Nintendo 3DS review

Nintendo 3DS

On the top, the 3DS has a darker metallic sheen with a glossy finish that's pretty eye-catching. A brighter color palette decorates the lower half of the 3DS, with a subtle change to the bottom scheme. Overall, the design looks very sleek, although if you hate getting tons of fingerprints on your gaming systems, the 3DS is definitely going to need a wiping cloth.
Where previous DS devices had all of the buttons stashed on the corners and right side of the bottom half, the 3DS boasts an entirely new layout. Having the Select, Home, and Start buttons at the bottom of the 3DS touch-screen is kind of weird, but actually pressing them requires a deliberate amount of force. By far, one of the biggest improvements with the 3DS is the sound system. Appropriately, the Nintendo 3DS boasts graphics that are better than other DS models. Elements in a game's heads-up display like the health bars in Street Fighter IV seem to float right up against the screen, and there's a distinct depth to the overall action. Without the 3D effects altogether, the graphics still look great, but don't expect the same sharpness on old DS games. Pixel-heavy ones like Pokemon Black and White look almost fuzzy on a 3DS, while games with 3D artwork like Final Fantasy IV don't look any worse for wear.
While the hardware is great and the visuals can be fetching, the 3DS has a huge problem in terms of energy usage. If you turn off the Wi-Fi switch, you'll get a couple more hours of power at best, but it's still a notable hindrance for a portable gaming system. With the way the 3DS is designed, you'll have to choose between long gaming sessions or being able to use wireless features like StreetPass and SpotPass Mode. If the background wireless is constantly "on," you'll run a bigger risk of running out of power at a bad time.
By contrast, the DS Lite, DSi, and DSi XL can remain on standby for days at a time.
Strangely, this makes the 3DS impractical for long flights, car trips, and, well, anything that takes longer than a handful of hours. A smaller problem is the 3DS screen itself with the 3D effects on, you have to hold it at just the right angle and distance, even when you're standing perfectly still. Again, this makes the 3DS impractical for traveling. Make no mistake, the Nintendo 3DS has the potential to be a game-changer in a market that's tilted towards one-dollar mobile games, but the issues that come with the technology keep it from matching the hype it's generated. 


View Demo Nitendo 3DS


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