Nintendo Unveils the 3DS

[Macca00]

Brits worried about 3DS.

http://www.reghardware.com/2011/03/08/b ... ages_eyes/

...are we?

Having no idea at all of what vouchercodes.co.uk was, I paid the site a visit just now. I'm fairly willing to bet that an infinitesimally small number of the 3000 adults questioned actually know what a Nintendo 3DS is.

Don't lie. We all know you Brits love your vouchers. Even more so when the come in code form.

[toonarmy]

Well, f*** me. Amazon is offering a deal that was too tough for me to pass up. Got 25 off the 3DS, and 10 off each launch game, plus I had $100 in credit. Any willpower I had (which must have been next to none) evaporated upon seeing the Amazon deal. I got Cosmo Black 3DS, PES 2011, Ridge Racer, and BustAMove (29,29,19 after credits). So, $55 off in credits plus the $100 I already had. Not too bad I guess, lol.

[ScoopBrady]

I just saw it at Best Buy and I was pretty damned impressed with the 3D. I didn't notice any strain after 5 minutes. I messed with the slider and was able to max it out without problem. They had pilot Wings in. It is a shame that Nintendo can't show off the 3D with movies online be ause it really is impressive with no glasses. I was worried about the sweet spot I've read so much about but there was more wiggle room than I was expecting based upon what I've read.

[vader29]

I have no willpower and bit on the amazon deal also. Worst case scenario is if I don't like it after a few weeks it will probably fetch a good price on ebay.

[dbdynsty25]

I have no willpower and bit on the amazon deal also. Worst case scenario is if I don't like it after a few weeks it will probably fetch a good price on ebay.

Yeah. Thinking about getting one to mess around with and then selling since you know there will be a shortage. Its the Nintendo (and Apple) way.

[toonarmy]

Got an email from Amazon. 3DS and games will be here on Monday rather than on Wednesday (est. arrival date). Appreciate Amazon shipping this on Saturday to get here on Monday with free prime shipping. They also threw in a free case in the deal. I ended up getting Super Street Fighter and Ghost Recon with my credits from the system and games I bought. I'll post some impressions on here once I play this stuff tomorrow and Tuesday.

[MUTTS]

Got to try it out in best buy...thought it was very cool.

However....after 5 minutes my eyes hurt/had a headache. Not sure i could tolerate it for a long time. It will be interesting to see if this becomes a legit. issue.

Tony

[Rodster]

Got to try it out in best buy...thought it was very cool.

However....after 5 minutes my eyes hurt/had a headache. Not sure i could tolerate it for a long time. It will be interesting to see if this becomes a legit. issue.

Tony

It could be that you were standing up and playing a 3D device caused you to become disoriented. I can't play standing up which is why I limit my time playing demos at BB or Circuit City when they were in business. I would get disoriented playing a game while standing up so I would put down the controller and walk away until the feeling past.

Everyone is different. I have never had a seizure while playing games but it's obvious with all the warnings that it's legit. You did the right thing and stopped because a headache is the first step to a possible seizure or a migraine.

That's why i'm looking forward to what Toon has to say if it's an issue.

[TCrouch]

We ended up getting a few of them.

The 3D effects are pretty unbelievable. Playing something silly like Lego Star Wars with full depth perception actually changes the game. I played for a few hours yesterday on several games--Lego Star Wars, Samurai Chronicles, Dinosaur Combat (got that one for my son but that probably has the best 3D effects out of them all), The Sims (for my daughter, who wasn't nearly as into it as her Medieval game on the PC, so I dunno), Tom Clancy's Shadow Wars, and Monkeyball.

Across the board, the 3D effects are amazing, and I was pretty skeptical of the thing leading up to yesterday. The 3D rarely adds much to the actual gameplay, but there's something amazing to be said for blocking a blaster bolt in Star Wars and it coming straight at you out of the screen. The stuff they were able to accomplish without 3D Glasses is pretty mind-blowing. But the biggest improvement for me was the little slider stick like the PSP. I never got into the older DS models because you had to use that control pad, which drove me insane.

Other than having a minor thumb cramp since I don't usually have my thumb flat like that on a small handheld, I was extremely pleased with the system. I never got headaches or anything like that. I think my favorite of all the games is the Shadow Wars title. It definitely feels a lot like a military X-COM, which is good with me. I know SF IV is the best on the system, but I get so tired of fighting games after a bit that I had no interest in that one.

