Reviews// Nintendo 3DS

However, this seems like more of an apology than a little extra treat. A portable device that won’t last many a train/plane journey without a power boost isn’t great but it’s clear that Nintendo are aware of it. When the first redesign comes around expect it to be addressed.

Out of the Box
Still, despite these flaws you’ll fall in love before you even load a game up. The 3DS comes preloaded with a ton of features to show off what it can do. The sample video will be the starting point for most, subtly hinting and the future of 3D films in store for the machine. But it’s the camera that’ll really have jaws hitting floor.

Most people have never seen themselves in a 3D image and for this to be done so quickly and effectively by a games console is quite astonishing. Each snap lacks quality but offers an extremely unique feeling. It’s doing something that hasn’t been seen before by most and instantly raises the want levels from “Hey this is cool” to “I must have this or my life is empty”.

If you needed pushing over the edge of sheer geekgasms than the augmented reality cards do the job. I’ve seen AR stuff before on iOS devices but this takes it to the next level. Lay a card down on the table and play the various mini games on offer that manipulate the world it’s using to great effect.

As impressive as it is, you have to wonder how often it’s going to be used. Playing these games require you to be in a stable place with plenty of light and enough room to move around. Unfortunately I can’t see any developer wanting to restrict their games to such adverse playing conditions. But with 3DSWare on its way in the near future, maybe we’ll see some innovative mini games cropping up.

Software and the future
This brings me to the available games. Nintendo seems to have let a lot of people down with its return to the Pilotwings series. As good as it looks, there just isn’t enough content to deserve its prestigious title. I was hoping for expansive lands to explore at my own pace but instead I was offered a rehashed Wii Island and a time limit to contend with.

Other developers were happy to turn out any old tosh in a hope to cash in on the new hardware with Ubisoft being one of the worst for doing so. Asphalt 3D (reviewed here) being an average racer while Rayman 3D ([url=http://spong.com/feature/10110368/Review-Rayman-3D ]reviewed here[/url]) boasts a 12-year old game with 3D effects. Not to mention a Splinter Cell game that isn’t fit to feature Sam Fisher. SEGA even managed to disappoint with a Monkey Ball (here you go) game that is so detached from its original concept that it’s hardly recognisable.

Saying that, there are some truly fantastic titles on offer. The big surprise being Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars/i]. What sounds like a clunky third person shooter is actually a very entertaining turn based strategy game. [i]Rabbids 3D offers a pretty decent side scrolling platformer while Ridge Racer shines as the stand out must-have title.

Where Next?
It’s where Nintendo decides to go from here that will shape the future of the 3DS. It’ll also indicate to the hardcore how much the company thinks about us. The easy route would be to re-release the back catalogue of fantastic games in the Nintendo vault and simply add ‘3D’ to the end of the title, but in a world where the iPhone and iPod Touch exist, this won’t be acceptable any more.

Apple has introduced value to the handheld market like never before. People are used to paying 59p for a game that they can spend more than a few hours on and the 3DS will need to compete with it. There’s no excuse for releasing Mario 64 3D for £40 any more, and hopefully Nintendo will realise this. If we do have to play these old games again, why not bundle them in a Mario All-Stars way?

Summary
I've been massively impressed by the launch of the 3DS. The console has the potential to be leagues ahead of its competitors for a long time, but it can't do it alone. It needs support from its creators to turn it from a novelty item to a respected handheld.

For those who haven't bought one yet, I would hold on for a while. The next batch of games are far more exciting than what is currently on the shelves. And for those that don't even plan of getting one at this stage, then it might be worth waiting for its first redesign where all the issues listed above should have been addressed.

Whatever you think of the 3DS, I'm sure you'll be tempted to buy one at some point and so you should. It's not just a pretty picture, it's a gateway to a world in gaming that you've never experienced before and, for that, it's worth every penny.