Long-time Smash players agree that the Smash series demands more intense button commands than the typical videogame. People who have been putting the newest installment, which just launched on 3DS this weekend in Japan, through its paces are being reminded of this truth the hard way as their Circle Pad analog sticks fall apart or break completely off their devices.
Kotaku has shared an image gallery of photos that various users have taken of their 3DS and 3DS XL hardware following a rousing session of Smash. In some photos, the rubber covering the Slide Pad has fallen off, while in others, the whole pad has come off the pivot. There are even a few players of the American demo who are reporting this issue.
The last time there was any kind off widespread problem regarding Nintendo analog sticks was back during the N64 era. You could make the excuse that those sticks were flimsy because Nintendo was still getting a handle on build quality for such a major controller addition. The 3DS pad is a slightly different beast, however — it's amazing that it's taken more than three years before any major issue regarding those pads has been reported.
The only solution for now is just to treat your hardware with care and avoid excessive force. And for owners of a Japanese Smash copy, keep an eye out for an upcoming patch that will correct a glitch that bans players from online matches for using Peach.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS will be out in the US on October 3. The Wii U version comes out in winter.
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