You have to hand it to Nintendo. Their game-changing Game Boy handheld gaming system was nothing short of a revolution in the industry when it launched in 1989. The game titan--one of The Big Three--was savvy enough to follow it up with the smaller Game Boy Pocket, the backlit Game Boy Light (in Japan only), the multi-chromatic-screened Game Boy Color, and then not just the Game Boy Advance but the Game Boy Advance SP. But they didn't stop there.
The next frontier was a dual-screen or "DS" handheld, with the bottom screen being touch-sensitive, an innovation almost three full years before the first iPod touch. From there it shrunk to become the DS Lite, enhanced its online capabilities with DSi, and grew extra large into the DSi XL. But Nintendo felt there was still room for improvement.
And so behold the Nintendo 3DS, the latest refinement and undeniable improvement to the esteemed entertainment device, the best-selling handheld game console line in history with well over 140 million units sold. As readers know, Big Picture Big Sound is not a gaming site but we would be remiss if we did not try out this new portable, released in an era where 3D compatibility has become the major buzz in consumer electronics.
Perhaps what is most special about the 3DS is the fact that it delivers its three-dimensional effect without the need for 3D glasses. Granted, it is a lot smaller than a television, and is viewed at less than a full arm's length, but its ability to deliver a handily convincing illusion of depth to the naked eye clearly gives consumers what they've been clamoring for. The bottom panel--a three-inch (diagonally, 4:3 aspect ratio) touch-screen with 320x240-pixel resolution--remains 2D, working in tandem with the 3D top screen. This 3D LCD is the larger of the two screens, widescreen (5:3), with an impressive 800x240-pixel resolution, as 400 pixels are allocated to each eye for 3D viewing. Both screens support approximately 16.77 million colors.
There's no great interactivity/connectivity with the Nintendo's home console, the Wii, but both systems support the same stylized little Mii avatars. There's also Mii Plaza, which takes advantage of the 3DS' StreetPass feature, allowing us to communicate--wirelessly and automatically--with other 3DS users we might encounter out in the real world. We can of course customize our sharing settings.
The 3DS has built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi with WPA/WPA2 security to link to multiple 3DS systems, and to the Internet (via access points), with a range of almost 100 feet under ideal circumstances. An internet browser will be supported, just not yet. A wireless switch can disable the wi-functionality, even during gameplay.
Picture This
Before I dove into three-dimensional gaming, I was just itching to try out the two-single-focus-lens stereo camera integrated into the lid. The 3DS perfectly displays the roughly-300K-pixel images on the 3D top screen of course, and this LCD serves as a 3D viewfinder as well. From the very first use of the 3D, the effect is undeniable. A little "3D" indicator glows, beside a hard 3D slider which can adjust the intensity of the effect, all the way down to "Off," or 2D. The sharpness, the pop of the different objects at different depths is striking. You need to see what this little guy can do to fully appreciate what a marvel it is.
I snapped a quick pic of my girls, and soon enough we developed the knack for composing shots that really exploit the 3D effect. And even if our handiwork isn't that impressive, we can overlay included virtual graphics to enhance the perception. Images are stored on the included, removable 2GB Toshiba SD card. A touch of a shoulder button will put us straight into Camera mode... which I found out unintentionally, so handle the device with care.
Face Raiders comes preloaded, an extremely fun little game that leverages several of the 3DS' strengths: The camera captures our mug then assigns it to a marauding enemy attacker who either wants to smooch us or "crack" our screen, all while flying around whatever environment we happen to be in. We aim by moving and tilting the 3DS all around in 360-degree space, taking advantage of the hardware motion and gyro sensors, so the only other thing we need to do is fire.
A few paper AR Cards are bundled in the box too, cardboard keys which, when recognized by the onboard camera, unlock dynamic new 3D mini-games, new features and familiar characters. I expected these to be a somewhat silly but was pleasantly surprised by the depth and diversity of content they added. I actually hope to see more of these in the future.
Love at First Sight
It was time to pop in my first cartridge (all sold separately), from the current selection of true 3D, flash memory-based titles available for the new system. The form factor should be familiar to any DS/DSi enthusiast, but for a new nub on the corner of the cartridge. With few exceptions, all DS and DSi games can be played on the backward-compatible 3DS, albeit in 2D. To accommodate bigger mitts like mine, the metal stylus now telescopes, to a fully extended size of about four inches, and it can tuck into the unit short-ways when not in use.
The goofy aerial fun of Nintendo's first-party Pilotwings Resort makes outstanding use of the 3DS' capabilities. Worth noting is that in this title in particular, the illusion of depth is not limited to that between character and background necessarily or different features of the landscape for that matter, but even within the onscreen "me": The Rocket Belted figure specifically seemed to be made up of several different components with genuine depth, hovering just beneath the glass. Neat 3D tricks like virtual lens flares off of the sun also amaze in subtle ways.
LucasArts' LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars 3D meanwhile is a curious combination of deliberately simplified graphics with the latest technology. This being a LEGO Star Wars game, it combines highly amusing pre-rendered in-game videos--now in 3D--with the three-dimensional gameplay. And seeing the story exposition revealed as a familiar title crawl has me wondering what the feature films are going to look like when they finally hit the screen in 3D.
Activision was kind enough to send over Transformers: Dark of the Moon Stealth Force Edition. Here again, there is a definite added dimension, although as a consequence, on this compact LCD as in the real world my own driving can make me a tad queasy. On Transformers I was also made profoundly aware of the two separate speakers, one on either side of the top screen, here for interesting use of discrete side-to-side audio, such as desert wind. The speakers support a sort of "pseudo-surround" sound in addition to mono and stereo. Although the surround setting is our best bet, it is often indistinguishable from straight two-channel.
Game Over
The 3DS is smart, too. It keeps reminding me that I have one app open as I try to open another, lest I lose any data in the switch. The Activity Log tracks our time, the number of games we've played, and even the steps we take, so it's not all about our fingers. We can even be rewarded later with Play Coins for those counted steps. In "Sleep Mode," which is anything but, we can still use StreetPass and receive add-ons, new levels, firmware updates and more from Nintendo's dedicated servers, either over a home network or a Wi-Fi hotspot. We can view trailers and buy games via the Nintendo eShop, and our DSiWare content purchased for the DSi or DSi XL can be transferred to the 3DS.
The life of the lithium ion battery pack depends upon what exactly we're doing with the 3DS. 3D usage on real 3D software gives us anywhere from three to five hours off a full charge (which requires three-and-a-half hours), but if we're playing our old DS (2D) cartridges then we can expect that to jump to more like five to eight hours. The screen brightness too will affect our mileage.
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Final Thoughts
I found the Nintendo 3DS to be the most enjoyable, and most comfortable, in small doses, which is perfect for the casual gamer, or anyone with a lot of other stuff going on in his or her life. The quick levels of the titles I tried helped to stave off encroaching headaches and eyestrain. I would remind my fellow American readers that here in the U.S. of A. we can choose to obey or not Nintendo's warning about banning under-six-year-old kids from using the 3D functionality, although I would keep an ear out for any complaints they might have.
It offers serious versatility beyond 3D gaming though, from its backwards compatibility to its music playback to its Wi-Fi connectivity to its built-in digital 3D camera. And the recent price drop to $169.99 makes the Nintendo 3DS more attractive than ever.
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What's in the Box?
Manufacturer's Contact Information:
Nintendo of America, Inc.4820 150th Ave NERedmond, WA 98052ph: (800) 255-3700
Website: www.nintendo.com
Where to Buy:
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