The Week #325

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  • 🪙 It was Silver Week last week, like Golden Week, but in September instead of April, and not every year, only every 4 - 6-ish years. I bridged the gap with holiday and had, including weekends, 10 days off in a row. I needed that.
  • 🎂 I turned 41. We went for separate cakes rather than whole this year because a whole cake is too much cake for 3 people. I went for a Mont Blanc and while it was really good, it was so unbelievabely rich. I only needed half.
  • 🎮 Growing up and in college I owned a few different Gameboy systems – the original, a blue Gameboy Pocket (blue), an Advance, and a DSLite (white). Much to my chagrin, these have all disappeared over the years for one reason or another. I never owned a 3DS. For my birthday present to myself, I bought a used (and promptly modded, super easy) a Nintendo 3DS (colbalt blue). Why? I'm glad you asked.

    I wanted a small game system I could take around with me – something to do on the train/airplane etc.. when I don't feel like reading on my Kindle and isn't scrolling on my phone. Maybe a bit of an odd choice as I don't play games on my phone. 

    Gameplay can also be paused in an instant by simply closing 3DS, no need to press a button and navigate to a menu. Physical and reliable. Unlike a Switch, it fits in your pocket and can be thrown into your bag as the screens and buttons are protected.

    It could be just the games I am picking to play (Ocarina of Time mostly, a litle Animal Crossing),but the games feel like the're designed to be played, not to get your addicted. The pace and depth feels a bit slower and a bit deeper. 

    And the games that aren't deeper are just silly fun – AR shooting game where it uses the camera to make you/something a flying monster and you shoot at it with balls all around you.

    It's a bit nostalgic of a simpler time for connectivity. The 3DS has Wifi, but when you turn it on it doesn't have ads like the Switch. It's used for the eshop (now closed) and detecting other 3DS users around you. ( There aren't many, I took mine with me into Shibuya at night and not a single one, maybe I'd have better luck with Akihabara).

    The 3DS subreddit and YouTube are full of videos about people going through a similar jounrney – slowly unbundling what we bundled up with our phones. Finding the right level of technology in our lives.
  • ✍️ The 3DS/DS also sported a collection of educational software, not just games. Leo has taken to these like a fish to water and willingly practices his kanji and math using the Doraemon games. 

    Yes, similar things exist on tablets and or dedicated education devices (android tablets), but then you've got all of the problems that tablets bring or a something that requires a subscription, internet connection, and cancelation fees when none of that should be required. Finding the right level of technology in our lives. Or maybe just fully embracing un-enshittified tech?