10 Failings Of The Nintendo 3DS
A Nintendo lovers thoughts on the new device
by: AXIS of Reality
©2011 Alex Baldwin
It’s that time again. Much as it did with the DS, Nintendo is heading up the jump into the next generation of portable gaming in March ahead of Sony’s ‘NGP’ release later in the year.
With no secrets left to hide, both the successes and debatable failings of Nintendo’s latest are exposed for all to see and, being the critical party poopers we are, it’s time to dive into the reasons that may hold you back from a launch-day purchase in no particular order.
DISCLAIMER: I have already used a 3DS, and pre-ordered my device for launch. This article is intended as critique of design flaws and decision in the Nintendo 3DS, not a review.
As such does not cover positive aspects of the device such as SpotPass, StreetPass or the gameplay possibilities of 3D. It is up to you to decide if the following listed issues will affect your own experience.
Also check out OXCGN’s upcoming companion article to this, “10 Failings Of The Sony NGP (PSP2)”.
1: Performance
It’s been 6 years since the release of the PSP, and in that time the boffins at Nintendo HQ have been hard at work to bring us…the PSP’s graphics. But in 3D.
Call me cynical, but when the launch-day release of Ridger Racer 3DS actually appears visually inferior to the PSP’s own launch-day Ridge Racer there’s something quite wrong.
We know Nintendo aren’t inclined to lead the charge in terms of graphics, but it is honestly quite disheartening to think that my phone could overpower the 3DS many times over.
2: Hardware Price
The graphics issue wouldn’t be a problem if Nintendo sought to keep prices well within the lower price brackets, but this seems to have slipped their minds as the asking price of $350 was revealed to Australian consumers.
The Xbox 360 4gb bundle inluding Kinect hovers around the $400 mark, making the handheld’s value even more dubious, even for 3D.
3: Game Price
If there’s anything digital distribution has taught us, it’s that lower-priced games that sell in higher quantities is the way to go for handheld and even console gaming.
The advent of app stores for smartphones and Xbox Live Arcade have redefined what consumers class as good value, yet Nintendo still hasn’t taken notice with the estimated price of 3DS games being $10 higher than DS games; themselves an exhorbitent ask.
The Australian dollar’s almost equal value to the US dollar (NB: at time of writing, the Aussie $ is currently worth more than the US Greenback) also hasn’t been taken into account by company executives, making the approximate $80 asking price for 3DS games higher than even full Xbox 360 and PS3 games overseas. Ouch.
4: Screen Size
I love my DSi XL. I gave it a positive review upon release, with the increased screen size providing a more comfortable experience as well as more accurate touch control. That’s gone out the window, as the 3DS reverts back to the smaller DS-like size.
While smaller handhelds may initially seem desirable for portability, one simply needs to stop and think about how you cart your DS around to realise that they have never been truly pocketable, largely toted in backpacks and handbags that could easily fit a device with larger screens.
Similarly, movie-goers will have realised that 3D is better viewed closer to the screen or on a larger display than 2D. In my mind, the Sony NGP’s 5-inch display at 960 x 544 seems a vastly better option than the main 400 x 240 (per eye) of the 3DS.
5: Nintendo screws early adopters
So you got a DS back at launch. Do you still have it? Probably not, as the DS Lite, DSi and DSi XL all quickly replaced it with changes that could easily have been implemented in the launch device.
Nintendo have shown that they’ll willingly release multiple iterations of their handhelds each generation, prompting multiple purchases from customers. How long will it be until the 3DS Lite or XL tempts you away from your poor launch device?
6: Poor launch line-up
There are undoubtably many excellent 3DS titles announced that will all be launching…sometime. The selection available on day 1, however, reeks of the DS’s own launch with a few full-priced ports / updates of old games, some spin-offs of existing series and some minigames.
In fact, Rayman 3DS is the same Rayman DS that accompanied the DS’s launch, which itself is a port of the old Nintendo 64 and PC game Rayman 2. But you should totally pay $80 for it.
Again. Nintendo’s own potential system-sellers of Zelda and Kid Icarus have both been delayed indefinitely, leaving a launch that could see many buying the system, but no accompanying games to use on it.
7: Battery life
One of the complaints of the original PSP was the disappointing 3-5 hours of battery life. Unfortunately, Nintendo seems not to have taken note with identical estimated battery life.
Hopefully the inevitable 3DS Lite will fix this.
8: One analogue stick
Well, ‘pad’ as it’s being called. But once again, Nintendo has not heeded the lessons of the PSP that Sony has learned so well from.
For 3D gameplay (meaning movement, not screen type) two analogue sticks are the ideal, one providing character control and the other serving as camera manipulation. A definite disappointment as it seems camera control will once again be relegated to the touch screen.
9: Old resistive touch-screen
Pick up your smartphone and touch the screen. Unless you’re using a Nokia device or an old Windows Mobile device, chances are it’s made of glass that is infinitely more scratch-proof than plastic, and requires no actual finger pressure to operate.
