Nintendo 3DS Announced

On Serebii.net, kotaku, and the official Japanese website have released info about Nintendos new DS, the 3DS.
http://kotaku.com/5499697/nintendo-announces-new-hardware-the-nintendo-3ds
http://www.serebii.net/index2.shtml
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2010/100323e.pdfIt supports DS & DSiWare games, and that means it will have features similar to the DSi, except 3D effects, motion sensor, accelerometer(?), AND MORE. Maybe it is sort of like a mini 3D Wii that is used with 3D crap and 'highly detailed graphics'. 3D graphics w/out the glasses, WOW.

At E3, Nintendo will be introducing new hardware, the Nintendo 3DS.In an official release, Nintendo describes the portable as allowing games to be "enjoyed with 3D effects without the need for any special glasses". It is not yet known how the 3D effects will work, but it is possible that it could work like this Japan-only DSiWare game.According to Nintendo, the product will go on sale between April 2010 and March 2011.The Nintendo 3DS will succeeded the Nintendo DS series and will have backward compatibility for Nintendo DS and DSi games. It is important to stress that the Nintendo 3DS is a new hardware series.In early January, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata gave an interview with Japan's second largest newspaper The Asahi Shimbun in which he apparently said the Nintendo DS successor will have "highly detailed graphics, and it will be necessary to have a sensor with the ability to read the movements of people playing".Nintendo of America later told Kotaku that the Asahi Shimbun had "misinterpreted" Iwata's remarks. "Mr. Iwata did not make any comments regarding the functions of Nintendo's future hardware systems," Charlie Scibetta, Nintendo of America's senior director of corporate communications told Kotaku. "The answer to the reporter's question was misinterpreted."The Asahi Shimbun stands by its reporting and issued a statement to Kotaku Japan that read: "The article quoted Nintendo President Satoru Iwata's comment accurately." The actual quote in the article is a fragment of a longer sentence.At a Nintendo quarterly Q&A, the exec addressed the issue with the Asahi Shimbun, asserting that the reporter stated, "The graphics for the next DS will be highly detailed and it will contain a motion sensor, right?" Iwata claims he then replied, "Those things are naturally being required. But do you think it would sell with just that?" Iwata emphasized that this last part was left completely out.It appears that the extra element Nintendo believed was necessary to really sell the DS successor is 3D.Regarding 3D, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has previously stated that Nintendo would need to look into the "possible health effects" of playing video games in 3D for prolonged periods of time.Here is a handy summary of what we know about the Nintendo 3DS (and what we think we know).

Overnight, Nintendo made the surprising decision to reveal a new piece of hardware months outside of E3. Well, "reveal" might be too strong a word. "Barely mention" might be more appropriate, leaving us to fill in the gaps ourselves.With curiosity being a driving human instinct, and Nintendo doing little to satisfy our need for answers with the briefest of press releases, we have to read between the lines to try and find out more about Nintendo's latest piece of portable hardware. So...let the line-reading commence!What We Definitely Know
Here's the stuff that's explicitly stated in the press release.- That a new handheld, called the Nintendo 3DS, will be released sometime during Nintendo's next financial year (Apr 2010 - March 2011).- It will be capable of producing 3D graphics, without the need for 3D glasses.- The 3DS will be backwards compatible with the entire line of Nintendo DS products.- It will be properly revealed during the E3 trade show in Los Angeles, which will take place in June.What We Think We Know
There are a few more details we can glean from the information above. This isn't confirmed, just stuff we suspect based on supporting evidence.- The 3DS will feature 2 cameras (If it includes support for DSi software, it'll have to)- It's an all-new line of hardware, not simply a new model of the DS. Despite having the letters "DS" in the name, it's a working title, and the use of terms like "backwards compatible" and the fact it's succeeding the "Nintendo DS series" sounds a lot like this is the first of Nintendo's next generation of handheld gaming devices.- It'll use those cameras to track the movement of the handheld and/or the player. That movement will then be used to display the 3D effects, similar to the way recent DSi title 3D Hidden Picture handles things. In support of this, in an interview with a Japanese newspaper earlier this year, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said in relation to the company's next handheld "it will be necessary to have a sensor with the ability to read the movements of people playing".And that's it! No further info, no pictures. We'll probably have to wait until E3 to learn more, but we'll update this post if we hear anything else.

