The Nintendo 3DS line of handheld gaming systems has evolved since the first model was released in 2011. Most versions of the 2DS and 3DS play the same games. However, these systems differ in cost and hardware specs. We reviewed both to help you decide which is best for you.
Nintendo 3DS vs Nintendo 2DS in 2020! (Comparison) (Review)
All 2DS and 3DS systems support the full library of 3DS and original Nintendo DS games. However, there are a few titles that are exclusive to the New 3DS and New 2DS models. The XL versions of the 2DS and 3DS have larger screens, but play the same games.
The 2DS and 3DS screens are roughly the same size: 3.53 inches (top screen, diagonal) and 3.02 inches (bottom screen, diagonal). The 3DS XL and New 2DS XL screens are 4.88 inches (top) and 4.18 inches (bottom).
The Nintendo 2DS is cheaper because it cannot project 3D images. Otherwise, the 2DS functions identically to the Nintendo 3DS and its successors.