With the most advanced and unique graphical capabilities of any handheld to date, Nintendo’s 3DS is held back only by its lackluster battery life. As with any gadget that suffers from the same ailment, it was only a matter of time until an accessory in the form of an external battery would be released. Hyperkin’s Powerplus for the 3DS may be the answer to gamers’ prayers.
The packaging boasts an impressive additional six hours of battery life, depending on the system’s settings. For consistency, we tested the system under the two most extreme and a more sensible setting both with and without the Powerplus. Under these conditions, we kept Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition on demo mode from max charge until the system shut down. Here are the results:
| | With Powerplus | Without Powerplus |
| 3D Slider: Max Brightness: 5 Power Saver: Off Wireless: On | ~6 Hours | ~3 Hours 30 Minutes |
| 3D Slider: Max Brightness: 3 Power Saver: On Wireless: On | ~8 Hours 30 Minutes | ~4 Hours 15 Minutes |
| 3D Slider: Off Brightness: 1 Power Saver: On Wireless: Off | ~10 Hours | ~5 Hours |
Of course, the numbers will vary based on your own settings and will likely be somewhere within that spectrum based on how much you put your system to sleep and its condition. Overall though, it still provides a good amount of extra charge time, considering that most users will likely put it to sleep periodically. Happy Street Pass hunting, 3DS owners!
The Powerplus itself isn’t really too bulky, either. In fact, it feels ergonomic and the grip it provides is quite welcome. Because the 3DS system itself is already pretty big, with or without the Powerplus, it will still feel like several rolls of quarters in your pocket. However, the additional charging port it provides does get in the way of the right shoulder button and takes some getting used to. Although annoying, it proves to be a godsend that no gamer would have foreseen from a 3DS battery pack; it provides a mini-USB charging port, which is infinitely more accessible than the proprietary charging port that Nintendo included in the system.
If you’re unsatisfied with the playtime the 3DS currently provides, the Powerplus will be a great help. The mini-USB port is something that was unexpected, but quite welcome and will make charging the system a breeze. Losing the 3DS charger is no longer as bothersome as before; any USB cable or cell phone charger will be an acceptable solution now. At $24.99, it is a tad bit pricey compared to other portable accessories. Considering the extra functionality and playtime though, it’s well worth any on-the-go 3DS owner’s purchase.
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