Makes me glad I didn't get suckered into buying dsi XL/LLSadly I did get suckered into dsi.. but seriously.. there we're alot of clues and rumors, but most people I told would be like, NOOO they can't possibly do that because of dsi! well.. they did it with gameboy micro and they did it again with dsi..

Okay, another DS system so soon after the DSi, probably a bad business move considering how many people went off to buy a DSi as soon as they were released. All things considered though, I have yet to buy a DS since I got my DS phat back in 2004. This will be very interesting over all though, and I may consider a purchase if it really feels worth my time. The only problem I can see is: With all the features this is supposed to have, how are they going to keep it from not being the incredible hulk of handhelds?Also, since each game for this is bound take advantage of the 3D technology, will they still produce regular DS games, or will those start slowly becoming obsolete? I understand the DS has been out for nearly 6 years now, and that is a fairly long length of time for a system. Is it already getting close to the time where the DS will be considered last generation?Although the 3DS is a very interesting concept, it almost seems like it is going to mark the beginning of the end for anything before the DSi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_P4gyjf5tQ <-vid

Replying to #4

That is nothing but a video of what a 3DS game could possibly look like. It may or may not be anywhere near what games will actually look and play like on the 3DS.

LuckyTrouble77 · #3Okay, another DS system so soon after the DSi, probably a bad business move considering how many people went off to buy a DSi as soon as they were released. All things considered though, I have yet to buy a DS since I got my DS phat back in 2004. This will be very interesting over all though, and I may consider a purchase if it really feels worth my time. The only problem I can see is: With all the features this is supposed to have, how are they going to keep it from not being the incredible hulk of handhelds?Also, since each game for this is bound take advantage of the 3D technology, will they still produce regular DS games, or will those start slowly becoming obsolete? I understand the DS has been out for nearly 6 years now, and that is a fairly long length of time for a system. Is it already getting close to the time where the DS will be considered last generation?Although the 3DS is a very interesting concept, it almost seems like it is going to mark the beginning of the end for anything before the DSi.

This is the problem with portable handheld consoles released by Nintendo. Unlike the PS2, Nintendo has been creating a various amounts of consoles featuring the Game Boy series then the DS series and evolving them at a dramatic state.
Game Boy series:
Game Boy-1989
Game Boy Pocket- 1996
Game Boy Color- 1998
Game Boy Advance- 2001
Game Boy SP-2003
DS series:
DS-2004
DS lite- 2006
DSi-2009Seriously, the longest period they haven't created a new handheld video game console was for 7 years.
Unlike the PS series, the problem is that every few years it will get outdated, making you buy a new one.

Replying to #6

You forgot Gameboy Light. On topic : Another DS....??

Replying to #7

Game Boy Light was only released in Japan.

Stanley Richards · #7You forgot Gameboy Light. On topic : Another DS....??

Another DS, yes. The only thing is, DS only stand for Dual Screen. In the end, as long as it has two screens on it, Nintendo can tack on DS to it. Honestly though, this thing is going to stray so far off from the original DS, it will be impossible to group them in the same place. The only thing that will keep normal DS games alive is the fact that the 3DS will supposedly be able to play DS and DSi games. In the end though, Nintendo is going to stop wanting regular DS games, and is going to start wanting games that utilize the new technology in some way with every game. This will also render DSi flash carts useless. If the 3DS is to have all this new technology, everybody on here who has a flash cart is more than likely going to have to get a new one if they decide to get a 3DS.I swear, Nintendo only does this to get back at pirates. They become aware that there are flash carts that completely crack all anti-piracy attempts, and a year later a new system is already being pushed out. Including the fact that they included DSi features in roms for seemingly no reason other then the fact that only a handful of flash carts could play them properly. It just feels like Nintendo is only taking this next step so soon because they are tired of getting shafted money wise. Kind of like how the PSP constantly updates its firmware to combat custom firmwares, and some PSP games can only be played with the newest official firmware. With the way Nintendo does things though, their little Nintendo PSP (DSi as it is called) failed miserably since most people didn't see a need to run off and buy yet another Nintendo system when their current one still worked like new.Basically, this system will either crash and fail or sore and thrive. There isn't really a chance for a middle ground.

