Nintendo 3DS user reviews

craigganmore 29 October 2011

Good: 3D improves the look of the simplistic graphics.

Bad: Slow processor, cheap accelerometer.

Comment: The processor is used well and 3D elements makes the graphics appear even better. It really gives a sense of scale that is only matched by a bigger screen and much higher resolution. This is the main benefit of 3D - you do not get a true 3-dimensional view of the gamescape as has been claimed in some quarters but it's still worth having.
The accelerometer is far too sensitive and also imprecise. One minute you're facing one way, the next it throws you round into facing the opposite way. The accelerometers on most smart phones are better and it is unforgiveable that Nintendo have sold their customer so short when it can do so much to define the gameplay. For games like Legend of Zelda you find yourself out of control and this means tasks become unnecessarily difficult. The limits of the processor can also be found out by it's short draw distance and the simplistic pallette on every game available for it.
Well overpriced at release it's current price of £129.99 is still asking a lot for something that doesn't improve on the DSi to any great extent. If you already own a DSI you won't notice any improvement over time from the 3DS in terms of hardware although the leaning towards releases for the 3DS instead of the DSi means you may miss out on the software. But this may be a mute point with the general trend for developers to be concentrating on Google Apps and Apple Apps for mobile gaming.
In summary I'm disappointed with my purchase and think that other platforms perform the role better.

complexmushroom 6 September 2011

Good: 3D makes games easier to play due to realistic depth perception

Bad: Battery life is short, about 2 to 3 hours

Comment: The 3D screen is very interesting. If you slide the 3D all the way off it's like playing on a small screen and difficult to play, when you turn the 3D all the way up, the screen seems to increase in size, and makes things much, much easier to see.

Omar Hanif 19 August 2011

Good: 3D features, selection of games coupled with high end graphics, user friendly.

Bad: Eye strains due to screen, lack of build quality.

Comment: The DS 3D offers a wide range of features which makes the user interface more enjoyable. The touchscreen offer good hactic feedback and renders motion very well. NOW 3D to me has seemed to be a gimmicky ploy however, with the DS 3D

Omar Hanif 19 August 2011

Good: 3D features, selection of games coupled with high end graphics, user friendly.

Bad: Eye strains due to screen, lack of build quality.

Comment: The DS 3D offers a wide range of features which makes the user interface more enjoyable. The touchscreen offer good hactic feedback and renders motion very well. NOW 3D to me has seemed to be a gimmicky ploy however, with the DS 3D

Callum Nairne 4 August 2011

Good: 3D Upcoming Games Gyroscope Design Streetpass/Spotpass 3D Camera etc...

Bad: Battery Life + Microsoft + Sony Fanboys who can't face their compaines are going to get pwned by this.

Comment: I love the 3DS. Plus because i got it on launch day i get 20 free games starting september 1st. Yeah!

Jack James Lostthegame 22 May 2011

Good: The completeness of the 3D effect, 3D photos, preloaded apps, SD compatibility,

Bad: Poor battery, poor launch titles, high price

Comment: Best piece of gaming hardware I've ever seen. Anyone complaining of eye strain and headaches is doing it wrong, theres absolutely no abnormal reason for the console to induce these effects- in fact, it should be even less likely to do so than a normal screen, since your eyes are actually focusing at different focal points, rather than the same one all the time.

Poor battery IS solved by turning down the brightness- the parallax barrier actually prevents half the light from getting through, so Nintendo compensated by giving the backight double power. Cut the brightness down a few notches and you can squeeze a few more hours of life out of it.

Jessie Tevendale 14 May 2011

Good: everything

Bad: price

Comment: love it i got myn today

screamingegg 10 April 2011

Comment: Did Luke Westaway do the motion capture for the original Resident Evil games?

James00000001 5 April 2011

Good: It's got a tone of Nintendo features which the DSi was missing, The graphics are much better than before

Bad: The camera is rely bad :-(

Comment: I think the main reason I like it is because I a gadget person and the 3DS tops the charts of the "I want" list. I Have been a big fan of Nintendo and like almost every one of their products (The DSi looked much better than it was). Overall I think its got a lot of potential especial with all the cool features that come packed in with the console (AR cards) but the camera quality is kind of annoying

John Sutherland 31 March 2011

Good: keeps Nintendo, a real games company, at the front

Bad: it will have significant physical side-effects on the player

Comment: I worked in virtual reality research for many years, also in Japan, and saw all the technologies Nintendo and other games companies, are now using. Simulated stereoscopic 3D has erratic effects on users, which include nausea (the 'barf zone') and headaches after 30 minutes+ play. Plus around 10% of the population don't need this as they don't see in stereo 3D naturally.

The SNES Virtuality headset in the 1990's needed an IPD (inter-pupilary distance) roller switch to allow for the fact that generated two-eye displays need to allow for the distance between the viewer's eyes being different, or the stereo effect causes more serious headaches and nausea.

I predict someone will sue soon ...