My week of vacation with the family in North Carolina is coming to a close. After Friday's activities, we'll be hopping in the car to head back to NJ. A great week, but a sad fact that the vacation has to come to a close. Oh well, at least there's one more day to enjoy! See you in a few, short hours.
I can remember the launch day for the DS quite well. I ran out to my local mall and grabbed the DS I preordered at GameStop. I did so alongside Mom Brain, JTS and Nicky Hill. We all took our new purchases to Denny's for some breakfast, then we started to unlock the wonders of the system while chomping down on some pancakes. It was a glorious morning indeed!
I will also forever remember the launch of the 3DS. I was with the crew in NYC, standing out on the city street at Best Buy for the midnight launch. The thing is, there weren't as many people standing in line as I thought there would be. Did it have to do with the weather, or was it a foreshadowing of the issues Nintendo would have to tackle with the 3DS early on?
All that is behind us now. The 3DS XL is on its way out. Yes, we're already seeing the first revamp of the handheld, but I don't think anyone is surprised with that. That's sort of Nintendo's thing! Now all those that haven't jumped in on the 3DS yet have another reason to check the system out. Think of it as a second coming for the little handheld that could.
If you're a 3DS owner, I'd love to hear what you think of the system. Has it been providing you with hours of fun? Are there some elements that have soured your experience? Does it go toe-to-toe with the DS' offerings at the same point in its life? Can 3DS meet or surpass the sales the DS has pulled in?
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My most played console since I got it (had to wait a few days on free Amazon shipping, but I basically owned it since launch).
Especially with the downloadable store, this machine is far exceeding the DS at the same point in it's life.
i think the activity log said i'd spent 500+ hours with my 3DS since getting it at launch. I've played plenty of DS games, 3DS games, eshop games, listened to pod at work, swapnoted, taken pictures, even used its web browser as a resource when playing a fullscreen PC game.
My son and my brother each have one too, and its really cool to see them send swapnotes back and forth.
Couldn't be happier with it!
I've only had my 3DS for 2 weeks, but I've plugged 21 hours into OoT3D, 8 into Metroid 2, 4.5 into Mighty Switch Force, and 6 into Mario vs. DK (got it back when it was on Club Nintendo). I've played 3 demos so far, I'm at the end of Find Mii the first time (thanks to StreetPassing my girlfriend and changing shirt colors) and I'm doing puzzles in PuzzleSwap, and I bring it with me on walks for play coins. OH and Internet Browser and SwapNote. All over those. And I've used Pokedex 3D to take some pics and I keep up with getting my 3 Pokemon each day.
Needless to say, I love it. I had some trouble with some stuff at first, but I've gotten used to it now. My only real gripe is the glossiness, because it gets covered in fingerprints and feels greasy no matter how clean I or my hands may be. I prefer the matte feel of the DSi, though I *love* the look of my sexy, glossy red 3DS...
I think the eShop could stand to be a tad more organized, but I love that too. And my god, paying exact amount instead of paying $10 when I want something for $2? Such a freaking improvement! The sales are nice (though silly for how short and only one game), but this is a step in the right direction!
If I had money, I'd have waited for the XL, but I am getting Last Story next month and I only got this because I traded in a spare DSi my family had that hadn't been used in years and got the 3DS for $109.
Stoked about all the new games/eShop stuff in the future.
Oh, and I love the 3D. My god.
I was diagnosed with a large prolactinoma brain tumor in May of last year. I was in the hospital for a few weeks, with only my original DS to keep me company. When I got out, I knew that I would probably be spending a lot of time in the hospital, but I could not afford to upgrade my DS to a 3DS. I am un-able to work. One day, out of the blue, my parents surprised me with a brand new 3DS! It has been with me to the hospital many times now. It's the greatest hand held ever made in my opinion. The 3D really adds to game play, and has helped my vision. I am partially blind, and I truly believe the 3DS has helped my vision improve! God bless Nintendo for giving me something to help me through these hard times!
I love my 3DS, right down to Circle Pad Pro enhanced RE:R, but the one thing that really sours me on it is the bottom screen marking the top screen. I know we haven't heard much of it since launch, but it still persists and makes me thankful for investing in screen protectors. I can only hope the XL doesn't suffer the same design flaw, because I love almost everything else about the redesign.
Aside from that, there are a couple of fixes I'd like in the VC (which probably won't happen):
-I'd like to be able to change the stretch/1:1 display from within the software (I think Game Gear VC supports this). I often start up a GB game only to have to restart it when I'm confronted with blur-o-vision.
-I'd also like it if relevant games supported Super Game Boy palette colours, at least as an option. The black and white(/green) is kind of jarring after all the intervening years of lovely technicolour, and games like DK '94 and Metroid II looked much nicer on the SGB.
These are just small nitpicks though, which I'll put up with as long as Nintendo keeps a steady stream of quality software coming out, and with Paper Mario and Luigi's Mansion coming out later this year, I'm definitely happy for now.
I love my 3DS.
