Nintendo 3DS PHOTOS, VIDEO: 3D Gaming--Without Glasses--Is Here

LOS ANGELES -- Nintendo is showing off its 3-D handheld gaming system and introducing updates to classic game franchises like "Donkey Kong" and "Kirby."

It's part of an effort by Nintendo to stay ahead of its rivals by sticking to what it knows best -- video games. Meanwhile, Sony and Microsoft are working to expand the reach of their consoles beyond gaming.

At the E3 Expo in Los Angeles on Tuesday, an industry conference of 45,000, Nintendo introduced the 3DS, the latest version of its popular handheld device. But unlike other attempts at 3-D screens, the gadget works without special glasses.

Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter says Nintendo "blew people away." But the big question is the price. Nintendo didn't say how much the 3DS would cost or when it will be available.

Engadget, which had the chance to try out the Nintendo 3DS, said of the device's 3D graphics:

It's not great, but the 3.5-inch screen on top certainly gives a firm illusion of depth without resorting to glasses -- or eye crossing. The feel is definitely reminiscent of those 3D cereal box prints, and as soon as you turn the device from left to right to try to look around anything the effect is immediately lost. You need to stare at the screen for a moment for your eyes to adjust and then not move around too much.

Ars Technica's take:

In a nutshell: the 3D effect works. We were shown movie trailers, and as long as I looked straight at the top screen, I could clearly see a very convincing sense of depth. We also played with a Metal Gear Solid demo where Solid Snake walks across a rope bridge, and is attacked by bees... which he then shoots. It's as silly as it sounds, but the bees did buzz around in 3D space, and I could spin the camera around and view things from different angles.

E3 Nintendo

• • • • • • Reggie Fils-Aime, President and CEO Nintendo of America, Inc., center, introduces the Nintendo 3DS game system during Nitendo's E3 presentation at the Nokia Theatre LA LIVE on Tuesday, June 15, 2010, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

WATCH: via Engadget

Comments

[Wirehedd]

10:36 PM on 06/17/2010

great, now I have a 7 and 9 year old both freaking out asking me to get this for them despite the fact that each just received new PSPGo units less than a month ago for the good passing grades they got in school this year.

I'll probably have to get one for me too. :)

[lockDown]

08:43 AM on 06/17/2010

Is that Beyonce or an Asian lady?!

[ngoron]

02:15 PM on 06/16/2010

That is so cool my kids were watching G4 yesterday when they unveiled the new 3DS.
I like Microsoft's Kinect remake of the Wii. I haven't bought an Xbox360 but now it's on my list.
Sony still needs to catch up or get left behind.

[philp71]

02:45 PM on 06/16/2010

lol, please stop buying video games now, that is just a add on($$$$) and don't think for a moment you wont get the same shovel ware wii got lol just wait soon in about i say 2 years or less you will see the next gaming consoles come out , so go ahead waist your money

[LostAnvil]

02:07 PM on 06/16/2010

Microsoft and Sony had a very sad display at E3 - Nintendo, as always, paves the way for new and awesome ideas and the other giants will just scramble to copy it.

[jesuswazasocialist]

11:41 AM on 06/16/2010

Wow Nintendo just made 3D Television with glasses outdated.

Imagine having a 3D television without the need for glasses?

Can't wait for someone to Incorporate this Nintendo 3D technology into the Iphone and Ipad or even into a Nokia handhold. .

[Nick Mroz]

12:27 PM on 06/16/2010

They do have 3d tv without glasses, they show how it works on the amazon 3d tutorial. Pretty nifty but like 1st Gen LCDs they have a (sweet spot) for viewing.

[jesuswazasocialist]

12:52 PM on 06/16/2010

I think that Nintendo can go along way with this new Tech, in that they could make it that you can view it - 3D from all angles not just from the front.

[Reito Hikari]

12:45 PM on 06/16/2010

But its hard with TV... games are more personalized... TVs not so much. Like the guy says... unless you straight on... it would look like an LCD pane...

