Konno on what he thinks is the most noteworthy 3DS tech demo at E3…
“I think there are so many titles at the 3DS booth, including first-party titles and support from our licensees like Metal Gear Solid and Resident Evil. When we first were preparing for the DS, I think the situation was very different. I was preparing first-party titles for the system like Nintendogs and Mario Kart, and I think there was suspicion toward the Nintendo DS. Like, “What do you do with it? With the two screens and the touch panel?”
However, the DS has now been in the market so long that the two screens and the touch panel have been adopted, and the new 3DS’ stereoscopic graphics (and the graphics themselves being enhanced so much) have convinced our licensees and made them feel like it’s worthy to participate this time at such an early stage.
So, I am the hardware producer of the 3DS hardware itself. And I had the opportunity to invite as many people as possible to join the show and be involved in the 3DS. I was in the software development field for a very long time. And during software development, my focus was on how to fully utilize the limited specifications supporting by the hardware. But now as the producer for the 3DS hardware, I was taking into consideration the features of the hardware itself, and how its software will take advantage of the stereoscopic vision, as well as how much enhancement of the wireless features is necessary.”
– Two minute demo
– Features Link riding Epona
– More detailed models than before
– Once you reach the arch of the drawbridge, the demo ends
– Great lighting effects
– 3D effects on par with the Metal Gear Solid demo
Eurogamer is reporting that Nintendo is aiming to launch this 3DS in at least one territory this year and believes the system will definitely see a worldwide release “by early next year.” While the company is looking to have the handheld in stores for the holiday season, it’s possible that the launch could be delayed until 2011. Nintendo declined to comment on the 3DS’ release date or price, though it has been said that it will be out before the fiscal year ending March 2011.
According to Nikkei, consumers will be able to copy 3DS titles directly to the system’s memory. Once copied, players will be able to choose which game to play through the handheld’s main menu. The obvious benefits of doing this is that there will be no need to continually swap cartridges. Nintendo has yet to officially confirm the news, but considering Nikkei’s track record, I think it’s safe to say that this feature will probably end up in the 3DS.
Thanks to Thomas N for the tip!
“If you display a 3D image, the image quality becomes extremely bad, so we’d probably do it with the next system. We’re thinking that the timing should be once the 3D television adoption rates crosses the 30% mark. We’re looking at the adoption trends.” – Satoru Iwata
“Absolutely not [Nintendo didn’t consider the 3D boom]. Nintendo had an eye the charms of immersive 3D for games and released a 3D game machine 15 years ago, but the technology was not ready. After that, we looked for a chance, and decided two years back that we finally had the technology and parts to make a satisfying product. In 3D, it’s easier to get a sense for position. In a game where the stages extend into the screen, it’s surprisingly easier to control [compared to non 3D]. This is functionality for making games more pleasant to play, not just for show. It [3D] allows us to realize images that are close to what you see in your daily life. In the future, 3D will become the mainstream of gaming.” – Satoru Iwata
You may remember that Iwata said that Nintendo had been experimenting with the “latest round” of 3D with the GameCube. So it sounds like Nintendo has been thinking about 3D gaming for quite some time. Right now, though, it seems like requiring glasses is the most effective way of seeing that type of effect on a television. I’m wondering what Nintendo will do about that with the Wii successor.
Thanks to Thomas N for the tip!
