Customer Reviews

Nintendo 3DS - Aqua Blue

5 star:		(374)
4 star:		(135)
3 star:		(30)
2 star:		(21)
1 star:		(35)

 

 

UPDATE: This system had slow start, but now with a good game lineup on the horizon (Mario Kart, Paper Mario, Star Fox, Luigi's Mansion, Super Mario Land, Kid Icarus, and a few more), the release of several features such as the virtual store and Netflix, and most importantly, the big $80 price cut, I have decided to bump this review up to a 4 star (originally 3). When the console first launched, it was tough to justify spending $250 on it, but now it is quite competitive at $170.

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New Short Review
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1. 3DS launched with very few games, and now a few good ones like Ocarina of Time have come out. E3 announced many good games which we'll see soon. The current lineup is still pretty lackluster and many of the upcoming games are remakes of older ones, but at least it's a step in the right direction. This is currently the biggest con of the system that has everyone online asking "WHERE ARE THE GAMES?". Nintendo has been slow even with their 1st party games which was also frustrating. Hopefully, we'll see some 3rd party developers make some good and new content as they did on the DS.
2. 3DS has poor battery life. The console lasts somewhere between 3 and 5 hours depending on if you turn on WiFi or 3D and how high you keep the brightness and volume. There's also a power saver mode that supposedly saves battery. 3-5 hours is pretty low. It will be enough if you just want to play for a little while or are at home, but it certainly won't work for a road trip or vacation. Compounded with a roughly 3 hour recharge time, the battery problem is further prounounced. This is quite disappointing, especially since the DS Lite could crank out close to 15 hours with the brightness turned down. The 3DS battery life is upsetting and badly limits its portability. Over time, you learn to work around it and really use the home charging cradle supplied. Another alternative is purchasing 3rd party battery pack which doubles the battery life which gets the battery to acceptable levels of 6-10 hours.
3. The 3D effect in most games are used just to add depth. Some games like Ridge Racer use the 3D effect to makes things pop out of the screen at you, but many don't. Some games like Ocarina of Time make good use of the 3D allowing you to properly judge distances and aim, but many other games just tack it on without adding anything to gameplay (and sometimes even hindering it). Like certain Wii games that tack on unneeded motion controls, many 3DS games make poor use of the 3D.
4. Online play is still plagued by annoying friend codes. I wish Nintendo would let us make a username equivalent of gamertags or PSN IDs. Instead we have to enter a long string of digits to add someone as a friend. Nintendo really needs to step up their online gameplay as the entire network is inconvenient and often annoying. Simple things like matchmaking and communicating with friends is a pain.
5. DS game playback is a bit awkward due to the resolution difference between the DS and the 3DS. DS games either are stretched looking blurry/pixelated or only occupy a small box in the center of the screen leaving a black border around the game. So, playing DS games on the 3DS is less than ideal. (But hey, I'm glad we at least have backwards compatibility)
6. Minor complaint: Build quality of the 3DS is so-so. My 3DS has a slightly loose hinge where the top screen isn't exactly helped firmly in place. From searching online, many people are also having some minor quality control complaints.
7. Minor complaint: The 3DS is slightly bigger than the DS Lite. You would expect the new 3DS to be sleeker and smaller than the DS Lite from 2006. I understand the 3DS is more powerful, but I still would have liked it thinner.
8. Minor complaint: The 3D camera on the 3DS is really bad. My celllphone takes better quality pictures (just not in 3D). Don't expect to use this camera after the first day when you're checking out all of the features.

Conclusion: DS was one of my favorite systems with great 3rd party developer support. Hopefully, the 3DS will see the same kind of success and get great games from developers other than Nintendo. I love my 3DS and know it will be an awesome system in the future when more people buy it and better games come out. Thankfully, there are many good games coming in the near future. Combined with the lower price, all we have left is the lingering bad battery life. You know Nintendo is going to release a new 3DS with better battery life and probably slimmer sometime in the future (think GBA Advance to SP / DS to DS Lite). My honest advice: WAIT FOR THAT! I remember I really wanted the original DS (the original "phat" one), but eventually I bought the DS Lite when it came out. I paid less and got a way better system. Every company releases a new model of their system - Nintendo usually does it 16-24 months after the original release, which would probably pit a new 3DS sometime between July 2012 and March 2013. It seems like a long time, but if you can wait, I'm sure it'll be worth it and you'll only have missed a handful of good games or so. If you can't wait, go out and buy the 3DS now and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Bottom Line: Ultimately, it's the games that make a system worth it. Nintendo painfully learned that releasing a system in 2011 without a strong launch lineup results in low sales. At least we are now seeing good games coming in waves and more 1st party Nintendo titles like Mario and Zelda. I think the system is having a slow start, but will have a good future at least in terms of software. If you purchase it now, I'm sure you'll get great use out of it. If you choose to wait a while before purchasing, you may have a new 3DS that alleviates some of the current problems.

