Jeremy Jastrzab - Supreme Being of Editorial Might
The 3DS has finally made its Australian debut, and there were some sighs of relief. After all, we don’t have to wait too much longer than the rest of the world either. The 31 March release date is only four days after the US launch, and six days after the European launch. Furthermore, the price was lower than most cynics had expected (is it just me or do Nintendo fans automatically hit panic stations and assume the worst?). Sure, an RRP of $349.95, does sound like it’s asking a lot, but it’s certainly Nintendo’s most comprehensive handheld to date.
Having had a brief glimpse of the 3DS back at E3 2010, here are some of the further impressions achieved from last night’s launch. Firstly, the unit is not too much different from hold a DS Lite or DSi. You’re not going to feel much of a weight difference (unless you took the attendant tethered to it home with you), but it’s a comfortable fit. Furthermore, additions such as a metallic stylus (your wallet will probably hate you if you lose it), home button and button re-arrangements make the device actually seem more premium than its predecessors.
All the information you need is right there.
Before speaking about the 3D, it has to be said that the analogue nub was totally nailed. The NGP is going to have a lot of catching up to do, because the analogue nub on the 3DS wastes completely over the PSP’s effort. It comfortably sits under your thumb without the slightest hitch, and every game that used it couldn’t have done so better. The gyroscope could make for some interesting gameplay additions, as it’s used in the Ocarina of Time port to control slingshot aiming, which it did really well. However, one game that was essentially a shooter, had you playing by moving the entire unit and the camera to aim, which could look incredibly awkward in a public place and incredibly impractical on crowded commutes.
Along with the continued use of a second touch screen, the system additions affecting gameplay make this system a proper evolution over its predecessor. Now, the 3D implementation for this first wave of games gives the impression that developers are still testing the waters. Admittedly, distractions got in the way of seeing ALL the games there (Jahanzeb will fill you in on the rest), but it was possible to see how the 3D would affect gaming visuals. With power not too far off the Wii (for any non-DS port) the 3D effect certainly helped racing titles and ones such as Pilotwings Resort for giving players a newfound sense of depth. Street Fighter IV blatantly changed to camera to show it off, while James Noir’s Hollywood Crimes (an adventure/puzzle title) was probably the title to show off the best gameplay incorporation of 3D.
Of course, until you see it, you won’t believe that the 3D can be viewed without glasses. The best way to describe it is similar to a hologram card, on a digitised screen. As for how gameplay will be affected or possibly improved by this? Only time will tell, but for the moment, the other system features are more alluring on that front. However, two things stood out about the 3D. Firstly, the tech demos at E3 were much better at displaying the potential depth of the 3D with the slider. The games on show here seemed to be more discrete; either 3D or 2D without much middle ground. Secondly, the tech demos at E3 seemed to give a more lenient viewing angle. Hopefully these are both minor gripes that will be alleviated over time.
Take it. It brings awesome.
Three questions still remain though. Firstly, just how serviceable will the battery life be? Well, experience with nearly 70 PSP reviews dictates that 3-5 hours is difficult to adjust to. For those on the go, you’ll probably need to have some contingencies in place. Secondly, the availability of software and firmware on launch is still an issue. A lot of the features of the 3DS are talked about, but not having them available on launch, nor a solidified launch line-up, makes it seem almost as if things were rushed to get the product out of Japan. And finally, a point that was probably the major stickler for most attendees: region locking. You could not find a single person there last night who wasn’t up-in-arms over this. While it’s unlikely to affect sales too much, many an enthusiastic gamer has a tough choice to make soon…
Jahanzeb Khan - Efficient Previewing Machine
It took months of planning and a miracle to get the sadistic misfit writers of PALGN into the Nintendo 3DS launch event, and not just any writers, but two of the most unorthodox, dysfunctional and unstable writers that the game journalism industry has ever seen, myself and PALGN Dictator Jeremy Jastrzab. Much thanks to our resident Mass Effect fan Anthony Capone, who somehow convinced Nintendo to let us hooligans in, and as my personal way of thanking him I wore a Mass Effect 2 t-shirt to this glorious event (that and it doesn’t make me look fat).
The biggest bit of information provided at the start of the event was regarding the price and release date of the Nintendo 3DS console, and as we now all know, the price is $AU 350 and is set for a release on 31 March 2011. We were shown a video package showing off the technology and games, and the moment they announced “you will all get to try these games tonight”…that’s when I really fired up.
Yes, it does look that good. And in 3D!
I wasn’t expecting too many playable demos given my experience with video game events in Sydney, but boy was I caught by surprise! The event had over fifteen playable demos, FIFTEEN! A lot of games were available to be played and enjoyed, and included the likes of Kid Icarus, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Ridge Racer 3D and Resident Evil: Mercenaries 3D. Some demos were only in video form but were running on a 3DS console, thus allowing us to experience the 3D effects, these video-only demos included the likes of Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater and Resident Evil: Revelations. I was awestruck by the sheer amount of games on display, and to me it almost felt like owning the actual console and enjoying all these games.
The Nintendo 3DS console, to me, essentially feels like a DS Lite (or DSi) in terms of weight and the way it was meant to be held. It was actually very easy to jump right into the games. It does however, feel bit more ‘sleek’ than the DS Lite and the casing is of a better quality with a nice shine to it. The screen is slightly bigger and the console seems a bit wider, but overall feels like holding any other DS console. The biggest change is the addition of an analog ‘circle’ pad, which I am pleased to report, is an absolute beauty and is just perfect. Forget the awkward and rough analog travesty on the PSP console, the analog on the 3DS melts right under your thumb and works effortlessly.
Now a lot of you are obviously interested in how good the much hyped ‘3D’ is. Well I can safely say that it works well enough. Even at the maximum setting, the 3D effect is similar what you can see in a 3D cinema or television but it felt little more soft and subtle to me. A lot of people who have tested the 3DS have said that is somewhat difficult to find that ‘sweet spot’ and lose it, resulting in a blurry vision. Personally, I didn’t have any problems as it took a matter of seconds for me to find that sweet spot and even when I moved around a bit, it didn’t affect my vision too much. Note that my vision is actually pretty awful and I was supposed to get a new prescription last year, so yea, go figure.
The games will be out on force on the 3DS.
Another interesting feature of the 3DS that I got to experience was its motion control mechanic, and to be brutally honest, the demo that showcased this technology did not leave a good impression on me, at all. It felt awkward, unresponsive and I personally do not want to move my 3DS around like a moron. It felt like an ‘afterthought’ and just didn’t feel very accurate or responsive at all. Perhaps, it was just that demo that made poor use of it, which involved shooting the crud out faces…yeah, faces. Perhaps other games will make better use of it, but I hope it’s never forced on to the player in any 3DS title.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself mainly because I was able to try so many different types of 3DS games, and really got a good feel of the 3DS experience. I will be writing some hands-on previews in the coming days so look forward to those!
If there were any other PALGN members at this event (why didn't you come and say hello!), why not leave us your impressions of the 3DS in the forums. For the rest, what are some of your expectations now that some of the more important details have been revealed?
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