Tag Archives: Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo 3DS launch details: coming March 27 for $249

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Today Nintendo’s Reggie Fils-Aime took the stage in New York City to discuss the Nintendo 3DS launch details we’ve been waiting for.  The 3D-enabled DS handheld will release on March 27 in the US for $249.99.  It will come in two color variants: Cosmo Black and Aqua Blue.  Ninty promises that over 30 3DS games will be available during the launch window (that is, between the March 27 and the E3 Expo in early June).  These include a mix of first and third party games.  Though Nintendo did not specify a solid list of launch titles, the press release mentions the following games: Pilotwings Resort, which has players soaring acrobatically over iconic Wuhu Island; nintendogs + cats, a new version of the Nintendo DS classic with a feline enhancement; and Steel Diver, a side-scrolling submarine adventure that gives the illusion that the player is peering into an aquarium.  The ones you really want to play like the 3D versions of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Star Fox 64, Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, Paper Mario, plus the return of fan favorite Kid Icarus in Kid Icarus: Uprising are simply “in the works” with no release dates attached just yet.  Some third party games mentioned at the event include Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition (Capcom), Madden NFL Football (EA), and LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (LucasArts), but again no release dates were specified.

So that pretty much does it for launch details.  However, in addition to announcing price, release date, and games support, Fils-Aime took time to talk about the 3DS’ hardware and expand upon the some of the pre-installed software.  Like its DS predessors, the 3DS packs two screens; the bottom one’s touch-sensitive and the top one’s 3D-enabled (no pesky glasses required).  A 3D Depth Slider can be used to manipulate the 3D effect during gameplay; the slider can turn off the 3D effect entirely and all 3DS games can be played in traditional 2D.  In addition to the D-Pad, a new Circle Pad provides a full 360 degrees of direction and allows for a higher level of precision during gameplay.  The 3DS also packs built-in motion and gyro sensors, so it can react to the motion and tilt of the system.  You’ll also find three camera built into this thing; one on the inside (facing you during gameplay) and two on the outside.  Combined the latter two can capture 3D pictures and you can view them on the top 3D display.  Other hardware notables: the 3DS comes bundled with an adjustable stylus (for use on the bottom touch-sensitive display), a 2GB SD memory card, and a charging cradle.

The Home Menu is where all your apps live.  Mii Maker is just what it sounds like and works similarly to how Miis are created on the Wii.  The difference here is that the Mii Maker will ask you to take a photo of yourself and the software will try its best to convert your real-life features into a Mii avatar.  If the conversion doesn’t sit well with you, manual customization options are available to fiddle with to make things right.  You also have the ability to import your Mii avatar from your Wii console by way of SD card transfer.  The augmented reality-based game Face Raiders lets you take pictures of your friends and turn them into shooting targets.  It’s a simple game that highlights the built-in gyro sensor since it requires you to physically lean and turn to search around for the targets and aim high and low to hit them.  AR Games works similarly, but they take advantage of the pack of AR cards that come bundled with the system.  All you have to do is place one of the AR cards onto a flat surface, point the outward facing 3DS camera at it, and targets come to life.  Animations are superimposed into the scene; so for example if you place a card on your kitchen table the backdrop for the targets will be the kitchen table (that’s augmented reality gaming in a nutshell).  The Activity Log tracks both your gameplay activity, much like the Wii Calender does automatically.  It notes which games you’ve played and how long you’ve played them, as well as your physical activity, counting every step you take while carrying your Nintendo 3DS.  Even when the system’s in sleep mode, it acts as a pedometer and tracks the distances you travel; the more you walk the more Play Coins you will earn.  These coins can then be used to purchase in-game bonus content, if the game’s developer decides to support it.  The Nintendo eShop offers access to downloadable games.  In addition to DSiWare games, Virtual Console games pulled from the Game Boy and Game Boy Color catalogs will be available to download.  Game videos, screenshots, demos, and ratings will also be browsable here.  Titles can be purchased with either a credit card or prepaid cards.  Other software notables: StreetPass Mii Plaza (more on this below), Internet Browser, Camera app (capture and view 3D pictures), Video app (watch 3D content), Sound app (listen to music in MP3 or AAC format from the SD card, plus record and play with sounds using the 3DS’ built-in mic); oh, and the 3DS is backwards compatible with all Nintendo DS games.