I first tried 3DS at Best Buy 2 weeks before the system came out with a friend and both of us were sold immediately! The 3D worked well, the Mii generation was fun, the built in software was awesome, and I loved the Mii RPG system. Also I was blown away at how well SSFIV looked when I tried it a couple hours later at gamestop.
When I got it at home and I started messing with it more, I really liked the fact there was one friends list and loved the mii plaza but was a bit disappointed that a lot of features haven't been implemented yet. However this all changed soon afterwards and now a year later, the 3DS has so much stuff going for it, its shortcomings (no second slider pad and no cross game voice chat) hardly matter anymore.
Because I live in Texas and it gets blazing hot here and the 3DS's design is a clam shell like a laptop, many times when it is blazing hot, I set my 3DS on my stomach when laying down and watch Netflix on it. It literally has become my main go to device for Netflix and the picture on Netflix is surprisingly clear.
I also love the eShop, the weekend sales, the club nintendo rewards, the already pretty stellar eShop library, and the fact I can demo retail games. Also the library has gotten to a nice point where there's a lot of available out there in a pretty good variety.
I bought the system without a second thought at launch for $250. Since then I've gotten what.... 23 free games? All of those free games have turned out to give me CN coins which have gotten me more games. Also the system is turning out to have many more functions and uses then just gaming thanks to apps from the eShop. Despite anybody's complaints here, I'm sitting on a nice pile of games and a multi purpose device that has functions nothing else can deliver due to its design (portable digital art pad and clam shell design makes for a convenient video player).
The 3DS is awesome!
Plus having alot of them has given me huge opportunities to join them in their games like Mario Kart 7, Kid Icarus Uprising, and Resident Evil Revelations, which I all have.
The 3DS software has won me over while the hardware is still quite disappointing.
+Kid Icarus Uprising, Resident Evil Revelaitons (snicker), Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, Ocarina of Time 3D and quite a few decent eShop titles.
+Getting to play DSi Ware I missed due to not having a DSi.
+Find Mii and Puzzle swap - love them!
+20 ambassador games!
-Bottom screen leaving lines on the top screen.
-Lack of system-wide achievements (the ones in Mii plaza don't count).
-No second analog stick.
-Low battery life.
-AR is worthless.
-The camera is terrible.
-Friend codes.
-No text messaging or voice chat.
-Swap note and Nintendo video are subpar.
Well, hopefully the 3DS XL will at least solve the problem with lines on the screen. Otherwise it remains a rather underwhelming piece of hardware.
Well with 646:17 hours played last year and already 578:59 this year I have easily gotten my money's worth on this system. I really enjoy how much the online has improved over Wii and DS, and the eshop is the only store on any of my systems I enjoy window shopping on. I also love using swapnote with my friends (except when @Mirr0rR3flection sent me loads of spam notes! DX LOLOLOL)!
The games were a little dry when it first came out but it has now easily surpassed the DS titles I had by this time. I'm sure Luigi's Mansion 2 and Paper Mario will get me another 100 hours!
HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF GAME PLAY
you forgot loose hinges
I loved the DS and the 3DS is basically a souped up DS with a few extra bells and whistles under the hood. Therefore, I love my 3DS that much more and when I upgrade to the 3DS XL, I'll love it even more. Can't wait for NSMB2(that's right haterz), Paper Mario: Sticker Star and Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon.
LoveEnjoy most of its software and moreso the prospect of future titles,hate...no, actually still do hate the hardware. I loved pretty much everything about the DS Lite and DSi back then (aside from minor and indeed forgivable nitpicks), but frustrating enough I'd deem the 3DS almost a burden to be able to play 3DS games...Nintendo is already on my shovel list for going all anti-consumerism with the region-locking, so technically the 3DS would already be a massive headache to me if it was the bee's knees otherwise. Sadly (or luckily?) it isn't, with its impractical glossy casing, "scratching" screens, loose volume dial, loose hinge, weak Start/Select/Home "buttons", misplaced mic, misplaced stylus, misplaced headphone port, its inability to -easily or at all- change brightness during play (was godsend and DSi and even the freaking GBA Micro could do it) and a casing that doesn't even really enclose the system when closed.
In that sense I've been baffled for a long time how Nintendo is absolutely enforcing that "Take the system with you wherever you go!" aspect of portable gaming, while at the same time designing handhelds that are more and more afraid of being actually put into a pocket. Which leads us right to the 3DS XL, I guess. I guess that one thankfully adresses some of its original's issues, while still not exactly posing as a spot-on alternative/evolution to it. All gripes aside, normally I'd probably "upgrade" to the XL without much thinking, but in case of the 3DS I'm back to square one here: Thanks to that goddamn region locking, do I simply upgrade to the European XL and am still f*cked when it comes to titles not localized here at all/for months to come, or do I actually invest into a US XL, which may or may not be used for only a handful titles, given that I already sit on a solid collection of EU carts that the shiny new machine won't be able to play? Including those titles NoA might not touch/encourage due to their scary and more and more prominent "We're such special snowflakes!" attitude?