I explain all of this in much, much more detail below. So, check out the original review for more detail if you so desire.

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Virtual Store, Netflix, and Browser
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The originally promised features have finally been released! You can use the virtual store to purchase and download older games as well as some little games (similar to Wiiware or DSiWare games). I got some of the free stuff like a free 3D Pokedex and the free titles were OK, and most importantly, FREE. Setting up Netfix was a breeze as well, you just log in with your email/password like you always do. Boom you're in - search, browse genres, or select something from your instant queue. The internet browser worded well too and gets you to webpages, but you can't view Flash content. Remember for all of these features, you need to have WiFi connection.
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Original Review for 3DS @ Launch LONG REVIEW )
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Please, before you give me your hate, listen to what I have to say. Please don't immediately judge me as a "Nintendo hater" or simply down-vote my review. I have owned every Nintendo system since SNES, both handheld and home console, and love Nintendo products. I just want to bring to your attention some of the cons that almost every other reviewer has down-played or brushed aside.

I have been using the system since the midnight release, playing a few different games, and testing the various features. I truly am amazed by the augmented reality and potential for the device. However, I cannot ignore some of the negatives and have compiled a list of cons.

1) On average, I get about 4 to 4 and a half hours with my 3DS with 3D off, wifi off, 1/3 volume, and 2 of 5 brightness. It takes about three hours to fully charge and the battery gets used up very quickly while playing 3DS games (Nintendo reports official charge time as 3.5 hours). The first time I played I had slightly over 3 hours of battery life playing at full brightness, 3D on, and max volume as it was my first time playing the system and I was still in the "oooh, aaaah" stage. After taking a break and letting it charge, I played it again, but this time on medium brightness, wifi off, and volume on medium. The battery was still shy of 4 hours. After that, I just began playing while the system charged. Compared to the DS Lite's 10 hour+ battery life, this is a bit disappointing. I understand that the 3DS needs to have extra brightness to produce 3D and requires more processing power, and therefore takes up more battery juice, but I still would like to see at least 6 hours. So, don't expect to be using this on a long flight or road trip. The good news is there are some 3rd party accessories being released to address this issue such as a Nintendo 3DS Travel Charging Dock with Rechargeable Internal Battery and an extended battery pack. The extended battery pack by Nyko (the one I mentioned earlier), called the "Power Pak," has been getting great praise by early reviews. It raises the 3DS battery life to about 5.5 hours on full brightness, 3D on, wifi on and all the way to 9 hours on lowest brightness, 3D off, wifi off. The only con about this is that it increases the 77mm thickness of the system to roughly 95mm and costs $20. If a bit of extra bulk isn't a problem for you, and you have $20 to spare, this could be a great option.

Tips on long battery life: Turn WiFi off when you don't need it. Lower the screen brightness as much as possible. Turn "Power Saving" mode on. Lower the volume as much as possible or use headphones. Turning 3D off also saves battery. Doing these things can help you squeeze another hour of battery life out of your 3DS.

2) The library of games for the 3DS is still quite and was somewhat disappointing on launch day, but this to be expected of a new system. Of the several launch games I played, the most interesting were Super Street Fighter, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, and Pilot Wings. Furthermore, of the games I listed, Pilot Wings looked great, but was sadly short as I have already beaten all of the missions in four hours or so. Many review sites have been praising Steel Diver as well. I personally didn't find it too fun, but it is a unique game and I can acknowledge it being one of the better 3DS launch titles. However, as time passed we are starting to see great games like the Ocarina of Time and we are sure to see some notable release in a few months such as Kid Icarus, Star Fox, Super Mario, Luigi's Mansion, etc. Most consoles are burdened with this problem at launch; this won't be a problem in the long-run. In my opinion, it's ultimately the games that define the console and the console itself is just a medium to play the games. the DS had one of the best game libraries of all time and the 3DS is sure to follow suit. Within a year or two, we'll see a rocking game library that'll demand us to buy the console. There are many great games on the horizon, and Ocarina of Time is already out, which is by far the best game on the 3DS at the moment. E3 revealed nearly a dozen promising games that all will come out with a year's time! The 3DS library is going to be great soon.