Fils-Aime mentioned that the 3DS is Nintendo’s most connected video games console ever made, and he’s not lying.  First let’s get this awesome update out of the way: friend codes are no longer specific to each game you buy, there is only one code and it’s attached to your 3DS.  Once you swap friend codes with someone, they will remain on your friend list and you can always check their online status no matter what game you’ve got running.  Now to some fun new features: StreetPass and SpotPass.  StreetPass is capable of exchanging game information with other Nintendo 3DS systems as owners pass one another.  An example of StreetPass functionality is the aptly titled StreetPass Mii Plaza.  Much like its Wii counterpart, the 3DS’ Mii Plaza will congregate your Mii avatar with all the other 3DS owners you happen to pass by, say, on the street (and your avatar will jump onto the 3DS of the person you pass).  In addition to sharing your avatar, other information can be exchanged over StreetPass including maps for games, high scores, and custom character data for different games.  This might be obvious but it’s worth pointing out–if you don’t want any information to exchange on the fly (because all this can happen while the 3DS is in sleep mode tucked away in your pocket) you can disable the StreetPass function.  Next up is SpotPass and this essentially connects to 3DS up to public or private at-home WiFi hotspots.  Once connected, the system can receive new content and updates even when it’s in sleep mode or charging.

Peer in the gallery below to get a closer look at the 3DS hardware, and look after the break to watch the 3DS virtual tour and catch a sneak peek at the software launch lineup.  Also, don’t forget to check out my hands-on preview of the 3DS from E3.

[Via Nintendo]

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Nintendo 3DS to ship March 2011 in US, Wiimote with built-in MotionPlus coming soon

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Earlier this week at a company event in Japan, Nintendo revealed the release date and price of the Nintendo 3DS.  It will sell for ¥25,000 (about $299 USD) when it hits the Japanese market on February 26, 2011.  Not from Japan, huh?  Ninty only hinted at a US and Europe release date: March 2011; they did not disclose US pricing details, but several industry analysts are pegging a $249-$299 price point.  When it ships in Japan, the 3DS will be available in two color variants, aqua blue and cosmo black.  The portable game console will come bundled with a charging dock and a 2GB SD card.

At the company event Nintendo detailed a number of software enhancements.  The Mii Studio app magically transforms a still image of yourself (taken with one of the 3DS’ cameras) into a customizable Mii avatar.  The Mii Plaza app takes advantage of the 3DS’ ability to recognize other 3DS handhelds in close proximity.  Whether you’re actively playing a game or walking the streets with your 3DS in standby mode tucked away in a bag, the system will recognize and pull information from nearby 3DS users.  At any time you can hop into Mii Plaza to discover a growing community of Miis from all the 3DS owners you pass by throughout the day.  Similarly, a new wireless “tag mode” featured in the upcoming Super Streetfighter IV game will quietly seek out other 3DS owners to battle against.  A minigame will pit one of your in-game collectable action figures against a nearby opponent when your 3DS is in standyby mode; and standard wireless 3DS to 3DS battle royales with in-game characters is supported, too.  Other 3DS apps include a web browser, an ebook reader, notes, and support for augmented reality gaming.

Remaining loose ends.. The final 3DS hardware is very similar to what we saw at E3; the only noticable exterior change is that the analog nub no longer matches the handheld’s color scheme–it remains gray in each color variant.  The 3DS software lineup was shared in a brief video preview.  Upcoming titles include Animal Crossing 3DS, Mario Kart 3DS, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3DS, Paper Mario 3DS, Dead or Alive Dimensions, Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition, Resident Evil: Revelations, and Resident Evil: The Mercenaries.  It’s also been reported that Game Boy & Game Boy Color games are coming to the 3DS’ virtual console store.  Look after the break to see the software lineup video in addition to demonstrations of Mii Studio, wireless “tag mode”, and a 3DS introductory video–all in Japanese, of course!

On a separate topic, Nintendo also used the company event to formally announce the Wii Remote Plus.  It had been rumored for some time, but now it’s official: the Wii MotionPlus accessory (that grants greater 1:1 motion capability) will soon come permanently built into a Wiimote.  Nintendo showed off the newly redesigned controller in four colors, white, black, light blue, and pink.  Launch date and price have not been disclosed for any country.  Check ’em out in the gallery below.

[Via Engadget, here, here & here; Joystiq]

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Booth tour: Nintendo (plus hands-on)

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The Nintendo booth at E3 was filled with Wii, DS, and 3DS software.  The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was contained in its own section.  Attendees were directed to wait in a specific area to gain some hands-on time with the game demo.  A bunch of other first-party titles were playable in their own sections, too, and they include Metroid: Other M, Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Mario Sports Mix, and Wii Party.  Other notable titles that were playable at the booth: Donkey Kong Country Returns, Pokemon Wii, Sonic Colors, Epic Mickey, GoldenEye 007, NBA Jam, Just Dance 2, Dragon Quest IX (DS), and Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (DS).

