We’re less than an hour away from Nintendo’s big announcement, and the first picture from inside the press conference has emerged!

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Click the link below to check out a few new close-up shots of the black 3DS coming out of GamesCom 2010.

Photos here

Nintendo isn’t showcasing the 3DS to the general public at this year’s GamesCom, but it looks like they are showing it to select media behind closed doors. El33tonline is one of the outlets that got to spend some time with the system, and while it sounds like they got the same demos as others have seen at previous events, it’s always nice to hear more positive feedback about the 3DS, isn’t it?

This time around we get a female’s take on the experience, but the end result is pretty much as glowing as most of the other previews out there. In fact she was so impressed by what she saw, she calls the system “game-changing” and its 3D effects “mind-blowing.” Hit up the link below for the full preview.

Full preview here

If a puzzle game fan were to look into buying a 3DS, they might notice something a little peculiar when perusing the list of upcoming games. Of all 70+ announced titles, there is nary a puzzle game to speak of. The closest thing would be an entry in the Professor Layton series, but even that is more like brain teasers within an adventure instead of the piece dropping & swapping action of games like Dr. Mario, Puzzle Planet League, or Tetris. And while there haven’t been any announcements yet, you know some puzzlers will eventually be coming. To ignore a whole genre on a device as huge as the 3DS is unthinkable. But as it stands right now, the 3DS is going to need some puzzle games, pure and simple.

One of the biggest puzzle games of all time is Tetris. Let me go out on a limb and say it’s inevitable that the franchise makes an appearance on the 3DS. After all, it’s shown up on just about every other Nintendo console to date including multiple iterations on the current DS – Tetris DS and Tetris Party DS. So what’s Nintendo going to do? Release the same old flat-planed Tetris on the 3DS? Not a good idea, I say. Tetris is inherently a 2D game. From its Game Boy origins over 20 years ago, the basic gameplay style hasn’t changed all that much.

With one exception.

Enter Tetrisphere. Released in 1997 on the N64, Tetrisphere is a variant on the Tetris we know and love. The gameplay involves shifting classic Tetris shapes across a spherical three-dimensional grid and dropping them into place, slowly destroying the layers of the sphere as you work your way to free a critter trapped in the center. Notice I said the play grid is three-dimensional? Kind of fits in with the 3D theme the 3DS is working with, doesn’t it?

Since Nintendo seems to be quite keen on either remaking old titles (Ocarina of Time) or revisiting old franchises (Kid Icarus) on the 3DS, why not bring back Tetrisphere? The game was great – it brought an interesting twist on the classic Tetris game, while keeping the core elements intact. The game never did see a sequel, and I think now would be the perfect time to bring it back; in full stereoscopic 3D this time, of course. If you’re unfamiliar with the game, or don’t quite remember what it’s like, there are plenty of clips up on YouTube. Now imagine what it would be like if that 3D sphere had actual three-dimensional depth, while the pieces popped out at you while you moved them around the play field, and exploding pieces flew out towards you!

The bottom line is this: the 3DS is going to need some good puzzle games, and since Tetris always seems to find its way onto every one of Nintendo’s systems, why not go the Tetrisphere route? The N64 original was loved by gamers and received generally favorable critical praise, earning as high as a 9.5/10 from GameSpot. I don’t know of any reasons why Nintendo hasn’t decided to bring this game back in some shape or form. It isn’t even available to download on the Wii’s Virtual Console. Now, with the upcoming release of the 3DS, I think it’s the perfect time to revisit this great game, whether in the form of a remake or a full-on re-visioning. Bring back Tetrisphere on the 3DS!

Digital Spy has posted a nice in-depth preview of the 3DS and its demo games, and it sounds as if they like what they saw:

“…the 3D effect works as soon as you switch it on, and it’s as straightforward and impressive as it sounds.”

On the system itself, they note that the ‘prototypes’ appeared final as far as features were concerned. Things like the top screen being flush with the system instead of having a plastic border like the current DS, and the slide pad being dipped with a rubber edge to prevent thumb slippage, make it sound pretty sleek. They also like the placement of the slide pad compared to the PSP. I have to say that comfort while playing is an important part of the portable experience, so hopefully the 3DS nails it.

If you’re wondering how the 3D effects will actually look, you might be interested in their take on it:

“The best way to describe how it comes across is that you are looking into a space with varying levels of depth. It’s not popping out at you, nor does it look like a box, but you can tell there is distance and range between objects.”

Be sure to check out their 8 close-up shots of the system as well.

Full Hands-on

The Inquirer had a chance to try out the 3DS recently, and have posted their ‘First Inqpressions’. Get it? Inqpressions… Inquirer.

Anyway, though they did say the effects of the 3D were very impressive, they also note that the effect is achieved by using two front mounted cameras – which we know is not the case. The system does indeed have the two aforementioned cameras, but they are solely used to take pictures and not to actually render the 3D effect you see in the games.

This quote caught my attention as well:
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“…the 3D does look like it could be a very important factor in getting Nintendo back as one of the kings of handheld gaming.”

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Unless I’m mistaken, Nintendo has proudly held the title of handheld gaming king since the days of the GameBoy. And it’s not a title I see them giving up any time soon either. The 3DS has all but ensured they’ll be at the top of the heap for years to come.

Full hands on

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Reghardware goes hands on with the 3DS – and while skeptical at first, they walked away counting down the days until they can get one of their own. They seemed to get a really good sense of depth from the device, even more so than what 3D TV’s offer.

Here’s a snippet:

“The difference was immense – it really felt like I could reach into the screen. As opposed to the 2D layer effect that comes with its television counterparts, the 3DS has an almost true 3D effect with excellent depth. ”

Full hands on

If you’ve been keeping current with what’s going on in the portable gaming scene, you no doubt know that Nintendo will be releasing its next handheld, the 3DS, by March 2011. While the device will offer an array of new features not seen in any previous incarnation of the current DS, it’s obvious by the name that the biggest selling point will be the fact that it offers stereoscopic 3D images without the need to wear glasses. That’s right. Unlike any other 3D display currently available for gaming, you won’t need any additional hardware in order to experience glorious 3D gaming right in the palm of your hand.

The catch?

There always is a catch, isn’t there? Well, the catch with the 3DS is that you must be viewing the device straight-on in order to see the effects of 3D. That’s right. Nintendo’s latest device has a ‘sweet spot’. Look at the screen from too far on either side and you’ll end up with anything from ‘not quite right’ to full on blurry images, depending on the angle. Luckily there is a wide enough range which allows for a certain amount of freedom. But what about playing with friends? That won’t really be in the cards unless they decide to stand directly behind you and peer over your shoulder.

By now you might be asking yourself, “Will I have to worry about positioning my 3DS just right every time I play?” And the short answer to that question is yes. Yes you will. But is that so bad? No. No it isn’t. And the main reason why I say that is because that is how one typically holds such a device while using it. It’s not as if you’re expected to position it in an unnatural way or do anything out of the ordinary. Play it as you normally would, and you’ll be seeing all it has to offer without thinking twice about it.

Continue reading “3DS – Dissecting the Sweet Spot” »