Nintendo 3DS



"We're raising the bar even higher."

""Everyone, this is Nintendo 3DS.""

- Satoru Iwata

Continuing down the path of technical innovation Nintendo first explored with the DS and the Wii, the Nintendo 3DS is a functional 3D handheld console. In many ways, the 3DS builds upon the base formula of its predecessors and improves them. Keeping all the features on the D Si, the 3DS takes the concept of the DS as a whole and adds another dimension to it.

Certainly, the most impressive addition to the handheld is the all-new widescreen top screen that enables 3D view without the use of special glasses. It does this by using a parallax barrier. 3D depth can be adjusted or disabled with a slider on the top screen. This now has relegated the two screens for, more or less, unique functions. The top screen serves as a main screen to show off the 3D capabilities, while the bottom screen is used for additional user input via touchscreen. The graphics are comparable to the Wii.

Control wise, the 3DS adds a motion sensor similar to that found on the Wii. This is predominantly used in games with a first person view to look around. An analog Circle Pad similar to that found on the PSP has been added as well. Other features include two outer cameras can take 3D pictures and a normal camera facing front. The 3DS comes with Augmented Reality capabilities for certain games and features. Wi-Fi has been upgraded to include WPA2, as well as WPA and WEP, which are compatible with DS games that support them. The Wi-Fi can also receive messages and notifications online while asleep, similar to the Wii. The Friend Code system remains, but is now universal rather than per game.

A list of third party developers who will developing games for the new platform was revealed at E3 2010, including big names such as Activision, Atlus, Capcom, Electronic Arts, Konami, Namco Bandai, Square Enix and Sega. Its online store, the Nintendo eShop, contains existing DSiWare games (with a few exceptions) and DSiWare games released after the 3DS are made available on the eShop as well as well as Virtual Console games, new 3D games, and 3D-enhanced versions of old games are available. Promised in the near future is a lot of 3D video content: Music videos, movie and video game trailers and eventually full 3D movies. The system can also run Netflix. The 3DS has about 3–5 hours of battery life for a 3DS game in 3D mode, and 5–8 hours for a DS game or a 3DS game in 2D mode with Wi-Fi turned on and power-saving mode turned off. Following in the precedent set by the DSi, the 3DS is region-locked for (most) DSi and 3DS games, severely impacting the viability of playing imports.

It launched with a fairly hefty price tag for a portable console--$250 in the United States, ￥25,000 in Japan, about £220 in the UK, and similar prices elsewhere. No previous iteration of the DS had launched for more than $200, and the Wii launched at the same price. The system generally did not sell out at release in most locations. However, Nintendo stated this was due to their learning from the Wii shortage and having produced a higher supply to satisfy initial demand. The first several months of the console's lifespan did not meet expectations sales-wise, widely attributed to the steep asking price and the poor launch line-up.

A price drop occurred worldwide on August 12, cutting about a third off the launch price; the US price dropped from $250 to $170, for example. Early adopters who had bought the system before this were given access to the 3DS Ambassador Programme, an initiative which allows free early access to 10 NES titles that Nintendo plans to make available for other 3DS owners as well as an additional 10 exclusive GBA titles that Nintendo currently does not plan to make available for other 3DS owners. Sales began to increase significantly after this, and by the end of November 2011 total hardware sales in the US had surpassed that of the original DS's first-year sales.

In September 2011, Nintendo announced the Circle Pad Pro (Slider Pad in Japan), an accessory which adds another slider pad (plus LZ and RZ, 2 additional shoulder triggers) to the device when attached. It launched in Japan in December 2011 along with Monster Hunter Tri G, the first title to officially support the accessory. It would later become available in the West in February 2012, aligning roughly with the launch of the second compatible title, Resident Evil: Revelations.

After a very costly loss caused partly by the initially low console sales, Nintendo announced, starting November 2011, a series of software and service revisions that would be introduced over the following months. This began with small Friend List update initially made available with all copies of Super Mario 3D Land, which would later be integrated into a large firmware patch which went live mid-December 2011, introducing new features such as 3D video recording/playback and automatic SpotPass software downloads. Also announced was a revamping of the eShop, which so far has introduced DLC and demo support, and will later add browser and mobile-based access to the eShop. Starting with New Super Mario Bros. 2, the eShop will also offer retail games for download. The current services will eventually be integrated fully into the Nintendo Network, expanding further to encompass features such as the Miiverse of the Wii U, allowing for cross-platform messaging.

Nintendo released several revisions of the 3DS throughout its life cycle, most notably the entry-level 2DS, which omits both the clamshell design and stereoscopic functionality (ostensibly as a precautionary measure for children's eyesight; vision experts dispute this and opined that the warnings were more for legal liability reasons than any realistic eye health risks), and a higher-end version simply called the New 3DS, which like the earlier DSi came with upgraded hardware, though like the DSi relatively few software actually took advantage of the upgraded specs apart from a few exclusives and homebrew software.

Its market competitor is the PlayStation Vita. The 3DS is succeeded by the Nintendo Switch, which merged both their home console and portable lines into one device.

