Review | Nintendo 3DS
The world’s first handheld 3D gaming system
It’s been a long time rumoured but last month Nintendo launched the 3DS – the first handheld games console with a 3D screen. Unlike 3DTVs, this portable powerhouse requires no glasses, just switch it on, load a game and use the slider on the side of the screen to control the 3D effect. Push it up to full whack and this depth-of-field trick can play havoc with your eyes. We settled on the middling setting and had good ten-minute bursts of fun dodging incoming aliens and splitting football defences in a couple of launch titles. However, the real test will be with heritage games such as Metal Gear Solid that demand that you play them continually for up to an hour at a time. You can switch the 3D off, which will give your eyes a rest and will also prolong battery life.
The 3DS is backwards-compatible, which means all your (or your children’s) old DS games will work, but the device now sports a gyroscope and an accelerometer for motion-sensing controls. It also has a Home button that takes you straight back to the menu screen and, most excitingly, a 360-degree pad that changes the way you play games on the 3DS.
Spec-wise, the 3DS packs a front-facing camera that takes 2D stills, while the brace of optics on the back can snap 3D images. However, they’re pretty poor and is more of a novelty than a use.
Wi-fi is built in, allowing for web browsing and access to Nintendo’s eShop, but also data swapping with other 3DS users. We’ll wait to see exactly how beneficial this will actually be, though. The same goes for the integrated pedometer. Explain exactly why you’d want that?
The Nintendo 3DS marks a breakthrough in terms of gaming technology but its success will be dependent on the quality of games launched.
From £239
