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How to make the 3DS better and how it already will be Part II: Software
Editorial by 
(Editor)
May 18, 2011, 19:04
 
I recently reviewed the 3DS System and gave it a score of 9.0. I am very happy with Nintendo’s new handheld and I think that they have done a magnificent job on its first iteration. However, there are still a few areas where the 3DS could be better. Some of these areas are hardware related and will need to be addressed in hardware revisions or successors. Others are actually software related and could be fixed with firmware updates. I would also like to discuss the future potential of the system and the many great things Nintendo and other developers can do with the system right now.

Part I
Part III

Software
The first two are nitpicks and the rest are far more important fixes or wishes for future firmware updates.

1. Bootup sound: This is just a nitpick but……I miss the bootup sound. EVERY SINGLE NINTENDO PORTABLE EVER has had a bootup sound. Heck, even the Virtua Boy has a startup jingle. And what does the 3DS have….a whole lot of nothing.

A simple firmware update could fix this. Just add this video to the beginning of the startup process and add a boot up sound. Done.

2. Justify notification text: Now this is a nitpick. When you read the notifications, words are not justified. Meaning, a line can end in the first letter of the next sentence. Even though it is not important, it seems unprofessional not to have it justified just looks plain ugly.

3. Allow VC games to use Motion Sensor and Gyroscope: This would be a great addition to the Virtual Console. That way, we could have Wario Ware Twisted on our 3DS system.


We want to play this Nintendo.


4. Allow VC games to use Wi-Fi or local wireless for multiplayer: I don’t know what Nintendo needs to do or whether it is even possible to do it. But if Nintendo wants to release a lot of games, such as the Pokemon franchise, it needs to add an online or local Wireless Multiplayer aspect. If they don’t, there is simply no point in rebuying these games for the Virtual Console because you can’t really complete them.


Wireless Communications: The only way to catch them all on the 3DS.


5. Better DS emulation: Again, I don’t know if this is possible through software alone, but, I would like better emulation for DS games. Right now, most games look acceptable enough to play on the DS if they are streched. However, all games lose a bit of clarity and, for some reason, they look duller than on previous DS Systems. What I would like is for Nintendo to, at least, improve their emulation process so that games don’t have a dull color palette.

6. Allow us to play DS games on WPA and WPA2: I don’t know if this is possible either, but I would like Nintendo to allow us to play DS games on WPA and WPA2 just like 3DS and DSi games.

7. Friend List: I have a couple of suggestions to improve the Friend List:
a. Let us register a gamertag instead of a Friend Code. And let this gamertag be user specific, not hardware specific.
b. Allow us to download a friend’s Mii from his Gamer Card.

(Credit to sirmastersephiroth)


c. Optional Online chime: I would like to be able to turn off the chime you hear when someone is online.
d. Change order of friends: Pretty self explanatory.
e. Game Invites (including groups): As of now, in order to play with your friends you have to alert them using other means rather than the 3DS. For example, if I want to play Street Fighter with a friend, I have to call or text, hope the person has his 3DS in a Wi-Fi area, make a room inside the game, and then invite him through it. It would be so much easier if I could just invite him (and multiple others) by using the game list or through the game itself, by just sending an invite if he’s online.
f. Put DS Titles as favorite titles: Right now you can only put 3DS Software as your favorite title on your Gamer Card. I would like to have the
ability to put DS games also.
g. Friend Messaging (supposedly hinted to come in an update): I would like to be able to talk to my friends, not just see them. This would also make arranging games so much easier.

8. Make it easier to play DS games in Full Screen or 1:1 mode: Make it a button option when you insert a DS game to allow us to play the game in 1:1 or Full Screen Mode, instead of having to press Select and Start.

9. Allow us to come back to a game if we accidentally press the Power Button: As has already been discussed in this thread, if you press the Power Button, which is located in a precarious position, during gameplay, you are given the option to go to sleep or go back to the 3DS Main Menu. You are not given the option to go back to the game. Nintendo should just add a third option to go back to the game.

10. AR Games: AR Games are troublesome to play in low light conditions. Nintendo should either enhance the software or find some other software or hardware related way to make increase recognition (like a flash).

11. Mii Maker: You can only have 100 Miis. I’ve had to delete Miis in order to make room for better ones. Nintendo should just increase the amount of Miis you can have in the system.

More Miis please!
(Credit to sirmastersephiroth)


12. Street Pass Plaza: Allow us to save up Miis for later use.
a. Puzzle Swap: Change the coin system so that the more coins you bet, the better the chance of obtaining new pieces, like the way you got
trophies in Smash Bros. Melee.
b. Find Mii: Allow us to power up heroes or buy better heroes. I hate walking for two days in order to save up enough coins for 10 heroes who end up being Level 1’s; heroes who are mostly useless for later in the game unless you use their magic. Nintendo should just update the game and allow us to enhance the hero’s strength ourselves, saving us the annoyance of ending up with useless heroes. Also, allows us to pick which Mii needs saving and which Miis will rescue him from our own collection.

