Nintendo 3DS - making three dimensional gaming portable

Nintendo 3DS brings three dimensional entertainment to portable gaming with the newest version of the ultra-popular DS gaming system. Now your gaming enthusiast can enjoy the possibility of even greater graphics display as Nintendo furnishes three dimensional games to play with their new system to tantalize your visual senses without the need of bulky 3D glasses. As a parent of a DS child I appreciate not having another item to keep up with as my child enjoys this console.

The new Nintendo unit will not be available to purchase until March 27, 2011, but can be preordered from several places, including Amazon. As with all new gaming systems, you can bet this unit will be in high demand and quantities will be limited. As was the case with the Nintendo Wii the price will be set by Nintendo, so do not expect to bargain hunt for a greater deal than the $249.99 selling price you see in the Amazon capsule below.

You will not notice a tremendous difference in the design of the Nintendo 3DS from the current DS line. The touch screen is on the lower section as before along with the keys to move your characters on the screen. There is also all the keys that make the game operate, so this will be no big change for your gamer.

The thrilling new part is the nice three dimensional capability of the top screen. It is a touch bigger than the old DS screens and presents a fabulous rendition of the games that are created with the 3D experience in mind. Nintendo boasts that whether in #D or if you are playing some of your old two dimensional games that you will be impressed with the visual quality provided by this unit.

Before you get all anxious about the sizable investment you have made in games for the DS or DSi and how they will immediately become obsolete, you can lay those fears aside. Nintendo was sensitive to this point and made the 3DS so that all your older games are compatible. Of course they will not present in three dimensions since they were not made that way, but your child can use any games they have with this new platform.

Even the DSi titles that were downloaded will work with this system. As a parent I appreciate the thought invested in this decision because it is incredibly frustrating to have shelled out hundreds of dollars for several games and then they are useless as a new device hits the marketplace. Nintendo is putting their customer’s desires on the table as they plan their devices.

There is an Analog circle pad on the left of the touch screen that give some added functionality to your gaming experience by allowing movement of the view of the game. Also within the case is a motion sensor and gyroscope that work to give the 3DS the ability to present the gamer with a unique motion oriented experience.

Whatever the game presents to the player they can twist or turn their sensing unit to accommodate what their visual senses tell them is correct and the game will react accordingly. This will certainly tie the three dimensional experience together nicely. A truly unique game experience is going to be the greatest selling point of Nintendo’s latest offering.

On the 3D screen is a depth slider so you can customize your experience as you wish. If you have your old Nintendo DS games you will simply slide the button to the bottom of the slot to disable the three dimensional capability. Never fear, this will not lessen your graphics experience as the display is still very crisp, even with only a two dimensional offering. Knowing how you want this slider on true 3D games is something you will decide as you begin playing those.

Nintendo is focusing on getting this new platform launched, so excuse them for limiting your color options to Aqua Blue or Cosmo Black. While the current generation of Nintendo DS and DSi is available in a range of colors, I do not expect this will limit the success of the unit as the graphics will be the major selling point. Within the year I expect the marketing geniuses at Nintendo to have all colors available for sale so that your color conscious child will be appeased.

Three cameras? Why in the world would I want three cameras you may ask? Well as I have seen with my daughter and her friends who have a DS they like to take pictures and play around with them using the DS options. One of the cameras is inward facing, allowing users to take their own picture or ones of whatever suits their needs.

The other two cameras face outward on the opposite of the 3D screen, allowing for the potential to take three dimensional pictures. While this is billed as a plus for game developers, anyone can dabble in a unique area of photography with this function. It will certainly be a unique selling point for Nintendo as the product rolls out for distribution.

The Nintendo Wii brought us motion gaming as we learned to manipulate our Miis with those motion sensing remotes. Now The Xbox Kinect has taken this to a newer level and Nintendo ups the ante with this three dimension offering. Mario will be proud of his parent company as they keep broadening the scope of video games with their new offering. Let’s hope the innovations never stop!