Mario Sports Mix looks and feels just like another Mario sports/party game, so it’s a ton of fun.  The game has beach volleyball, basketball, dodgeball, and ice hockey games and each supports up to four players.  In volleyball it’s 2-on-2 and you flick the Wii-mote up to serve and hit the ball and the nunchuck to move your player around.  Basketball works similarly to Mario Hoops 3-on-3 for DS.  After you set up a 2-on-2 game, dribbling is not required; you can pass the ball and flick the Wii-mote up when you’re near the basket to jump and shoot.  You can also collect items and use them to trip up opponents.  For both these games there’s a special meter that fills up during the course of the sport.  Once it’s filled, you can make your character use a special move that’s essentially a free point because they can’t miss it.  (Think of it as a gamebreaker from NBA Street.)  Though I was unable to play the other sports, I am confident in saying Mario Sports Mix is yet another fun party game starring our favorite plumber.  It releases next year.

Wii Party.  Simply put, this game plays just like Mario Party, with the main difference being that your Miis star in the gameplay instead of classic Nintendo characters.  You’ve got the dice to roll by flicking the Wii-mote up, there’s the game spaces you move across to reach for stars, and obviously the plethora of mini-games to keep things interesting.  I played a mini-game that involved balancing a growing stack of presents.  Party games support up to four players.  In addition to party games, Mario Party also includes pair games (co-op) and house party games (these use the Wii-mote in various ways).  The game drops later this year.

Donkey Kong Country Returns brought me waaaaay back to the good ‘ol days, if you know what I mean.  Though it’s a brand new side-scrolling platformer made exclusively for Wii and its motion controls, it feels as if you never dropped the SNES controller.  Thanks to the classic soundtrack and familiar environments, DKC Returns plays like a true modern DK game.  If you’re playing single player, Diddy rides on DK’s back; in multiplayer mode the characters are controlled separately.  And get this–if player two is having a hard time getting through the level, Diddy can jump onto DK’s back and go on a ride to the end of the level (all the while shooting peanuts to fend off nearby enemies).  Diddy also has a jetpack in this game, allowing him to briefly fly to reach hard to get items (such as collectible stars).  Both DK and Diddy share a ground pound attack that can help fight enemies and reveal hidden items in the environment.  Sure, the DK experience is different thanks to motion controls but it’s most definitely a new one that I’m really looking forward to playing.  DK has finally returned.  Coming this holiday.

GoldenEye 007 is being described as a reimagining of the original classic shooter from N64.  This time around the game stars Daniel Craig takes over the starring duty from Pierce Brosnan as James Bond.  The game features a new single player campaign that follows the GoldenEye story but from a different perspective, Craig’s instead of Brosnan’s.  At the booth I played the multiplayer demo.  Thanks to an aesthetic facelift, the graphics look polished and the environments are more inviting.  The muliplayer modes you’ve come to know and love, such as deathmatch and team deathmatch, are back, as well as character favorites like Odd Job and weapons like the coveted Golden Gun.  Multiplayer is expanded with online functionality; you can connect and play with friends over the Internet and there’s an achievement system that involves experience points and unlockable items.  I happened to play with a Classic Controller, and I was told other methods of input (with the Wii-mote/nunchuck) are being considered.  007 releases this November.

Hands-on: Nintendo 3DS

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After a flurry of rumors Nintendo finally revealed its next handheld to the world with the 3DS.  Its overall design does not depart from its predecessor the DSi.  There are two screens; the top is 3D-capable (widescreen 3.5 inches), the bottom is touch-sensitive.  No glasses required!  Button and camera positioning remains almost the same.  New additions include a home button, a Slide Pad (it’s an analog nub), a 3D Depth Slider that allows you to control the 3D effect from 100% to totally off, and a third camera positioned next to the one on the front allowing for 3D picture-taking.  It also packs an accelerometer and gyroscope.  All in all the 3D effect was quite pleasing and added a new sense of depth to the demonstrations and trailers.  It definitely takes a couple minutes to adjust your eyes to the screen but once that’s done the depth perception becomes a welcome addition to gameplay.  Your initial reaction will be “woah, this is neat.”  It’s worthy to note that there is a 3D boundary when you’re holding the device in your hands.  If you tilt the 3DS ever so slightly or try to have someone else watch what you’re doing from a slight angle the 3D effect gets completely distorted and essentially disappears.  As for the analog nub, it feels and works similar to the PSP’s nub and will likely make for some new interesting control schemes for 3DS titles.

