FEATURE - Nintendo 3DS. Hit or Miss?

When it comes to the history of video games, I am firmly in the school of thought that video games have become significantly better over time.  Although I do have an appreciation for the odd old game (FFVII the classic example for yours truly), especially those with fond memories attached, I don't really buy into the whole "retro" outlook that tells us that games were better back in the days before high quality soundtracks, amazing graphics and immersive gameplay.  This line of thinking might work for films and music, but not for games.

Consequently, I am always excited by new technological advancements, and especially new consoles.  To me it signals that games are going to take another leap forward, and that very soon the consoles we now think are so great are going to be those that we are reminisicing about - saying things like "Do you remember when wireless controllers were the new thing!?"

This year is therefore going to be an exciting one for buffs like me.  Last year we had Kinect and Move and that was about it - and both are yet to impress as far as I am concerned.  However, this year we have no less than 3 major upgrades, all in the area of handhelds.  Nintendo are bringing out the 3DS within the month, and Sony are bringing out both the PlayStation phone as well as the PSP2, (or the NGP as it has become known.)  All three are very exciting in their own ways, but I also see significant risks attached to each one, which raises a real possibility that each one could fail.  Failure is nothing new in console terms.  For every PlayStation there is a Sega Saturn, for every Game Boy there is a Game Gear, and for every iPhone there is an N-gage.  So which handhelds will be the successes, and which will be the failures?

Over the next few weeks I'm going to be looking at these three new pieces of kit and the prospects for success and failure for each one.  This week, it is the Nintendo 3DS...

Nintendo 3DS


Without doubt, this handheld is the one that everyone is talking about, mainly because of its imminent release date and its highly unique feature - 3D gaming that doesn't require 3D glasses.  With increased processing power, as well as all the features of the DSi XL for those gamers that didn't have it before, this is not just another Nintendo DS; this is indeed a movement to the next generation of handhelds.  We have seen clips of games such as Plotwings:Resort that offers graphics similar to those on the Wii, and features such as augmented reality and the much touted 3D to produce a whole new dimension (excuse the pun) to handheld gaming.

Additionally, Nintendo has a near perfect record when it comes to handhelds, and has dominated the market since the introduction of the Game Boy in the late 80's.  Solid challengers such as the Game Gear and the PSP have had to take second place to Nintendo consoles, and this has a dramatic effect on the market.   Simply put, Nintendo's continued domination is a safe bet, and consumers taking a gamble with their hard earned cash will respond to that.  Although the Game Boy and the DS have not always been the most powerful handhelds on the market, they attract innovation and high quality, fun games that more than compensates.  Whatever else happens, we all know that the 3DS will have Professor Layton, Super Mario, Zelda and Pokemon titles within the year - and all will be amazing.

Yet while the 3DS might seem a safe bet, there are a number of reasons why the latest entry into the handheld market may be an unusual flop for Nintendo.  The first reason for this is (ironically) the fact that its predecessor is such a success.  As a DS owner myself, I am still quite happy with my chirpy little console, and have no pressing need to upgrade.  This appears to be the attitude of many DS owners, especially those who have shelled out significant money to upgrade to either the DSi or the DSi XL in 2010.  Nintendo's success may actually prove a stumbling block in convincing current customers that the console they love so much is now old news.

It also needs remembering that the Nintendo fanbase consists of a great many children who, before getting a new console, must convince their parents.  Many parents will see the 3DS, with its similar look to the DS, and believe that this is little more than a gimmicky upgrade.  In these tough economics times, parents will not be keen to shell out $250 for what is perceived to be little more than an upgrade to an already purchased handheld.  Additionally the warnings from Nintendo that the 3D function may damage children's eyesight over the long term are not exactly going to encourage parents to invest in the 3DS.

Pilotwings looks incredible!

Along with the price of the console, Nintendo have also confirmed that games will be more expensive.  This is perfectly natural - games for the 3DS will be better, and more expensive to produce.  But it all adds to a highly expensive investment in handheld gaming that is not far off the investment required for full blown home console gaming.  The audience that Nintendo need to snare in order to be successful - the casual gamers that enjoy Wii Sports and Angry Birds - are not people who are going to be prepared to spend somewhere in the region of $400 for a handheld console and a few games.  Put another way, the Nintendo 3DS might just be too good for it to succeed!

I think that of all the three handhelds, the 3DS has the best chance of succeeding.  Cheaper than the NGP, yet fancier and more of a games console than the PlayStation Phone, it is the handheld that balances power and price.  Plus, there is little doubt that there will be some great titles for it eventually (even if launch looks a little drab), and as much as I may sniff at the gimmicky 3D element - it is still pretty cool!  Yet, as has been outlined earlier, it also faces the most challenges that any Nintendo handheld has faced before: so its success is by no means a sure thing.