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![]() Nintendo 3DS |
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Manufacturer | Nintendo |
Product family | Nintendo 3DS |
Type | Handheld game console |
Retail availability | Fiscal Year 2010 (Before April 2011) |
Media | Nintendo 3DS, and DS Game Cards |
Storage capacity | Cartridge save, SD card |
Graphics | Digital Media Professionals (DMP) Pica200 GPU[1] 400 MHz [2] |
Connectivity | 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi |
Online services | Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection |
Backward compatibility |
Nintendo DS, DSi |
Predecessor | Nintendo DS series (DS, DS Lite, DSi and DSi XL) |
Website | Official Website |
The Nintendo 3DS (ニンテンドー3DS Nintendō Surī Dī Esu , pronounced /nɪnˈtɛndoʊ ˈθriˈdiɛs/) is an upcoming portable game console by Nintendo, which can produce "3D effects without the need for any special glasses", a process called autostereoscopy.[3] Scheduled to launch in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011, the portable will succeed the Nintendo DS series of handhelds,[3] which primarily shares the handheld console market with Sony's PSP (PlayStation Portable).[4] The Nintendo 3DS will feature backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software.[3]
Announcing the device on March 23, 2010, Nintendo officially unveiled the device at the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)[3] on June 15,[5] with the company inviting attendees to play with the console.[6] According to industry analysts, the timing of Nintendo's original announcement, which had drawn attention away from the launch of the company's still-new Nintendo DSi XL handheld, was likely intended to preempt impending news leaks about the product by the Japanese press.[7]
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Although it had been discussed before then, speculation about a true successor to the Nintendo DS series began to ramp up in late 2009. In mid-October, tech tabloid Bright Side of News* reported that graphics processing unit (GPU) developer Nvidia had won the microprocessor contract for the device with its Nvidia Tegra system-on-a-chip series.[8] Later that month, speaking about the future for Nintendo's portable consoles, company president Satoru Iwata mentioned that while mobile connectivity via subscription mobile broadband "doesn't fit Nintendo customers," he was interested in exploring an option similar to the Whispernet service for the Amazon Kindle, in which users are not charged for the mobile connectivity, and the costs are cross-subsidized.[9]
Though Nintendo has expressed interest in including motion-sensing capabilities in its handhelds since before the release of the original Nintendo DS,[10] in January 2010 an alleged comment by Satoru Iwata from an interview with Asahi Shimbun led to a minor dispute between the publication and Nintendo over whether Iwata confirmed that the successor to the Nintendo DS would incorporate a motion sensor.[11] Later that month, analyst Jesse Divnich of Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR) stated that the firm believes that Nintendo will launch a Nintendo DS successor "within the next 15 months."[12][4]
In mid-February, video gaming website Computer and Video Games (CVG) reported that a select "handful" of Japanese developers were in possession of software development kits (SDKs) for the Nintendo DS successor, with The Pokémon Company given special priority. According to CVG's insider at an unspecified third-party development studio, the hardware features a "tilt" function that is similar to that of the iPhone, "but does a lot more." The insider noted that the distributed hardware is not for the final product, but of trial hardware for developers to provide feedback on.[13]
In mid-March 2010, veteran video game journalist Raymond Padilla reported additional rumors about a Nintendo DS successor from the San Francisco Game Developers Conference. According to developers claiming to be working on the system, the handheld would feature two display screens like the Nintendo DS, but with bigger, higher-resolution display screens, and a smaller gap between them—negligible enough that they can be used together as a single large screen. An accelerometer would be incorporated into the device. The SDK is reportedly "similar in power to the GameCube," with an easy learning curve for developers familiar working with Nintendo's GameCube or Wii home consoles. The developers claimed that their games for the new handheld would be finished before the end of the year, which Padilla said indicates a likely announcement of the console at E3 2010 in June, and a launch in late 2010.[14] In the same month, several developers spoke publicly about features they wished to see in a Nintendo DS successor, including stronger online functionality,[15] dual multi-touch screens,[16] a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, and 3G mobile broadband connectivity.[17] On March 23, Nintendo officially announced the Nintendo 3DS.[18]
In late-April 2010, a picture of a possible development build of the internal components of the 3DS was released as part of a U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filing by Mitsumi.[19] An analysis of the image showed that it was likely genuine as it featured components known to be used in the Nintendo DS line along with features of the 3DS that had not been announced like a 5:3 top screen, and a control nub similar to those used in Sony PSP systems.[20]
