In our previous article we discussed the new Nintendo 3DS Model, but what we failed to mention is, it is much more than just a new model. If you're already the owner of a 3DS, then we're sorry to say that its possible many future titles will not be playable unless you upgrade. Due to the New 3DS's improved CPU, developers are now able to push their games a bit farther, and do things they were previously unable to (while making use of the new buttons as well).
If you're a fan of Xenoblade Chronicles, then you may be both happy and sad to hear that the original Xenoblade Chronicles will be making its way to the new 3DS. The game features a massive open world, with hundreds of side quests, hundreds of npcs, a day and night cycle, and tons of equipment and customization options, and because of these things the original 3DS simply couldn't handle it. The console wasn't strong enough due to it having a weaker CPU than the Wii, but thanks to the new 3DS, this is no longer an issue. On top of that the built in right nub (which acts as a second circle pad) allows for camera control, while keeping the other buttons free for a wide verity of actions as well. In short, the game is built specifically for the new 3DS, and it will not be the last to do so.
Nintendo has already confirmed that more games are in the works which will only work on the new 3DS. While no details were given over what these games are, they did make it clear that this will be a long term thing. Despite the new 3DS being a 3DS, it seems as if Nintendo will be treating it like a new console, and as time goes on more and more developers will support it. In other words, if you want to keep playing Nintendo games, you may one day have to upgrade to the next model.
Although this is the first time a Nintendo handheld has had a major upgrade, it isn't the first time where owning a newer model unlocked extra features. The Nintendo DSi was the first handheld to access a digital store (which eventually evolved into the eShop), and owning a DSi also opened up camera based features in a select few DS games. Meanwhile on the other side of the market, Sony also did a similar thing with their PSP. The newer models of the PSP had more built in RAM, and that in return allowed for some games to do a bit more. While this never really impacted the west, in Japan games such as Final Fantasy Type-0 had restricted features if you didn't have a newer model (in Type-0's case, it was online multiplayer). Still none of these other models actually stopped players from getting new games, nor did they force you to upgrade to them. That's the sort of thing you expect from a mobile device, not a handheld game console.
