Okay Geek Farm
Nintendo 3DS info blowout - Battery life, New Features, and Games
Ricardo Trejo
While most of the tech world has been keeping their attention fixed toward Las Vegas, NV and the annual Consumer Electronics Show, Nintendo has been hosting an event of their own back in Chiba, Japan — Nintendo World 2011. And it’s quite a big deal since it’s the first time the 3DS, Nintendo’s latest handheld device that sports 3D visuals without the need for 3D glasses, is being showcased to the public.
Up until now, the latest addition to the DS hardware line has only been accessible behind closed doors and at industry events, which has undoubtedly been making consumers at home rather antsy and frustrated, wondering whether or not this is something they’re actually interested in or not. But this has become a trend of sorts in the past couple of years if you think about it; first was the Wii, followed by the Playstation Move and Xbox Kinect, and now making its way full circle again with the 3DS. This new onslaught of gaming devices that require hands-on treatment to get the full effect is quite the gamechanger, consdering that Nintendo’s newest handheld is only a month away from release in Japan, and this is barely the first time the public has been able to give their own impressions of the glasses-free 3D technology.
Nintendo World 2011 is hoping to shed some light on a couple concerns and questions people, not only those in Japan have been asking, but interested party’s are all over the world.
The Specs
- 8.1 ounces (including stylus, battery, and SD card)
- Horizontal 5.3 inches X 2.9 inches X 0.83 inches thick (when closed)
- 2.4GHz (802.11b/g) WiFi connectivity
- 3-axis accelerometer and 3-axis gyroscope
- 3.5 inch (top display) w/ 800 x 320 resolution, 3.0 inch (bottom display) w/ 320 x 240 resolution
- (1) 2D front-facing 0.3MP camera, (2) 3D rear-facing 0.3MP cameras
- SD card reader
- 3- 5 hour battery life while running 3DS title, and 5 - 8 hours while running DS games. Battery life will be dependent on use of 3D slider, as well as adjusted brightness.
What’s in the box
Nintendo 3DS hardware, 3DS charger stand, AC adapter, Nintendo 3DS dedicated stylus, SD Memory Card (2 GB), 6 AR (Augmented Reality) cards that project the appearance of outware play outside the camera using compatible software, Quick Start Guide and Instruction Manual
Features
- Backwards Compatible w/ all DS and DSi games - (DSi-Ware games can be transferred using SD card)
- SpotPass - Allows the 3DS device to constantly update itself whenever in range of WiFi
- StreetPass - Users can interact with other 3DS, sharing information without it needing to be opened
- Mii Studio - Create your own Mii’s similar in style as those seen on the Wii
- Internet Browser - Surf the internet with a built-in web browser
- Download Service - Updates, Virtual Console for Gameboy library and Ware titles
- Face Shooting - an augmented reality game using the 3D rear-facing camera’s
- PictoChat - multiple chatrooms for 3DS’ in close proximity to each other
Games and Software
Ocarina of Time, Starfox, Resident Evil, Pilot Wings, Professor Layton, Nintendogs, Kingdom Hearts, Street Fighter; to say that the 3DS’ software lineup is full of surefire hits is an understatement.
Price and Release Date
- Final price: ¥25,000 yen
- Release date: February 26th in Japan
Still no word on a North American price or final release date (sometime in March), but as it’s been massively publicized, 25,000 yen translates to roughly $300 US dollars — that’s a lot of quacamole for a handheld device, regardless of features. An event is to be held in the US and Europe on January 19th, in which it is expected that Nintendo will divulge the system’s final price tag and release date.
