Everything you need to know about the 3DS

[butterbiscuit]

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Well, we know quite a bit about the new 3DS, so I thought I would post everything I know about it right here. If you know something that isn't listed here, let me know and I will update. (;

What is the 3DS?...

-New Info in Bold-

The Nintendo 3DS's price and release date have recently been announced! The price in North America is set for $250, $50 dollars lower than the price that was thought it would be. No price has been set for Europe yet. It will be released March 27th North America and March 25th in Europe. It will be released in two colors, black and blue.
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This system is called the Nintendo 3DS for an obvious reason: It is 3D like 3D movies without the 3D glasses. On the right side of it there is a 3D depth slider which you can adjust the strength of the 3D with.

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If you don't want it 3D, it doesn't have to be. Another new feature is the slide pad. This pad is above the control pad on the left side. It is used as an alternate way to control. (i.e., in the new StarFox 64 3D, you control the Arwing with the slide pad.)

New Features for the 3DS



Wii Attributes

The 3DS has a Home button.

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You can actually multitask while playing software by pressing the Home Button to use the 3DS Web Browser.
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Also like the Wii, the 3DS has a Virtual Console service. This service allows you to buy games from the GameBoy and GameBoy Color (And possibly even the GameBoy Advance) for an amount of points- on the Wii, they are called Wii Points. You can buy these points with a credit card or at a local store. There is also one difference from the original versions- there is an option for 3D. This can be adjusted by using the 3D slider. Look to the games section with a list of all Virtual Console games that have been confirmed. Nintendo plans to release a steady stream of GameBoy games on the Virtual Console.


The Miis also make a comeback in the 3DS in the Mii Studio, but this time around the Miis are bent on world domination! The 3DS is jam-packed with features for your Miis. (Yes, they are still called Miis)

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The Mii Studio will allow the player to create and share Miis with others. The 3DS's Miis have far more options to create your Miis.

And take a gander at this sweet feature! You can take a picture of someone and it will automatically make a Mii out of it! (You can obviously edit it afterward) It is also confirmed that you can save Miis on an SD card. And with Street Pass, you can exchange your Miis. Sweet!
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Charge Cradle

There are two ways to charge your 3DS now; the regular cord in the wall, (It is compatible with the Nintendo DSi charger, thankfully) or the new charge cradle. The advantage of the Charge Cradle is that it actually downloads faster when it's docked!

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Street Pass
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Nintendo says that when there are online free services to enhance the experience with their console, people still get turned off when they know they will have to complete one extra step for them to get connected. Mr. Iwata (Nintendo boss) says that one of the main aims for the 3DS is that people will be able to get connected without even having to do anything.

Solution? Street Pass. Nintendo is pushing for a new gaming concept they call "Carry Around, Affect Each Other and Something New Every Day". Dragon Quest IX and Nintendogs had a similar function which became a sort of phenomenon. Street Pass allows your 3DS to communicate with other 3DS systems while in sleep mode. Your system can exchange data with another 3DS just by passing by.

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Tag Mode is also making a return but is more limited than Street Pass. You must have certain software (i.e., Dragon Quest IX, Nintendogs, and other games) which utilizes the feature to use it. Players will know that you have exchanged data with another player on Street Pass by checking in the top-right hand corner and looking at an LED light. If it is lit up, you have exchanged data.

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You can check what kind of data was exchanged by looking at the Notification Applet.

Spot Pass is essentially the same as Street Pass, but you communicate with wifi hotspots and other 3DS systems. When a hotspot is found, the 3DS will download things like data, notifications, free software and more. Nintendo is busy working on ways to increase the amount of these hotspots. DS kiosks will be converted into full Nintendo Zone services which will enable both DS and 3DS users to utilize the Wi-Fi features.

3D Video

If you remember back to E3 2010, Nintendo said they were partnering up with several companies to distribute 3D video content on the 3DS. Nintendo is also talking with companies for trailers and maybe even full 3D movies. That's all that is known at the moment.

Activity Log

One other feature for the 3DS is the Activity Log. This log allows you to monitor how much you have been using your 3DS. (Oh, guilt!) It also monitors other things such as how many steps you've taken with your 3DS.

Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality games. How these work is you put look at a special card through the 3DS's camera lens to see some 3D effects and a minigame.

The 3DS concept video shows an example. You can view the video at the top of this page.
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Technical Stuff
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There is one camera inside and two cameras outside. Each camera is 0.3 megapixels. (640×480) The two outside cameras are used to take 3D pictures.



Size: 134x74x21mm
Weight: Weight – 230g
Upper Screen: 3.53 inches, 800×240
Lower Screen: 3.02 inches, 320×240 pixels
Wireless communication: 2.4GHz
It can exchange data with other 3DS units.
It has access to the internet and wifi like the Nintendo DSi.