3) 3D effect. For the most part, the 3D effect doesn't really have objects flying at your face making you jump like the 3D in amusement park rides. (UPDATE: However, some developers are indeed using this pop-out effect, but it is used sparingly.) It really only shows you more depth as in you can tell a mountain in Pilot Wings is further in the distance than the plane your flying, or overlays such as the time, score, etc are infront of the objects in the game. It took me a few hours to find my "3D sweet spot" as I tried to balance the distance I should keep the 3DS from my face and how high I should raise the depth slider. And this sweet spot changes from game to game, so you'll need to tinker with the viewing distance and depth slider until you find what's best for you. Honestly, even though "3D" is in the name of the system, it doesn't add a whole lot in terms of gameplay. And to add to this, it's very hard to stay in your "3D sweetspot" while playing games that take advantage of the gyroscope. In the included AR games, there is a game called archery in which you place a card on a desk and the 3DS will simulate some targets to hit. To hit these targets you will need to walk around and hit them from different angles. It's actually quite fun and one of the better AR card games. The only problem is that while you're moving around to hit the targets from a different angle, you shift a bit out of the "3D sweetspot" and lose the 3D effect causing a little of trouble for your brain and some eye strain. So, for most games using the gyroscope such as the AR card game archery or even the game Face Raiders, unfortunately, it's better played with the 3D off. The 3D mode really only works well for games that you can sit still and play because the viewing angle for the 3D effect is very small. To avoid eye strain, dizziness, head aches etc, only use the 3D mode when you are stationary, and tinker with the depth slider to find what's right for you. At first, I thought keeping the slider anywhere short of max meant that I was missing out on the full possible 3D experience. I was horribly mistaken: everyone experiences 3D differently and will need to discover (and stay within) their "3D sweet spot."

Update: Initially, the 3D effect amazed me and I kept playing with it on whenever I wasn't moving or playing a game that needed the gyroscope. However, after about 30 hours or so of playing with the system, the initial amazement subsided, and I am playing games the ol' fashion way in 2D mode. A classmate of mine who is also a 3DS owner agreed with me on this as he also reverted to 2D mode. To me, the 3D is like a topping to ice cream, rather than the ice cream itself; you don't have to add it, but for some people, it can make it much better (and for other worse).

Update: I have demoed the 3DS to about 50 friends and classmates, and most were shocked at, sometimes even in disbelief of, the quality of the 3D and the AR games. Although, maybe 5 or so complained about headaches/eye strain, even after they tried re-adjusting the depth slider. Another person I know who bought the system had eye strain and headaches initially, but after a few days "adapted" to the 3D and feels nothing now. What does all this mean? I suppose we all just handle 3D differently. Maybe for some 3D is an "acquired sight."

(Update: A commenter told me that in the game Lego Star Wars III, there are objects that fly out of the screen. I cannot confirm as I did not purchase this game. However, from my own experience I can say that Pilot Wings, Super Street Fighter IV, Ghost Recon, FaceRaiders, and the bundled mini games (AR card games and mii games) do not have this effect. Instead, they have a layered look where some things are slightly in front of or on the screen and other things are further "behind the screen.")
(Further Update: It seems like the 3D effect is indeed capable of popping out of the screen. It is seen in Nintendogs, Ridge Racer, and many other titles. It seems like developed are limitedly using the 3D pop out effect and reserving it for special moments in the game. Maybe this is to help prevent head-aches and nauseousness caused by 3D. Thanks for all the comments pointing this out!)

4) This is just a minor complaint. The cameras on the 3DS take pictures of pretty low quality. Obviously the system wasn't meant to be used to replace a conventional camera, but it's worth noting that the 3D camera is more of a novelty than a practical device. In fact, most smart phones will take pictures of better quality (without 3D though, of course). I don't think anybody actually was planning on using the 3DS as a full-fledged camera.

5) This is just another minor gripe, but the 3DS is a just a tiny bit bigger than the DS Lite. Looking at the two, they look almost identical in size and to simplify things we can even say they are the same size, but the specs show the 3DS to be a fraction bigger. The DS Lite and 3DS are by no means large, but I wish Nintendo would have made the new system a little more "pocket-friendly" and slimmer (not as thick). The 3DS fits in my pockets fine, but a sleeker and thinner design (with the same size screens) would have been appreciated.

6) DS emulation. First off, I am extremely happy the 3DS emulates DS games. I'm glad Nintendo kept that feature. There just is one small problem with the emulation, because of the difference is resolution between the 3DS and the DS, either the emulated games will appear smaller, or stretched out. Both of which look a bit awkward. It's great Nintendo added DS emulation and it's not necessarily Nintendo's fault for the problem. It's just something you should be aware of if you plan on using your 3DS to play DS games. I don't consider this a con as GBA is quite old now, but if anyone was wondering, there is no cartridge slot for gameboy advance games.

7) Online play and friend codes. Nintendo is still using friend codes! If you aren't familiar with Nintendo's online play, it works by assigning each player a long string of digits (12 in the case of the 3DS)and forces friends to enter each other's friend codes to play together online. This is only a one time process but is highly annoying. On the XBOX 360, PS3, and PC, online play is handled by giving players a user ID which can then be used to add friends and online match-making. One theory why is that Nintendo is trying to protect younger users by making it more difficult to add strangers as friends. Really, in my opinion, it makes online play a hassle. Rather than calling up a friend and saying "Hey, add me as a friend. My name is 'Killer_Juice'," you would have to say "My friend code is 4682-8452-5268." There is also a status message that you can write, however, it is severely limited because it has a character limit of 25. There's really not much you can say in 25 characters.

