LOS ANGELES--Nintendo's 2010 E3 press conference was likely a satisfying one for the company's longtime fans. In it, the company unveiled a slew of new software titles slated to ship this holiday shopping season through to next year that bring back old and very popular franchises.
The biggest news out of the event though, and what had lines with an hour-long wait at the L.A. Convention Center, was the company's new 3D DS hardware, dubbed simply the 3DS.
Revealed at the end of the Nintendo press conference, the Nintendo 3DS is a variant of the Nintendo DS portable gaming hardware that adds a 3D element to the top screen that can be seen without the use of 3D glasses. It also has dual external cameras that can be used to take 3D photographs, which can then be viewed on the device.
Nintendo didn't go into specifics on what users can do with these 3D photos besides viewing them on the 3DS. The big deal here, though, is that Nintendo--and not a proper camera manufacturer--stands a chance at getting 3D cameras into a mind-boggling number of pockets when the 3DS is released next year.
Nintendo has also done some neat tricks to make the 3D effect on its top screen work, by including a "depth slider" that physically moves the 3D layer to either apply the effect full-on, or turn it off completely. As explained by Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, this has been included so that players can get rid of 3D in games if they so choose, or simply tweak the effect to their liking.
The 3DS is also the first for any of Nintendo's portable hardware to include an analog stick, which many would say is long overdue. This, along with an accelerometer and internal gyroscope sensors gives developers several new avenues to take control schemes.
What may end up being the biggest hint at Nintendo's ambitions for the system though, is that the company plans to bring 3D movies to it. While Nintendo was not announcing any at the expo, or how they would be delivered, it was showing off a variety of 3D trailers from studios like Warner Brothers, Dreamworks and Disney at its E3 booth. Presumably these will be the studios to offer content for the 3DS when it launches next year.
The rise of the bridge title
Nintendo has long been known for its family-friendly image, and the event the company not only embraced it, but pointed out that it has led to ample hardware and software sales.
"Last year you heard people say Wii momentum was starting to wane," said Nintendo of America's president, Reggie Fils-Aime. "But last December, we set an all-time record for game system sales of any kind, in any month." Fils-Aime went on to say that more games have been sold for Wii in 43 months than any other platform in the same launch period. … Read more
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