Nintendo 3DS

The Nintendo 3DS is a Nintendo video game handheld soon to be released. It will succeed the first Nintendo DS line of systems. One of the most noteworthy features of the handheld is the ability to do 3D without the need for glasses. It will be backwards compatible with Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi games. The system is motion and gyro enabled and features an analog stick, commonly reffered to as a slide pad, a first for a Nintendo handheld. As with the Nintendo DSi, the Nintendo 3DS has a camera function, however, there is an additional lens on the outside, enabling owners to take pictures and view them in 3D. The Japanese release date and price is to be revealed on September 29. There is no word on the North American release date. Nintendo has stated that the 3DS will likely release in Japan by November.

Hardware
The Nintendo 3DS, like its predecessor, features two screens. The top screen is widescreen and capable of displaying 3D graphics without the need for 3D glasses, while the bottom screen is a touch screen. The bottom screen is unable to display 3D graphics, a decision made by Nintendo due to the abundance of smudges that would obscure the images produced, as well as the fact that the hand of the player and stylus would get in the way. While not confirmed, scratches may also have played a role in the omission of 3D on the bottom screen. The player is able to adjust the depth of the 3D via a 3D slider Nintendo implemented on the side of the handheld. The 3D slider was made in order for players to find their preferred 3D depth. Those who wish to turn it off completely are allowed to do so. Nintendo has made statements that the 3D technology allows long periods of play without eyestrain.

The 3DS contains several other enhancements over the previous Nintendo handhelds. The Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL both had a camera built on the inside and outside of the system. This returns with the 3DS, though this time there is an extra lens on the outside, with both of the lens being only slightly separated so that, when the player takes a picture, it can be viewed in 3D. Also new is the ability to not only take videos, but to take videos that can be viewed in 3D. Because only the outside camera has two lens, the 3D video functionality can only be done via the outside cameras. The inside camera is now stationed above the top screen rather than below it and can take 2D videos and pictures.

The graphics are seen as a huge advancement over any handheld. The 3DS has better graphic capabilities than the Wii and claims have been made that it rivals the PS3 and Xbox 360 in power. 3D movies will be viewable on the 3DS and music can be heard in a similar way to the iPod. Rumors point to a possible 3G network.

Development
In January of 2010, Satoru Iwata said during a meeting that 3D could be appropriate for video gaming if done right, but expressed his skepticism regarding whether or not players would be willing to wear glasses in order to play. He also announced that they had implemented 3D technology into the Nintendo GameCube, but the feature was never exploited. Nintendo's virtual boy was a failure, but on the Nintendo Gamecube the game Luigi's Mansion was tested on by Nintendo.

Game developers
Game developer Jools Watsham of Renegade Kid, creators of Dementium and Moon, said that the 3DS has the potential to be the greatest handheld system of all time. Having heard about the specs of the 3DS, Watsham said that the 3D aspect is just the "icing on the cake", saying that it's a very powerful handheld and that he expects the graphics to be as good as the GameCube's. He also said that he expects the handheld to have rumble feedback, motion controls, and an analog stick. Jools finished by saying that he is indeed interested in developing for the system. A month later Jools once again commented on the system, saying "Everyone seems very excited about the 3DS. I know I am. I think the beginning of any new platform’s life is the best time to release original games. They have a much better chance of selling due to the limited selection of games available. And, if you manage to release a good title, there’s the chance of releasing a sequel and a new brand is born."

Arkedo Studio, the French developer known for the critically acclaimed DS title Big Bang Mini, said that the 3DS's known features are "pretty exciting", and that they "can't wait" to put their hands on it.

Create Studios has said that they are looking forward to creating games for the system, saying that they're always excited by the potential that a new Nintendo system provides. They said that if done to enhance the gameplay, 3D is really a good idea. They said that while film has been exploiting 3D the most, they feel like it is better suited for video games and possibly other media.

Game developer HMV has stated that they are looking forward to more information on the product come E3 and that they are excited by the possibilities that 3D offers.

Even Microsoft's Takashi Sensui, one of Nintendo's competitors, praised the product, saying "I think it is an extremely good experiment. 3D games are suited for the play environment of portable machines. It’s relatively easy to realize a 3D environment space because the viewpoint and screen distance are nearly fixed."

Pokémon Black and White Versions are for the DS but can have wi-fi capabilities enhanced by using the games in the 3DS.

Analysts
"I don't understand the technology behind a 3D display that doesn't require glasses. If it's so easy to do, why would Samsung put out 3D HDTVs that require glasses? My guess is that Nintendo has figured something out that is either very cool and advanced, or is a gimmick, and until I see it, I really won't know. What's interesting to me is that Nintendo is so bold. It seems that if 3D on portable devices was easy, Apple would have beat them to it. If they truly pioneer a technology, my guess is that Apple will mimic the technology. Without a real breakthrough in game play (as happened with the DS), I'm not sure that this device will do much more than serve as a replacement for current DS owners." - Michael Pachter

Critics
The day the system was announced, the editors of Official Nintendo Magazine in the United Kingdom revealed their top 5 wishes for the new handheld, which included:


 * 1) GameCube style graphics
 * 2) Lenticular technology
 * 3) Pokémon 3D
 * 4) Mario 3D
 * 5) Better movie tie-ins

Shortly after the announcement of the system was made, GamePro made a list of features that they hope are included in the system. They stated that they hope Nintendo implements a 3G connection, and that Nintendo further embraces social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. GamePro noted in their article that ever since the original Nintendo DS released, the price of the system has increased as new iterations of the original model had been released. They said they hope that this trend does not continue and that the Nintendo 3DS is NOT more than $200.