Nintendo - 3DS Flame Red

Overall the 3DS is a great system and well worth buying. The basics include the 3D which requires no glasses which uses a double rendering method which creates two images (one for the left eye and one for the right). The distance from the eye and the system doesn't affect the quality of the 3D but if the system is tilted too much then the 3D effect is lost but when aimed at the right spot it has a great effect. In the system there are 3 cameras (1 inner camera and 2 outer cameras) the reason for the 2 outer cameras is so 3D pictures can be taken but only from the outside which calls for more creative pictures such as someone sticking out their fist to give the visual of the distance between the camera and the surrounding objects. The inner camera is in regular 2D. Although the cameras don't have the best quality (0.3 mega-pixel) it is very fun to use, especially the features it includes such as the face morphing feature plus the ar cards use (augmented reality cards) The ar cards are small cards that can be placed on a flat surface and become a small virtual world where when detected have special effects that pop out of the cards and feel like you're really shooting targets in your own room. There are 6 total cards that come with the system (1 for the target shooting and the rest are famous Nintendo characters such as Mario, Link, Samus, Kirby, and Pikmin) when the character cards are placed on the flat surface that character pops out the card which lets you move them around and change their poses. The cards contain many more features but won't all be told here. The 3DS also contains gyro sensor and motion sensor, much like the Wii remote it can be twisted and turned and the movements will be detected (this may affect the 3D) the gyro sensor is the way that the 3DS can be moved around and the system will detect it which would be useful in a shooting game where as you turn around the player in the game will also turn around if the game includes some sort of aiming (such as Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D) as you aim the bow and arrow and turn around with the system then you will turn around in the game) A useful addition put on the 3DS is the slide pad which is located above the D-pad and is useful for more precise movement and is very comfy. The slide pad can also be used for original DS games that are compatible with the 3DS. Another handy dandy feature is the 3D depth slider that is located to the right of the top screen and can be pushed up and down to change the 3D to either full power or completely off during gameplay. A mii-maker feature will also be included which can utilize the camera by taking a picture of yourself or a friend and the system will generate a mii for it or just let you create one manually. The 3DS can also receive miis from the Wii but cannot be put back into the Wii due to the new hairstyles and other additions. The 3DS will feature a spot pass and street pass feature. The spot pass feature lets the 3DS find a wi-fi hot spot and automatically connect with it and check for updates (AT&T has teamed up with Nintendo to create some hotspots around the US) Street pass is a feature that lets you have your 3DS closed but powered on and communicate with other 3DS systems that are also powered on and closed to receive information of that person such as what he/shes playing and other small info. The 3DS is surely a worth buy, but it does include its ups and downs such as the bad quality of the cameras and the sweet spot of the 3D effect, but is an amazing and advance system. As many think the 3DS is pricey, the technology it has really is not at all cheap but if thought thoroughly the 3DS has an OK price but will later drop a bit in the later future.

This product 3DS is really great. It's bright color makes it very attractive and love able by my daughter. It's simple camera makes it stand out and it's simplicity on how to use it is ok. More so, it's ability to connect to netflix and other sites makes it stand out different from other products I've bought for my daughter. I really recommend it to every parent who need a better game device for their kids.

The 3DS is the best 3D console of the year! it has streetpass mii maker, swap note,etc.... I just love the 3DS.

Certain Best Buys have received a 3DS demo, so if you are as excited about this product as I am, I would highly suggest calling to see if your local Best Buy has it on display. At the BB I went to, they had Pilotwings Resort on trial. I'm not sure if different BB's have different games to try, but that is the title I got to try. It was amazing how the 3DS works. It doesn't pop out at you like every other 3D media I have experienced, it pops in if that makes any sense. Basically in this game, you have your guy on a glider in the foreground, and the environment is in the background and is 3D, but going away from you. It looks AMAZING. Graphics-wise, I would say it is similar to the Wii, and at the very least it is definitely better than the Gamecube. Since Pilotwings is basically a fleshed out version of one of the games on the Wii Sports Resort, it was fairly easy to compare the two games graphics, and they looked very, very similar. Each person is going to have a different "sweet spot" for themselves. Since the 3DS does not require 3D glasses like all other current 3D stuff, you do have to find the perfect distance for yourself away from the screen it get it to work. At first, I wasn't that impressed, it kind of looked 3D, but it was hard to recognize. The 3DS that is on display was bolted down, and at a low level, so I didn't end up finding my "sweet spot" until someone told me that I needed to. I'm sure finding this is going to be much easier and more natural for everyone once you actually get your own 3DS since it won't be bolted down; then you can move your arms and head rather than trying to move your whole body trying to find the "sweet spot". I'm sure everyone has heard the rumors that the 3DS can effect your vision. Let me just start by saying that the American Optometric Association has already come out and said that the 3DS is safe, as well as 3D in general. That said, I got to play it for about 15 minutes and felt completely fine. My eyes weren't sore, fatigued, or anything like that. It might not be that great in long periods of time, I can't really say for sure, but no video games are. I think in the front of every game you have ever purchased, there is a guide that says take a 10min break for every hour of gaming you do. You shouldn't have a problem even if you don't heed that warning, but if you want to be safe, that would be the way to go about it. If you do end up having issues or your eyes start to feel fatigued, there is a slider on the 3DS that allows you to adjust the level of 3D that is shows, or to turn it off completely. At the highest brightness setting, and using the 3D at the max setting, it is estimated to get about 4 hours of life. If you think about it, that is a decent amount of time, and if you turn off the 3D or dim the brightness you can extend the battery life quite a bit longer. I am just used to the current generation of DS's where I can get close to 12 hours of my DS lite, so 4 hours seems short in comparison. If you are using the Wi-Fi, it can also drain the battery more and give you even less than 4 hours of play time. The titles that are available at launch are a definite bummer, but they have some massively awesome titles releasing in the first few months after release. The big two I am looking for that release before summer are the Resident Evil game and.... wait for it... Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time!!! Zelda is going to be given a graphical update, and there is going to be a little bit of extra content added. This game is considered by many to be the greatest game of all time, and is a must play if you never had the chance to try it on the N64. That title alone has convinced me to get it, but I am also confident in future releases on the system, including a Final Fantasy game that is supposed to come out before the end of the year. Take a look anywhere online, they have huuuuge list of games that are currently in development for the system. I would highly suggest going to try to 3DS out at your local Best Buy. I was skeptical of 3D without glasses, but even playing it for only 15min I was reassured that it works well and looks amazing. Nintendo has always ruled the handheld market, and will continue to rule with this kind of innovation.

