The Nintendo 3DS has been confirmed and will have a March 27, 2011 release in North America. The price is $250. Although the name and look of the device are similar to that of the DS series, Nintendo considers it to be the successor to the DS and a brand new console. It contains three cameras, two on the outside (for 3D photographs) and one internal one above the top screen. The bottom screen is a touch screen comparable to the DS bottom screens, and the top screen is Wide Screen and an autostereoscopic 3D LCD. Autostereoscopy is a process that sends different images to the left and right eyes to enable the viewer to view the screen in 3D "without the need for special glasses." The 3DS is said to enhance Nintendo's online experience.
Introducing the Nintendo 3DS system. Experience incredible gameplay featuring real 3D graphics that do not require any special glasses or additional accessories. Nintendo 3DS is a breakthrough in portable entertainment, a truly cutting-edge piece of hardware that has to be seen to be believed.
Hardware Features
3D Screen
Like previous handhelds released by Nintendo, the Nintendo 3DS incorporates both an upper and lower LCD display in a clamshell layout. The lower screen features familiar Nintendo touchscreen technology, is 3.02" (2.42" wide x 1.81" high) with 320 x 240 pixel resolution and is capable of displaying 16.77 million colors, but the groundbreaking upper 3D screen of the Nintendo 3DS system is where Nintendo opens up a whole new world of eye-popping gameplay possibilities. This 3.53" display (3.02" wide x 1.81" high) is capable of displaying approximately the same 16.77 million colors, but with 800 x 240 pixel resolution. 400 pixels are allocated to each eye to enable 3D viewing. This stereoscopic 3D display gives objects within the gameworld a feeling of space and depth that extends far into the back of the screen. This amazing depth of field effect vastly increases the ability to see the position of characters and obstacles in compatible game, making many game experiences even more intuitive for all types of players.
3D Depth Slider
A built-in 3D Depth Slider along the right side of the top display allows you to immediately adjust the intensity of the 3D settings on the Nintendo 3DS system to your liking. The 3D effect can also be turned down completely if the player so chooses. All Nintendo 3DS games and applications can be played in 2D, and look better when played on the Nintendo 3DS than any Nintendo handheld before it.
Motion Sensor and Gyro Sensor
Portable play control reaches a new level with the Nintendo 3DS' Motion Sensor and Gyro Sensor combination. Together these precision built-in features allow for new and unique gameplay mechanics as the 3DS reacts to real-time motion and tilt. Whether players are twisting their systems side to side, or moving it up and down, their motion-compatible Nintendo 3DS games respond instantly.
Circle Pad Analog Control
With the Circle Pad, located above the + Control Pad, Nintendo 3DS offers full analog control in 3D game worlds. Combined with the touch screen, traditional buttons, camera and microphone input, and advanced motion control of the Motion Sensor and Gyro Sensor, the potential is extraordinary.
3D Camera Functionality
Along with a digital camera facing inwards towards the player, the Nintendo 3DS system features two outer cameras positioned along its upper edge when device is open. These two cameras see the world in 3D, much like the human eye, allowing for the creation of 3D photos - and a similar 3D effect to that seen in Nintendo 3DS games. All cameras feature 640 x 480 resolutions with single focus lenses that use the CMOS capture element and an active pixel count is approximately 300,000 pixels.
Adjustable Stylus
The adjustable Nintendo 3DS Stylus takes the idea of touch control to a new and even more user-friendly level. Once removed from the holder, the stylus length can be adjusted to your liking with a simple push or pull. Now anyone can achieve the optimum level of comfort while playing games that use the stylus.
Cradle Charging
Dock your Nintendo 3DS system whenever you are not using it in the included Charging Cradle to keep it powered. You can then leave the system on in Sleep Mode while charging, so that it can communicate via the SpotPass feature at any time of day or night.
Other Key Features
StreetPass
Social and wired like no Nintendo system before it, Nintendo 3DS brings fellow players together in exciting new ways with StreetPass communication. Set your Nintendo 3DS to Sleep Mode and carry it with you wherever you go to exchange game data like Mii characters, high scores, and custom characters with other users you pass on the street. You control what data you exchange and you can exchange data for multiple games at once, making virtual connections with real world people you encounter in your daily life.
SpotPass
Nintendo 3DS includes SpotPass, a feature that lets Nintendo 3DS detect wireless hotspots or wireless LAN access points and obtain information, game data, free software, videos and so on for players even when the system is in sleep mode.*
2 GB SD Memory Card Included
Every Nintendo 3DS system comes packed with a 2 GB SD memory card. You can use this SD memory card to store your 3D photos, and sound recordings created on the Nintendo 3DS system, and music** from your PC. You can also use it to store games downloaded from the Nintendo eShop. The Nintendo 3DS system has SDHC card compatibility to increase your storage space even further.
Backwards Compatibility
Almost all existing Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi games can be played on a Nintendo 3DS system in 2D. With backwards compatibility, your existing portable games look and play just as well.***
Wireless Communications
Nintendo 3DS utilizes a frequency of 2.4 GHz, enabling local wireless communication among multiple Nintendo 3DS systems for game play and StreetPass, as well as access to the Internet through wireless LAN access points (supports IEEE802.11 b/g with the WPA/WPA2 security feature). Recommended distance of wireless communication is within 98.4 feet. This can be shorter depending on the environmental situation.
Every generation now seems like they are exceeding the standards and going that extra mile to make everything so much greater than the last idea. Well, if you want to talk about revolutionary then Nintendo's brand new invention of the 3DS. This handheld device takes gaming to a new level, you may raise and lower the amount of 3D you wish all the way down to 2D. The simple switch on the right side of the handheld device allows you select your game play dimension of choice. Here are some other great features the Nintendo 3DS has to offer.
1. At E3 the Nintendo representative released the new handheld features. One of those interesting features besides the switch which allows 3D game play is the slide that comes from the bottom left corner of the DS. What I does is allows you to control the angle of the camera, that correlates with what's going on at the same time on the screen.
2. You're probably all wondering what some system like this will cost, but sadly it has not yet been released. Not only that but one of the other key facts that we don't have happens to be the release date as well as the price. If you keep on top of it and follow it you will find that the cost and release date will be disclosed soon.
If you're looking forward to the new handheld system then soon enough we'll have a portable 3D gaming system for our use.
Like any other video game system on the market, Nintendo wants a fresh variety of games the whole family can enjoy and educational games are helping this effort greatly. When my niece got herself an educational video game with her parents, I originally thought nothing of it. Gradually however, I noticed that she and her parents were playing the game together as well. It turns out that now many educational games on the market are also used to help educate people of older ages as well as compared to older games on older consoles.
While a good percentage of the game she plays is meant for kids her age, there are also games meant for the adults as well. The kids will get simpler spelling and vocabulary games aimed at helping with their basic reading and writing skills. Adults on the other hand will have much more complex vocabulary that is used in more complex conversations aimed at improving their skills.
The same can be seen in the more logic games such as the puzzle and math games. For the children, the games are made to improve basic math skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division where the adults will have more complex formulas and problems to solve using multiple formulas and more complex algebra. The logic games are great simply because they help kids in solving problems while helping adults not only solve problems but keep the mind sharp.
It's good to see that educational games are beginning to target not only younger audiences, but older groups too. It's a fun way to get everyone in the house learning and not just watching television.
Nintendo DS educational games are helping lead the way for games of future consoles to help people of all ages learn.
