So, after a relative no-show at CES 2011, Nintendo has finally told the world when its next portable gaming console will be hitting the shelves (in the US, at least). According to a release that we have just received, the Nintendo 3DS – the portable gaming system that lets you play 3D games without having to wear those cumbersome glasses – will be available for sale on March 27. And it will cost about half of what an iPad does – $249.
Well, he would say that, wouldn’t he? But even allowing for a less than neutral view from the company’s US head, we have to admit that we are intrigued by the 3DS. It comes with two screens, the lower one being a touchscreen, just like in the Nintendo DS. But it is the top screen which does the serious business. Let the press release take over: “The top screen displays 3D visuals to the naked eye. Looking at the screen is like peering through a window into a world where characters and objects have true depth. The system also has a 3D Depth Slider that lets players select the level of 3D they enjoy the most. The 3D effect can be ratcheted up to the highest level, scaled back to a more moderate setting or even turned off completely, depending on the preference of the user.”
Interesting, eh? What it does not mention is that the 3D effect will be available only from some viewing angles, but some might consider that to be a small price to pay for bidding goodbye to those horrible glasses. There are built in sensors which can sense when the device is being tilted, making for some motion-sensing gaming delight. There is also the little matter of the StreetPass feature which will let users exchange game information with other Nintendo 3DS systems as they pass each other, and the SpotPass feature which lets users connect to hotspots and receive content, even when the system is in Sleep Mode. But all this is secondary to 3D-without-glasses effect that is the main attraction of the device!
The gaming system will be released in a number of markets in between March 27 and the E3 Expo in June, with more than thirty games being available to gamers who invest in the system. We are just hoping it comes to India quickly.