The Games
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Nintendo

• Animal Crossing
• Kid Icarus: Uprising
• Mario Kart
• nintendogs + cats
• Paper Mario
• PilotWings Resort
• Star Fox 64 3D
• Steel Diver

Activision Publishing

• DJ Hero 3D

AQ INTERACTIVE

• cubic ninja

ATLUS

• Etrian Odyssey
• Shin Megami Tensei
• Shin Megami Tensei: Persona
• Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor

Capcom

• Resident Evil Revelations
• Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition (name not final)

Electronic Arts

• FIFA Soccer
• Madden NFL
• The Sims 3

Gameloft

• Asphalt GT

Harmonix

• Music Game

HUDSON SOFT

• Bomberman franchise
• DECA SPORTS franchise
• KORORINPA franchise

KONAMI

• Baseball franchise
• Contra franchise
• Frogger franchise
• HIDEO KOJIMA'S METAL GEAR SOLID SNAKE EATER 3D "The Naked Sample"
• PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER franchise / WINNING ELEVEN franchise

LEVEL-5

• Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracles

Majesco Entertainment

• BloodRayne: The Shroud
• A Boy and His Blob
• Face Racers: Photo Finish
• Lion's Pride: Adventures on the Serengeti
• Martha Stewart
• WonderWorld Amusement Park

Marvelous Entertainment

• BOKUJYOUMONOGATARI 3D (name not final)

NAMCO BANDAI Games

• Dragon Ball franchise (name not final)
• Gundam franchise (name not final)
• PAC-MAN & GALAGA (name not final)
• RIDGE RACER (name not final)
• Super Robot franchise (name not final)

ROCKET

• Crash-City GP
• VS-robo

SEGA

• Sonic (name not final)
• Super Monkey Ball (name not final)

SQUARE ENIX

• CODENAME: Chocobo Racing 3D
• DRAGON QUEST franchise
• FINAL FANTASY franchise
• KINGDOM HEARTS franchise

Take-Two Interactive

• Carnival Games franchise

TECMO KOEI GAMES

• DEAD OR ALIVE 3D (name not final)
• DYNASTY WARRIORS (name not final)
• NINJA GAIDEN (name not final)
• SAMURAI WARRIORS 3D (name not final)

TOMY

• LOVELY LISA 3D
• NARUTO SHIPPUDEN ACTION

THQ

• de Blog 2
• Kung Fu Panda Kaboom of Doom
• Marvel Super Hero Squad Infinity Gauntlet
• The Penguins of Madagascar
• Puss N Boots
• Saints Row: Drive-By

Ubisoft

• Assassin's Creed: Lost Legacy
• Battle of Giants: Dinosaur Strike
• Driver Renegade
• Hollywood 61 (name not final)
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon
• Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory

Warner Bros

• Batman franchise
• LEGO franchise

Virtual Console Games

• Link's Awakening DX
• Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
• Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters

Screenshot Album

Game Trailers


Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle





Sources: zeldadungeon.net, ign.com, 1up.com, destructoid.com, nintendo3dsinfo.com ​

 

[Yuoaman]

I hope that by the time it's released overseas the 3DS' price point drops a little, but I doubt that it will. $300 is a lot to spend on any console, let alone a handheld. Though I'll probably have to get it, what with Ocarina of Time and Resident Evil being released for it. D:

 

[Nakuzami]

Oh yay, nice to know it has a camera (now if only it had internet...) I'm still stuck between what I want- a DSiXL or 3DS...though, if the 3DS DID have internet, I would definately get it.

But honestly, the only DS i have EVER used is a DS lite, that's what most people I know have. I have no idea how to work a DSi or all of the functions it has XD Epic Fail on my part.

 

[butterbiscuit]

Update:
Details on the 3DS Virtual Console have been added.

Oh yay, nice to know it has a camera (now if only it had internet...) I'm still stuck between what I want- a DSiXL or 3DS...though, if the 3DS DID have internet, I would definately get it.

But honestly, the only DS i have EVER used is a DS lite, that's what most people I know have. I have no idea how to work a DSi or all of the functions it has XD Epic Fail on my part.

My mistake. It does have internet capabilities. I will update that.

 

[Asrodrig]

Definitely interesting. I'll probably wait a year or so for when the price drops a little though. $300 is a tough pill to swallow, especially when the DSiXL is 'only' $170.

 

[Aizuke]

I've had my eyes on the 3DS for quite a while now. Even though I just bought a DSi XL around April, I'm totally getting the 3DS when it comes out in Australia. 8)

 

[Åzurε]

Definitely interesting. I'll probably wait a year or so for when the price drops a little though. $300 is a tough pill to swallow, especially when the DSiXL is 'only' $170.

