Nintendo 3DS

[Gec]

http://kotaku.com/5499697/nintendo-announces-new-hardware-the-nintendo-3ds

Nintendo announced that they will be introducing yet another DS iteration, making it their 5th generation model of the DS.

The main feature to the 3DS will be a new 3D effect, requiring no special 3D glasses. I can assume this is accomplished my an accelerometer, but I guess Nintendo won't want to mention that yet, being that it sounds a lot like an iPhone. It will be going on sale between April 2010 (JP) and March 2011 (US)

It is backwards compatible with both DS and DSi games. There are also other "features" rumored to be in it as well.

-3D Joystick
-Built in Force Feedback (rumble)
-Improved wireless speed and battery life.
-Slightly smaller than the upcoming DSi XL, but larger than DSi

Many speculate that after with DSi and DSi XL, it's worth more to upgrade to this than any of the two DSi models. So if you have yet to or are planning on buying any DSi... don't! I'm glad I haven't. But with such features, this may even be more expensive than what the DSi XL first sold for. I also find it very unusual for Nintendo to be going through handheld lifecycles this fast. Though in a market where the iPhone is quickly rising as the new portable gaming device, Nintendo doesn't want to lose it edge on this market. And they are viciously holding their turf after being perched undisturbed until now.

Your thoughts.

Oh, and a list of release titles.

[PatMan33]

Looks neat! I'll have to try an in-store demo some time.

[vonboy]

from what i've seen on this, it's a next generation handheld rather then just another ds upgrade.

[Pixxel]

Nice, I'll be able to buy it in October then, hope it wont be region locked like the DSi games. :S

[Celdur]

what does that 3d stuff do for gameplay exactly? sounds kinda gimmicky >>

[GroxGlitch]

Yeah, this is looking like milking. I'd rather have a decent system than fancy 3D graphics.

[Gec]

Nintendo doesn't want to admit it yet, but I think it's just a fancy ruse to call it an accelerometer. And that can potentially have more possibilities than just 3D games.

I'm pretty sure if Nintendo can take the Wii Motion Plus and stick it in the 3DS, it would be a no brainer to accomplish what the iPhone can do.

To take that even further, I think Nintendo should also use multi-touch and advanced pressure sensitivity to the touch screen. And make both screens touch sensitive.

[Tesla]

Oh god, I wish they would just stop. It's like nintendo has a bag full of new gimmicks and they reach in and grab one or two at random.

[Gec]

Just like the SEGA Genesis in the old days.

[PatMan33]

Except that Nintendo is making money. Lots and lots of money.

[Gec]

I think it's too soon though. They should have waited a little longer.

[PatMan33]

It's not too soon. The 3DS is a new system.

Nintendo launched the DS line in 2004 so that's about six years between generations. And just looking at the numbers quickly... Game & Watch was in 1983 followed by Game Boy in 1989 (six years again) which was then succeeded by the Game Boy Color in 1998 (nine years) and then we saw the Game Boy Advance in 2001 (three years) which leads us back to the DS in 2004 (three years). I'd say it's about on the mark for a new piece of hardware. What throws a wrench in the works is how visible the DS was/is and how many they managed to sell in such a short span of time.

But if Nintendo believes they've got something solid and worthy of a new line of hardware (and not just a revision), I'll trust them. They usually don't make missteps in this realm. The Virtual Boy counts as one and that took place in 1995 which is roughly ten years after Nintendo really became well-known worldwide. So yeah, they are probably due for a mistake, but we'll have to wait and see on that one.

[dndfreak]

I wonder if they'll tack on free nintendo points like when they made the DSi.

I think it's a little soon only because the DSi exclusives still haven't really gotten a chance to thrive yet.  Adding new requirements will only make it longer before we see any games that make use of it.

[ilikesanta]

Just watched the Nintendo Press Conference. WOW! 3DS is going to sell like crazy.

[Gec]

I definitely hope Nintendo has some plan on giving an early experience to consumers.