When I reviewed the Nintendo 2DS earlier this month, I talked about how I loved how it felt and played.  However, I also noted that I did not like the feel of the L and R triggers being set up at the very top of the device.  Having been playing the system since then, I still stand by that remark.  My fingers still feel strained every time I have to use the triggers.  And, after just reviewing Mario Kart 7, I had to use those triggers a lot.

Since before I bought the 2DS, I’ve been after a very particular accessory for the device.  A grip that PDP made for the 2DS that has lower triggers on it.  In the US, only GameStop sells the triggers, and there isn’t much of a retail presence for the grips.  Unlike Europe with the Pokemon 2DS units, North America hasn’t seen a lot of new 2DS Bundles lately.

You can order them online without any problems, but I finally found one at a Game Swap used game store.  Now that I’ve had a good amount of time to use the grip, I can give you my thoughts.  Here is my review of the 2DS Trigger Grip from PDP!

Design

The design is pretty standard for a gaming grip.  You have the base engraved area that the system slides and clicks into with two controller-style handles on the bottom so you can hold it like you would a PlayStation controller.  These are made of a smooth silicon-like material to give that comfortable controller feel when you pick up and use it.

The sides and the top are mostly used for holes to enable access to all of the sliders and compartments.  There is one hold on the left side for the volume slider and a large hold on the right to enable access to the stylus pen and memory card slot.  On top are two holes for the charging port and the cartridge slot.  Finally, the back has two round holes for the cameras.

The stars of this grip, though, are the two trigger buttons built into the back of it.  Unlike the 2DS’ natural design of the triggers being on the top of the system, the two triggers are on the back, halfway between the height of the stylus pen and the camera holes.  The triggers, themselves are shaped with flat tops, making them unlike any trigger I’ve ever used on any system, and I’ve played on a lot of systems.  Not unlike the L2 and R2 triggers for the PS4, but without the curve.

There’s not much else to say about the actual design.  They don’t weigh nearly as much as the system does, so there isn’t going to be a feeling of it being heavy, even with the system attached to the grip.  It may not look the most stylish on some colors, since the grip only comes in black.  But, comfort over looks, as they say.

Performance

Now we get to how it actually performs.  I have good to say here and bad to say.  Most people will tell you this is the best grip for the 2DS, and I definitely agree with that statement.  The feel of the grip is really nice.  It fits well in your hand and creates a lot of comfort.  Your fingers can go around and latch onto the two controller grip sections well and it feels natural to pick it up when it’s already in the system.

Next, let’s talk about longevity.  The comfort of the grip may very well be too much.  Whenever I play the system for more than, say, 15-20 minutes, some of the fingers in my right hand can easily start to go numb.  This is normal with handhelds if you’re laying down in bed, but this happens to me, regardless of sitting, standing, or laying positions.  So, in my opinion, it gives just a bit too much comfort.

The other criticism I have, regarding the grip, is the hole areas for the sliders and buttons.  The holes for most things are fine, but the hole for the stylus pen and memory card slot isn’t quite as large as it could or should be.  Whenever I put my fingers in to open the memory card slot, the back of the hole rubs and pushes against my finger, just below the base of my fingernail.  This ends up pushing and hurting my finger every time I do this.

So, how do the triggers work?  They work really well.  Once you get the system going and start pressing on the triggers, the pressure pads built into the system work fluidly and comfortably.  You may not feel like they move down far enough to push down on the real triggers, but they really do.  A light push down and it responds just as well as you would on the normal L and R triggers.

The positioning of the triggers also improves the finger strain tremendously.  I have not felt my finger strain once with the use of the trigger grip, yet I still do whenever I take the system out of said grip and use it normally.  This is the kind of area the 2DS should have had for the triggers, and the trigger grip fixes the problem with no problem.