Well, the non-Japan prices haven't been revealed yet. Traditionally, Ninty systems have gone at a rate of one USD-per-100 Yen, but now, with a weaker dollar and (as far as I know) a stronger Yen, it's sort of up in the air until Reggie finally spills beans. People are still holding out hope for $250.

 

[インフェルノの津波]

I'll either do one of two things:

Buy it ASAP

or

Wait a while. If it's really gonna be $300, I'm probably going to save my money and buy it as soon as I can, or if I can't I'll wait. Bu-ut B/W will look amazing on it D: I'm stuck on what to do.

 

[Ninja Caterpie]

I've had my eyes on the 3DS for quite a while now. Even though I just bought a DSi XL around April, I'm totally getting the 3DS when it comes out in Australia. 8)

Same...except it's probably going to cost more than a Wii.

._.

 

[razzbat]

Same...except it's probably going to cost more than a Wii.

._.

mmm yeh. i am still speculating on whether i should get it from japan or from here in australia...
if there is no region lock then definatelly japan, it would be cheaper.
but if there is i will need to think about it, as there are some games that i would like to buy in english, like metal gear.

 

[Aizuke]

mmm yeh. i am still speculating on whether i should get it from japan or from here in australia...
if there is no region lock then definatelly japan, it would be cheaper.
but if there is i will need to think about it, as there are some games that i would like to buy in english, like metal gear.

You also have to take into account that postage jacks up the price. So you're better off just buying an Australian one.

 

[A Pixy]

STICKY THIS NAO.

Also, I'm really excited for the 3DS, it's power and all it's innovations. I was wondering how Nintendo was gonna top, perfect, 1-1 touch control, and they find a way.

Not that I'll care. n_n

I'll probably get Super Street Fighter IV and whatever that Sonic game is gonna be, being the gigantic SF and Sonic fanboy I am.

All in all, this is just awesome. Because of the 3D, we will be seeing worse shovel-ware, but still less. Considering 3D will be new to devs, it'll be awhile before we get something innovative and original like Rhythm Heaven, buuttt the good outweighs the bad.

LATERAL THINKING OF WITHERED TECH FTW. n_n

 

[Åzurε]

I second the sticky!

The shovelware issue is pretty interesting to me. I think PIXY GUY is right that we'll see less. The DS is, for it's time, pretty easy to develop for, so it got an absolute crapload of licensed games and their ilk. Hopefully, having to cover so many different functions- primarily the 3D and the graphics in general- the people who get that stuff made won't even try.

However, there's no real escape. One dude reviewed My Garden, one of the games they're trying to advertise the system with, and he says it's boring and rather lackluster. So good luck with that, eh?

 

[butterbiscuit]

Heh, yay, (hopeful) Stickiness. ^^
I appreciate the support, guys! :cer_boogie:

 

[razzbat]

You also have to take into account that postage jacks up the price. So you're better off just buying an Australian one.

ive done it with my wii, i saved about $100 which includes postage. but the problem was it was region locked, so i cant buy the rare discount games that show up in ebgames, and have to order all my games from play-asia.
until the dsi games, there hasnt been any sort of region locking on a handheld console. Hopefully they think it's a dumb implementation for the dsi, and take it out for the 3ds, but i've got a bad feeling this could be the first proper handheld console, with region lock.
games i'll be getting...

kid icarus uprising - i have always like sakurai's games, and i want to see what he can do with the new project sora
metal gear solid 3d - i've just gotten into the metal gear series and would like to give this a shot

theres more but those are definate ones. XD

 

[yaminokaitou]

Already saving money for it. I just hope it's region free as there are a lot of games I want that will probably be Japan only. ;-;

 

[A Pixy]

$300? I honestly would have hesitated to buy one even if it were $200. I was hoping that it would be cheaper so that I could buy one for Pokémon Black and White, but it looks like I'll have to stick with my DS Lite for a few months after Black and White come out.

Okay, I'll admit, the price is a smidge steep, you are getting a pretty big bang for your buck. 3D, camera, 3D camera, a virtual console and oodles of other things. It's a lot, buttt it's not exactly the simplest console ever. o3o

 

[butterbiscuit]

BIG update! Spot Pass, Street Pass, Mii Studio, and much more!

 

[A Pixy]

AUGMENTED REALITY IS WORTH THE PURCHASE PRICE.

THIS YOU CANNOT DENY. :DDDDDDDDDDDDD

 

[butterbiscuit]

I know. :'DDD

Imma start saving money now. @-@