In early-June 2010, video gaming website IGN reported that according to "several developers who have experienced 3DS in its current form", the system possesses processing power that "far exceed[s] the Nintendo Wii". They also cited "several developer sources" as saying that the system does not use the Nvidia Tegra mobile chipset.[21]
The system was officially revealed at Nintendo's conference at E3 2010 on June 15, 2010. The first game revealed was Kid Icarus: Uprising, with several other titles from third parties also announced, including Square Enix with Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy, Konami with Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater 3D, Warner Bros. Interactive with a Batman title, Ubisoft with Assassin's Creed: Lost Legacy, Capcom with Resident Evil: Revelations and Super Street Fighter 4 3D Edition, and Activision with DJ Hero. Other Nintendo titles were later revealed after the conference, such as Mario Kart 3DS, a remake of Star Fox 64 [22], Animal Crossing and a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in 3D.[23] On July 29, 2010, it was officially announced that the 3DS release date & price will be announced on September 29th, 2010.[24] The 3DS design shown at E3 is almost final, and is subject to minor changes.[25]
The Nintendo 3DS is based on a custom Pica200 graphics processor from a Japanese start-up Digital Media Professionals (DMP). [26] It has two screens; the top screen is a 3.53-inch 5:3 3D screen with a resolution of 800×240 pixels (400×240 pixels per eye, WQVGA) that is able to produce a stereoscopic three-dimensional effect without 3D glasses, while the bottom screen is a 3.02-inch 4:3 non-3D touch panel with a resolution of 320×240 pixels (QVGA). The 3DS weighs approximately 8 oz. (226 g) and, when closed, is 5.3 inches (135 mm) wide, 2.9 inches (74 mm) broad, and 0.8 inches (20 mm) tall.
The system features several additions to the design of the original DS, including a slider on the side of the device that adjusts the intensity of the 3D effect, a round nub analog input called the "Slide Pad", an accelerometer, and a gyroscope. In addition, there is an infra-red communicator port situated on the top of the unit.[27]
The 3DS has two cameras on the outside of the device, capable of taking 3D photos and capturing 3D video, as well as a camera positioned above the top screen on the inside of the device which faces the player, capable of taking 2D photos and capturing 2D video; all three cameras have a resolution of 640×480 pixels (0.3 megapixel). The system also has 3D movie playback capability; Nintendo has made deals with Warner Bros, Disney, and DreamWorks to deliver 3D movies.[28] Although no titles have been announced yet, the trailers for DreamWorks' How to Train Your Dragon, Warner Bros' upcoming film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, and Disney’s upcoming film Tangled were shown on the 3DS during the Expo.[29]
In addition to its own software, the Nintendo 3DS will be backward compatible with Nintendo DS software, including DSi software. Announced titles include Kid Icarus: Uprising[30] and Mario Kart 3DS.[31] Many companies have signed on to develop for the 3DS, and over 60 titles in all have been confirmed.[32] At launch, the Nintendo 3DS cards will hold up to 2GB of game data and look almost exactly the same as those of the current DS.[32] However, there is a small tab jutting out on the one side, most likely to prevent 3DS cards from being inserted in a Nintendo DS.[33]
The system supports multiplayer gameplay via a local wireless connection or over the Internet. Expanding upon the connectivity of the Nintendo DS, the Nintendo 3DS features an "always on" background connectivity system that current trademarks suggest the name being "CrossPass"[34], which can automatically seek and connect to wireless network nodes such as Wi-Fi hotspots, sending and downloading information in the background while in sleep mode or while playing a game. One application being considered for Crosspass is functionality to "automatically acquire magazine and newspaper articles", similar to networked e-book reader applications.[35] The background connectivity will be utilized in Crosspass, which allows users to exchange software content regardless of what software is currently in the console. For Crosspass, sharing content is stored in a "data slot" in the console. Using this data slot, Nintendo 3DS users can readily share and exchange content for multiple games at the same time, whenever they are connected, even when playing unrelated games.[36] Using the console's background connectivity, a Nintendo 3DS in Crosspass Mode can automatically discover other 3DS units within range, establish a connection, and exchange content for mutually-played games, all transparently and without requiring any user input, even when the console is dormant. Crosspass Mode can be customized to fit the user's preferences, including opting out of Crosspass Mode for selected software.[37]
According to game developer THQ, the Nintendo 3DS features sophisticated anti-piracy technology which Nintendo believes is able to significantly curb video game piracy, which had increasingly depressed the handheld market with the proliferation of cheap flash memory and the rise in illegal file sharing.[38]
The system has been shown in three color schemes: blue, red, and black.[32] Purple and bronze/orange versions were also seen at E3 2010.[39]
Note: All specifics for 3DS are based on preliminary information and prototypes, and specific metric measurements are required.
