Nintendo 3DS Message Board older than one year ago

#japan On December 2, 2004, the Nintendo DS went on sale in Japan. The 3DS went on sale in February 26. The consoles are different, but in many ways, similar. So which one did better out of the gate? More »

We know that Nintendo is planning "3D Classics" for the 3DS eShop -- retro games with 3D effects added. We also know that unaltered retro games will be available in the Virtual Console, and that DSiWare will be available as well when the service is launched in May.

But what about downloadable 3DS games -- a "3DSWare" equivalent to the DSi's DSiWare? We may be waiting a while for that. Charlie Scibetta, Nintendo's senior director of corporate communications, told Joystiq that not only was Nintendo not ready to announce any downloadable 3DS games, there isn't even a name for that service at the moment.

"We have Virtual Console games," Scibetta said. "Anything that's rendered in 3D, converted into 3D, is called 3D Classics, but we don't have any other terminology yet." He assured Joystiq that downloadable games would be made available "under the eShop banner." That the terminology is still up in the air suggests that this part of the plan has yet to be finalized -- or just that Nintendo isn't ready to talk about the finalized plan.

The good news is that you'll have access to a lot of DSiWare when the eShop launches. Of the existing DSiWare lineup, "pretty much the whole thing" will be available right at launch. "There might be a few exceptions, but the majority of the games will come over." A few games are being left off the 3DS's eShop for undisclosed reasons.

Scibetta also offered a bit of clarification about the limits on the DSiWare software transfer feature, also coming as part of that late-May update. "It's not the number of transferred games -- it would be the same game, the number of times you could transfer it from device to device," Scibetta said. "So if you build up a large category of DSiWare games, you won't be penalized. Just how many times you can move that same group of games, there'll be a limit on."

Most 3DS games will give players the option to use the system's slider to adjust the depth of the display. Not Cubic Ninja. AQ Interactive's puzzle-platformer will not support a 3D display of any depth.

A representative confirmed to us that there is "no stereoscopic 3D in [the] main game" because of Cubic Ninja's heavy reliance on another feature of the 3DS: the gyroscope. A report on Japanese site Inside Games notes that it would be difficult to read text in 3D if you were moving the 3DS around.

Because the integrity of the handheld's 3D effect is reliant on viewing the screen from a fixed, dead-on position, it will be interesting to see if others developers, also keen on gyroscopic gameplay, might "turn off" the 3DS's big novelty.

D3 Publisher's lineup of games for GDC included a 3DS title still in development, which means we got to see our first 3DS debug unit today. We hastily snapped some pictures (with D3's permission!) so we could share this rare find with you all. We'll talk more about the game itself, along with more from D3, in a couple of days.

The system, used to play pre-release code, resembles the retail 3DS, but has what appears to be a more "plasticky" exterior finish, and red accents around the cartridge slot (where the normal 3DS is silver).

#nintendo For nearly a week, I've been playing with the 3DS. And during that time, I've asked one question over and over again: How's the battery? More »

Mark Rein is getting a little tired of "the 3DS question" but, alas, my journalistic instincts demanded I ask him once again. With the launch of Nintendo's handheld right around the corner, it seemed like a prudent inquiry.

"Why do people keep asking about the platforms we don't love?" he asked me in an interview room at the back of Epic's booth on the GDC show floor. "Nothing's changed," he added, "There's only so much time in the day; our engine requires a certain level of hardware capabilities to make our pipeline, our tools work -- and we work on the ones that do. The second Nintendo releases a piece of hardware that can run our engine well, we'll be on it like water on fish."

For Rein, it's not a beef with Nintendo -- he's actually fond of The House Mario Built and has multiple handhelds and Wiis in his home. "There's nothing against Nintendo. I hate that people somehow think that's the case," he said. "If we felt it could run [Unreal Engine] and deliver the kind of experience people license our technology to build, we'd be on [the 3DS]." Well then, guess we won't ask Santa for that 3D version of Infinity Blade we've been dreaming of.

Update: And it's over - head on past the break to relive the excitement.

8:12AM PST: We're currently in line for Satoru Iwata's GDC 2011 keynote. We'll fill you in on all the megatons, scoops, megascoops, scoopatons and scegapoops as they come in. Which should be in about 45. Join us after the break and follow along at home!

Original: Nintendo prez Satoru Iwata is back, delivering the GDC keynote just like he did in 2006 and 2009. This title of this year's talk is "Video Games Turn 25: A Historical Perspective and Vision for the Future." With a title like that, you can bet Iwata's going to be talking up Nintendo's illustrious 25-year history, but also making some prognostications for the future. Glasses-free 3D anyone?

Stop back to this post later today for all the news, straight out of GDC.

