Q: Everyone I know whose younger sibling has a DS or 3DS snapped the hinge almost immediately, I assume that's why the 2DS can't be closed.
Absolutely a fair point. I used to do repairs for a video game retail chain and would see hinges devastated by three foot monsters just breaking into the gaming scene.
More so, however, I would see both screens damaged beyond comprehension. Broken hinge or not, the bastard still closes and lessens the chances of scratching and puncturing those delicate screens (well, delicate to a five-year-old’s wrath, anyway). A better hinge would’ve been preferred over eliminating it completely.