Now that the 3DS is out, and I've seen it for myself. (Though I haven't seen most of what it has to offer yet, I'll be seeing that this Friday when my friend brings over hers with SSFIV.) I thought we would talk about those who are skeptical about the 3DS... our fellow Nintendo fans that seem to cry out, 'It's just a gimmick!' and don't feel the same way most of us do about the system.

It seems like the 3DS is facing the same problems the Wii and DS had during their launches. Both the DS and Wii were called gimmicks, but yet they both held up and are two of the highest selling consoles/handhelds of all time... yet... people seem to not remember that.

I was watching T.V. with my friend the other day, the launch day of the 3DS, and a commercial for it came on. I started talking about the capabilities of the system and my excitement for it... and for some reason, he became hostile... angry... and I have no idea why, because he's a huge Nintendo fan like I am...

What is it with this hostility towards the 3DS?

Is it the price? The time of launch?

I'm not sure if you guys have met anyone who has this unwarranted hatred towards the system, but I've seen at least two cases, and I've seen a few on the gamespot forums, but those are usually self-explanatory.... though there are still some from Nintendo fans.

People have been calling Nintendo's angles mere gimmicks for awhile, and that perception doesn't look to be changing anytime soon. No matter what happens though, it's already picked up a huge lineup of promising-looking titles (first and third-party) that will be releasing in the coming years. In the end it always comes down to the game library that one is offering. I don't think Nintendo will ever have a problem with that regarding the 3DS.

My disinterest is purely a result of the launch line-up. I think the system itself is fine.

Probably because it still has a 'DS' in the title. Average person probably thinks that it's just another DS iteration, w/o knowing how much more the system offers in terms of power and features (edit: aside from the 3d aspect of course). And probably mad because they've bought every DS upgrade to date and this is the straw that broke the Yoshi's back.

Gimmicks can be fun, and the ones Nintendo comes up with usually are.

I think people's problem with the 3DS is the launch lineup, and that's justifiable. It's passable, but not as good as, say, the GBA lineup (I bought at least four titles at launch). Give the game library some time to fill out, and that will improve when the eStore launches.

In some ways I think 3D is kind of gimmicky, in the sense that I don't really see it leading to much new gameplay. It'll help for judging distances and there will be some AR stuff, but I don't know that it will really change how we play as much as DS and Wii did.

But man, it's a neat gimmick. Much like it is tough for me to play with normal controllers since the Wii remote, I think it's going to be tough playing boring FLAT games now. Flying around in Pilotwings especially astounds me. I'm feeling something akin (if not as dramatic) to the feeling I got when I first moved Mario around in 3D in Super Mario 64. An almost playground-like feeling of the pure joy of movement.

Plus 3DS has other stuff built in. Also, it'll get tons of awesome games either way.

Now, would I actually recommend a launch purchase? Only for those of us who know what we want and know that a lot of what we want will be coming. I don't think the platform really justifies the price tag quite yet, but it will eventually, and I'm ok with that.

I'm telling you, everytime I turned off the 3D it's like something sucked out all of the 'good' from the visuals. It just looks so ugly compared to 3D, I don't know how else to explain it. Also, AR is pointless without 3D. POINTLESS. Without the 3D, AR is like interactive photoshop.

Anyway, I think the price is too steep for many people and some might find other ways to justify their reluctance instead of admitting that they can't afford it.

@casper884

I can't afford it either, but I'm very interested in the device, and I know that there are a ton of games that I'm interested in coming for it in the near future, just like with the Wii.

I just get incredibly confused when another Nintendo fan seems so uninterested.

But seriously, Vuvuzelas are awesome. I mean- 3D is awesome. I think the people really pissed are folks who just really don't want handheld gaming systems for whatever reason.

@Paleo_Orca

No, I understand what you're saying. But everyone's different and have different responses to things based on a variety of factors. Honestly, a year or two from now, when the library solidifies, we'll probably forget we even had this discussion.

@stephen08

What were you hoping to see at launch that wasn't represented in the launch line up?

@GameDadGrant Good games.

...lol?

@GameDadGrant

Honestly, I was hoping Resident Evil: Mercenaries would be Capcom's launch game rather than Super Street Fighter... or just both.

Also, I was really expecting Kid Icarus to make it, but unfortunately, it didn't.

I was surprised there was no RE and Icarus as well, Paleo. Ah well, shouldn't be too long.

I don't know if I'll be able to resist picking up both those titles day 1...

I know a guy like that. Friend of a friend type. "3D is a gimmick" He also falls back on the "Nintendo's graphics are kiddy" line a lot. He may or may not eat his words when he sees my system this weekend.

Of course he also claims Penny Arcade sucks simply because the artists look nothing like their alter egos in the comic itself (wtf?). You can't argue with someone who has logical processes that warped.

...Did I cause this??


I dunno, I said before that I don't think the 3DS will have the longevity of Nintendo home consoles or other handhelds. I'm not sure how far the 3D thing can go, or how far it can be stretched until the allure wears off. Maybe the allure will NEVER wear off. Maybe it will DEFEAT 2D gaming? I don't know. For those that enjoy it, I wish you good luck, and I'll be happy for you if/when it has a long and healthy life.

Nah, you don't even have a DS (right?) so I don't know if anyone is super worried about your views on 3DS. It sounds more like it was an IRL friend who spurred this on.

@Mr_Mustache

lol, no, it was my friend who was over the other day.

But I don't think the 3D thing will ever defeat simple 2D gaming, just as side-scollers never died because of open-world 3D environments back when they first arrived in the mid-90's. The option to see games in 3D is always there with the 3DS, and if you just don't want to see the 3D, you can just turn it off.

Besides, it's not like Nintendo is going to abandon their 2D games, because it seems at the moment, it's just available as a solo experience, so it will only be on the handhelds. I think the successor of the Wii, whenever that comes, will continue to be viewed in 2D.

I'm not all that interested but that really has a lot more to do with the fact I don't really game on handhelds outside of my iPhone. I own a DS and bought a bunch of games for it and haven't touched it in almost 2 years. It's not that the games aren't good, it's that I do nearly all of my gaming at home and I'd much rather play my Wii or PC at home than anything on the DS.

I think the technology is really cool though and I hope it shows up in more gadgets, namely the iPhone 5.

@Zero
Pilot Wings is awesome