Super Smash Bros. Gameplay Causing 3DS Slide Pads to Break

With Super Smash Bros. officially out in Japan and its western demo releasing early, many hardcore players are accidentally breaking their 3DS' analog stick during their matches.

Many players are claiming that their 3DS' analog stick/Slide Pad has broken during intense matches of Super Smash Bros., Kotaku reports. The Slide Pad is what helped differentiate the 3DS from its DS predacessor, offering an analog stick-style of control, but it looks like it isn't holding up to those who get a bit too engaged with their Smash Bros. matches. There have been multiple reports of pads breaking from Japanese players owning the game's official release and even from some players who only have the game's demo from the Nintendo eShop.

Based on these photos, it looks as though the Slide Pad's rubber thumb grip can be dislodged from its plastic base. Given how docile Japanese gamers tend to be compared to their foreign counterparts (think of the children!), we have a feeling a LOT of people are going to be reporting this problem over the next few months.

We should note that these broken analog sticks have been occurring for both the regular 3DS handhelds as well as their XL counterparts. There has yet to be any 2DS sticks broken this way yet, but we have a feeling there will be since they use the same type of pad.

We here at Arcade Sushi are all about serious, competitive gameplay. But we must warn our readers to take it easy on their Nintendo 3DS' analog sticks as we get closer to Super Smash Bros' public demo launch and the game's eventual release on Oct. 3. Don't forget you've still got a Pokemon game to get a month later.

We guess you can say these sticks were...broken? Yes, that's a Seether reference.