Certain Best Buys have received a 3DS demo, so if you are as excited about this product as I am, I would highly suggest calling to see if your local Best Buy has it on display. At the BB I went to, they had Pilotwings Resort on trial. I'm not sure if different BB's have different games to try, but that is the title I got to try. It was amazing how the 3DS works. It doesn't pop out at you like every other 3D media I have experienced, it pops in if that makes any sense. Basically in this game, you have your guy on a glider in the foreground, and the environment is in the background and is 3D, but going away from you. It looks AMAZING. Graphics-wise, I would say it is similar to the Wii, and at the very least it is definitely better than the Gamecube. Since Pilotwings is basically a fleshed out version of one of the games on the Wii Sports Resort, it was fairly easy to compare the two games graphics, and they looked very, very similar. Each person is going to have a different "sweet spot" for themselves. Since the 3DS does not require 3D glasses like all other current 3D stuff, you do have to find the perfect distance for yourself away from the screen it get it to work. At first, I wasn't that impressed, it kind of looked 3D, but it was hard to recognize. The 3DS that is on display was bolted down, and at a low level, so I didn't end up finding my "sweet spot" until someone told me that I needed to. I'm sure finding this is going to be much easier and more natural for everyone once you actually get your own 3DS since it won't be bolted down; then you can move your arms and head rather than trying to move your whole body trying to find the "sweet spot". I'm sure everyone has heard the rumors that the 3DS can effect your vision. Let me just start by saying that the American Optometric Association has already come out and said that the 3DS is safe, as well as 3D in general. That said, I got to play it for about 15 minutes and felt completely fine. My eyes weren't sore, fatigued, or anything like that. It might not be that great in long periods of time, I can't really say for sure, but no video games are. I think in the front of every game you have ever purchased, there is a guide that says take a 10min break for every hour of gaming you do. You shouldn't have a problem even if you don't heed that warning, but if you want to be safe, that would be the way to go about it. If you do end up having issues or your eyes start to feel fatigued, there is a slider on the 3DS that allows you to adjust the level of 3D that is shows, or to turn it off completely. At the highest brightness setting, and using the 3D at the max setting, it is estimated to get about 4 hours of life. If you think about it, that is a decent amount of time, and if you turn off the 3D or dim the brightness you can extend the battery life quite a bit longer. I am just used to the current generation of DS's where I can get close to 12 hours of my DS lite, so 4 hours seems short in comparison. If you are using the Wi-Fi, it can also drain the battery more and give you even less than 4 hours of play time. The titles that are available at launch are a definite bummer, but they have some massively awesome titles releasing in the first few months after release. The big two I am looking for that release before summer are the Resident Evil game and.... wait for it... Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time!!! Zelda is going to be given a graphical update, and there is going to be a little bit of extra content added. This game is considered by many to be the greatest game of all time, and is a must play if you never had the chance to try it on the N64. That title alone has convinced me to get it, but I am also confident in future releases on the system, including a Final Fantasy game that is supposed to come out before the end of the year. Take a look anywhere online, they have huuuuge list of games that are currently in development for the system. I would highly suggest going to try to 3DS out at your local Best Buy. I was skeptical of 3D without glasses, but even playing it for only 15min I was reassured that it works well and looks amazing. Nintendo has always ruled the handheld market, and will continue to rule with this kind of innovation.