Now all these complaints boil down to one thing: cost. At the moment, I really don't feel this system is worth the price tag of $250. Given the lackluster game lineup and rather poor battery life, I don't think there is a need to buy 3DS at this point. Some features such as the Nintendo Shop and the internet browser won't even be released until May. In my honest opinion, I would recommend waiting until a new revision is released, or at least until some better games come out. Nintendo usually releases a newer version of a console about a year and half after the original release. Although Nintendo hasn't officially said anything to support a new 3DS, I am willing to bet that a new 3DS will be released in the not too distant future that will pack better battery life, a slimmer form (not as thick), new colors, and whatever other cool stuff Nintendo throws our way. As time passes, technology only gets better and better; Nintendo will definitely be able to improve upon the system and release a revision. My guess is around Summer or Holiday 2012, but that is purely speculation. Don't get me wrong: I do like the system and I was astounded by the augmented reality games (Face Raiders, AR Shot, and Archery in particular). I simply believe that for most people, there is no reason to buy the console right now. The system is great; it just faces a few limitations (mainly battery life) that can be addressed by Nintendo in a new revision.

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Conclusion: I don't want to sound overly-negative about the system. The DS was one of the best systems with a great library of games. If you have the money to spend, the 3DS will surely not disappoint with 3D, augmented reality, improved graphics and screen resolution, and all the good stuff we've come to love from the original DS. However, if buying the system is a financial stretch or you are content with what you have right now, I would advise waiting until a new revision is released (which is bound to happen) or at least until some better games are made. Soon enough, we will start seeing some great 3DS games that take full advantage of the system's hardware, and hopefully a 3DS that packs a longer battery and maybe slimmer too. Who knows, we might even get a 3DS XL. One thing I will reemphasize is that a console is defined by its games. Nintendo handhelds always get great games and within a few years, the 3DS will have a massive software library filled with many great "must have" titles. They system is just a medium to enjoy the games; the games are the things that matter most. I don't regret buying my system at all, because I know some great games will be released soon and the 3DS will have a great pool of games to chose from.

Feel free to leave me a comment, ask a question, or voice or your opinion. I will try to respond as quickly as possible. I'm willing to discuss my standpoint with anybody. So, rather than just clicking "unhelpful", please comment your opinion and we can talk about it. I will continue updating this review as I use the system more and more. I don't write many reviews, but when I do, I actually put several hours of effort into them and continue adding to them months after the original publish date.

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Update: There have been some reports of the 3DS being unable to play games and reaching a screen that is unofficially called the "black screen of death." Furthermore, people have complained about hinge problems not keeping the top screen in place. In fact, my top screen has also had a bit of a wobble to it, but I don't think it wobbles enough to warrant me exchanging it. The great news is that Nintendo is willing to replace these defective units by following a fairly quick procedure on their website.

I've been a huge Nintendo fan since the GBA. So it stands to reason I'd get the 3DS. There are many good things about this system that make it an excellent purchase (perhaps not a "must buy" but a great purchase nonetheless!):

- Graphics are sharp, crisp, colors pop and overall it is ultra pleasing to the eye
- I love the color (I got Aqua Blue) and surprisingly it is not a fingerprint magnet
- Enhanced options and potentially netflix and some game boy and game boy color remakes virtual
- Analog stick is responsive, easy to use, and us fans can say Nintendo finally heard us!
- I was very surprised to hear a rich vibrant sound coming from this unit. I didn't have headphones on and it was much better than the DSiXL unit
- The menu navigations are good but the three buttons do take some getting used to
- The stylus feels classy and I love the adjustability of it - very nice for all types of hands

There are many other benefits to this system and my fellow reviewer's have covered most of them. I myself use the unit to play games - I typically don't take photo's or surf the web or do various other sort of extra things. Sleep mode would be a good example - where you can put your 3DS in sleep mode and it does various things. If you are interested in those then check out the excellent video reviews posted.

However I have a caveat for anyone that suffers from migraine's or headaches. I played for an hour and a half in 3D last night and I had a massive migraine this morning. I felt the beginnings of a headache last night but I didn't expect to be hit with the whole light sensitive, nausea and vomiting, misery of this morning. So I searched the net to find out if that was a potential issue and sure enough it is. Does that mean I won't play my 3DS? Heck no but I've found some hints and helps I'm going to list here so anyone who is like me can make a informed purchase choice:

- Really work the slider to find the exact sweet spot - you will know when it is not because it is blurry. If you find yourself seeing blurry for any length of time (several minutes) then turn the 3D off for a while to rest your eyes
- Wear your glasses if they are designed for this distance
- Play 3D and 2D varying between the two and pay close attention to any sort of nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, etc.
- Do not let your child under 7 play this and with kids 7 and older I'd really watch them - Nintendo has stated this 3D is not recommended for children's eyes that are not yet developed
- Take frequent breaks and allow your eyes to do other things at different focus levels. So don't go, for example, from playing to reading which is usually about the same distance field. Try for shifts so that your eyes can focus at different levels and distances.