If I had to do it all over again, though, I would NOT show it to my autistic son. I figured he'd look at it and shun it like he does with most things that aren't his iPad, but it had the opposite effect. He kept trying to touch the screen and flip it over to see something coming out of the back. It was pretty adorable at first, but then it became an obsession that we spent the rest of the night trying to break him out of. Needless to say I was the brunt of chewings-out by the wife

[Rodster]

3DS users report system crashes
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6306196.ht ... Btitle%3B1

Nintendo mum as gamers experience show-stopper errors on newly released handheld.

edit: Here's what the red screen of death looks like. Hopefully Nintendo will sort this out.

[sportdan30]

Well, I got to demo the 3DS at Target today. They had Pilot Wings playing. Seriously, after three or four minutes my headache that was already present was made significantly worse. I walked back to my car a little more off balance than when I walked in. I was luke warm with regards to my interest before, but now I have absolutely no desire to purchase this system. I already suffer from migraines as it is, and this made the choice that much easier. On the positive, the new analog stick is very nice, but everything else about the system feels rather meh. It looks similar to the DS, and after a couple weeks of ownership with the iPad 2, it certainly doesn't appeal to this 38 year old. It just doesn't have that coolness factor about it that it once did.

[toonarmy]

I've been playing my 3DS for 6 hours now, with a 15 minute break in there somewhere. My head does not hurt. I can see straight. The only side effect is that the real world is now in 2D and I have blood streaming out of my eyes. Other than that everything is good.

The games I played today are PES, Ridge Racer, and Bust-A-Move Universe. I have yet to try out the AR Cards, but will do so later tonight. My initial impressions of the 3DS are very positive. First off, I will comment on the system itself. It has a solid feel to it and weighs more than I expected. The screen size is fine. The thing I am most pleasantly surprised with is the stick/nub. It is just the right stiffness to allow for really good control. More on that when I talk about the games. The sound of the system is better than that of the DSi. It has a really crisp sound and is plenty loud without headphones. With headphones the 3DS sounds tremendous.

On to the 3D stuff. It took me about 15 minutes to get used to 3D turned on high. You definitely have to get the correct viewing distance for it to work properly, and if you move the 3DS it can be disconcerting and a pain to get your eyes readjusted. By the end of my extended play session I had trained myself pretty well to keep my 3DS in the same place. I had not played a demo unit so today was the first time I played a 3DS. I really did not know what to expect since people on the forums have given a wide range of impressions and opinions. For my money the 3D is cool as hell and works better than I anticipated.

PES is absolutely fantastic. It even has a lenticular cover on the case which has a 3D ball and looks awesome. There are not as many modes as I would like, but between Champions League and Master League I will be busy for some time to come. The control is solid even without using the d-pad. The stick is so well done that it gives great precision in this game. The graphics are very very cool in 3D. The pitch definitely has depth to it and the players look good as well in 3D. I was shocked at how good the 3D is in this game even though I had already read reviews from people commenting on how nice it is. PES is a definite keeper.

I am a Ridge Racer nut, so this was the game I was looking most forward to. I use the d-pad on the PS3 and PSP versions, so there was concern that the stick might make the control too loose. Not so. I get as good of control with the stick on the 3DS as I do with the dpad on the Sony machines. It's hard to explain other than the controls are buttery smooth. There is a ton of content in Ridge Racer, so the depth of the game is not a concern. It would have been nice to have online multiplayer in the game though. The graphics are good but not overwhelming. They are better in some ways than RR and RR2 on the PSP, but inferior in others. For example, the cars in the 3DS version have more of a cartoon look, but the graphics in general have a smoother texture and the framerate is rock solid so far. Overall, however, I would give the nod in the graphics department to the PSP versions simply because they seem to be more detailed. The 3D effects are quite good, complete with confetti occasionally flying toward the user. The 3D in the game is well done, but it sucks in the beginning for people like me who tilt the machine back and forth a little when the racing gets intense. This results in a double image and throws my focus off while I try to get things righted visually. I am still working on keeping the 3DS really still while playing RR. This game is going to see dozens of hours from me.

Bust-A-Move Universe is pretty much typical Bust-A-Move. This version has less content than past iterations, however it is indeed prettier and more vibrant. It's a solid puzzle game for 29.99. Not much else to add on this one other than I am glad I bought it.

One last thing: the instruction book that comes with the 3DS is large and thick and in color. It does a good job of explaining the functions of the 3DS. There are also 6 AR cards included and a docking station.

Tomorrow I will post impressions on the camera, the AR cards, and other functions of the 3DS. I will also hopefully have Ghost Recon and SSF in my hands by then and will try to get some impressions up of those games as well. All these impressions are certainly initial ones, so if my opinion changes on anything I will post that as well. I'm going to fool around with this thing for a few more hours before I go to bed, then play a bunch more tomorrow.

[TCrouch]

I've gravitated almost entirely to Ghost Recon. That game is hella fun.

