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There are very few technology products that live up to the marketing hype that accompanies their entry to the market. Companies making truly amazing devices are quietly brilliant. Nintendo didn’t create a big hoo-ha about its latest gaming console, the 3DS – which is easily the most remarkable piece of technology we’ve seen over recent years. 3D in cinema is mildly amusing and at home the experience is less than ideal. The images are blurry, the glasses are a pain in the neck – literally, if you try to lie down on the couch – and the general experience screams gimmick. But the Nintendo 3DS delivers a truly amazing experience that enriches games and videos on the device and is probably the only 3D product out there offering any value.
I must disclose I’m a big fan of the Japanese gaming company founded in 1889 to create hanafuda playing cards. I’m also nostalgic about my first gaming console as a child – the Famicom, based on Nintendo’s 8bit entertainment system.
But no bias is required to see the 3DS is remarkable. The console fits in a pocket and has dual screens. The bottom screen is touch-enabled, the top screen for 3D. A slider next to the monitor allows you to adjust the depth of the 3D and turn it off if it’s not your thing – some people get headaches from the experience.
But for those of us without physical proclivities against 3D, the experience is nothing short of astounding. The graphics are clear and crisp and provide depth to the screen. When playing games such as Lego Star Wars III it seems as if you’re manipulating physical characters running around on a little stage.
The device can also take 3D pictures and video. It also includes software for augmented reality that combines the real world with gaming experiences. It’s fitted with a near-field communications (NFC) chip and when you walk past other 3DS owners it connects both of you. A pedometer measures how many steps you’ve taken in a day and rewards you for carrying the 3DS around.
Its only downside is its battery doesn’t last very long and you have to recharge it regularly. It’s also a tad expensive, both to acquire and to keep stocked with games – so it might be worth waiting for prices to come down.
Review
VERDICT: Lives up to the hype.
COMPLEXITY: A delight to use by gamers of any age.
PRICE: R2 700.
ALSO CONSIDER: Sony PSP.
VALUE RATING: 8/10
I must disclose I’m a big fan of the Japanese gaming company founded in 1889 to create hanafuda playing cards. I’m also nostalgic about my first gaming console as a child – the Famicom, based on Nintendo’s 8bit entertainment system.
But no bias is required to see the 3DS is remarkable. The console fits in a pocket and has dual screens. The bottom screen is touch-enabled, the top screen for 3D. A slider next to the monitor allows you to adjust the depth of the 3D and turn it off if it’s not your thing – some people get headaches from the experience.
But for those of us without physical proclivities against 3D, the experience is nothing short of astounding. The graphics are clear and crisp and provide depth to the screen. When playing games such as Lego Star Wars III it seems as if you’re manipulating physical characters running around on a little stage.
The device can also take 3D pictures and video. It also includes software for augmented reality that combines the real world with gaming experiences. It’s fitted with a near-field communications (NFC) chip and when you walk past other 3DS owners it connects both of you. A pedometer measures how many steps you’ve taken in a day and rewards you for carrying the 3DS around.
Its only downside is its battery doesn’t last very long and you have to recharge it regularly. It’s also a tad expensive, both to acquire and to keep stocked with games – so it might be worth waiting for prices to come down.
Review
VERDICT: Lives up to the hype.
COMPLEXITY: A delight to use by gamers of any age.
PRICE: R2 700.
ALSO CONSIDER: Sony PSP.
VALUE RATING: 8/10