Sadly Nintendo have stuck with the scratch-magnet resistive screen of the DS, needing a stylus for accurate control and lacking multi-touch.
A glass capacitive screen as used by modern smartphones and the Sony NGP would allow better finger control and multi-touch gestures, but sadly we’re stuck with the old DS technology in this regard.
For those who would argue that the resistive screen type is needed for stylus control, there are several alternatives that could offer both.
10: Immature 3D screen technology
Nintendo may have been in a bit too much of a rush to bring glasses-free 3D to the masses, with several key limitations in the current technology that will most likely be fixed by future 3DS iterations.
For starters, there is a limited viewing angle for the 3D effect to work, making it all but impossible for friends to share the screen.
This may not be as large an issue if it wasn’t for the addition of motion controls from the gyroscope, creating a conflict between moving the entire console to control the game and still keeping the screen angled in the sweet spot needed for the 3D to work as necessary.
©2011 Alex Baldwin
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Filed under: Console gaming, Editorial, GameBanter, Handhelds, Hardware Reviews, Xbox 360 Tagged: | Alex Baldwin, Kid Icarus, List of Nintendo DS games, nintendo, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3dS games, Nintendo 3DS reviews, Nintendo DS, nintendo dsi, PlayStation Portable, PSP, Rayman DS, Ridger Racer 3DS, Sony NGP, Xbox Live Arcade, Zelda
No I think
Lock zone – I love japan&english game when they lock I can’t decision to buy 3ds ( srw never translate to western)
Some game never to japan too.
I really dont get wtf is going on whit all this fanboyism. Dont get me wrong, the article was really well written, and take really good points. No, I’m not buying a launch 3DS because I’ll wait for the… idk… 3DSi… but I dont get what’s the point on saying that one of’em is better than the other.
The point is in the games. I wont talk about “hardcore” -in terms of blood and guts- bs, since I dont get a PSP just beacause most of the games looked boring to me. Really loved Patapon and Lumines, though. But the DS and PSP, Nintendo and Sony have so different genres that when you simplify it, it all goes down to preferences.
The NGP is more powerful. Simple like that. But it wont have Layton and Phoenix Wright. And, since idc anymore about FPS, I’ll wait for the NGP to show me some games that look interesting. Okami 2 will do the trick
the 3ds screen is small, the hardware is too weak and comparable to a 6yr old psp, one anolog control is silly, the touch screen is silly, and the 3d angle view is too restrictive. those are legitimate concerns and i dont understand rational thinking nintendo apologists that love to slag off anyone who dares to criticise decisions made by nintendo in regards to the 3ds. my opinion is that nintendo is trying to emulate the psp1 but added a 3d screen to boot.
the psp2 ngp is a lot better than the nes 3ds because it has all the features as a 3ds but improved tech except for 3d. i know a lot of silly people would slag off the psp2 but the system is so much better than the 3ds and to deny those facts while having knowledge of both means youre silly.
xbl/psn- dylantalon
ps. i would put my wii friend code but you guys know itll be pointless. dont get me started on that rubbish code thing for nes 3ds
The screen is perfect for portability since it’s a “handheld.” What, you want a portable 50″ screen? I guess you looked at the games with your fanboy goggles on, then, if you think the hardware is even comparable to the PSP1. If 1 analog stick is silly, then I guess the N64 was silly, which created some of the best, most memorable games you can imagine. The DS was also capable of tha with just a D pad. You do realize the NGP has not 1, but 2 touch sensitive units, right? The 3D view is restricted, alright. But like I said, the person who wrote the article is already complaining about the price to even make the screen better.
You’re complaining about people defending Nintendo’s decisions and all, but is bashing on it any good? How about saying the NGP is better, like you are? And then you call it a fact? I bashed on the DS so hard back then that I ended up with my foot in my mouth. I was all for the PSP, but the games and style of gameplay proved me wrong even those the PSP had more features than the DS and was more powerful.
Wow such lame complains.
1. Obviously the 3DS doesn’t have ANY games to appreciate the hardware, so you chose Ridge Racer because that’s the best-looking game the 3DS has, huh?
2, 3. Price? It’s true that in other regions, the price is really high, but it’s not the only thing that it’s pricey, and you know it.
4. The device is supposed to be pocketable, so I think the screen size is fine. As for 3D, I do believe the 3D on the 3DS would be better because of the small screen. When you have a big screen in 3D, your eyes have to look around at a wider area causing more stress on them.
5. The device is small enough and fancy enough for a smaller model. At the most, we might see a XL one with better battery not not soon. It took almost 2 years for the DS Lite to come out. And people make it sound like Nintendo is the only one doing this. How many Xbox 360 versions have we seen? What about the PS3 and the PSP. Apple also releases a new iPhone every freaking year!
