The Nintendo 3DS comes out a week from today and while many of the high-end gaming sites have received their systems already, I, along with most of the world, have to wait until March 27 to finally purchase my own. However, as luck would have it, my recent trip to my local Best Buy granted me access to experiencing the mysterious new handheld for the first time...saving me from having to trek to Grand Central Station to one of Nintendo's 3DS Demo Pods.
I had no idea what to expect, nor did I even think that a Best Buy near me would even have one as a demo. I was ecstatic picking up the device, and also a tad frustrated as the magnetic force holding the system down was quite powerful. These guys really, really wanna make sure you don't walk off with it. Picking up the 3DS, I felt a sense of wonder. Just how was this revolutionary new system going to phase me? Sure, the whole interent was boasting how great the 3D looked, the graphics, the analog nub, and so on and so forth, but I wasn't sure if I was to buy into the hype.
After searching long and hard, and I mean really long, I realized that the only game available to demo was Pilot Wings, which, was not the cherry on this sundae. Nonetheless, I pressed 'Start'.
The mission available seemed like something out of WaveRace or an old-school racing title which had me running from point to point across a tiny island. At the end of it all, you are supposed to land the aircraft. Sad to say, I, nor my girlfriend had completed this task. We'll just say we were too busy admiring the 3D.
Ah, yes, the 3D. Well, to my surprise the 3D visuals do look amazing and I was blown away at how seamless the transition from 2D to 3D was. At the swipe of a finger on a slider, I saw the game's image get more and more distorted with the 3D becoming richer and richer. I was viewing 3D without glasses for the very first time, and the heavens said it was good.
The 3D effect doesn't really make things "pop" out at you so to speak, like how Avatar was in the theater. If you've ever seen one of those holographic, special edition DVD covers, that's kind of how the 3D looks on the 3DS. Basically, don't expect to be reaching out trying to grab items, or propellers in this case. At least, this is what Pilot Wings demonstrated. This may seem weird nor will it make sense to a lot of you, but the 3D on the 3DS really is one of those "see it to understand it" items. Additionally, you absolutely can not see any sort of 3D unless you are looking dead center at the screen. Trying to watch my girl play it from the side of her shoulder was a game in itself. This should make for some interesting schoolyard gatherings. "C'mon, lemme see, lemme see. Turn it more this way!" Ah, those Pokemon trading days on the schoolyard...
I don't think the 3D really adds much depth to the gameplay (no pun intended) more than it just makes the game look cooler. This isn't a bad thing mind you, because I am all for Metal Gear Solid 3 in 3D, but in terms of new gameplay elements added via 3D, I didn't see any. Again, this was with Pilot Wings, which I still feel is not a great 3DS demonstration game. I would have loved to experience the new over-the-shoulder view in Super Street Fighter 4 3D, but it looks like I have to wait another week for that one.
I can't stress this enough, but the instant addition and subtraction of depth astounded me, and I really saw a difference in the image distortion as I constantly adjusted back and forth. One downside I will mention, however, is that I feel the maximum level is a tad too distorted, and I had a hard time clearly making out what was happening on the screen. Personally, my happy medium was actually at the medium setting. It was here that I still had the gratification of the 3D element while also seeing what I was doing on screen. On the flip side, my significant other said she saw just fine with the depth set to max. So, it's all just going to be a matter of preference with the consumer.
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| This picture is...sorta 3D. I guess I needed more coffee as Scott would say. |
The directional pad on the other hand, is not being held with such praise. I am actually still wondering why it's even still there. It's flat, stiff, rigid, and awkwardly placed. Depending on how much use developers put into that pad, I highly believe the 3DS re-design (we all know it's coming sometime next year) will do without the d-pad.
With my fifteen minutes or so with the Nintendo 3DS, this is about all I can say now. I am more stoked than ever to get my 3DS come Sunday; not so much for the
This week will surely be the longest week in my recent history.
If you want to try out the Nintendo 3DS where I had experienced it, head to the Best Buy on Old Country Road next to the Source Mall in Westbury, NY. They are also having a launch event with prizes, a DJ, and more. Head there and experience the 3DS for yourself!
