Nintendo 3DS Launch in Sydney

Nintendo launched the Nintendo 3DS in Sydney this week. To welcome the replacement for the aging 6-year old Nintendo DS, Nintendo held a function at the Rocks, where I was lucky enough to try out the system that has blown away so much of the world’s media already.

Firstly, a quick overview of the 3DS. It seems to be around the size of a DS Lite, perhaps slightly larger, although we were warned that these were test units. It has 2 screens, like the DS, with the bottom screen able to be touched using a new-telescopic stylus. The top screen shows the 3D visuals whose depth is controlled using a Depth Slider on the top right of the unit, to control the amount of 3D. A new analogue controller (named the circle controller) is added to the digital controller. A 3D camera is on the back which allows you to take 3D pics viewable on the 3DS while there is a 2D camera on the front, similar to the DSi. To complete the package, there is the ubiquitous motion sensor/gyroscope and wifi.

It’ll come with a few simple games using an “augmented reality card” – put simply a card that helps the DS get work out the perspective. Laying the card on a table and pointing the 3DS at it will, for instance, provoke a 3D dragon to come out of the card allowing you to shoot at it from all different angles. Great fun and works most of the time, but just a warning that this should not be attempted under low-light conditions – the 3DS will stop detecting the card and the dragon will disappear. Other augmented reality games are available – 6 in total.

The game range at launch is pretty good, with some pretty big franchises in there. I did get to play Super Street Fighter IV and yes, I was impressed. It’s great seeing these characters that you have grown to love in 3D. The circle controller was a little fiddly to perform the combinations, but I am sure I’ll get used to it. What is a launch without some great first part games – Kid Icarus, Nintendogs, Ocarina of Time (I’ll never get sick of all the different releases of Ocarina). We did get to play Resident Evil : Mercenaries as well. 3D Zombies and tight controls mean I can’t wait to get my hands on this one.

Talking about the 3D, does it work? In a word yes, and it’s pretty amazing. You certainly have to find that sweet spot, and sometimes the sweet spot is lost – I am unsure if you can put that down to inexperience with the 3DS or the games which are in the final stages of development. The 3D effects of these titles on show seemed to give the illusion of greater detail and fluidity. Although obviously the 3D is constrained to planes behind the glass (unlike in the cinema), it’s still exciting to see how this technology will be used in the future.

There still are some negative points associated with the launch though. A$349.95 is approaching Wii launch price territory and it’ll be interesting to see who will fork out that much money for another gadget. The 3D effect can be turned down, which is an advantage but it can also be turned down to 2D which has resulted in some game developers remarking on the fact that they can not make the 3D an integral part of the game. I believe the best games will be the ones that make full use of the 3D and do make it a necessary component of the game. The last is the advice of the Nintendo that the 3D is not suitable for children under 6 as their eyes are still developing. This may prevent some parents from buying the system, but parents can still make use of the depth slider.

There is no doubt that the 3DS will be a success, and with Sony PSP products on the near horizon, 3DS will have a huge head start and a discerning difference – 3D. Sony will make it difficult to create such a difference with their products, with the abundance of gadgets with cheap games already in the pockets of consumers. With the 3DS, Nintendo have continued their path of innovation and let’s hope this heralds a new era of affordable 3D content to the consumer.

Ho Wong