3D or not 3D for Nintendo’s latest handheld?

Imagine, you’re on the train for the next three hours, the child behind you is screaming and the business-type to your left continuously screeches at his long-suffering secretary while simultaneously berating his mobile phone’s signal strength.

Now, imagine the look of sheer envy on his face when you pull out your new Nintendo 3DS, plug in your headphones, sit back and start watching a movie, all in sumptuous 3D. And no, you won’t have to wear those unfashionable glasses… Nintendo’s handheld 3DS delivers the clarity and depth you have come to expect from 3Dcinema experiences but – thanks to some technical wizardry we won’t bore you with here – without the need for 3D goggles; amazing yet true.

Nintendo recently showcased its latest gaming device in the UK, and, having had the chance to go hands-on with the console, we came away more than a little impressed. Nintendo remains tightlipped on film service but, having watched a trailer of the animated ‘Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole’ on 3DS, we reckon it would be foolhardy not to offer movies.

Of course, this is still a Nintendo DS, and, like the existing DSrange, the 3DS also features a touchscreen as standard. Quite how developers might exploit both touchscreen and 3D tech to create new gameplay experiences boggles the mind; perhaps even more so when you consider that the 3DS is capable of farmore graphical flair than its predecessors.

Titles likely to feature at launch include ‘Pilotwings Resort’, ‘Nintendogs + Cats’, ‘Kid Icarus Uprising’ (above), and ‘Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D’ – and seeing them in action left uswanting more. The only notable downside is that the 3D effect didn’t work for one or two of the assembled press: it’s an issue of depth perception, apparently.

Pricing and launch details for the console have yet to be confirmed but Nintendo of America bossReggie Fils-Aime recently stated that Nintendo’s goal is, “to launch in all of our major markets by 31 March 2011”. So the good news is that the wait shouldn’t be too long.