9 Ways the Nintendo 2DS XL Saves The Day

Did you know that the Nintendo 2DS can save the day when given the right circumstances? Thanks to Nintendo for sending my two older kids each a 2DS XL of their own to test out!

We’re huge Nintendo fans here. Both my husband and I grew up with the original Mario Bros and Duck Hunt and advanced to Game Boys shortly after (my husband still has his!). We continued to follow the line in our separate ways until we started dating and I bought him a GameCube.

Now that our kids are of gaming age, they’ve been introduced first to the Wii and then the Switch. Now it’s time to move from family-based games (our criteria for being allowed to play on the devices is that it’s a family event) and into individual player games. But we didn’t want to quite take away the family feel from the experience.

With the Nintendo 2DS XL, online play is available with compatible games. Some games may offer local multiplayer or co-op play. So that means the kids can play together still with some games and on their own with others as they choose. This has saved us many a time on various occasions… read on to find out how the Nintendo 2DS XL has saved the day!

9 Ways the Nintendo 2DS Saves The Day

1. Waiting at a restaurant – While we do not allow the kids to play on devices while at the dinner table, we do let them bring their devices in if we know that we’ll be waiting for a table once we arrive.

2. On long car rides – There’s only so many times one can find iSpy on a long car ride. When each of the older two have their 2DS devices handy, they can either play their own games or play each other to pass the time quicker.

3. At an adult event – On occasion, we’ve had to take our children to an event where no other children are present (like family weddings). By giving them a fun activity that they can do together, it keeps them entertained and gives them something to talk to the adults about too when approached.

4. Waiting in line – Whether we’re at Comic-Con waiting to get into Hall H or at a theme park waiting to get on a ride, having the 2DS handy to pass the time makes everyone’s lives easier!

5. At meetings – As the PTG president for our kids’ school, I have to attend our monthly PTG meetings and bring the kids with me. Once they’ve completed their homework, they can play together quietly while I run the meetings.

6. On an airplane – Similar to car travel, plane travel leaves kids a bit… cramped. So giving them an array of things to do while on the plane can help fight boredom and breakdowns.

7. In hotels – when we travel, there’s some downtime in the hotel at times that can be pretty boring for the kids. By allowing them to bring their 2DS systems, they can enjoy some game time before we take off on our next adventure.

8. At Grandma’s House – Grandma doesn’t have any game consoles. So when the kids go over for the afternoon, or for an overnight stay when Mom and Dad go out, packing the 2DS’s is a must.

9. When the internet goes out – Yes, I know this is bad, but this past weekend we had zero internet access. And while we don’t allow the kids a lot of screen time, having zero screen time was getting to them and us too. So we were thankful when we grabbed their 2DS XL devices and watched as they had fun racing away with Mario Kart.

Nintendo 2DS XL Games and Entertainment

Nintendo 3DS games will work on multiple systems, including New Nintendo 3DS XL, Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 2DS XL, and Nintendo 2DS. You can also play games from older systems like Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi, so it’s easy to upgrade to a new system without losing your game library.

Plus, in addition to games, you can surf the web with the built-in browser and watch your favorite videos and shows on YouTube™, HuluPlus, or Netflix right on your system.

Speaking of favorite shows – check out the fun skin my son asked me to create for his new 2DS. If you’ve seen the new Marvel Avengers Infinity War, you know where this symbol comes from. And stay tuned because next week we’ll be offering this skin download for free! You can also go simple and decorate your 2DS XL like a LEGO brick like my daughter did! Simple circle designs cut out in vinyl gave us this easy look.