3DS: Too soon?

Possibly the worst feeling thing to ever grace my hands.

     It’s a simple question when you think about it, and this blogger bets Nintendo may not have thought long enough. My opinion is that 3D is cool but not there yet. I can’t believe I just said that, as I’m one of the most stereotypical early adopters in recent history. Yet, the one tech even I decided to wait on was 3D wether it be in movies, tv’s, or even gaming. Last year I played Motorstorm: Apocalypse at E3 and Sony had their best 3D Bravia Tv, newest Playstation 3, and a pair of 3D glasses. After 30 seconds I was sick to my stomach; this just reinforced what I had already thought about the tech. It simply needs more time. I decided as a consumer I wouldn’t buy in until it either got better or went glasses free. That same year at the same E3 Nintendo unveiled the Nintendo 3DS, and I played it and it was good. Very good. The demos were some of the best games on the market and I was genuinly impressed by the 3D I saw. Clearly everyone was on the band wagon and I too needed to be. I decided the 3DS would be my introduction to the 3D world. I was fine waiting until Nintendo showed everyone how to do it right.

     Then Disney did the unthinkable, and released Tron: Legacy in 3D. It was only a matter of time until I drank the 3D kool-aid; Tron just got me to buy in a few months early from Nintendo’s new Jesus machine. Critics lauded it as the the best use of 3D yet and I actually agree highly. It was subtle and there were no 3D gimmicks save one identity disk coming towards the screen. The 3D simply provided depth and more character, but I still found myself upset at the fact I was wearing a stupid pair of glasses limiting my field of vision and enjoyment. Yet, I knew that right around the corner only a few months away was my dream. Nintendo partnered with Sharp to create an entirely new type of LCD using a Parallax barrier and two separate LCD screens on top of each other. The result is a simulated 3D image without head gear. My answer was here. The system was good and as soon as the big N turned on the switch to the shop and online features it would be perfect. (Authors Note: I find it criminal that the system launched without these staples in the first place)

My thoughts exactly...

     It was then that I found out none of the AWESOME games I played at E3 the year prior were going to make the launch. This was probably Nintendo’s largest mistake. I felt like I had been hit with the bait and switch. At E3 the year before I played triple A titles like DJ Hero 3D, OoT 3D, Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater, and Kid Icarus. As of launch all of these titles had seemingly disappeared into the ether with only The legend of Zelda: OoT on the horizon to whet my appetite. Bamboozled! Hood winked! I felt cheap and cheated, but I thought, “Hey, at least I have a cool new 3D system. It’ll be just like when the Wii released and I had nothing to play but Zelda and Sports.” While I may have been making the best of a system I already bought I can’t say I recommend anyone taking the plunge just yet. I picked LEGO Star Wars III as my only cartridge game as Steel Diver, and PilotWings seem more like extended tech demos that fully fleshed out games. I liked LEGO and the 3D wasn’t too overpowering to where I felt sick at all. I was happy with my choice, but, the game that my 3DS reports I play the most is one that is built into the system. Face Raiders. It’s a fantastically simple title where you take a picture of yourself or someone else and the game then animates them into flying heads you must shoot with what look like tennis balls. It may sound silly but it’s a grand time.

     Yet, since beating both titles rather quickly my 3DS has quickly begun to gather dust much like my Wii has been for a year now. I know Nintendo has a release schedule akin to Apple’s where you can predict a new device at a certain time of year but I really do think the 3DS could have waited until summer to make it’s arrival; especially for the hefty console price of $250. I am left eagerly awaiting the new (old) Zelda game and a slew of titles that may or may not still exist. With that in mind I say this to you Mr. Nintendo, “Too soon, sir.”