Nintendo's eco-friendly 3DS game cases are slim and full of holes

Holy game boxes, Batman - they're trying to save the world!

Words: Justin Towell on February 15, 2011

Nintendo appears to have taken in all the criticism about how eco-unfriendly it's been in recent years and is being very clever in its bid to rectify the situation (in Japan at least). It's filling its 3DS game boxes with holes. Don't worry, they're strategically-placed holes, so your games should still be protected by their plastic clamshells like the pearls of 3D gaming wonder they so clearly are. Check it out:

Above: Well look at that. It's full of holes! Be careful you don't get your fingers caught in 'em

The result will make the game cases some 15% lighter than their DS counterparts. They also look to have slimmer spines, which look as sexy as game case spines can. There is, of course, an increased possibility of something pushing through the plastic and damaging your game's cover art, but... well, surely if you care about your boxes that much, you wouldn't ever put them in such a position, mmm?

This should help keep down the company's carbon footprint, but I fear it's created another problem, far more severe, previously caused by ringpulls and the plastic rings you get on packs of beer cans:

Above: The horrifying potential effect of this hole-filled clamshell design

15 Feb, 2011

Source: Siliconera

Got a news tip? Let us know at tips@gamesradar.com

Platforms:

3DS

32 comments

View as:
Newest first
Oldest first

FIVE - February 17, 2011 4:33 a.m.

Oh wow the Earth has taken meteors to the face! the hell it can't deal with a few plastic boxes.
- Reply
- Report
QWERTYCommander - February 16, 2011 7:02 a.m.

Can't they just put them in those plastic shells that SD cards come in? That would save plastic and not look stupid.
- Reply
- Report
QWERTYCommander - February 16, 2011 7:02 a.m.

Can't they just put them in those plastic shells that SD cards come in? That would save plastic and not look stupid.
- Reply
- Report
Hobojedi - February 16, 2011 1:42 a.m.

I bet the case is really aerodynamic.
- Reply
- Report
Gob - February 15, 2011 11:31 p.m.

Wouldn't it be better to make solid, protective cases out of recycled materials instead of half-assing it?
- Reply
- Report
D0CCON - February 15, 2011 11:31 p.m.

@Redeater I think I heard that global warming may possess more pros than cons for Canada. I'm in Wisconsin, can I jump the border over there in 15 years?
- Reply
- Report
Mode - February 15, 2011 11:02 p.m.

Lame. Quite a few of my Xbox games have been cracked because of their flimsy cases.
- Reply
- Report
510BrotherPanda - February 15, 2011 10:49 p.m.

I wish the boxes themselves smaller, like 3"x 3". THAT would save on plastic... What I'm saying is, the DS cards are small, why not make a smaller case? Some people (not me) don't even save the cases.
- Reply
- Report
DrIntrigue - February 15, 2011 10:47 p.m.

I hate these things. I don't throw my cases away, and I don't know anyone who does, so I can't understand how these eco-friendly cases are saving the environment. I believe they were created for one purpose: to save games companies money and let them spin as saving the planet.
- Reply
- Report
KingQuestion - February 15, 2011 9:57 p.m.

This shit pisses me off. I bought the Fallout New Vegas collectors edition, and the case was one of those eco friendly cases. I PAID EXTRA FOR THE GAME, THE LEAST THEY COULD GIVE ME WAS A PROPER CASE!!!!!
- Reply
- Report
Corn - February 15, 2011 9:24 p.m.

I really hate these things. My DKCR box has all these holes in it that I've never had in a game before. It almost wants me to get revenge on the environment by leaving my consoles on longer.
- Reply
- Report
CharlieFockstrot - February 15, 2011 9:20 p.m.

The holes in the box are a scale representation of the screen resolution, ho hum.
- Reply
- Report
thefreakysurgeon - February 15, 2011 8:41 p.m.

...really Nintendo?
- Reply
- Report
Markstone - February 15, 2011 8:40 p.m.

At least the penguins now have battle armor :P
- Reply
- Report
WTeen8 - February 15, 2011 8:23 p.m.

Read this line. "in its bid to rectify the situation (in Japan at least)" So maybe only Japan will have to deal with this. reCaptcha: Unc Ranisan
- Reply
- Report
TheElephantManchurianCandidate - February 15, 2011 7:04 p.m.

Your photo shops always get a lol from me, good show sir
- Reply
- Report
BellaKazza - February 15, 2011 6:40 p.m.

As long as it does not affect the quality of the game cases, I'm all for it.
- Reply
- Report
WillisTron - February 15, 2011 6:18 p.m.

@db1331 Once again, you always seem to be so hostile...
- Reply
- Report
bigmonsterguy - February 15, 2011 5:38 p.m.

Thieves throughout the world rejoice! Now you dont have to worry about security locks on boxes! reCAPTCHA: podjetje thoinol
- Reply
- Report
icedoesnthelp - February 15, 2011 5:27 p.m.

@Redeater Amen!
- Reply
- Report