Nintendo to release 3D handheld, but will it really be 3D?

Posted on 23 Mar 2010 at 15:44

Nintendo Japan has announced that it will be premiering a 3D handheld this summer. The press release says that the console, temporarily named the 3DS, will allow gamers to enjoy "3D effects without the need for any special glasses".

The console will mark the beginning a new series of hardware to replace the aging but still hugely popular DS series, but the new machine will be backwards compatible with existing DS games.

There's heavy speculation about exactly how 3D effects will implemented, but the front-runner is a system first seen in a Japan-only DSiWare game that can be loosely translated as "Hidden 3D Pictures!"

The game uses the DSi's camera to track the position of the player's face and shift the picture on screen accordingly. As demonstrated by the video above, the effect is stunning, producing a real sense of perspective and depth of vision. If you're interested in the science bit, Eurogamer has published an in-depth look at Nintendo's available options.

It's a good bet that Nintendo will be going for well-tested technology, but an accelerometer seems a more likely option than face-detection alone. However it's implemented, it's probably safe to say that the 3DS will be a far sight from Nintendo's failed Virtual Boy console of the 90s, one of our top 10 worst products ever.

Nintendo plans to announce additional details at the E3 show in the US on the 15th of June. Needless to say, we're suitably excited.

Author: Kat Orphanides

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