tomorrow is the day

[Kyrith_Ranger_Pso]

The 3DS will be launching tomorrow and I am absolutely psyched, sure, the launch title list isn't stellar, but it's definitely good enough for me. Anyone else getting it tomorrow? or is everyone but me waiting until the big games come out?

[Zarode]

Super Street Fighter appears to be a must-have for newcomers and fans alike, and Ghost Recon looks to be a sleeper hit being a turn-based tactics game (think Fire Emblem/Advance Wars).

Ridge Racer is supposedly decent, and so is the Bust-a-Move game.

[joefro]

I ordered one from Amazon, so I won't get it until Tuesday. I chose Amazon because of the $25 credit and I hate launch lines for Nintendo products. The only game I'm getting is Rayman 3D. I don't care that it's a remake, it's still one of the good Rayman games. I might get Ghost Recon or Street Fighter, but I'm not sure yet. Rayman will hold me off for a few weeks.

[Akaimizu]

Definitely. I'm rather psyched about it, actually.

[McLaughlin]

Waiting, but Ghost Recon looks pretty great.

[Akaimizu]

Nice that there's excitement for Ghost Recon. I fell in love with the Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter games, back when they came out. Loved being sort of the leader, because I would relay intelligence gathered from the drone I controlled. In a way, it gave me sort of a Live RTS feel to the game.

Stuff that I try to employ in Phantasy Star, to a degree.

However, this new Ghost Recon looks like it could bring the whole game *based* on overhead inteligence.

[BogusKun]

It's a midnight release for Wal-Mart and you can pick it up anytime.

It is a very fun system but what I find most interesting is that you can be friends much faster in future games through QR codes rather than individual FCs given out on carts.

Let's hope this works now that everyone who has one in America is receiving theirs now.

Scan my image on the QR option and you can be my friend! Let's all share here :)

[trypticon]

I scanned the QR code on mine.

Not really impressed with the system so far, which is really a downer since I was excited about it. Maybe it will grow on me before I return it.

[Robert_Garcia]

I'm gonna wait on it for a few. I'm looking forward to the Star Fox remake, as well as the upcoming AAvsPL game. Honestly though, I can't afford that $250 price tag.



Ridge Racer is supposedly decent, and so is the Bust-a-Move game.

Wait, Ridge Racer!? On a Nintendo platform!?

[Kyrith_Ranger_Pso]

you're going to return the system before you even give it a little time for the library to flesh out? i think someone needs a lesson in patience.

and I'm about to go get mine in 15 minutes (no midnight release for me and game stop doesn't open until then)

[Outrider]

I think I'm going to wait on either new games or a new hardware revision.

But then again, I might wind up impulse buying it if I see one in Target later today, so we'll see.



Wait, Ridge Racer!? On a Nintendo platform!?

There have been a couple of Ridge Racer games on Nintendo platforms. In fact, I'm pretty sure Ridge Racer 64 was actually developed by Nintendo.

[trypticon]

Nah, I'm not being impatient. Right now, having the large amount of money seems more appealling to me than having this system. That's all.

[Gunslinger-08]

I'm going to give it at least a week. I have an old DS Lite back at my parents' house that I think I can still use to get $50 off of it, so I'll need to visit to pick that up, and I also want to hear more about the other titles.

I also prefer avoiding launch events for consoles.

[CupOfCoffee]

I want one eventually, but ideally I'd like to wait for a price cut, a hardware update, and a Zelda game (ideally ideally a non-Ocarina one that's built from the ground up for the 3DS — although, to be honest, I'm also excited about the Ocarina remake).

The early reviews I've been reading are really trashing the battery life and original DS game playing capabilities (something about dim colors and Game Boy Micro-sized display due to the 3DS' comparatively high pixel density). Hopefully those would be two of the first things they would address in a hardware refresh, so I'm content to stick it out for a while.

I am pretty pumped about the apparent (intent to) focus on a 3DS Virtual Console store, though. I always thought $3-$10 downloads of old Game Boy and S/NES games was something DSi could and should have brought with it.

[Outrider]

I am pretty pumped about the apparent (intent to) focus on a 3DS Virtual Console store, though. I always thought $3-$10 downloads of old Game Boy and S/NES games was something DSi could and should have brought with it.

I'm waiting for them to start releasing Virtual Boy games through the Virtual Console. I want to play Wario Land again.

[CupOfCoffee]

Holy, oh man, yeah! I didn't even think about Virtual Boy.

[Akaimizu]

I picked it up. I'll have to say I'm quite impressed with the console, even though I would say it will get more impressive with updates over the next month.

As for the games, they are nice. The 3D is quite profound in some but it comes with a price, though. I keep trying to see 3D in everything now that I've seen it in the 3DS. Yuck. I look at my computer screen or anything else, don't see 3D, and my eyes wonder what's going on. I'm getting too used to text that can (and often) float on a different Z-axis plane.

Pilotwings is decent. Of course, Capcom basically close to knocked it out the park with Street Fighter. (Love how Dan's 1st 3d statue is performing the Haoh Sho ko Ken maneuver from Art of Fighting. The Sakazaki's would almost be proud. Almost.) However, my initial sleeper award goes to one that wasn't on most people's radar due to it being a port of an older game. Rayman 3d. Now that title is really impressive. Not only is it a port of my Favorite Rayman game by far (for which Ubisoft absolutely crushed it with Rayman 2 and gets my vote for *most improved sequel ever* right up there with Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time), the 3D in Rayman 3D is insane.