[Balzac]

11:38 AM on 06/16/2010

Tight.

[brent3d]

11:33 AM on 06/16/2010

Just one more thing to distract you from reality.

[GraniteSkyline]

11:59 AM on 06/16/2010

Reality? I only have a vague memory of it from years ago.

[SlurmsMcKenzie]

01:25 PM on 06/16/2010

I am not so sure of the existence of one constant shared "true" reality. But i do like beer, that's a fact.

[DFutureIsNow]

02:15 PM on 06/16/2010

and get into your pocket

[digitaljedi]

11:33 AM on 06/16/2010

If I buy one of these will it come with a woman attached?

[philp71]

02:40 PM on 06/16/2010

yes

[Wirehedd]

10:40 PM on 06/17/2010

that model will only be available in Thailand unfortunately. :)

[Jeremy Diamond]

11:19 AM on 06/16/2010

They look really serious about protecting that demo. I don't blame them after all the apple gaffes.

[BlackJAC]

11:01 AM on 06/16/2010

We had stuff like this when I was a kid. We called it "pinball" and "foosball" and "pool tables."

[Toddynho]

11:41 AM on 06/16/2010

FANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNED! I just revamped a foosball (called pimbole in Brazil) table and it's the greatest 3d gaming experience I can imagine!

[philp71]

02:40 PM on 06/16/2010

fail not even the same thing, mario is way more complex than pinball or foosball ? how old are you anyway? the skills it takes to play some of the modern video games is beyond your frail old bleep

[BlackJAC]

03:01 PM on 06/16/2010

It seems the joke about how video games are going out of their way to simulate real life when someone could simply go outside and experience real life with actual human beings went completely over your head. You probably didn't get the bit on THE SIMPSONS where Bart declines going for a bike ride with Marge in favor of playing a video game about riding a bike.

[Dawn Gilliland]

10:37 AM on 06/16/2010

They announced SO MANY top tier games... I don't know what they have left next year! Zelda, Donkey Kong, Kid Icarus (for goodness sakes), PLUS this 3DS? Next year I think that the big announcement for them at E3 will be a new console. I mean, I just don't know what else they have left.

[philp71]

10:11 AM on 06/16/2010

for those that want a reporter who knows video game's don't come here and don't believe anything this site has to say , ign.com is a good place to start. these people tend to care only about apple and anything that breaks their delusions that apple has the best product then they blast it

[Clark Kent]

10:20 AM on 06/16/2010

Definitely on point with that comment.

[philp71]

10:24 AM on 06/16/2010

yeah and i like apple, this reporter said "not great" without any real explanation and did not talk about its features, most people who played this system came away impressed if it was apple hp would have a glowing review

[philp71]

10:06 AM on 06/16/2010

my last post , but please next time play the system, "Nintendogs and Cats is also playable in a basic form. To retain the 3D effect, players interact with a silhouette of the dog on the lower screen. The upper screen shows the puppy all cute and adorable (and with some detailed fur texturing). When you toss the tennis ball to him, he really looks like he hops off into the distance, and when he delivers it, he really does come out of the screen in a nifty effect." Craig Harris IGN

[philp71]

10:03 AM on 06/16/2010

here "Nintendo has a demo that runs through static 3D models of Mario, Zelda, Yoshi, and Pikmin, where you can use the analog slider to rotate the camera. The detail on these models are very, very slick, with tons of lighting effects and detailed textures. And the 3D effect works fantastically." Craig Harris IGN

[philp71]

10:01 AM on 06/16/2010

oh and it will play movies in 3d more info not in your article "The first system I played had the trailer for Legends of the Guardians, the upcoming owl movie from Warner Bros. I've seen this played in front of Alice in Wonderland, in 3D, and the depth effect on the 3DS screen is just as pronounced as the RealD version I saw in theaters. The same can be said for the How to Train Your Dragon and Disney's Tangled: fantastic video quality and excellent 3D depth." Craig Harris IGN