Speaking of games, the 3DS section of the Nintendo booth did include a couple playable games but they were extremely barebones and there only to give people a glimpse into the 3D effect.  Samurai Warriors 3D had me fighting off an incoming army of ninjas.  Thought the 3D effect was there, the gameplay was rather stale and did not make for such a great experience.  On the other hand, StarFox 3D brought a sense of nostalgia over me and I quickly became immersed in the playable demo as I took flight in the skies and shot lasers at enemy planes.  A vast amount of 3DS handhelds were loaded with 3D environments that you could only explore by manipulating the camera angle with the nub.  Resident Evil Revelations cutscenes look fantastic in stereoscopic vision.  All in all, the 3DS is an impressive piece of hardware and I’m excited to see how Nintendo continues to build on the platform as we near its release in 2011.  3D is starting to become a trend in the movie industry and now in video games thanks to the PS3 and 3DS.  It’ll be interesting to watch the competing companies vie for the top spot with one bridging the gap between 2D and 3D gaming with glasses and the other doing it without them.

Nintendo press conference highlights: Nintendo classics make a comeback, plus 3DS handheld

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Nintendo’s E3 press conference took place at the Nokia Live theatre.  Are you a fan of classic Ninty titles like Zelda, Donkey Kong, and…Kid Icarus!?  Well read on then.



2010 is ‘year of the remake’ for Nintendo.  The show started off with a bang with the reveal of the next Zelda game called The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.  In it, the Wii-mote and nunchuck control Link’s sword and shield, respectively.  To take out the sword and use it to attack enemies, simply shake the Wii-mote.  The controls are described as being 1:1 thanks to the Wii MotionPlus add-on.  Link will have many weapons at his disposal, including a slingshot, bow-and-arrow, and a whip.  Though the demonstration headed by Bill Trinen and Shigeru Miyamoto fell victim to some glitches by “some technical difficulties”, the new Zelda game looked quite good.  It releases for Wii next year.

These next few games aren’t necessarily “classics” but they were announced so here you go: NBA Jam from EA and Mario Sports Mix.  The Mario game includes sports like beach volleyball, basketball, dodgeball, and ice hockey.  It’s due out sometime in 2011.  Next up, Wii Party!  It’s another Mii-based game that follows in the Wii Sports, Wii Play, and Wii Sports Resort genre.  It’s basically a bunch of mini-games you can place your Miis into.  Then there’s Dance Party 2 and it packs 40 new tracks and allows up to 8 players to get their groove on together.  It comes out sometime this year.  Then things started to bit crazy after Golden Sun: Dark Dawn for DS was announced, which releases this holiday season.

A revamped GoldenEye 007 is coming this holiday exclusively to Wii.  It stars Daniel Craig this time and features eight characters…yes, including Oddjob.  Next it’s Epic Mickey from Disney.  The game is set in a 3D world but there are 2D animated cut scenes abound.  Mickey wields a few tools, namely a paint brush and paint thinner, that expose or remove object from the game.  You are given a choice to find your way around obstacles by either painting around them or using paint thinner and in effect destroying bits of the world.  A side-scrolling Steamboat Willie level is included!  Next another “epic” game was announced, and this one stars not a mouse but a pink puffball; it’s Kirby’s Epic Yarn!  This sidescrolling platformer drops this fall.  Dragon Quest IX for DS, which supports up to four player local multiplayer action, lands in stores July 11.  A new trailer for Metroid: Other M reveals an August 31 release date.  Retro Studios, the developer behind Other M, is making another exciting game for Wii and it’s called Donkey Kong Country Returns!  This new side-scrolling platformer, complete with the soundtrack you know and love, plays very much like the original titles from the SNES and it comes out this holiday season.

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Nintendo slips out details of the successor to the DS — the 3DS

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Hot off the heels of these latest rumors, Nintendo may or may not have slipped up in releasing a short but sweet press release about a forthcoming successor to the Nintendo DS handheld temporarily dubbed the Nintendo 3DS.  That’s right, as in 3D.  According to the press release found on Nintendo’s Japan website, the 3DS will allow games to be “enjoyed with 3D effects without the need for any special glasses.”  Whether or not the 3D tech will work like this DSi Japanese game is yet to be known.  It’s also important to note that it specifies the 3DS as the successor to the DS series (which includes the DS, DSi, DSi XL).  The 3DS will be backwards-compatible with both DS and DSi games.  Engadget scooped up further information; it looks like the 3DS will pump out 3D images using a parallax barrier LCD screen made by Sharp and Hitachi.  The 3DS will pack dual screens, each sizing at 4 inches diagonally, 3D control sticks (these just might end up being analog nubs), vibration feedback, faster WiFi transfers, and improved battery life.  We won’t have to wait much longer to hear the final word; Nintendo is expected to officially unveil the Nintendo DS successor this June at E3 2010.

[Via Nintendo; Engadget, here & here; Asahi; Nikkei]