It hosts both 3d that goes inward, and 3D that comes outward so the game feels quite big in presentation right from the time you control Rayman and leave the cell. Plants, butterflies, bugs, get in your face at times. Still, even without the stuff coming forth, the 3D sensation is quite profound and works perfectly with the sound track (which has plenty of stereo separation). It's like 3D sound and visuals. To a degree, it feels like the definitive version of Rayman 2. So those of you who'd rather wait. I would say if it is cheaper by the time you pick it up, it'll be a steal. Unless you absolutely hate platformers. Take care that Rayman 2(3D) still has some of the best camera handling that genre has produced.

Anyway, enough of me rambling on what is definitely a sleeper hit 2nd time around. Spot/Street Pass, along with an expanded online and community system are some of the features that, in my opinion, are just as important as the 3D and the more powerful hardware in the unit. Even though, that extra hardware power is part of why the system can afford better online features. I should get online in Street Fighter, soon. I like how your friends online status, favorites, profile messages, and current game playing show up in the same vein as in Xbox Live and PSN. Seems Nintendo is starting to learn the importance of this kind of stuff for community building and to sell games based on word of mouth. Lot's of XBL games are sold to me or passed, because I see a friend playing it and ask them what they think about it.

So anyway, so far, a very impressive system with not the greatest launch titles, but with real pleasant surprise or two in the lineup for which lack of advertising definitely didn't get people's attention. The Best Buy kiosk setup is not good, and having the system in your hands proves it. I never thought I'd act like the commercials, but when you hold it, the 3D works its magic quite well. Still, for launch titles, it's tough to pass up Toys R Us' deal to get 50% off of every 2nd 3DS game. So basically, it potentially makes all the games cost $30 or less. So you can buy a game you think is worth $40, and get half off the game you were interested in only if it were $20 or so.

[Nai_Calus]

Won't be getting one unless something REALLY amazing comes out. While I appreciate the ability to turn the 3D off, the demo unit I saw failed to impress me.

Yes, off. I have amblyopia so my vision doesn't resolve for 3D, so trying to play it with the 3D at any level for more than a few seconds is impossible and disconcerting. I don't see 3D in real life, either. Allegedly I do have some depth perception, but not a lot. Yes, I do bump into things, and I am incredibly clumsy. So the entire point of the console is useless to me and something I'm permanently cut off from. Derp.

[Mike]

I'm waiting for them to start releasing Virtual Boy games through the Virtual Console. I want to play Wario Land again.
I'd pick up Red Alert in right off the bat if they put out VB titles.

[joefro]

Does anyone know if they're going to add GBA/original DS titles to the Virtual Console? I think that would be an awesome idea.

[AOI_Tifa_Lockhart]

Some Nintendo spokesman came into the office last friday to show off the 3DS, it looks quite fun tbh, but for me I don't do handheld consoles anymore, I can't sit down and play them when I have my gaming PC there and waiting. And because i drive it's not something I can play on the bus home anymore : /

Tifa

[Akaimizu]

Does anyone know if they're going to add GBA/original DS titles to the Virtual Console? I think that would be an awesome idea.

Good question, actually. Though I guess they want to get those GB/GBC titles out first.

Still, I keep thinking if LucasArts did the simple "cash in" move of putting X-wing vs. Tie Fighter on the thing, they'd have an instant must-have 3DS title, 3D or not.

[joefro]

I've been playing with mine on and off throughout the day and I'm impressed with the 3DS. My only complaint is the damn touch screen. It's not very sensitive at all. Playing with the 'Game Notes' part of the system I tested the stylus with the touch screen and I had to write very bigger for the screen to recognize my type. I also hate the stylus holder's position. It's not as easily accessible as it was on the DS Lite/i. All of these complaints are very minor and they don't really affective gameplay very much.

I'm about 30% done with Rayman 3D and I've been surprised by how well the 3D is implemented. I'm getting Super Street Fighter IV tomorrow so hopefully I'll have a good experience with the online portion of the 3DS.

3DS is neat. I can't wait for better games to come out *cough*Zelda*cough*

[Kyrith_Ranger_Pso]

I've been playing mine a bunch, but I'm still unsure as to whether or not there is a messaging system so you'd be able to send messages to friends, is there anything like this that you know of?

[joefro]

I was wondering that exact same thing today. My buddy and I added each other but we had no idea how to message each other. I think it's going to be an update next month or in May

[Kyrith_Ranger_Pso]

i certainly hope it does, i cant see them finally adding the friends list and then not adding some way of communication

[Akaimizu]

Yeah. I added a few people. There doesn't seem to be a messaging system in place yet, but it looks like it could get one. Right now, the only thing *message-wise* you can get across is your gamer message, but that is not really messaging. That's like setting a motto on XBL.

[Kaziel]

I got the 3DS on launch day, not a lot of games (though I now technically have a DS finally), has a real fun practical use already. The pedometer-to-coins thing is really cool, it makes parking far from work not as much of a drag, because you get coins for it. not only that, I occasionally have passed people in the streets who apparently had it, and daily 2 of my other co-workers carry it around as well, so I get tags there too.

Pretty fun system, interested to see what they do with it. Really well made too, aside from the battery (which I dread, when I start actually playing games on it) but other than that it's pretty awesome.

[Kyrith_Ranger_Pso]

so i finally got to try the street pass out, and i must say, it was a good idea, it's actually quite exciting to open up your 3DS after walking around school all day to find that A. other people are playing the 3DS, and B. that you've walked right past them throughout the day. and then i find who they are and it's actually a lot of fun.