I'm not negging on the system - because I am sure this effect of headaches will probably only affect a small percentage of the population. However when you are one of those few and realize your beloved new unit actually causes pain and misery - well you want to be sure that you do what you can to make sure others' don't suffer needlessly.

Overall I am most impressed by this unit. I think it is a fantastic step for Nintendo who continue to break new ground with their products, and I can recommend it to adults and older children. I don't use the camera so I cannot comment on that. Of course the battery life is less - which is a bummer but much has been made of it already. I will update my review if I learn more on the headache issue and how to combat it or any further tips in that direction. The reason for the 4 stars is because I wish more had been made of the potential headache issue by Nintendo - I don't recall reading much research and, for those of us who are prone to this sort of thing, it would have been nicer to see this tested more thoroughly or if they did test it to release the results.

I'm a pretty big video game player, and I've owned most systems to come out of the gate; so I'm speaking from a bit of experience. Unfortunately, the Nintendo 3DS was a good product with substantial flaws and a lackluster launch. I'm going to keep this short but to the point.

Pros:

-3D effect is quite good, and very clear
-Screens are very nice and vibrant, they look great, and the touch on the bottom screen is improved from the DS, seems more accurate, and also responds to touch fairly well at the risk of fingerprints everywhere
-Streetpass meeting of random other Mii's is pretty fun
-Included games and features on the system are fun and impressive, and Find Mii is a pretty good little RPG lite
-Analog nub is a bigger, more comfortable, smoother, better version of the PSP analog nub, absolutely fantastic
-Buttons are clicky and responsive (so is the dpad, not sure if thats a pro or a con, just different at this point)
-Comes with a 2gb SD card, very surprised to see that actually
-Charging cradle is a very nice addition
-Sound quality is good, definitely higher quality than the DS
-Had the black and aqua colors, they look fantastic, the aqua vibrant and the black shimmery from grey to black

Cons:

-Games at launch are not that fantastic, plus there aren't many of them. Some are fun, some are ports (albeit good ones), some are just plain bad
-Battery life is terrible. Using all of the system features is a great experience that is hampered because the battery is unable to keep all those features working for any long amount of time, even the standby mode is short (reminds me of the PSP launch in that regard)
-The 3D "sweet spot" is narrow, not a distance issue, but a tilt issue. For instance playing face raiders in 3D is ridiculous, you will lost the 3D constantly, moving your console around
-The cameras, while good for showing off some 3D photos and playing face raiders, are pretty terrible quality for anything past that
-System feels a little too cheap, seems less solid than my old DS lite and DSi
-Hinge is wobbly; had several friends send in theirs for replacements from Nintendo, made it better, but still wobbly
-Included web browser not enabled till later update supposedly, as are a few features
-Honestly, even with fingers working relatively well on the touch screen, it should be capacitive. The stylus feels dated, you should be able to just thumb at the screen for everything. Also, new stylus placement and need to extend are... odd choices

And that's that. I'm trying to be relatively neutral about this, but I am a bit disappointed I think because I usually expect more from Nintendo on a launch. But, saying that I think this system will be great with a refresh. Like the DS to DS lite, they made a good product great, and I believe it'll be the same here. Another note, backwards compatibly with the DS games is a mixed bag, some people will like it some people won't. It of course doesn't look as good as original DS games, but when you're changing screens and resolutions, thats a given, the fact it's on there is great I think.

Length:: 9:36 Mins

This is a run-down of all the most notable features in the Nintendo 3DS and how they stack up. I was probably too harsh on the StreetPass functionality as the technology itself is fantastic, but I am worried how well the feature will work in places that don't have high population densities. Still, a great system overall. Hopefully this video helps you decide if it's the type of device you want to own.

I do point out many criticisms of the system, but listen carefully for the many slices of praise. The criticism simply feels like it dominates because I have to justify it more than the praise, but I do think the 3DS is a great device.

- David Turnbull
nintendo3dsblog.com

If you for something Awesome you found it. This is the greatest thing the the Nintendo company will give you for now. So make the best of it. The picture quality of the 3DS is amazing. The 3DS also can normal DS and DSi games too. If this your first time buying a DS and don't own any games you don't have to worry about it. The 3DS has built in games and activities. So go ahead and buy it.

