I’m buying the Nintendo 3DS

Jack made plenty of good points, all of which I had considered before his article. Nevertheless, I am buying the Nintendo 3DS; I bought two, in fact.

Here’s why:

Controls

I am absolutely and foremost in love with how the 3DS controls games. The analog stick is well-implemented and is something the DS has seriously lacked. The motion controls, via gyro and accelerometer, is like an iPhone on steroids. I have also spent an extended amount of time playing the 3DS at PAX and can confirm that Nintendo has learned something from designing the Wii and has brought that into the 3DS. If you want an example, try the motion controls for Steel Diver, which are dead on.

Graphics

Visually, this system is on par with the Wii and would probably look even better if it had a higher resolution display. I was always happy with 2D games on the DS (Ghost Trick and Professor Layton look amazing) but 3D entries were very hit or miss. This system will open all sorts of doors for developers looking to enhance games for the DS with visuals that can finally match the creativity of their imaginations.

Social interaction

I’m in a bigger city, so there’s a chance I will actually run in to fellow 3DS owners via StreetPass. Getting home to see what my Miis have been up to while the system is closed will be a lot of fun. Even before its launch, the 3DS is causing the creation of meet-up groups like in Washington DC, but I’m sure we’ll see other such events for kids (at malls) as well as adults (at pubs).

Potential

A lot has been written about the lackluster launch titles. I don’t think there’s a game in the bunch that you could theoretically “finish” but despite that, launch titles still give us glimpses of what this system will deliver. Don’t forget that we’re still seeing great ingenuity on the DS during the eve of 3DS’s launch. And don’t get me started on the AR Cards!

System design

Here’s the one place where I will say that Jack is wrong, but as always, colors are a matter of taste. Physically, the system is rock solid and feels more like the launch of the DS Lite versus the original DS, which I feel was much more rushed to market than the 3DS.

3D

The effect works and makes the world of these games that much more immersive. Like Blake said on the recent Infendo Radio, turning 3D on in Super Street Fighter IV actually makes the graphics in the game look even better. I’m sure this trend will continue as developers get a better idea of what they can wrench out of the 3DS’s graphics chips.

I’m older

I too am an “old man” like Jack. I now prefer the personal interaction between a portable gaming system or a laptop rather than “taking up the whole living room” to play a game on my TV. Plus I have an epic pair of headphones, or ear goggles if you will, that my wife bought me which make portable gaming sound amazing.

In conclusion

Nintendo may have made a system that’s even more divisive than the Wii. There will be pro- and anti-3DS fanatics out there, and both will just keep driving sales up and up. Like I said earlier, I have already ordered two (gotta get one for my wife!) and I expect the more that people get their hands on this system, the more that will snap them up.

See also: I’m not buying the Nintendo 3DS