[toonarmy]

I've gravitated almost entirely to Ghost Recon. That game is hella fun.

Glad to hear that. The reviews have been very positive and the videos have looked nice as well. It seems like it may be the dark horse winner of the launch games from what I can tell. Cannot wait to play it tomorrow.

[Slumberland]

Toon, are you using that new default camera in PES? It's super pretty, but I'm having a tough time with situational awareness.

Didn't take long to get used to the 3D. No eye problems here. Played SF4, PES, and Pilotwings (briefly). Graphics are impressive. Battery life sucks, but we knew that.

Glad that PES seems built on the older engine, before they started mucking around on the 360 and whatnot.

[toonarmy]

Toon, are you using that new default camera in PES? It's super pretty, but I'm having a tough time with situational awareness.

Didn't take long to get used to the 3D. No eye problems here. Played SF4, PES, and Pilotwings (briefly). Graphics are impressive. Battery life sucks, but we knew that.

Glad that PES seems built on the older engine, before they started mucking around on the 360 and whatnot.

I couldn't get used to that view so I am using the traditional side view.

[Lancer]

I've been playing my 3DS for 6 hours now, with a 15 minute break in there somewhere. My head does not hurt. I can see straight. The only side effect is that the real world is now in 2D and I have blood streaming out of my eyes. Other than that everything is good.

The games I played today are PES, Ridge Racer, and Bust-A-Move Universe. I have yet to try out the AR Cards, but will do so later tonight. My initial impressions of the 3DS are very positive. First off, I will comment on the system itself. It has a solid feel to it and weighs more than I expected. The screen size is fine. The thing I am most pleasantly surprised with is the stick/nub. It is just the right stiffness to allow for really good control. More on that when I talk about the games. The sound of the system is better than that of the DSi. It has a really crisp sound and is plenty loud without headphones. With headphones the 3DS sounds tremendous.

On to the 3D stuff. It took me about 15 minutes to get used to 3D turned on high. You definitely have to get the correct viewing distance for it to work properly, and if you move the 3DS it can be disconcerting and a pain to get your eyes readjusted. By the end of my extended play session I had trained myself pretty well to keep my 3DS in the same place. I had not played a demo unit so today was the first time I played a 3DS. I really did not know what to expect since people on the forums have given a wide range of impressions and opinions. For my money the 3D is cool as hell and works better than I anticipated.

PES is absolutely fantastic. It even has a lenticular cover on the case which has a 3D ball and looks awesome. There are not as many modes as I would like, but between Champions League and Master League I will be busy for some time to come. The control is solid even without using the d-pad. The stick is so well done that it gives great precision in this game. The graphics are very very cool in 3D. The pitch definitely has depth to it and the players look good as well in 3D. I was shocked at how good the 3D is in this game even though I had already read reviews from people commenting on how nice it is. PES is a definite keeper.

I am a Ridge Racer nut, so this was the game I was looking most forward to. I use the d-pad on the PS3 and PSP versions, so there was concern that the stick might make the control too loose. Not so. I get as good of control with the stick on the 3DS as I do with the dpad on the Sony machines. It's hard to explain other than the controls are buttery smooth. There is a ton of content in Ridge Racer, so the depth of the game is not a concern. It would have been nice to have online multiplayer in the game though. The graphics are good but not overwhelming. They are better in some ways than RR and RR2 on the PSP, but inferior in others. For example, the cars in the 3DS version have more of a cartoon look, but the graphics in general have a smoother texture and the framerate is rock solid so far. Overall, however, I would give the nod in the graphics department to the PSP versions simply because they seem to be more detailed. The 3D effects are quite good, complete with confetti occasionally flying toward the user. The 3D in the game is well done, but it sucks in the beginning for people like me who tilt the machine back and forth a little when the racing gets intense. This results in a double image and throws my focus off while I try to get things righted visually. I am still working on keeping the 3DS really still while playing RR. This game is going to see dozens of hours from me.

Bust-A-Move Universe is pretty much typical Bust-A-Move. This version has less content than past iterations, however it is indeed prettier and more vibrant. It's a solid puzzle game for 29.99. Not much else to add on this one other than I am glad I bought it.

One last thing: the instruction book that comes with the 3DS is large and thick and in color. It does a good job of explaining the functions of the 3DS. There are also 6 AR cards included and a docking station.

Tomorrow I will post impressions on the camera, the AR cards, and other functions of the 3DS. I will also hopefully have Ghost Recon and SSF in my hands by then and will try to get some impressions up of those games as well. All these impressions are certainly initial ones, so if my opinion changes on anything I will post that as well. I'm going to fool around with this thing for a few more hours before I go to bed, then play a bunch more tomorrow.