I just picked up my Aqua Blue 3DS and I am very pleased. The 3DS is not perfect by any means but I do think that it is a fine system so far. As I write this some features like Netflix are not available so I may come back and update this review when I can test these features out for myself.

The system feels comfortable to hold in my hands. The size isn't too far off from the DSi. The color has a sort of metallic look to it that is very classy though I do wish that Nintendo had given us more colors to choose from. There will undoubtedly be more colors to choose from in the future though. The color isn't exactly an aqua blue, it is more of a bluish-green.

The question that most of you probably have is whether or not the 3D effect works. Yes, it does but it will take some getting used to. Keep in mind that the 3D visuals depend on the system's camera to track your head and so you will need to look at the system from a specific point for the best results in 3D. It isn't that hard to keep your head in that spot but you may need some time to get used to this. The 3DS provides a glimpse into an actual game world so you are not just looking at 3D graphics, you can actually move the system and your view changes accordingly. For example, your character in the game may step into an in-game room and you can physically move your 3DS to the right and your view will shift as you move the system. It's a lot of fun and one of the included mini games will actually have you moving around your desk or kitchen table in order to look into a hole from the right angle.

At first your eyes might feel a little buggy after playing with the 3D effects. That is normal but you should get used to it after a few plays. You can also adjust the intensity of the 3D effect with a little slider on the right side of the system and you can even do this in the middle of the game. I personally like the 3D effect to be a little under half power. That gives a nice bit of depth but the effect isn't overpowering. If you do not care for the 3D effects then you can simply turn that feature off and you still have a powerful little handheld system. This is good for people who do not enjoy 3D movies as they will still be able to play games on this system.

In addition to the new 3DS games the system can play the older DS and DSi games already out there. In a couple of months Nintendo will be revealing an online shop where you can buy and download some of the original Gameboy and Gameboy Color games optimized for the 3D screen. This effectively means that the 3DS already has a library of thousands of games even before we get into the 3DS games. The 3DS does have some flash memory for storing downloaded games but you will probably want to use the SD memory card slot and store your games on your memory card.

The 3DS does come with a 2GB SD card for saves and there are some applications already on it so you will have something to play right out of the box. There is a game where you can take pictures of yourself, your spouse, your pets or almost anything and attach the photos to flying enemies which you must then defeat. There is also a game that uses special paper cards. You put one of these cards on the table and look at it through the 3DS. You will see fun things happen like a hole open up in your table where a creature comes out and attack you or you can try another card to see characters pop up. Here is a tip, try downloading these cards from Nintendo's website and print them out on large sheets of paper. The size of the characters that come out are proportional to the size of the paper. A group of people in Japan strung together a massive square and made an avatar the size of a building!

Did you know that you can set your 3DS to sleep mode and it will communicate with other 3DS systems? Let's say that you are on your lunch break from work and you head to the deli with your 3Ds in your messenger bag. The system will find other systems and communicate with them. If you have a game such as Street Fighter 4 there will even be a mini-battle and if you win you will win rewards. The 3DS also has a pedometer so if you walk with it the system will track your footsteps and reward you with virtual coins you can use in certain applications.

Is the 3DS worth $249? I think so because of all the existing games that can be played on it and Nintendo handhelds are always very well supported with a healthy game library. It will very likely be at least two years before Nintendo updates the 3DS hardware and I certainly do not want to wait that long to play these games. Even if 3D video games are just a fad the 3DS will still play great games in regular 2D graphics and I anticipate that this system will have a great run just like its predecessors.

In this review I will give a quick summary of each feature of the Nintendo 3DS

1) Design - The Nintendo 3DS is slightly smaller but heavier than the Nintendo DSi. If you own a DSi XL you may be disappointed with the screen size. Gamers who have owned a DSi will feel right at home. My honest opinion is that the screen isn't that small. In fact the 3D screen is almost the same size as an itouch 4 screen. I bought the blue 3DS; although it appears more like a green color. It reminds me a lot of the original GameCube. Located on the left side of the device is the volume slider. The Wireless switch is on the right side. This saves you from having to go into system setting to connect to the internet. 3DS slider located on the side of top screen. Below the touchscreen is the Select, Home, and Start button. The Home button will become your new friend!

2)3D- Luckily there is a 3D slighter. Each person will see the 3D differently. When having the 3D on full, I have trouble focusing. However, after adjusting the slighter I was able to view the 3D without much strain. After playing for 1 hour I DIDN'T experience a headache; although, my eyes become a little watery. As with anything that requires focus, from reading to staring at a computer screen, taking breaks frequent is always recommended. When viewing any kind of 3D images (TV, movies etc.), some people might experience minor discomfort. I recommend that you play when you are not sleepy. Nintendo recommends breaks. Take them. You should be taking the same amount of time away from the 3DS as you do a computer or TV.