3DS | DSi XL | DSi | DS Lite | Original DS | |
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Weight | 230 grams (8.1 oz) | 314 grams (11.1 oz) | 214 grams (7.5 oz) | 218 grams (7.7 oz) | 300 grams (11 oz) |
Dimensions | 130×74×20 mm (5.1×2.9×0.79 in) (192,400 mm3) | 161×91.4×21.2 mm (6.3×3.60×0.83 in) (311,966.48 mm3) | 137×74.9×18.9 mm (5.4×2.95×0.74 in) (193,938.57 mm3) | 133×73.9×21.87 mm (5.2×2.91×0.861 in) (214,953.67 mm3) | 148.7×84.7×28.9 mm (5.85×3.33×1.14 in) (363,992.32 mm3) |
Screen Size1 | 90 mm (3.5 in) top and 77 mm (3.0 in) bottom | 106.68 mm (4.200 in) both | 83 mm (3.3 in) both | 79 mm (3.1 in) both | 76 mm (3.0 in) both |
Screen Resolution | 800x240 top (effectively 400×240 per eye, WQVGA); 320×240 touch QVGA | 256×192 both | 256×192 both | 256×192 both | 256×192 both |
Battery Life | Targeted to match the DSi[40] | 9 to 14 hours, depending on screen brightness (840 mAh)[41] | 15 to 19 hours, depending on screen brightness (1000 mAh) | 10 to 14 hours (850 mAh) | |
Screen Brightness | TBA | 5 levels | 5 levels | 4 levels | Backlight On/Off |
Stylus | extendable up to ~4 inches (100 mm)[42] | 92×4.9 mm | 87.5×4.9 mm | 75.0 mm × 4.0 mm | |
Controls | L, R, A, B, X, Y, D-pad, slide pad, touch screen, microphone, motion sensor, start, select, power, and home buttons, gyroscope, 3 cameras, volume slider, 3D slider, wireless communications switch | L, R, A, B, X, Y, D-pad, touch screen, microphone, 2 cameras, start, select, power button, volume buttons | L, R, A, B, X, Y, D-pad, touch screen, microphone, 2 cameras, start, select, power button, volume buttons | L, R, A, B, X, Y, D-pad, touch screen, microphone, start, select, power slider, volume slider | L, R, A, B, X, Y, D-pad, touch screen, microphone, start, select, power button, volume slider |
Cartridge Slots | 3DS/DS[42], SD | DS, SD | DS, SD | DS, Game Boy Advance | DS, Game Boy Advance |
Storage | TBA | 256 MB internal flash memory | 256 MB internal flash memory | 256 kB of serial flash memory | 256 kB of serial flash memory |
RAM | TBA | 16 MB | 16 MB | 4 MB of mobile RAM, expandable by the Game Boy Advance slot | 4 MB of mobile RAM, expandable by the Game Boy Advance slot |
CPU | TBA | 133 MHz ARM9 and 33 MHz ARM7 | 133 MHz ARM9 and 33 MHz ARM7 | 67 MHz ARM9[43] and 33MHz ARM7 | Same as DS Lite |
GPU | DMP Pica200 IP core[26][44] | Nintendo Proprietary | Nintendo Proprietary | Nintendo Proprietary | Nintendo Proprietary |
Camera | One above the top screen facing toward the player for 2D photo and video capture, two on the outside for 3D photo and video capture. 640×480 (0.3 megapixel) resolution each | One on the outside, one in the hinge near the microphone. 640×480 (0.3 megapixel) resolution each | One on the outside, one in the hinge near the microphone. 640×480 (0.3 megapixel) resolution each | none | none |
"Wired.com: In 2004, when the first DS was first shown at E3, we saw an exterior form factor that wasn’t final. Will the look of the 3DS be changed before its release?
Konno: You can take this as the final shape.
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