Thanks for the impressions toon. Please let us know how Madden is on 3DS as well if you have that game.

[Naples39]

For PES vets, what home console version does the 3DS version remind you of?

[ScoopBrady]

I had a much more detailed impression earlier but a forum fart made me lose it and I'm not up to do it again. So here goes draft 2.

I am very impressed with the 3ds. No headaches at all from me after several hours of play over the weekend with the 3d slider maxed out. I have never had any problems with those 3d pictures where they say to hold close to your eyes and pull away slowly. I can very easily see them pretty quickly without doing all of that. I'd be curious to know if those that haven't had any problems can look at those pretty easily and if those who are having headaches struggle with them. That might be a good indicator if the 3ds is for you or not or I could be completely off base which would be nothing new at all.

The interface is similar to the Wii's and is nice. The AR stuff is pretty cool and that Face Raiders game is neat enough for the occasional time killer.

Thanks to the Toys R Us sale (Buy 1 get 1 50% off) I picked up Street Fighter IV, Lego Star Wars III, Pilotwings, and PES 2011. I had also picked up Tom Clancy Ghost Recon with the system.

I don't have enough time with SFIV on the consoles to tell you how this version compares but it is a very high quality title for sure. The 3d doesn't do anything for gameplay but it brings the backgrounds and fighters to life.

Lego Star Wars III is pretty much a standard Lego game. I know the portable versions are condensed versions of the console versions but this one is still fun enough. Again, the 3d doesn't do anything for the gameplay but it does pull you into the game more. It is very cool to see blaster rifle fire shoot all over the place.

Pilotwings is a relaxing game that lets you fly around the island from Wii Sports Resort in a plane, hang glider, or jet pack. Each one feels different and it's fun to just fly around in free ride mode. I didn't get into the challenges yet but I think they're pretty standard fare. The 3d really makes exploring the island a lot of fun.

PES 2011 is outstanding. It looks great and plays a fantastic game of footie. I haven't played the series much on the current gen but this version is definitely on par with the titles I was playing at the end of the PS2/Xbox generation. There is a problem with my cartridge though as it cannot be formatted and I am unable to save any options. Other than that the 3d in this title does add to the gameplay. It makes the visuals really pop but it also helps you determine open spaces on the pitch much better and helps you build your attack as a result. Spacing is so much more pronounced in 3d that you just don't get as good of a feel for without the slider on. I am very impressed with this portable PES game and I think it feels more like a console experience than the PSP versions I have played.

Tom Clancy Ghost Recon is my surprise title of the bunch. I didn't even see this one coming and it is a lot of fun. It is a RTS game similar to X Com. The graphics aren't outstanding or anything but the 3d really brings the battlefield to life. Seeing smoke or clouds rolling over the action from the top-down perspective is very cool.

So while the 3d hasn't really improved the gameplay in most cases it sure has increased my enjoyment and immersion big time. It sucks that not everybody is able to view the 3d without getting headaches because it really is special and impressive. Especially considering they pulled this off without the use of glasses; something this guy who wears glasses at home definitely appreciates. I hate putting glasses over glasses if I go to the show with my glasses on.

[Rodster]

Good impressions guys, glad to read the 3D effect doesn't bother some of you. I'm going to definitely wait till next year when they release the updated version, probably some tweaks to the 3D effects and more IMPORTANTLY new colors.

[wco81]

Can anyone remember if there was ever promotions or inducements of any kind to buy hardware and games at launch?

Usually there's enough pent-up demand that there are lines and shortages and pretty much you have to pay retail on everything.

Saw an ad for the Street Fighter game on ESPN. That's another thing, you usually don't see TV advertising at launch because usually demand is greater than the supply.

[Rodster]

3DS sets sales record in US, 'no widespread issues' with portable. Nintendo says day-one sales numbers were the highest for any handheld in its history; downplays reported system crashes.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6306261.ht ... Btitle%3B1

[toonarmy]

For PES vets, what home console version does the 3DS version remind you of?

Winning Eleven 9 (PES 5) is what this game is most like (PS2). This game is just plain fun. I cannot wait to get my Master League started.

[toonarmy]

Thanks for the impressions toon. Please let us know how Madden is on 3DS as well if you have that game.

Lol. I will not be getting Madden. It has gotten horrific reviews and sounds like trash.

[toonarmy]

3DS sets sales record in US, 'no widespread issues' with portable. Nintendo says day-one sales numbers were the highest for any handheld in its history; downplays reported system crashes.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6306261.ht ... Btitle%3B1

Pre-orders were twice that of the Wii. I know wco will not believe this but there is still quite a healthy market for handheld gaming on non-phone devices. The sales numbers are bearing this out as expected.