Games for Nintendo 3DS

 * Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy
 * Angry Birds
 * Animal Crossing
 * Barbie And Her Sisters Puppy Rescue
 * Beyond the Labyrinth
 * BIT.TRIP Saga
 * BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II
 * Brain Age
 * Brave Company
 * Bravely Default
 * Bravely Second
 * Bust-A-Move Universe
 * Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate
 * Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion
 * Cave Story 3D
 * Chronoblade
 * Code of Princess
 * Colors! 3D
 * Culdcept
 * Dead or Alive Dimensions
 * Dillons Rolling Western
 * Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime 3
 * Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry's Wonderland
 * Dragon Marked For Death*
 * Dream Trigger 3D
 * Dynasty Warriors Vs.
 * Epic Mickey: The Power of Illusion
 * Etrian Odyssey IV
 * E.X. Troopers
 * Etrain Mystery Dungeon
 * Etrain Mystery Dungeon 2
 * Etrain Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan
 * Etrain Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth
 * Etrain Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl
 * 'Etrain Odyssey Untold: The Fafnir Knight
 * Face Raiders (built into the system)
 * Find Mii (built into the system)
 * Fire Emblem: Awakening
 *  Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
 * Fire Emblem Fates
 * Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright
 * Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest
 * Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation
 * Fire Emblem Warriors
 * Freakyforms: Your Creations, Alive!
 * Frogger 3D
 * Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars
 * HarmoKnight
 * Hakuoki: Shinsengumi Kitan
 * Hakuoki: Memories of the Shinsengumi
 * Harvest Moon: The Land's Origins
 * Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns
 * Hyrule Warriors Legends
 * Inazuma Eleven 4
 * Kid Icarus Uprising
 * King of Pirates
 * Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
 * Kirby Battle Royale
 * Kirby Fighters Deluxe
 * Kirby: Planet Robobot
 * Kirby: Triple Deluxe
 * Kirby's Blowout Blast
 * Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn
 * The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D
 * The Legend of Zelda original title.
 * Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
 * ''Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D
 * Luigi's Mansion 2: Dark Moon
 * Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
 * Mario Kart 7
 * Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
 * Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
 * Mario Tennis Open
 * Medabots 7
 * Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D
 * Mighty Switch Force
 * Monster Hunter
 * Monster Hunter Tri G
 * Monster Hunter 4
 * Mutant Mudds
 * Myst
 * Nano Assault
 * New Love Plus
 * New Super Mario Bros. 2
 * Nicktoons MLB
 * Ninja Gaiden 3DS
 * Nintendogs + Cats
 * One Piece: Unlimited Cruise SP
 * Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions
 * Paper Mario Sticker Star
 * Pilotwings Resort
 * Pokémon: Multiple titles confirmed at this point, though Black 2 and White 2 are still going to be for the original DS and DSi as with how other main installments of a generation share a system.
 * Pokémon Rumble Blast
 * Pokémon Picross
 * Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity
 * Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon
 * Pokémon Sun and Moon
 * Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
 * Pokémon X and Y
 * Professor Layton: In addition to the below, this will likely be the platform of the final installment of the prequel trilogy started by Professor Layton and the Last Specter on the original Nintendo DS.
 * Professor Layton and The Mask of Miracle
 * Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney
 * Project X Zone -- Strategy RPG Massive Multiplayer Crossover between Namco, Sega and Capcom
 * Pushmo (eShop, also known as Pullblox in Europe)
 * Radiant Historia
 * Rayman 3D
 * Rayman Origins
 * Resident Evil: Revelations
 * Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D
 * Ridge Racer 3D
 * Rodea the Sky Soldier
 * Rollercoaster Tycoon
 * Rune Factory 4
 * Runabout 3D Drive
 * Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword
 * Samurai Warriors Chronicles
 * Scribblenauts Unlimited
 * Senran Kagura
 * Shin Megami Tensei: Including some kind of Persona offering and an Updated Rerelease of Devil Survivor)
 * ShinMegamiTensei IV is confirmed for 3DS.
 * Shinobi
 * The Sims 3
 * Skylanders Spyros Adventure
 * Soul Hackers—fully voiced remake
 * Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Transformed
 * Sonic Generations
 * SpeedThru: Potzol's Puzzle
 * Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir
 * Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
 * SpongeBob SquigglePants
 * Star Fox 64 3D
 * Steel Diver
 * Summoner Wars
 * Super Mario 3D Land: A new mainline 3D Mario game developed by the Galaxy team and inspired by retro Mario games, with the logo and Tanooki Suit powerup in particular being inspired by Super Mario Bros. 3.
 * Super Monkey Ball
 * Super Robot Wars: A totally new game, details unknown.
 * Super Smash Bros.: Will connect to a version made for the Wii U.
 * Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition
 * Swap Note
 * Taiko Drum Master: The Mini-Dragon and the Mysterious Orb
 * Tales of the Abyss: An Updated Rerelease based on the PlayStation 2 version with updated graphics, including an added 3D effect.
 * Tekken 3D: Prime Edition: Similar to Tekken Hybrid for Play Station 3, it also comes with the movie Tekken: Blood Vengeance on the cartridge, making it technically the first full-length 3D movie to be sold for the console.
 * Tetris Axis
 * Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
 * Theatrhytm Final Fanasy: Curtain Call
 * VVVVVV
 * Zen Pinball
 * Zoo Keeper 3D
 * Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward

3D Classics

 * Excitebike (NES)
 * Kid Icarus (NES)
 * Kirby's Adventure (NES)
 * Twinbee (NES)
 * Urban Champion (NES)
 * Xevious (Arcade)

Nintendo 3DS Ambassador games

 * Super Mario Bros (NES)
 * Metroid (NES)
 * The Legend of Zelda (NES)
 * Zelda II the Adventure of Link (NES)
 * Ice Climber (NES)
 * Balloon Fight (NES)
 * Wrecking Crew (NES)
 * Yoshi (NES)
 * Donkey Kong Jr. (NES)
 * NES Open Tournament Golf (NES)
 * F-Zero: Maximum Velocity (GBA)
 * Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (GBA)
 * Kirby and The Amazing Mirror (GBA)
 * The Legend of Zelda the Minish Cap (GBA)
 * Mario Kart Super Circuit (GBA)
 * Mario vs. Donkey Kong (GBA)
 * Metroid Fusion (GBA)
 * Wario Land 4 (GBA)
 * Wario Ware, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! (GBA)
 * Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 (GBA)