Given such completely unnecessary annoyances/thought-trains I'd love being able to say "You know, eff that, I'm saving my money and enjoying the hell out of the Vita instead." - if Sony wouldn't deliver an even greater trainwreck with the Vita all by themselves right now, without even being pressured by their competition.
As an absolutely passionate portable gamer, I'm honestly kind of depressed over the state of portable gaming right now and hardware manufacturer's "visions" of it. Gaming was that much more simple and enjoyable during the DS/PSP era...
easily my most played console since... hell, the ps1? i loved my ds but for some reason i never played it all THAT much.. but the 3ds is different. between the games, and the features and the fact that it seems like the system is constantly updating i am constantly opening the thing and due to the fact that i am obsessed with street passing people it is always on my person. since launch, i have logged in 700 software hours.... wow, really? yikes!
Best handheld Nintendo has ever made if you ask me. Love taking it to work every day to collect Play Coins and StreetPasses! I even took it with me on a trip to Busch Stadium recently to take pictures (which I could've done with my phone...but I felt it would be far more novel just to use the 3DS. lol)
eShop games, from what I've played so far, are terrific. Perfect for playing in between big retail releases.
And speaking of that, I only have three games in my possession right now...OoT3D, MK7 and KI:U. But I've also played Super Mario 3D Land. And I've been thoroughly impressed with every one of them. Great lineup of software right now that can only get better judging by what's coming!
Then there's all the Ambassador games...which are responsible for getting me into WarioWare and Fire Emblem.
Like I said. I love it!
Loving it. I got it on my birthday last year. I only got SSFIV. Pretty great starter game, and I love fighting games. Now I have six games in total and have a ton games I want to buy. I only got 1 legit streetpass tag. This july 4th I went to the Hensen Dam to watch Fireworks and junk. I'd say there were close to 1000 people there. I brought my 3DS just in case I got bored. I only had it on for about 20 minutes. Then when we were driving back I had a new mii waiting in the plaza. So now I rly need to bring my 3DS to more events.
I love the device but I've used it more for Internet browsing than game playing. I think the games I've downloaded off the eShop have been more interesting than the 3DS library.
Absolutely love my 3DS!
Downloadable games are great and unique, and the retail titles are incredible.
Super Mario 3D Land is one of my favorite games, but Kid Icarus: Uprising...
I literally cannot say enough about KI:U. I've played A LOT of games over the years, and KIU is literally the best I've ever played. (Rather than go on a long, long rant of the games awesomeness, I'll leave it at that. But the Fiends Cauldron needs to be added to as many Nintendo games as possible.)
Also, Streetpass games and incredible as well.
Nice system, though I didn't have my first big retail game till Mario Kart 7 [having got Pilotwings Resort for launch]. First few months were barren [unless you wanted to buy a game you already owned, again, in OoT].
But since then I've gotten Kid Icarus, FF Theatrhythm, and today KH:DDD - so lots of playtime atm!
Roll on LM2, Paper Mario and Bravely Default!
"The thing is, there weren't as many people standing in line as I thought there would be. Did it have to do with the weather, or was it a foreshadowing of the issues Nintendo would have to tackle with the 3DS early on?"
RMC it was most likely that there were no must have launch titles for the system. That and it being overpriced.
i've definitely gotten a lot of use out of it and carry it around every day, but so far the biggest draw for me has def. been the apps and eshop and not any actual retail releases. really hoping that changes once fire emblem gets released next year and they put out a new metroid, zelda, animal crossing, etc.
Sounds like you had fun deleting notes.
I only spammed you to teach you a lesson. (preschooler
The 3DS is the best handheld Nintendo has made, I love the library already more than the DS one and can't wait for more 3DS goodness. And that's saying something with the Wii U right around the corner.
I was in Japan during the build up to the 3DS and would see them on display at Yodobashi. I left Japan the day it launched there and remember seeing my first one in the wild held by a little girl running with it. I had to resist taking it from a kid!
I like my 3DS but I really haven't been using it to it's potential. I don't use the 3D very often and for retail games, I play more DS games than I do 3DS. I really do with they'd bring in more games that pushed the system so that I'd play 3DS games (eg. Slime Rocket 3, Monster Hunter 3G, Etrian Odysessy, etc).
Do like the various features like street pass, and the eshop. The only real built in disappointments are the amount of RAM and the battery life.
The 3DS is a decent console. Not sure if it's the best one they ever made yet, we haven't got all the great franchises from the DS/GBA/Game Boy/home console systems on it yet and it's only been out about a year, but it's a good console. Mario Kart 7 is pretty neat, Super Mario 3D Land is a good game as is The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D and Kid Icarus Uprising. And the games coming up look good too.
System itself is pretty cool technically, I like the built in games and apps (like SwapNote and the various StreetPass related games), and the 3D effect can be nice when it works, it just needs a longer battery life.
So yes, the 3DS is a good system, although it might be a bit early to call it the best ever.
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