The Escapist Presents: Nintendo 3DS Launch Overview

[OtherSideofSky]

I really wish this weren't region locked. I was planning on buying it at launch in anticipation of some upcoming titles that look great, but I'll be in Japan all next year so that plan went out the window. Who would want to spend $250 on something like this if they could only use it for games that come out before September?

 

[Urgh76]

Edit: Can old DS titles make use of the analogue stick, or is that only for new 3DS games?

Playing Pokemon with the analogue stick now ^.^

2) Any word on the 3DS equivalent of DSiWare?

Yeah, on top of which you get your old games from DSiWare, if you owned a DSi.

4) Speaking of which, does it, like the DSi, play music, but only in M4A rather than the MP3 format most everyone continues to use?

I put some mp3s on it earlier, which play fine (i.e. no more irritating converting )

Hope this helps. Ps great review!

wait, how would i go about getting music on it? :O

 

[angmoo]

They had a demo station set up at Dundas Square today so I got to try out a 3DS and I gotta say the 3d-ness is pretty good. Not to mention the analog stick feels really nice (to me anyways).

 

[ConcreteDonkey]

To hit the sweet spot with the stereoscopy is pretty hard... "A game with Impressive 3D " for one person is an invitation for another to puke their entrails out when they see it. And using stereoscopy for gameplay is an even bigger mistake - under no circumstances should you force the player to keep it turned on.

And the rules to make accessible stereo are written long ago by the movie industry... they are battling these problems for years now.. - no excessive popping out of the screen and so on.

Oh, for sure, at the moment, the sum total of the 3D experience is "hey, neat."

if the developers have done their job right and you can play it for hours with stereo turned on , and it looks neat at the same time, then they have hit the mythical 3D sweet spot, but from what I hear and see they haven't.

btw http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2011/03/nintendo-backs-away-from-3ds-games-that-require-3d-others-may-follow.ars

 

[Souplex]

No mention of Rayman? I enjoyed it.

 

[millertime059]

I really have to wonder if there are enough game experiences that really benefit from 3D to warrant the creation of an entire $250 system, though. It's a helluva price for experimental novelty.

Well that's really the trick now isn't it. My whole lump sum feeling on the Wii when it debuted was that it would outsell the competition, not because of motion control, but because of price. I saw motion control as a novelty with potential. That's pretty much what it has become. There are games that are improved by the addition of motion control, but they are rare.

Excuse me if you've heard this in a Wii review before, 'the game is fun, but the motion controls feel tacked on/ slow/ sloppy/ pointless/ irritating/ etc'. When done right it adds to the game. When done wrong it either doesn't add, or actively subtracts from the game. 3D I see much the same, but with less upside that I can think of. The next time 3D is essential to enjoy the experience will be the first (imo).

Oh, for sure, at the moment, the sum total of the 3D experience is "hey, neat." None of the games are worse when played in 2d, and though Star Wars (not Starfox) gains some nice visual aesthetic from the 3D effect, it's hardly necessary to enjoy the game.

Oops, my bad. That's what I get for posting on an empty stomach

 

[daxterx2005]

I didn't literally mean a 3DS lite >.>
I just meant the successor the the 3DS....
Silly

 

[mjc0961]

Poor Sackboy.

I dont plan on getting a 3DS until either an AMAZING game comes out, or when the 3DS Lite is lauched. Which ever comes first.

There won't be a 3DS Lite. Iwata (sp?) said outright that they made it as small as possible from the get-go using all the same tricks they used on the DS Lite. That's probably a good thing, as it's already surprisingly close in size to the Lite.

Yeah. I always knew that the 3DS wasn't regular DS sized, but when I first saw one in person I was very surprised as all the pictures and videos made me feel like it was a big system. Then I see it and it's basically the same size as the DS Lite and DSi. A bit of a surprise there. And I can safely say I wouldn't want it to be any smaller, even if that was possible. It seems like making it smaller would make it much harder to hold.

I haven't tried using a USB cable with a micro-usb port into the power input yet. So not sure if you can transfer files that way.

The power input isn't a USB micro port, so no, that obviously will not work. The 3DS has the same plug/port as the DSi, so if you've seen that, then you know. If not, http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v611/mjc0961/Image1-1.jpg

 

[Urgh76]

wait, how would i go about getting music on it? :O

Power it down (right down, not just sleep) open up the SD card slot on the side. Pop out your 2GB SD card. Insert into computer. Copy your music files onto it. Put it back into your 3DS.

I haven't tried using a USB cable with a micro-usb port into the power input yet. So not sure if you can transfer files that way.

It has no trouble dealing with folders and the like (up to 8 levels deep, apparantly) and can handle 100 songs per folder.

Once you've got music on it, you can play the music to different visualizers. One of which is a tiny little "keep the ball up in the air game" (How the hell it's a "visualizer" I have no clue, but there it is..)

Thanks a bunch!

 

[Mako SOLDIER]

So, have any of the 3DSes used for this review got the 'slightly wobbly hinge' issue? I ask because it looked pretty sturdy in the video but it seems like a whole lot of people have that problem.

 

[therandombear]

I want this one so bad...tried it in my local gamestop today...however only possible outcome for me to afford one is to get the discount for changing with a DS lite...however I still play advance games, and my SP is busted ;_;

 

[The Diabolical Biz]

Edit: Can old DS titles make use of the analogue stick, or is that only for new 3DS games?

Playing Pokemon with the analogue stick now ^.^

2) Any word on the 3DS equivalent of DSiWare?

Yeah, on top of which you get your old games from DSiWare, if you owned a DSi.

4) Speaking of which, does it, like the DSi, play music, but only in M4A rather than the MP3 format most everyone continues to use?

I put some mp3s on it earlier, which play fine (i.e. no more irritating converting )

Hope this helps. Ps great review!

wait, how would i go about getting music on it? :O

It comes with a 2GB SD card that you can pop into your computer and click and drag, as far as I'm aware.

 

[Swifteye]

No one's going to do it? All right. I'll do it. RIIIIDDDGE RACERRRRR!

Seriously though in a year from now I'll probably buy it when it's price has been reduced and when Kingdom hearts 3ds and megaman legends 3 comes out.