13. More Coins: Allow us to save more coins per day and in total. Plain and simple, we will need to save up more coins if Nintendo updates Puzzle Swap and Find Mii with my suggestions. There are also other games, such as Super Street Fighter IV, who use up just as many coins as Nintendo’s offerings. Eliminating coin caps would make everyone happy.

Just keep them away from this guy.
(Credit to Nintendo)


14. eManuals for every game: Nintendo made a great decision when it introduced eManuals for all of the software included in the system. The only problem is that this doesn’t extend to cartridge games. It would be awesome if you could read a manual for Super Street Fighter IV or PilotWings at anytime by just inserting the game into the cartridge slot. After all, they do this with Virtual Console games. I would expect nothing less from big releases.

Imagine this but for every game.
(Credit to sirmastersephiroth)


15. No region lock: This is an unrealistic wish, but I would like to play any game from any region without having to buy a system from that region. Unfortunately, this is not a software issue (it can be fixed if they want to) it is more of a legal (ratings) and control (escalated releases) issue.

Don’t make me buy a European 3DS just to play the sequel to this game.

16. Achievements: please include an achievement system in future updates. A lot of people, like me, feel that achievements add to the longevity of the game. They are also cool for bragging rights. In any case, people who don’t like achievements, don’t need to pay attention to them, so it’s pretty much win-win. You can play the game however you want. Achievements are only an added bonus for doing things in a certain way and you will only see them once.

Master Sword Get!
(Credit to sirmastersephiroth)

3DS Related Links
3DS Reviews
Share your 3DS stories here (and post your 3DS codes for the world to see)!
The DSiWare titles new Nintendo 3DS owners should not miss
Top Ten 3DS Virtual Console Wishlist Part 1: Game Boy
Top Ten 3DS Virtual Console Wishlist Part 2: Game Boy Color
Top Ten 3DS Virtual Console Wishlist Part 3 : Game Boy Advance
Top Ten 3DS Virtual Console Wishlist Part 4: Turbo Grafx 16
DS on 3DS Database
Top Ten 3DS Virtual Console Wishlist Parts 5-8 Coming Soon.

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05/18/11, 19:04   Edited:  05/21/11, 23:40
 
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Yeah, the region-locking this sucks.

Posted by 
 on: 05/18/11, 19:13
I like the friends system, it's a huge improvement over other Nintendo systems. I think the only changes it needs are to be able to change the order and sort it alphabetically and by online/offline. Downloading their Miis would be nice too.

I agree about putting in a start up screen, haha. The first time I powered up my 3DS, I was wondering to myself if I missed something. Then I thought maybe my 3DS was defect So weird to just see it go straight to the menu.

Posted by 
 on: 05/18/11, 19:17
I agree with most of these. And also miss region-free gaming. But I don't want a start-up screen. I'm so glad we don't have that damned safety message anymore.

Posted by 
 on: 05/18/11, 19:51
Anand said:
I agree with most of these. And also miss region-free gaming. But I don't want a start-up screen. I'm so glad we don't have that damned safety message anymore.

Ironically, it's the system that most needs a safety message.

Posted by 
 on: 05/18/11, 20:00
@sirmastersephiroth

Quick! Let's sue them!

Posted by 
 on: 05/18/11, 20:02
Noooooo!!

Posted by 
 on: 05/18/11, 20:04
VofEscaflowne said:
@sirmastersephiroth

Quick! Let's sue them!

We need to go blind first, or start seeing everything in 3D...oh wait.

Posted by 
 on: 05/18/11, 20:19
Nice write-up! Again!

About the dull colors when playing DS games... Nintendo has never fixed that for its NES games on the VC, have they?

Posted by 
 on: 05/18/11, 22:31
#4, yup.

Although if Star Fox doesn't even get online I doubt the VC will.

Posted by 
 on: 05/19/11, 00:16   Edited:  05/19/11, 00:17
A lot of good points here sirmastersephiroth!

Honestly I never noticed the lack of start up music considering I always have my system in sleep mode. But yeah, it's definitely a tradition for the Nintendo handhelds!

I would be really happy if Nintendo incorporated those features for the VC games in points 3 and 4. But as @Secret_Tunnel said, the Star Fox decision means I'm not too optimistic about it.

It's crazy you can't change the order of your friends in the friend list, for sure.

@Guillaume Well, going from NES to Wii VC may display colors a little differently, but at least the colors and edges are very well defined and look nice and crisp. I didn't think there was anything for Nintendo to 'fix.'

Posted by 
 on: 05/19/11, 00:22
Guillaume said:
Nice write-up! Again!

About the dull colors when playing DS games... Nintendo has never fixed that for its NES games on the VC, have they?

When I play NES games on my Wii, the colors don't seem dull. It looks as if the TV's brightness level was reduced. And no they haven't fixed it. Interestingly enough, other systems in the VC look great. I haven't tried Neo Geo though. I heard these don't display in 480p.

Posted by 
 on: 05/22/11, 02:07
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