It's probably going to be like the DSi, then they'll start making 3DS only roms, encouraging people to buy their product.

klaimore · #6Unlike the PS series, the problem is that every few years it will get outdated, making you buy a new one.

Is anyone forcing you to buy one? No. So deal with it. If you dont like having to go out and buy new systems, thendont buy them.

Replying to #11

I'm saying what Nintendo is doing, not my point of view.

klaimore · #10It's probably going to be like the DSi, then they'll start making 3DS only roms, encouraging people to buy their product.

Considering that the 3DS is an entirely new handheld, no shit. Also 3DS only carts.Also you forgot the Color Gameboy (Nintendo rereleased the original GB but instead of the grey casing they used different colors. And you forgot the Gameboy Micro (which came out a year after the DS).Nintendo releases a new version of the DS, people buy it, people whine. Why buy it? Why not just get a cheaper version or keep your old version. There wasn't much added on the DSi in the first place, spec wise and software wise. Buying consoles/handhelds right away isn't the greatest idea since you don't know what you got yourself into considering software and all that stuff.At least they decided to announce the 3DS before the launch of the DSXL, considering that people would be even more pissed off that they bought a new version of the DS when Nintendo just announces that the successor comes out a year later.Ps this is a byproduct of me being a bitch lately

Replying to #13

Your back to your old self that means :)[me=hYpNoS]read the small txt[/me]I'm skipping the dsiXL in my collection, like the gba micro...seriously they tried to make it smaller...now BIGGER???WTF-next they'll promote the biggest hand held system made :P

Natewlie · #13Ps this is a byproduct of me being a bitch lately

Who wouldn't be? it's normal since nintendo is just screwing around with it's buyers.Gameboy Micro
Gamecube Modem
E reader
we're just somethings I regret buying.

E Reader was only good for Japan, since they had the most dotcodes. Why would you get a GameCube modem? I like the Gameboy Micro though, it could easily fit in my pocket. It was shadowed by the release of the DS though. I DONT REGRET BUYING THE DSI. I got it for two dollars! DSi XL is... meh... Same thing but bigger. It looks like the res will be screwed up, ad my tiny hands can't hold it. I also don't like the colors. Bronze is... okay, but Burgundy looks like crap.I want the 3DS anyways. If the 3DS does stop pirating, who cares? We will actually be supporting the video game community by buying their games. And anyways, not one thing out of Nintendo has not been hacked or modded.

No matter how many systems they come out with, my opinion of them will not change. I do NOT like them now. To many stupid games. :'(

Natewlie · #13Nintendo releases a new version of the DS, people buy it, people whine. Why buy it? Why not just get a cheaper version or keep your old version. There wasn't much added on the DSi in the first place, spec wise and software wise.

seriously, i think the only reason that nintendo made the dsi is to cover up the ds lite's hinge issues. they lied about that being a small issue. a tiny crack can ruin the ds lite's lcd and later, its overall performance. it was a great failure on part of durability. i think it's stupid to upgrade your ds for crappy cameras, but for durability i guess is ok.

mikeac · #16I want the 3DS anyways. If the 3DS does stop pirating, who cares? We will actually be supporting the video game community by buying their games. And anyways, not one thing out of Nintendo has not been hacked or modded.

i'm a big fan of nintendo's handheld consoles, so i guess i'll be getting one too. it's backwards compatible with ds so i hope it's worth the money. i still keep my gba cause it's backwards compatible to all gameboy series. i just hope 3ds wouldn't be more than $200 lol. and about the roms... hackers will always find ways lol, i do hope it wouldn't be on iso format. but i'm kinda worried about all these news, the new features and the early announcements from nintendo. i hope fans wouldn't overanticipate 3ds, i still believe this entirely new handheld is a big surprise, not a frustration.

If it is going to be backwards compatible with earlier DS models, I highly doubt it will use an ISO format.

I hope they'll continue making regular ds games after this...