A new Iwata Asks has been released about mostly the Exterior of the 3DS and its mechanical design ideas. Some interesting things you'll learn are why there's a distinct lip on the lid (something I've heard people complain about) as well as the idea behind the different lights for different things. Also, read curiously on as Iwata explains how difficult it was to ensure the two front cameras were idiot and accident proof so they stayed aligned for the length of your ownership. Read on about this collaborative project we all know as the Nintendo 3DS at the latest Iwata Asks!

Part 1 - A Nintendo 3DS Theme Song?
Part 2 - I Don't Know If We Can Actually Make This!
Part 3 - Improving Durability
Part 4 - Pay Attention To The Battery Cover
Part 5 - "What Can You Tell With Gloves On?!"
Part 6 - Collective Effort




IWATA

ASKS

Cool! Reading now.

IMHO, the mechanical designer for the GCN was a genius. Having that pass through air flow design really impressed me.

I agree. I would be happy with a slot-loading Gamecube kind of design personally. I enjoyed the cube shape and even the handle! Though that's aesthetic design. The pass-through air flow was definitely a smart mechanical design choice.

Reading through this has me re-hyped over the device. It's so close.... yet so far...

I've been digging up old articles and posts I missed, recently.

I had been hoping we'd get an explanation for the D-pad and the Select and Start buttons in this one, but they instead talk about the battery cover and the challenge of aligning the cameras. Heh.

Sounds like the 3DS is a whole lot more complicated than a DS to manufacture, but that doesn't make the end result more impressive, really.