Nyko Power Pak+ for 3DS

• Double the capacity and play time of the original 3DS battery Soft Feel Surface and de-bossed finger rest allow for improved control and comfortable play Includes mini screwdriver for easy installation
• Works with the Nyko Charge Base for convenient Drop and Charge feature
• Compatible with the original Nintendo power adaptor
• CE and EL certified high quality lithium polymer battery

Let me just say that this is a fantastic device. I've been playing a handful of hours a day and leaving the device in standby the rest of the time, and I only have to charge it every couple of days. It adds some heft to the system, which makes playing one-handed games such as Okamiden without cramping up a bit of a challenge, but as long as you shift your position a bit every 20 minutes or so you'll be fine. The battery adds some bulk, but not enough to matter, and with the battery my 3DS fits snugly in the case I got for it (HORI hard pouch (which, for the record, I'd also recommend)).

If you know how to use a screw driver, you'll be fine with installation -I used the included (ADORABLE) screwdriver and had no problems. Any small screwdriver will do the trick, though.

My only word of caution is that removing the 3DS battery will make it forget date/time, so if you're thinking you'll get this and then swap it back and forth with the original battery depending on your battery life needs, keep in mind it will be a bit of a hassle.

Buy Nyko Power Pak+ for 3DS Now

When this product was first announced, I was stoked to go get it. When it released and reviews started popping out, I was pretty peeved by it. Most reviewers sounded whiny that the thing added so much weight to it! I was really only stoked for the extended battery, as the Nintendo 3DS has God-awful battery power. So, since I purchased the 3DS on Amazon, I got a $10 promotional voucher good towards any Nintendo 3DS accessory, so long as it shipped from Amazon. Go figure, I bought the Nyko Power Pak+ with the Charge Base.

I received it, and I installed it, which was easy-peasy. It takes less than five minutes to do. They even give you a cute little screwdriver to do the job! When I charged it up and all, I got straight into playing my 3DS games, and oh boy, did I run it on punishing settings. I'll explain the results in a bit. Basically though, it does its job.

Does the Power Pak+ Do It's Job?

The short answer: YES. The long answer, yes, it does so by a long shot. It's a much higher capacity battery. I got the device two weeks ago, and I've been draining it dry ever since I got it for the sake of a review. What I did was run a series of four tests. I tested them with different settings, the two optimal ends of the scale, and compared the results. All tests were run with a 3DS Game in the game slot.

Test 1: Standard Battery with Max Brightness, Wifi ON, Power Saver OFF

Duration: ~2 Hours 34 Minutes

Test 2: Standard Battery, with Lowest Brightness, Wifi OFF, Power Saver ON

Duration: ~4 Hours, 37 Minutes

Test 3: Nyko Power Pak with Max Brightness, Wifi ON, Power Saver OFF

Duration: ~5 Hours, 02 Minutes

Test 4: Nyko Power Pak with Lowest Brightness, Wifi ON, Power Saver ON

Duration: ~8 Hours, 26 Minutes (I'm gonna test this one again, it seems off...)

As the results above show, the battery really adds a much bigger punch than what you would get if you had chosen to stick with Nintendo's stock battery. My biggest fear was that since I go on trips on a frequent yet sporadic basis, I would be stuck having to do something like read a book for a duration of the trip. I don't have a DS Lite or DSi anymore, so that's a bust. But with Nyko's Power Pak+, I don't have to worry too much about it anymore! Yeah, it won't last the transatlantic flight from California to Tokyo, Japan, but it'll provide much more runtime than usual.

What Did I Like and Dislike About the Nyko Product?

PROS

-Adds much more battery playtime

-Looks sleek, adds a floaty appearance to console

-Has depressions on the bottom to make your hands comfortable

-Easy installation if you know how to handle a screwdriver

CONS

-Adds more weight to a heavy console

-Harder to stuff in a pocket

-Still cannot last through a transatlantic flight

-Slightly acrid smell from rubber (maybe it's just me)

One facet I would like to address is the overall weight of the console. Many people were whining about how they thought that the battery would add a large amount of weight to the console. It's obviously going to do just that. It's a higher capacity battery, and that's a sacrifice you'd have to take. But, to be honest, the weight is really insignificant. In actually, it helps neutralize the heavier top screen and adds just the right amount of push to make the console balanced. It really helps a big-handed guy like me, and makes playing much more comfortable.

