With the 2DS, the company aimed to produce a model that would be "new, unique, different, and [bring] more people into this category that we love."

[15][16] On August 20, 2015, the U.S. price was permanently lowered to $100, and units began to be bundled with coupons for a digital copy of Mario Kart 7.

[10] On September 15, 2016, the 2DS was released in standalone bundles in Japan, in blue, black, red, lavender, and pink color options.

[18] On October 5, 2016, Nintendo announced refreshed versions of the stock Mario Kart 7 2DS bundles for the U.S. market (Crimson Red 2 and Electric Blue 2, based on the new Japanese variants), with "swapped" color schemes featuring red or blue bodies and black bezels.

[22] Nintendo has presented versions of the console in black with blue accents for the North American market, and white with orange-gold accents for the Japanese, South Korean and PAL region market,[23][24][20] as well as a Japan-exclusive Dragon Quest XI limited edition.

In July 2018, a "Hylian Shield" variant was released as a GameStop exclusive in North America, bundled with a pre-installed copy of The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.

[citation needed] A month later, in August, Nintendo announced a new version of the console in purple with silver accents, which would release in September 2018.

Additionally, Nintendo confirmed that all future shipments of the Black + Blue, White + Orange and Purple + Silver models would come with a pre-installed copy of Mario Kart 7.

[8] USA Today noted that some games that were designed with 3D in mind might not be as easily playable without the stereoscopic feature.

[39] Some technology writers have expressed concern with the physical appearance of the 2DS: CNET considered the console to be significantly less aesthetically pleasing than its other models,[38] though some reviewers have generally found it to be comfortable in the hand.

It also noted that the console had thick shell rather than the thin Nintendo 3DS, and that the lack of a hinge added durability.

The publication felt that the design resembled "an unholy union of a Game Boy, the Wii U GamePad, and a DS.

While pricing and form-factor were generally considered ideal, the console's aesthetics and battery life were widely criticized.

The Telegraph noted that the lack of hinges in the console improved its robustness, and that rounding out the footprint makes it an ideal handheld for children.

However, the publication criticized the console's mono speaker, which offered a lower sound quality than its predecessors.

The publication also criticized the resistive touchscreen, which felt outdated, the mono speaker and battery life.

[46] However, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds producer Eiji Aonuma revealed in an interview that the game had minor changes in development due to the lack of 3D on the 2DS.