Nintendo reaches into the future as they release the next step in the gaming evolution chain the Nintendo 3-DS.
Known for their leaps in innovative technology Nintendo suffered in 2006 when it was unable to compete with the processing power of Microsoft’s XBox 360 and the Playstation 3. Undeterred by their tough competition Nintendo decided to steer their creativity in another direction by designing state-of-the-art wireless movement detecting controllers.
Nintendo jumps the creativity gun by creating the first 3-D portable gaming console. The Nintendo 3-DS was finally released last Sunday to eager gamers in the American and European markets.
The 3-DS graphics are impressive but many online have complained that the 3-D graphics are giving them headaches. However I didn’t get a headache from playing it but then again my eyes have melted with a childhood full of playing years of Pokémon on Game Boy.
But I discovered the console is difficult to use because in order to get the most out of the third dimension the device must be held at a certain angle which gets tiring after extended periods.
The most important aspect of 3-D in any medium is whether or not the 3-D enhances the viewing experience or if it’s just a gimmick.
Unfortutnately the 3-DS falls into the category of a gimmick. The initially released games lack substance and quality that would bring the console’s 3-D to its full potential. That’s not to say that in “Lego Star Wars” I want Yoda to be waving a lightsaber as a cheap gag in my face. But it would have been an improvement to see the environment be fully interactive.
As for right now the games are lacking in this department. “Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars” and “Super Street Fighter IV” are the only games actually holding the platform. However it’s not 3-D that makes them great games they hold their own even when the 3-D is turned off and the game is played in 2-D.
However the games announced for the future sound like the 3-DS might be the system to own. Developers announced titles that could become powerhouses like “The Legend of Zelda Mario Kart Metal Gear Solid and two Resident Evil” to be released this year. Developers do have plans in future to create “Assassin’s Creed Final Fantasy Paper Mario” and “Super Mario but the release dates on these titles are still to be announced.
Although the 3-DS is not the system to rush out to stores and buy, especially with its $250 price tag, it still is an impressive system to play and eventually purchase. The verdict is still left open as to whether Nintendo’s 3-DS will be able to take gaming to the next dimension.