#gdc Revealed today during Nintendo's GDC 2011 keynote speech, the North American 3DS is the latest in a long line of handheld devices capable of tapping into Netflix's streaming video service. More »

#gdc Also revealed today during the Nintendo GDC 2011 keynote, the eStore for the North American 3DS is getting a service that streams 3D movie trailers to the handheld, along with video game trailers, screenshots, and website links for the hottest 3DS games. More »

In addition to select, hand-picked Game Boy and Game Boy Color classics, the 3DS's Virtual Console will also play host to titles from two slightly surprising sources: The Sega Game Gear and TurboGraphx-16 handhelds. No specific entries from the two devices were named during Reggie Fils-Aime's presentation at Nintendo's GDC keynote today -- though we've got our fingers crossed for the speedy arrival of Sonic Chaos.

Fils-Aime also confirmed the late May arrival of the Virtual Console via a system update, which wiill also introduce a handful of the device's other online features, including: DSiWare (and the ability to transfer DSiWare games from a DSi or DSi XL), the web browser and eShop. It's likely to be the same update that will add Netflix and some 3D video features, too.

There's no doubt that watching 3D movie trailers on your 3DS is going to make you look like some sort of future spaceman. But what good is it if you can only show off on your own Wi-Fi network?

Nintendo has heard your pleas, and will allow 3DS users free access to over 10,000 AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots by late May, Reggie Fils-Amie announced today during the company's GDC keynote.

Why yes, Starbucks patron, that is a 3D trailer for Must Love Dogs. Thanks so much for noticing.3DS to have access to over 10,000 AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots by late May

8:12AM PST: We're currently in line for Satoru Iwata's GDC 2011 keynote. We'll fill you in on all the megatons, scoops, megascoops, scoopatons and scegapoops as they come in. Which should be in about 45. Join us after the break and follow along at home!

Original: Nintendo prez Satoru Iwata is back, delivering the GDC keynote just like he did in 2006 and 2009. This title of this year's talk is "Video Games Turn 25: A Historical Perspective and Vision for the Future." With a title like that, you can bet Iwata's going to be talking up Nintendo's illustrious 25-year history, but also making some prognostications for the future. Glasses-free 3D anyone?

Stop back to this post later today for all the news, straight out of GDC. Here, we made a handy time chart for you!

07:00AM - Hawaii
09:00AM - Pacific
10:00AM - Mountain
11:00AM - Central
12:00PM - Eastern
05:00PM - London
06:00PM - Paris
08:00PM - Moscow
01:00AM - Perth
01:00AM - Shenzhen
02:00AM - Tokyo
04:00AM - Sydney (January 20th)

#gdc The digital store for Nintendo's upcoming 3DS will include not only Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, but also Sega Game Gear ad Turbografx titles. More »

Speaking at Nintendo's GDC 2011 keynote, company president Reggie Fils-Aime announced that the 3DS will eventually feature the ability to record live video in 3D, a feature previously hinted at by Iwata.

The feature will be added in an future update. Fils-Aime didn't reveal any details or release date, though he noted that Nintendo is "enthused" about the feature.

#gdc The Nintendo 3DS will rely on Wi-Fi connectivity to deliver free downloadable game content and demos, and AT&T will provide more than 10,000 Wi-Fi hotspots for just that purpose this summer. More »

Why should the 3DS' futuristic screen be relegated to games only? Nintendo has announced two media services for the upcoming handheld. First, Netflix is coming to the 3DS, allowing you to watch a movie on the go ... and then finish watching at home using your Wii.

In addition, Nintendo will offer a "short-form video service," which will offer "curated" content, such as comedy shorts and music videos.

Nintendo President Satoru Iwata kicks off the Game Developers Conference this morning with a keynote about the past and future of gaming. We'll be living blogging it, starting in about an hour. More »

#3ds Let's face it. The 3DS launch line-up is so-so. But more than dark horse Steel Diver or the Japan-only Professor Layton title, there is one 3DS title you should get. This is that game. More »

#review Nintendo really screwed up when it named its new portable the 3DS. A better moniker would have the Nintendo Super DS, because thanks to its on board software, that's exactly what it is. The Nintendo 3DS hardware is only one part of the equation. It's a big, important part. But players also interact with Nintendo's handheld through its onboard software. More »

#video Nintendo hasn't only just released a stylish piece of hardware, the Kyoto-based games maker has just launched a piece of hardware powered by elegant software. If only other Japanese companies could follow suit. More »

#culturesmash The 3DS's "StreetPass" function allows players to automatically trade Mii Avatars with whomever they pass on the street. But the streets are dangerous, and some 3DS owners are bound to be total dicks. More »