Well, this is certainly a surprise. While the other big names in gaming are rolling out their new home consoles, Nintendo's bringing a new handheld to the table. Called the 2DS, it looks like a 3DS laid flat without the hinge, and as you might surmise from the name, no three dimensional graphics. IGN reports that the 2DS will come in red and blue (with the front either being black or white, depending upon region) and will cost $129 when it arrives on October 12. For your money you get a handheld that packs dual screens, two cameras round the back, a single speaker and a 3.5mm headphone jack, plus a 4GB SD card.

The new handheld is considered to be a part of the 3DS family, and as such, it can play all 3DS and regular Nintendo DS games, and also provides access to 3DS apps like the Nintendo eShop. Nintendo is positioning the 2DS as a far more affordable option than the $169 3DS, which should make it the more palatable choice for parents with small children. Strong move, Nintendo, get 'em hooked while they're young.