3DS Console Discussion

[Cube]

Have had news on that charging cradle yet? It it a wireless charger?

 

In the videos you can just about make out metal connectors on the cradle and a plastic switch to turn the cradle charging on when the 3DS is placed on it:

 

[Fierce_LiNk]

I'm very much on the fence with the 3DS anyway. Purely because I'm not an avid handheld gamer. Home console is where my heart is. I did own a Gameboy Advance, but ended up playing fuck all on it as there were only a handful of games I truely loved on it.

 

The DS on the other hand was given to me as a gift and I loved it. However, when the Wii came to, I ended up spending much, much more time with that than this.

 

I'm not going to pay over 200 quid for this, despite being quite interested in it. It's going to be a luxury and not an absolute gaming essential for me. However, I am pleased to hear that there is only one universal friendcode, which surely bodes well for the next home console?

 

If I'm honest, I think the 3DS is releasing too soon. It seems like the whole thing is being rushed out...when it could easily just be delayed by a half year or so. Why the rush? Nintendo are dominating with the DS/DSi.

 

That's another thing, Nintendo have a habit these days of releasing multiple versions of their handhelds. Will it be long before a 3DSi appears on the market? Or a revised design, possibly to address the battery issue? Thats one other reason why I prefer the home console: Just one version of it per generation.

[Goron_3]

I'm very much on the fence with the 3DS anyway. Purely because I'm not an avid handheld gamer. Home console is where my heart is. I did own a Gameboy Advance, but ended up playing fuck all on it as there were only a handful of games I truely loved on it.

 

The DS on the other hand was given to me as a gift and I loved it. However, when the Wii came to, I ended up spending much, much more time with that than this.

 

I'm not going to pay over 200 quid for this, despite being quite interested in it. It's going to be a luxury and not an absolute gaming essential for me. However, I am pleased to hear that there is only one universal friendcode, which surely bodes well for the next home console?

 

If I'm honest, I think the 3DS is releasing too soon. It seems like the whole thing is being rushed out...when it could easily just be delayed by a half year or so. Why the rush? Nintendo are dominating with the DS/DSi.

 

That's another thing, Nintendo have a habit these days of releasing multiple versions of their handhelds. Will it be long before a 3DSi appears on the market? Or a revised design, possibly to address the battery issue? Thats one other reason why I prefer the home console: Just one version of it per generation.

 

Several actually. PSP is getting A LOT of market share in japan atm, they'd want to cut down on it's fire a bit.

 

Secondly, we know the PSP2 is coming the PSP still sold around 60million worldwide, that's an incredibly successful number of units sold. The PSP2 will be much more power than the 3DS and they'd want to get out before it to get an install base going.

 

Thirdly, well the gimmick of the console is 3d without glasses. The graphics on the system aren't particularly incredible atm (they are good but not that much beyond the first PSP) and the screen comes nowhere near to something like the iPhone 4. The 3D is clearly it's major selling point. That said there are a load of devices coming out (or are already out) doing glassless 3d now (from camera's to mobile phones) and Apple will very quickly release a 3d glassless iTouch/iPhone. If they don't get on the market soon and ride the wave of hype early it could cost them a bit of momentum. I do agree about them rushing it a bit; it'll be a similar situation to the Wii where it was sold out for a long time after launch.

 

Hell even delaying it a couple of months or until September would've been preferred to me. The launch line up, price and battery life are throwing me off it somewhat/

Edited January 20, 2011 by Goron_3

[Oxigen_Waste]

Would anyone care to explain me why on earth we're not getting SNES titles on the Virtual Console?

Outrageous!

[Ashley]

Isn't the VC specifically about handheld games from the past?

[Oxigen_Waste]

I get that. But come on... this is where everyone really wants to play SNES.

[Hero-of-Time]

For our Aussie readers, you guys are getting your 3DS Conference in Feb.

 

- Nintendo Australia has confirmed a 3DS press conference

- takes place on February 8th

- conference to be held in Sydney

- Aussie pricing, dates, and console colors will be detailed

 

 

Here's some other stuff about the 3DS and it's features.

 

Mii Maker

"It's a one way transfer. You can send your Miis from your Wii to your 3DS. But, because the Mii Maker on the Nintendo 3DS is a more robust program and has newer features, like hairstyles and eyes and things like that, the Miis you create there can't go back to the Wii. Beyond that, that's the only Wii connectivity we've talked about." - NOA Product Marketing Manager Bill Trinen

 

VC/Points/E-Shop

The following information comes from Nintendo of America Product Marketing Manager Bill Trinen...