6. That one is pretty honest. However, if you’re going to complain about ports and stuff, then specify who is doing it. Splinter Cell, Snake Eater, etc are actually ports of older games, but they’re not done by Nintendo. No launch system comes with a perfect gallery of games. If you have an interest in the games that have been announced for it, then you might as well get it. The system is backwards compatible with DS games, anyways. Most of the games I’m interested in come out in the Summer, but I’ll still get the 3DS on day 1 because of SSF4, DoAD, and a couple of others.
7. Well, the system is more powerful and uses 2 screens. One of them has to render 2 images, so it’s like 3 screens. But that’s on max settings. The most I’m out in the street and play games on the go is about 2 hours, so it’s more than enough for me. What, you wanted 12 hours of non-stop gameplay with a pair of AA batteries like the GBC? Sorry, times have changed. Also, lithium batteries are expensive. They could have added a battery with a bigger capacity, but the price would’ve gone up. It still have a battery with a higher capacity than that of the DS systems.
8. I would’ve loved a second “circle pad,” too, but that would end up in having generic ports. The reason the DS didn’t even have an analog stick was because of the screen. That generated a lot of creative games with interesting gameplay mechanics.
9. The stylus is used for precision. I bet you’ve had fun playing games on smart phones that require precision with your fingers, specially if you have big fingers. And that technology that you call “old” is the same one used in graphic tables. They are used for digital arts and graphic design. They’re even used to create video games and such. You won’t see designers drawing with their fingers on those, you know. Obviously they’re more advance, but they’re also freaking expensive, specially the ones that look like a second monitor.
10. They could have implemented a more advanced 3D screen by dividing it into multiple viewing angles like those 3DTV’s without glasses. The problem? The price. 3DTV’s WITH glasses are still expensive and you want a better experience at that price? You already complained about the price, so this one cancels itself out.
And for the record, modern smart phones do pack more power than the 3DS. However, the infrastructure of the systems is different. The iPhone 4 has a 1ghz. That app from Epic Studios may look pretty, but there’s nothing else going on the screen. And the gameplay is just slashes with your finger against someone who is standing there. These phones are also not optimized for intense gaming resulting in a much faster battery drain. It’s no problem if your gaming device runs out of battery, but you still need to use your phone at the end of the day. Not to mention the ridiculous price for those phones.
[ED: Comment removed due to breach of TOU . . . ]
recently wrote an article about NGP vs 3DS yet wrote good points about NGP and negative stuff about 3DS.
Preordering it or owning it just make you moderate, fanboys own 3 consoles and are still fanboy to a system, owning 3 system doesn’t make you moderate.
[ED: One warning given, further abuse will see commenter banned . . .we do NOT tolerate any form of abuse, but welcome 'adult' conversation.]
Each author is allowed tgheir own opinions based on their own experiences. And yes, most of the sites writers do own more than one platform, most awn several. But that does not make them biased – they simply have choosen one platform over the other as their pkatform of choice as their main gaming fun.
Because one owns a Panasonic Plasma, and several others say a Sony LCD or yet another another brand of HD TV, while the rest own something else, does that make them biased to that particular TV set, no.
It’s simply a choice based on price, availability, what they have been offered and what they believe to be a fair deal.
Grow up, oipen your eyes and ears to the rest of the world, and stop being so one-eyed. You may even learn something.
Nintendo has said it had no plan for releasing a “3DS lite” since it is at its smallest size. 1st party titles are also being gapped, so that a drought of software does not occur.
Also, people should stop complaining about the system when they havent even played it. I doubt you have played it, so stop complaining until you get your hands on one.
Well, if you ‘read’ the article, he has played it, both at E3 2010 and since . . . that’s what helps by being in the industry allows, early access to hardware and software.. . . try reading the article, not the heading.
I did read the article its just that at certain points, it seems a little biased
He’s an avid lover of almost everything Nintendo and mobile, hell, even when in the US at E3, he had one (Nintendo device) with him, and waited in line at the HUGE Nintendo line just to get his hands on the device – for hours.
Trust me, he’s certainly NOT biased,just a tad disappointed from ‘firsthand experience’.
Justy because one loves/likes a platform, does not mean they have to agree with all the choices that platform makes . . .
Hi,
To clarify, I have indeed spent time with the system which has informed this list, both at E3 2010 and more recently.
As explained in the disclaimer, this article is a critique. This means it is intentionally critical, exploring areas warranting criticism. As such it does not look at the positives of the device, which will be covered in our in-depth review upon the Australian launch of the 3DS.
I believe that the best game journalism isn’t presented just as free advertising for the developer or product in question, but also as a way to truthfully inform consumers before their purchase. Ignoring flaws srves no-one, and thankfully due to OXCGN’s independent status we are more able to cover these sticky areas than more commercial sites that may have restrictions imposed by advertising clients and parent companies in what they report.
About your comment concerning the systems power, Ridge Racer 3D looks horrible because its basically a port of the iphone version. Look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFWPM5XrzIk which shows that its graphical capabilities far surpass those of the PSP.