I am a 33 year old gamer and I am completely in awe of the 3D effects on my 3DS. I should also note that this is my first Nintendo handheld gaming system since the Gameboy Pocket. I somewhat disagree with a bunch of the high profile online launch title reviews (particularly Gamespot reviews) where reviewers/editors mention how the 3D effect does not really add much to game play (i.e.- discerning where to jump, judging distance, etc.) and that with most of the titles it's gimmicky. In my opinion the 3D in games makes for a much more immersible experience and blows away my senses and makes the games much more exciting than they would be in 2D. At launch I bought the following games: Street Fighter IV, Ridge Racer, Lego Star Wars (my favorite game on the 3DS so far IMHO, and has the most engaging use of 3D), and PES Soccer 2011. The 3D effects in all of these games is phenomenal! Please realize the 3D effects on the 3DS do not jump in your face like an Imax 3D movie, they simply just ad depth to images on the screen and make you feel more involved in the game. I am absolutely floored from the technology of the AR games (however limited it may be at launch 3 weeks in) and I see great potential for this technology in the future with gaming (obviously), marketing, advertising, learning, general entertainment, and more. The system comes with 6 cards (playing card size, you generally aim at one card at a time) that you place on any flat well lit surface (example - dining room table) and aim your 3DS at the objects (monsters, dragons, fish, etc.) that come out of the card(s). You then interact with the objects that come out of the card and depending upon which AR game you're playing, you use your 3DS controls (firing at the monsters and dragons with the A and B buttons, or for fishing you pull up on the 3DS to catch a fish) to interact with the object that is floating on top of your dining room table or whatever surface in your home you are playing on. I agree with a lot of reviewers that the battery life should be much longer but I believe this can be solved for the time being by using a higher capacity battery kit (with added bulk/room on the back door of the system - sold here at Best Buy - see my 'related products' for the battery which I believe is a must buy). The 3DS also comes with the following: a built-in 3D camera and a soon to be added 3D video camera (with a May system update), 2GB SDHC card for storage (already inside the 3DS), a couple decent built-in 3D games, an internet browser (coming with the May system update), Netflix movie watching (coming in May), a Nintendo virtual store to buy 3D versions of past popular handheld classics from Nintendo (also coming in May), and many other future updates. I look forward to Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D and the May system update. Way to go Nintendo for unleashing 3D gaming without the use of glasses to the masses!

For all you parents out there thinking about purchasing this, you have to know what exactly the 3DS is. This is a handheld gaming platform with built-in, glasses-free 3D. Things do not pop out at you but rather the 3D screen adds more depth to the field of gaming and it works really well. However if you are going to buy this just because it's 3D I would reconsider. Yes it's cool technology and yes it works but 3D is just a novelty and it will hurt your eyes after a while. Also playing with the 3D feature on is very straining on battery life (you can only play for about 3 hours max with 3D on, which I wouldn't recommend anyway because you will get a headache). What I'm trying to say is that if your kid wants a 3DS just because he wants to play games in 3D, save your money. 3D is a fad that will wear out by the time he/she is older. However if your child wants to play games with top-notch handheld visuals, intuitive controls, impressive online capabilities (ie StreetPass, online multiplayer, Netflix and more) and also have a handheld with very cool features, awesome built-in/free content, a great online store to purchase classic games as well as creative UGC (user-generated content) then this is for you. Nintendo is extremely family oriented, they have all the possible parental controls you can think of and more. They are the leaders when it comes to innovation and appealing to all ages so you or your child will have fun with this system and at $170 it's a great value. Just know what you're buying before you rush to get one for your child. Don't just take my word for it either, do some research of your own and develop an opinion then apply that to your child's personality to see if it fits. I would recommend you do this for every video game purchase you make for your child.

This is the first Nintendo system I have owned (I am over 30 and am usually a Sony gal), and I am loving the 3DS. I am a casual gamer and was drawn to the glasses-free 3D. The included games - the AR (augmented reality) card and Face Raiders - are great fun and showcase the 3D and gyro sensor. With handhelds, I do not expect amazing graphics (like the PS3), so I will say that the graphics are good for a handheld system. The 3DS is about the 3D. To view the 3D, you need to keep your system in a certain spot for prime 3D viewing, but so far, I have not had an issue with that. The purchased-separately games I have played are Steel Diver and Super Street Fighter IV; both have easy-to-learn controls for the 3DS. And the 3D viewing while gaming is fun. I have not experienced any eye strain, whether I am wearing my contacts or glasses. While I do not own a DS, the 3DS is backwards compatible with DS and DSi games, and backwards compatibility is always something I like. The only item that I have issue with is the battery life - it is very short for a handheld - right now mine seems to be about 3 1/2 hours. However, the manual includes instructions for how to replace the battery yourself, which is an unexpected pleasant surprise. Overall, the 3DS is a great handheld. I am looking forward to some additional games that will be released in the next few months (Resident Evil: Mercenaries). Very pleased with my purchase of the 3DS.