Posted on: March 26th, 2010 [Bx4VG]: Nintendo 3DS Announced
For the week of March 21-27: Earlier this week Nintendo sent out a news release announcing a successor to the Nintendo DS. Tentatively called the Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo plans on revisiting their failed Virtual Boy roots by releasing another 3D portable system. Expected to ship in Japan before March 2011, Nintendo’s next-generation handheld will feature the ability to create 3D graphics without the need for glasses.
Yomiuri Shimbun reports “it is believed that the system will use a Sharp 3D LCD panel.” This display technology, according to the site, covers the screen with a small film, separated from the screen by a small space. The 3D effect is achieved by the slight differences in the image seen by the right and left eyes. (via andriasang.com)
Whenever I see new 3D tech announcement I think back to the post Giant Killer Squid’s Captain Ryan made about too many 3D movies. I believe I short sightly rebutted that it was only in a handful of kids movies, so why worry? That was about a year ago. Now, after the Consumer Electronics Expo and bajillion companies announcing new 3D TVs product lines, movie theaters being bombarded with an unnecessary 3D version of perfectly fine 2D movie (and over-charging the viewer because of it, but that’s another story) and now Nintendo’s announcement of the 3DS, I am officially sweating this shit.
Between TV, movies and games it feels like the industry is dragging the consumer kicking and screaming into 3D and it comes off as though it is purely motivated by money and nothing to do with improving the end product. Games have a higher chance of innovation and new genres popping up because of it, but it’ll take something pretty special to get myself and a lot of other people to make the switch.
How about you? Excited about the announcement? Skeptical? Have it out in the comments below.
Until next week.
Dale can also be found over at www.8bitcyclops.com, looking at design, photography and old video game magazines.