3) Battery life - I have managed to get 8.0 hours out of one charge with 3D ON. However, I have kept wireless off when I'm in my house and do not feel like playing online. Nintendo says on average battery life is 3-5 hours, depending on screen brightness, Wi-Fi, sound volume, and 3D effect and 5-8 hours for DS compatibility mode. Just mess around with the features and see what it does for you. If the battery dies on you and you still feel like playing, you can plug the 3DS into the wall charger or charging station.

Built in software

1) Face Raiders is a really fun game to play. The object of the game is to collect faces. When you take a picture of a face, you will first fight the faces. They will try to throw bombs and kiss you and a lot more surprises.
2) Mii Maker - This thing hates me! I took 4 pictures of myself and even had someone try to take a picture of me and every time it didn't look anything like me. Lucky, you can connect your 3DS to the Mii Wii channel. I ended up transferring my Wii Mii to my 3DS. My favorite thing about this channel is that it allows you to create QR codes to share to people on your website and other social sites like Facebook.
3) AR Games- Fun games. I wish I could describe them but it's impossible. It's just something you have to experience in person.
4) 3DS camera- This is pretty neat. You can take pictures in 3D or 2D. A later system update will include the ability to record 3D movies.
5) Mii Plaza- It's identical to the Wii plaza. You can store all your miis here.
6) 3DS sound- It's nice to use if you don't like caring around another music device. The 3DS sound works the same way as DSi Sound.
7) Activity log- Keeps track of your steps. Earn playcoins for every 100 steps you take. These coins can be used to unlock new things

**Please note: I will add more to this review later. Currently, I haven't had a change to use streetpass or the games that use streetpass. Once I have I will revise my review. I recommend that you try the Nintendo 3DS from a friend or a demo unit at the store before you buy. Overall, I was happy with my purchase. The only way to know if the 3DS is right for you is to try it for yourself. As Nintendo says "Seeing is Believing!"

Length:: 4:37 Mins

I was very excited when I pre-bought the 3DS several months before it came out. I read the so-so reviews, but thought they were just being overly critical.
Well, as much as I liked the 3DS, there just isn't enough there to justify the price especially if you already own a DS or DSi.

Hardware: Though the 3DS appears a little clunky in pictures or from across the room, it feels great in your hands. It has perfect weight and balance and is covered in a glossy finish. The buttons have a great tactile response to them and the Circle Pad is the best analog stick to grace a portable yet. It has a familiar feel because of its size and texture and a wide range of motion. Overall, the 3DS is much classier than previous Nintendo handhelds due to its look, finish and higher quality screens. The multi-colored indicator lights are a highlight for me as they look fantastic with the Cosmo Black finish of my unit. The horrible front and rear facing cameras Nintendo used are the only things I have to complain about; they should have been much better.

Software: Nintendo's preinstalled software is charming and full featured; here are some highlights: Mii creation using the front facing camera, an Activity Log that tracks both 3DS and DS software usage, an organized and customizable home screen and eShop previews that allow you to see both 3D and touch screen screenshots as well as 3D videos of upcoming games. The included AR Games and Face Raiders software are neat bonuses, but they are essentially tech demos... And this brings me to my only gripe about the software and layout: you can't delete the stuff that came preinstalled. Maybe you want AR Games and Face Raiders, but I doubt you'll watch the safety warning even once, let alone want to keep it on your unit for future viewing.

Performance: The main draw, obviously, is the advent of glasses free 3D. It definitely works and is a great feature that adds depth to games, but you may get tired of it or not want to use it for some games. If this happens, know that the 3DS is a substantial upgrade over the DS even when you're playing games in 2D. Thus far in my experience, games run smoother, colors pop more and the system is much more capable of running polygonal graphics than its predecessor. At first glance, I thought the 3DS was just a bit more powerful than the PSP, but after seeing Zelda on it, I'd say it is deceptively more powerful than you'd think. Again, it runs smoother, colors pop more and draw distances seem to be improved over what the PSP is capable of. More than any other handheld before it, the 3DS is capable of displaying graphics that make you feel like you're playing a home console.

Conclusion: This system is the most complete Nintendo has ever released and what they've learned from the DS and Wii is instantly recognizable. It is immediately accessible, but has more useful features than you'd expect.

Being unemployed and all, purchasing a 3DS probably wasn't my brightest move, but I do stupid things every now and then... so I might as well talk about it. This overview is going to be from a consumer perspective and address what comes in the box, the system's features, and whether or not it's worth a purchase. Priced at $250, the Nintendo 3DS is quite the investment and you should know what you're getting for your money if you do decide to take the plunge.

I've been rocking a red "Mario Kart" edition of the DS fat for several years. I love the thing; up to this point, the DS has been my favorite handheld platform and my preference for "on the go" gaming, but it was definitely time for an upgrade--was the 3DS the upgrade I was looking for? I can't deny that the 3DS is a cool piece of tech, and I'll go into the device's features and functionality later in this article, but the big question is: Is it worth a purchase? The short answer is: Not yet.