The charge base comes with the battery because when the battery is installed, it becomes useless with Nintendo's stock charge dock. It also accepts the Nintendo 3DS stock charger! I like the drop and charge play method, so I went out and bought this toy too. What you need to understand is that there are two bundles to purchase. The first one only has the battery, at $19.99 MSRP. The second bundle has the battery and the Charge Base, for a price of $29.99 MSRP.

Basically, the charge base is a rather sleek dock, with three metal pins to connect to the Power Pak+. It's the same as the 3DS dock, but it has a red and green LED light to signal charging and finished charge, respectively. The blue LED is a power indicator. Simple to use, and looks nice. It's easy to tell when your charge is done because the light turns bright green.

Things To Keep in Mind!

1. When installing the battery, change it quickly but carefully. At most, 99% of the time, you will have to reset the date and time on the 3DS system.

2. Make an initial charge RIGHT AWAY, and DO NOT PLAY with the 3DS during this charge. Some users have filed complaints that their StreetPass data deleted and could not function properly!

3. When using the Charge Base, the battery indicator will take a few minutes to display a full battery on the 3DS menu. It's regular since the battery is high capacity.

4. Use this accessory at your own risk. Apparently, it's not a Nintendo approved item, and will (sadly) void the warranty.

Read Best Reviews of Nyko Power Pak+ for 3DS Here

After running out of power a few times and realizing my 3DS was spending more time in its charge cradle than in my hands, I almost returned it. As cool as the rest of the system is, a battery life that tops out at 3 hours is a huge limitation for any portable. Fortunately, quite a few smart peripheral manufacturers have realized this, and this is one result. Note that this is a replacement battery, not a plug-in add-on like some other third party products. You remove the 3DS rear panel and original battery, and this pack takes the place of both. It's screwed on and doesn't stick in too well without being secured in this fashion, so you can't easily swap it out. Fortunately, it lasts long enough that you probably won't need to. The battery comes with extra screws and a mini screwdriver.

Pro:

Inexpensive.

The rubberized surface is great; it actually makes the 3DS easier to hold.

Lasts way longer than the lame original battery. While it still won't get the 3DS up to quite the same run time as the DS Lite, it's at least tolerable now.

Seems to charge pretty quickly.

Easy to install. Took all of half a minute.

Con:

As you can probably tell by looking at the pictures, the original 3DS charge dock won't work with this product. There's one sold by Nyko if you care that much for it.

The added bulk might make the unit unable to fit in some cases or protectors. I use the pouch made by ICON and it fits, but is a bit tight.

It does make the 3DS heavier. No way around that...

This is the best current solution to the infamous 3DS battery life problem. I'd previously thought of buying extra stock batteries and swapping them out, but it's just too much of a hassle.

On a side note, having seen the original battery it's no wonder it doesn't last long. It doesn't look any different from a typical cell phone power pack.

Want Nyko Power Pak+ for 3DS Discount?

A got the Power Pak+ the first chance I got, seeing as it double the battery life of the 3DS. The original battery life was a pethetic 2 to 3 hours, so this thing is essential. The only problem is the thickness of the power pak+ (PP+); it add close to a half inch to the thickness of the 3DS. It redeems this by having the material of the battery finger friendly, and it has little indents where your fingers would rest, so it actually adds grip to the 3DS. You can't place it in the original Nintendo Charge Base, due to the thickness, so you have take the plug out of the base and stick in right into the 3DS, or buy the Nyko Charge Base.

Overall:

The Cons: Thick, Need to buy another charge base if you want to have style.

The Pros: Doubles Battery Life, Easy Grip, Easy Install, Low-ish Price.

BUY IT! WHEN THE BETTER 3DS GAMES COME OUT LATER THIS YEAR, YOU'LL WANT MORE PLAY TIME!

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Pros:

This battery really works. It fits well on the 3DS and is easy to install.

Cons:

This battery does not work with the circle pad pro. It would be difficult to switch between this and the original battery in order to use the Circle Pad Pro accessory. So if you're thinking about getting a Circle Pad Pro, I would advise not getting this product.

Notes:

Before installing this, be aware that any time the battery is taken out of the 3DS, it resets your time. This will reset your steps for the day if you use the 3DS as a pedometer.