trivard676Any early-adopter can tell you that there’s nothing worse than it. That feeling that you get when you show off a new ‘totally awesome’ gadget to your friends and/or family and they kind of look back at you with a half-hearted smile and a totally unenthusiastic “That’s really cool…” You look down at your shiny new toy and suddenly feel that sinking feeling, mixed together with the sharp cutting pain of your bleeding bank account. The anxiety and excitement of buying that grand piece of tech now overtaken by feelings of dread and guilt.
This is buyer’s remorse, and since the end of March I’ve been feeling the full effect. I really wanted to give Nintendo a fair shake here with their portable offering, and it’s one of the main reasons I haven’t returned/sold it. Things are going to get better…I know they are! This article more or less is a bit of a review on the Nintendo 3DS as a whole, the system itself, the experience playing it and the offering as well. I’m writing this review from a personal perspective, and other staffers here might not share my opinion.
Let’s not fool around – we know what it looks like, we know who makes it and we know how much it costs. The big thing here is the 3D, touted so much it’s part of the console’s name, it’s kind of hard to ignore. Glasses free 3D is indeed a reality, even for those with corrective lenses (astigmatism sufferer here) the effect is noticeable. Will it blow you away? Probably not, but there is a bit of novelty there the first time you power the system up and get yourself sorted out. There’s a dial on the side of the unit which allows you to control the 3D level or turn it off entirely. The 3D effect doesn’t tire the eyes, but your experience may differ,
There is a sweet spot when viewing the 3D, something that you might not be able to view properly when using a demo unit. If you can imagine sitting with your arms bent at the elbow at a 120 degree angle holding the unit, that’s pretty much where the sweet spot is. However you don’t have to keep perfectly still to get the effect, there is a bit of leeway here, but you really can’t be too emotive – once you move out of that sweet spot, the image doubles and it looks like garbage. It breaks the immersion and if it happens often, it kind of tends to piss you off.
Nice mock-up. I remember that game!
When the 3D is turned completely off, the graphics on the console look amazing. Crisp, clean, bright and…well just great. It’s kind of disappointing to say that oftentimes it’s better to keep the 3D turned off rather than keep it on after the 3D has been touted so much. Regarding AR games, like the card games that come with the unit itself, the 3D is pretty much useless. The games require you to move the unit around, and you can imagine that unless you have a lot of room or like to move around a lot, the 3D is better turned off here.
All of this stuff is really probably stuff that you’ve read before on countless websites if you’re mulling over the purchase, so this is nothing new, just a personal perspective on the basics. I like the collapsible stylus and the new UI, for sure, but I don’t plan on spending all day in the menus. It should be noted (and is probably common-knowledge by now) the battery life is abysmal. Any time you happen to get into doing something – time to charge the battery. Early adopter’s woes.
Possibly the biggest draw of the Nintendo 3DS, and the one giving me the most difficult time coping with is the games selection. The launch lineup itself of the 3DS was only a handful of games, and with the exception of only a few, the reviews for these launch titles have been pretty dismal. Since its release, I’ve personally been playing old DS games that I thought could have better implemented the analog stick. The new titles haven’t exactly been awe-inspiring enough to warrant an extra $40 purchase. A game console is nothing without its games, and since we’re talking about a $280 (after tax) handheld console with dip for games isn’t very fun. And no…I don’t play Nintendogs. I have a real dog.
Best Buy’s 3DS selection is filled with Pre-Order links
General quality game pickings haven’t exactly picked up, either. Ocarina of Time is really the first game that I genuinely wanted to buy, but there’s also no denying that it is just a remake. When Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3DS releases, it’s also a remake. While not in the truest sense of the word, it’s still basically a remake. The two best games for the 3DS both essentially remakes, months after the release of the console. After the official firmware update, there’s now the eShop and DSIware, but if you’re a loyal Nintendo fan, you’ve already played those, too.
So, should you buy a Nintendo 3DS? Ultimately the choice is yours – while there aren’t a whole slew of games to release for the console, you might be swayed by the current offering. It’s definitely hard not to look at the 3DS and deny that it’s a sexy little machine, capable of great potential. But that real potential just hasn’t seemed to shine through yet, especially now when we’re stuck in the middle of Port Authority (get it?…nevermind). Horror fans do generally get the short end of the stick when it comes to handhelds and it’s something we’ve come to expect. Unless you’re a gigantic fan of The Mercenaries modes in Resident Evil 4 and 5, holding off for a little while probably wouldn’t hurt. Unfortunately, it’s a long wait until Resident Evil: Revelations.
Will my buyer’s remorse disappear with Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D? I don’t like game systems collecting dust and I have to say that I’m really tired of of hearing the thing crying in the corner at night. Check back to see if my opinion has changed with Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3DS!