 

- "There will be a function that will allow you to transfer games from your Nintendo DSi to the 3DS. As we go into greater detail about the Shop, we'll go into detail about that specific function."

- "Those (Game Boy, Game Boy Color games) will be on the eShop, which is specific to the 3DS."

- "Basically we're focusing on Game Boy and Game Boy Color. If we decide to introduce [GBA games] at a later date, we'd announce later if we did."

- "Whatever Points you have on [Wii or DSi] won't be able to be converted into cash on the Nintendo 3DS."

- "The system's obviously backwards-compatible, so you can just play [DS games] off the cartridge. I think, right now for us, the digital shop content is focusing on growing the digital ... distinguishing from the retail content in terms of what it offers."

- "We're just not at a point where we're ready to talk about what kind of (video) content will be available."

- "One of the main benefits of going to a cash system is that it's much more clear to the consumer what they're spending their money on, and what that exact value is."

- "In terms of specific announcements or when it's (e-Shop) going to actually be available, we'll go into more detail on that as we get closer to the launch date."

 

Features That Aren't Available At Launch

Wondering what you can and cannot do when the 3DS launches in late March? Some of the details might surprise you.

 

- web browser to be made available at a later date

- eShop downloads to come at a later date

- DSiWare transfers

- play/access 3-D movies

 

Friend Codes

- 3DS will remember the codes you put in for your Friends and track whether they are currently online or not

- there will be an app that tracks and gives you the current status of your friends at any given time ( LOVING THIS FEATURE : peace: )

[Cube]

Wait...the software in the console isn't actually finished yet?

[D_prOdigy]

I get that. But come on... this is where everyone really wants to play SNES.

 

They should buy a Game Boy Advance.

[Burny]

I'm very much on the fence with the 3DS anyway. Purely because I'm not an avid handheld gamer. Home console is where my heart is. I did own a Gameboy Advance, but ended up playing fuck all on it as there were only a handful of games I truely loved on it.

 

The DS on the other hand was given to me as a gift and I loved it. However, when the Wii came to, I ended up spending much, much more time with that than this.

 

Wait and see. It seems 3DS games will be able to rival or surpass Wii games in complexity and we know now, that the online system will easily beat the one on the Wii in terms of connectivity with friends. The 3DS might well end up becoming the console Nintendo focus all their efforts on within the next two or three years.

 

I'd just wait a year or two until it's a bit more matured. Concerning hardware revisions: Nintendo are the only ones who haven't done that with their home console. In the mobile gaming sector it's pretty much a revision per year. The one thing you can count on, is that future revisions of Nintendo's handhelds won't introduce features, that make new games unplayable on old revisions or old ones unplayable on new consoles (PSP Go anyone?). With game prices as high as 40-50€ they'd be shooting themselves into the foot.

 

It's the same as with all consoles, really. As an early adopter, you pay more, have less games to chose from and will likely be presented with a slicker version of the device once the dust has settled and they look for ways to keep up the momentum.

 

Wait...the software in the console isn't actually finished yet?

Might be. I'd rather have them release with less features than promised and update more features into it over it's lifetime. Otherwise it'll be like the Wii's "OS", which has effectively a frozen feature set while the XBox and XMB on the PS3 have evolved heavily over their lifetime.

Edited January 20, 2011 by Burny

[Oxigen_Waste]

They should buy a Game Boy Advance.

 

Come on, don't give me that. I wanna walk around with Super Metroid in my pocket at all times!

 

Seriously, give me a single reason why they shouldn't do it? Just one.

[Ike]

Come on, don't give me that. I wanna walk around with Super Metroid in my pocket at all times!

 

Seriously, give me a single reason why they shouldn't do it? Just one.

 

In the latest Ngamer they said Nintendo were considering adding NES and SNES games at a later date.

[IAmMarti]

Wait.....so no Gameboy Advance on the VC? I just bought Harvest Moon GBA off amazon, after recieving one broken with static, then a fake one, and now I have a working one for now, I really would like to think there would be a chance of it being on VC so it wont ever brake

 

In case you didnt know Harvest moon gba breaks after a few years, something to do with static, theres no ingame battry.

[or else you will DIE]

I'm really hoping Nintendo will eventually bring NES/SNES/GBA games over.

[IAmMarti]

I'm really hoping Nintendo will eventually bring NES/SNES/GBA games over.

 

I see no reason why they cant =/

[LostOverThere]

Come on, don't give me that. I wanna walk around with Super Metroid in my pocket at all times!

