Nintendo 3DS hands-on

I had a go on a demonstration model of the new Nintendo portable console, the 3DS, in my local Game store last weekend. Unfortunately - and rather stupidly, I thought - they didn't have any games in-store and had no plans to have any before the launch of the system on 25 March. All that there was to play with was the onboard software. I wasn't that interested in those but what I was interested in - and the reason for wanting to have a go anyway - was to test the 3D-ness of the console (and whether or not it would cause my brain to run out of my ears).

The 3D in the onboard software was kind of OK-ish. There was some depth on display but I now wonder if I had the unit in the right place in relation to my eyes. As the kit was tethered to the Game employee's wrist - for obvious reasons - I didn't feel as if I could jerk the 3DS (and therefore his arm) into a variety of viewing positions in order to ascertain the best one. Hopefully demo consoles will be displayed more helpfully once the machine is released and I also think that the best way to judge the 3D-ness will be in an actual game.

Another thing counting against the display was that it was quite bright in Game when I viewed it (the shop is in a corner location, with windows on two sides). In this bright light, the display seemed quite dim (something I have since read elsewhere to be the case). Presumably not having a bright display lengthens the battery life but, as it's a portable console, you would expect a lot of 3DS gaming to be in the outdoors, so a bit of a drawback Maybe something to be fixed in a follow up console, as with the GBA and the GBASP (the former of which could, conversely, only be adequately viewed with a strong light source overhead).

My brain is still very much inside my head and barely liquidised at all but I would be lying if I said that it was a nausea-free experience though. I think that might have been a combination of the bright light / dim display and not being being able to get the console into the optimum position without breaking the sales assistant's wrist though.

The machine itself seemed a bit plastic-y and toy-like (much like the original GBA) and lacking the sense of value that you'd expect from a c£220 investment (maybe I've been spoilt by shiny Apple products in recent years).

I had been wondering whether or not to buy a 3DS but I think my hands-on trial has persuaded me not to. I am sure Nintendo will bring out a better version within 18 months (as with the GBA and DS) and, unless a truly excellent game is released in the interim, I will wait until then to pick one up. This is quite unlike me, as I owned both the GBA and the DS Chunky (upgrading to the next iteration as soon as they were released) but Nintendo hasn't quite pushed my buttons (pressed my touchscreen?) with the 3DS.