfortable for me to play with this grip, that I passed on an upgrade to the 3DS XL that I was considering for improved comfort, because I figure it can't get any better than this. Additionally, I tend to keep the system in the grip basically all the time so it's also replaced my charging cradle. I've also found it's excellent for playing Kid Icarus uprising with the stand flipped out. So much so that I never actually used the one included with the game. I do often feel that the stand will break off, though, because it requires a lot of force to push back into the body of the grip and makes an alarming snapping sound every time. However, after two years of use it still functions great.
Be warned, the little plastic bar running across the back of the system WILL break! It's only a matter of time. I was extremely careful not to bend it because it's very thin, but it snapped after about six months anyway. I taped it up and it's been holding firmly ever since. The reason I don't list this as a negative and deduct a star is because I vastly prefer this design to the alternative. I loved this grip so much that I actually purchased another with an included battery thinking it would be just as good AND add battery life. Well, it wasn't. The wacky shape of this is actually what makes it comfortable, crossbar and all. The battery grip has a thick plug that clips straight into the charging port and holds the system in place, but also gets in the way of your right finger when using the shoulder button. CTA's other 3DS grip design doesn't use a big power plug, but does have prongs that clip into the space right next to both shoulder buttons. The wimpy crossbar on this grip doesn't actually cover anything and doesn't get in the way. I'd rather have to tape it than have my fingers squished, which is what I bought a grip to remedy in the first place.
So, after two years, I still use this on a daily basis. It never leaves my 3DS. I went with this grip after reading others reviews comparing CTA's other models which concluded that this was the most comfortable one. I couldn't agree more. It may look a little oddball, but it feels great and leaves all the important parts of your system unobscured. Highly recommended!
Reviews with images
Submit a report
A few common reasons customers report reviews:
- Harassment, profanity
- Spam, advertisement, promotions
- Given in exchange for cash, discounts
When we get your report, we'll check if the review meets our Community guidelines. If it doesn't, we'll remove it.
Sorry, there was an error
Please try again later.
Top reviews from other countries
Posum
great if you are using your 3DS for long session,s.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 13, 2012Gen
it fits my DS perfectly and feels great in the hands
Reviewed in Canada on August 18, 2016