 

Seriously, give me a single reason why they shouldn't do it? Just one.

To give people a reason to use the VC on the Wii, and thus a reason to check out the Wii Shop.

 

tl;dr: Business.

[heroicjanitor]

It does feel really rushed though. It's almost certain to me that the PSP2 will have 3D in some form, and Apple will probably do something with it too. Maybe the sooner they release it the more people will accuse Sony/Apple of copying?

 

At launch it will be missing these features:

Web Browser

Nintendo’s “Eshop” (Where you buy downloadable games)

DSiWare Transfers

Play/Access 3D Movies

 

And someone said the system software isn't even done yet.

[Cube]

It does feel really rushed though. It's almost certain to me that the PSP2 will have 3D in some form, and Apple will probably do something with it too. Maybe the sooner they release it the more people will accuse Sony/Apple of copying?

 

At launch it will be missing these features:

Web Browser

Nintendo’s “Eshop†(Where you buy downloadable games)

DSiWare Transfers

Play/Access 3D Movies

 

And someone said the system software isn't even done yet.

 

I said the software wasn't done yet because it's missing those features.

[heroicjanitor]

I said the software wasn't done yet because it's missing those features.

 

Oh I thought you were saying it was unstable:blush:

[Burny]

I said the software wasn't done yet because it's missing those features.

Oh I thought you were saying it was unstable:blush:

Both are explanations and both may be the case, at the very least for movie stuff. Another explanation for the Shop and DSiWare transfers might be they're holding stuff back. If the shop and transfers are opened only weeks or a month after release that is pretty certainly the case, as these things can't possibly be implemented and tested out within that timespan.

 

That's nothing to do with a rushed release though. At least not rushed any more than other releases are. Good software is maintained and extended all the time. If they waited until they had developed all possible features in their OS before release, they might as well never release at all. 4 million units at a worldwide launch, numerous press and public events (even if the EU presentation yesterday was mostly piss poor) and a tight release schedule until E3 aren't exactly rushed.

 

When the software that's preinstalled on the system or can be bought at release is unstable, crashes, bricks systems etc., that's a rushed release. We'll only know that though, when people get their hands on the thing.

 

Tbh. if I was in their position, I'd hold back as many features as possible. What is it, that Nintendo gains from having some Gameboy games on the virtual handheld at launch and no 3DSWare available? Either they divert attention of those people, who are willing to pay the launch price for the expensive launch retail games or the shop goes pretty much unnoticed. They can as well take their time holding back or finishing the shop and then make a bit more of a spectacle out of it, when they update it into the system. Preferably with some software available.

Edited January 20, 2011 by Burny

[RedShell]

To give people a reason to use the VC on the Wii, and thus a reason to check out the Wii Shop.

 

tl;dr: Business.

If they wanted to be really cool though, they'd make it so that Wii Shop and eShop accounts were linked and that any VC games purchased on Wii could also be transferred/played on the 3DS.

 

Imagine how awesome that would be. You could start playing a SNES game while out and about, then transfer the save file back to Wii and continue your game at home. :awesome:

[Cube]

If they wanted to be really cool though, they'd make it so that Wii Shop and eShop accounts were linked and that any VC games purchased on Wii could also be transferred/played on the 3DS.

 

Imagine how awesome that would be. You could start playing a SNES game while out and about, then transfer the save file back to Wii and continue your game at home. :awesome:

 

Wasn't Nintendo even considering this for a while with the Nintendo DS? I seem to recall one of the high up Nintendo people saying it would be awesome to move a game to a handheld console and continue playing it from where you were on the home console.

[RedShell]

Wasn't Nintendo even considering this for a while with the Nintendo DS?

Probably.

Hand held to home console connectivity has just never really taken off, which is a shame as there's so much potential there I reckon.

 

It seems like the most effort was made with GBA-GCN stuff (PacMan VS, Animal Crossing, Zelda Four Swords) which was the most cumbersome set-up: no backlit screen on the GBA, wired connection to the GCN...

 

It's so much easier with DS/3DS-Wii.

[Cube]

And with this thing called "the internet", they could do it so you only need to pair your Wii/3DS once and your VC save files (which should be tiny) and licenses can be copied into the cloud.

[Burny]

If they wanted to be really cool though, they'd make it so that Wii Shop and eShop accounts were linked and that any VC games purchased on Wii could also be transferred/played on the 3DS.

 

They're not Valve. They've just left the stone age of internet use and take every cent they can get or save in development / maintenance cost over the convenience of their users.