The system itself is dependably solid--it has a very "Nintendo feel" to it and you can feel confident that it'll survive some abuse (although I wouldn't recommend you intentionally abuse your system). The top screen is larger than the bottom and features a higher resolution than the previous Nintendo handheld (as well as the glasses free 3D everybody's been talking about). The face and shoulder buttons are the same layout as the DS classic, but the "Start" and "Select" buttons have been moved below the touchscreen (with one on each side of the new "Home" button) and the D-pad has been shifted closer to the base of the system and an analogue nub has taken up its original resting spot. The system also features a volume slider, a 3D depth slider (which, as the name suggests, allows you to adjust the depth of the 3D in the images, movies, and games you view or play), a wireless switch, and what appears to be an infrared transmitter/receiver (I could read the user manual to check that for certain, but I'm too lazy). There's also 2 cameras on the system's exterior (which can be used for taking 3D pictures), one inward facing camera (so you can... take pictures of yourself and stuff), and a microphone. If you've been following the 3DS at all, none of this should be news to you; it's a familiar build that feels comfortable, and I'm glad Nintendo didn't change much from the overall design since their last portable gaming device.

Of all the new things that the 3DS brings on the hardware side, the analogue nub is probably my favorite--its concave design allows for a more comfortable fit with your thumb than the PSP's analogue and it also feels like there's more room to move with it than Sony's handheld. In case you're wondering, yes, the analogue nub can be used in original DS games; grid-based games (the kind that has your character moving to grids instead of freely moving about... like Pokemon), however, don't work too well with the analogue and it's best to stick with the D-pad for those.

The system's interface isn't too unlike that of the Wii's; offering a user-friendly, graphical interface that manages to be clean and cluttered at the same time. I like the use of icons over text so I can easily find my way around a system's features and game library, but there's no organization to the icons aside from how you arrange them (the system gives you the same drag and drop ability to arrange your icons as the Wii). One thing they really did right with the interface is the addition of "suspended play" which allows you to back out of a game or application to the home screen to maybe adjust your screen's brightness or to utilize the system's new "Game Notes" feature (which allows you to make notes and doodle about whatever game or app you have in suspended play); starting a different game or application will end your suspended game so, if you do that, be sure to save! Also, suspended play doesn't work on standard DS games.

The system also comes with some augmented reality cards to play various minigames using the 3DS's cameras and some other preloaded software. What is included with the system is pretty light and you'll likely be bored with Face Raiders and the AR Games within an hour or less. The 3DS released without some of its most exciting features (a game download service for original games and classic handheld (original GameBoy, GameBoy Color, Game Gear...) titles, Netflix, and a web browser) with those to come in late May through a system update. This really limits early adopters to what they can do with the system and is one of the main factors in my opinion that it's best to wait a couple months before you decide to make the purchase (the limited software library is another good reason to wait).

The big system draw is the glasses-free 3D. It works well, really well... surprisingly well. I was expecting it to be blurry or the dual images to be apparent, but the 3D images are crisp and it looks natural--provided you are holding the system in the "sweet spot (the sweet spot isn't hard to find, though, and it's easy to get comfortable once you hit it). The 3D I've experienced on the system so far (with the included software and Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars) provides depth more like looking through a window than stuff actually popping out of the screen--this is something I actually like because it feels more like you're peering into that world instead of trying to be overly gimmicky with things flying out of the screen (although this could be different with other titles, the perception of depth is real and adds some nice visual flair to the games you play). I, personally, haven't experienced the nausea that has been a concern with extended play sessions with the 3D activated, but the night is still young! I have, however, experienced the blurriness caused by playing a DS game on the fancy new system--it's not bad to the point where it makes the game unplayable, and it's mostly noticeable in text, but it is there and something you should be aware of (this won't stop me from playing my DS games in my 3DS, though...).

The Nintendo 3DS is certainly a quality device--it feels solid while being easy to hold and light (this is, of course, in comparison to the original build of the DS as I never bought one of the redesigns), has a clean interface, and the 3D is something new and innovative... but the system as a whole feels incomplete right now. With such a small selection of launch titles (most of which have been receiving "meh" reviews), you're likely not going to get your $250 worth of gaming in anytime soon; the system itself is light on features and the absence of a downloadable game store or even a web browser is a notable omission (even if they are coming in May). It's a Nintendo platform, so it's highly unlikely that we'll see a price cut until the next version of the 3DS rolls around... which also means waiting a couple months to buy isn't really going to affect your bank account any differently than buying now, but waiting will likely give you the feeling of a more "complete" system and you'll have more software to choose from (which is a good thing since you'll be less likely to pick up a crappy new game just so you can play one in 3D).