As far as comebacks go, it’s up there with Jesus and Kylie.
With the rise of Microsoft and Sony’s corporate juggernauts at the turn of the century, Nintendo’s increasingly laboured hardware releases (Gamecube, Gameboy Micro) ensured it looked like it was fast going the way of SEGA.
But then, magically, they’ve turned their fortunes around, and after marrying technological innovation with mass-market appeal in the form of the ‘even Helen Mirren likes it’ Wii, and the DS, they’re back with yet another watercooler console.
They’ve conquered the motion controller and the touch screen, and now they’ve embarked on a mission to harness the 21st century’s technology-du-jour minus its douchey handicap – 3D without the glasses.
Still, with a relatively hefty price tag (£230), is its optical trickery little more than an opticians-baiting gimmick, or is it a significant milestone in gaming history?
We sat down with the console and a few of its launch games to see for ourselves.
THE CONSOLE
In four words?
We did a sex-wee.
The exterior balances futuristic sleekness with the familiar Nintendo handheld frame we’ve all come to know and love, but flip open the lid and you’ll be surprised by how sturdy and intuitive everything feels.
The analogue stick finally nails the smooth motion and thumb comfort the PSP fluffed so badly, while the four core buttons and two trigger controls are distinctive enough to avoid any accidental mid-game flurried mis-presses.
It’s retained the DS’ bottom touch-screen, but – of course – it’s the 3D top-screen that you’re really laying your cash down for. And playing it for the first time is a nerdily electrifying experience. There’s genuine depth of field that makes the gameplay instinctively more immersive.
The 3D slider on the side allows you to switch between 2D and 3D and adjust the strength of the image to fit your eyesight, and while it tends to give many a headache after the initial exposure, prolonged play actually made gaming more enjoyable.
Then there’s the 3D camera, the wi-fi access, StreetPass (the easiest and most natural social space Nintendo’s built to date), backwards compatibility and a gyro sensor hidden beneath the shiny exterior to boot.
In short, it’s hard not to be impressed the first time you see it, but you’ll probably have to play around with it a while before it becomes second nature.
THE GAMES
PILOTWINGS RESORT
Fans of the original Pilotwings will know what to expect – strap yourself into all manner of snazzy fly-mobiles and zoom around a picturesque island picking up tokens and flying through hoops.
As the first game we saw upon booting the system up, it’s hard not to be titillated by the better Gamecube-esque, bright and colourful visuals, and a truly wonderful use of the 3D tech.
Unsurprisingly, considering you’re flying handgliders, jetpacks and aeroplanes, there’s every opportunity to use the motion and perspective to great 3D effect, as you dip, soar and propel yourself into the distance.
There’s not a huge amount of gameplay depth, but as an addictive distraction it scores top marks for accessibility, fun and a hint at what the machine’s capable of.
PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2011 3D
Hmm.
Konami’s 3D advent is as impressive as it is frustrating. With a brand new dimension so comes a whole new view and approach to the football genre, as players are forced to focus on one player at a time, with an over-the-shoulder view that – while undeniably visually nifty – limits your choices and gameplay approach in a sizeable way. Without the traditional bird’s-eye view of the pitch, playing with anything even approaching tactics is nigh-on impossible. It’s more a case of hoofing it upfield or passing to whoever’s in your field of view.
There are other camera angles sure, but the 3D is fairly redundant in all of them, and it’s clear from the off that it’s the over-the-shoulder angle that’s had the most attention lavished on it.
Still, if you can get used to a constantly swivelling camera, the gameplay’s fairly fluid and pretty fun. Options-wise it’s also your typical PES, so at least you’ve got longevity on your side, with a host of domestic and national teams to choose from, and extensive Champions League, Exhibition, Master League and wireless play modes to choose from.
NINTENDOGS
Blurgh.
There’s a reason these games sell so unbelievably well, but really there’s little here to explore beyond the original mechanic. Fluffy virtual dogs and cats paw, squeak and bark at (and come out of) the screen until you rub the touch screen to make your glossy Tamagotchi feel better.
For fans of the series, the visual upgrade will no doubt be an even bigger sell. For everyone else, it just does exactly what it says on the tin.
SUPER STREET FIGHTER IV 3D EDITION
Visually and gameplay-wise, Capcom’s beat-em-up is undoubtedly the best of the launch bunch.
Graphically it’s all but impossible to tell the difference with its uber-generation rivals (the only telling sign between this and the 360/PS3 versions are the static backgrounds), with the hyper-realistic/cartoonified character models fizzling off the screen.
The controls have been perfectly adapted too, and while the touch-screen can be used to deliver Super Special attacks at the touch of a button and could be considered a cop-out for the purists, it actually works perfectly within the medium – it lends itself to a more pick up and play approach, and ensures you don’t have to spend hours of learning multiple combo strings just to pull a Hadouken.
With 35 playable characters to choose from, a successful online offering, and an admirable if not entirely-perfect ‘over the shoulder’ view, there’s more than enough here to keep you entertained until the next big must-have release hits stores.
CONCLUSION
As with any new emerging hardware, its initial line-up isn’t going to shift consoles off the strength of the content alone.
But with new Mario, Zelda, Resident Evil, Mario Kart, Metal Gear Solid, Starfox, and Kid Icarus on the horizon, and a whole welath of tech for developers to unlock and explore, there’s no doubt that it’s the new and seemingly only serious contender for the next-gen gamer.
[Rating:4/5]
