Reports are flooding in that the Nintendo 3DS‘s lower screen is leaving scratch marks on the upper screen. Because the lower screen is not as wide as the upper one, the smaller touchscreen “cuts” into the top one when the device is closed. As you can tell in the photo above, there are indeed marks left on the screen. Nintendo hasn’t officially acknowledged the problem, but I can confirm that there is indeed a scratch-like residue left from the lower screen on the upper screen on my 3DS. It appears harmless for now as the residue can easily be wiped off. While Nintendo was particularly happy with the 3DS’s “cake like design,” the aesthetic does let specks of dust easily slip through the cracks on the side of the device. And we all know dust/sand/dirt can lead to permanent scratches.
There are also reports that the 3DS’s D-pad is cracking. My D-pad seems okay, but I also don’t use it very much. Readers will remember that my Circle Pad was already showing signs of wear and tear after a few days of use in my 3DS review.
Let us know if you’ve noticed the same thing on your 3DS. Did you call Nintendo yet?
Filed in . Read more about 3DS (Nintendo) and Nintendo.