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Nintendo 3DS

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Nintendo 3DS
ManufacturerNintendo
TypeHandheld game console
LifespanFiscal Year 2010 (April 2010 - March 2011)
MediaNintendo 3DS Game Card
Connectivity2.4 GHz Wi-Fi
Online servicesNintendo Wi-Fi Connection
Backward
compatibility		Nintendo DS, DSi
PredecessorNintendo DS series (DS, DS Lite, DSi and DSi XL)

The Nintendo 3DS (ニンテンドー3DS, Nintendō Surī Dī Esu) is an upcoming portable game console by Nintendo, which can produce "3D effects without the need for any special glasses."[1] Scheduled for release in the fiscal year ending March 2011, the portable will succeed the Nintendo DS series of handhelds,[1] which primarily shares the handheld console market with Sony's PSP (PlayStation Portable).[2] The Nintendo 3DS will feature backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software.[1]

Announcing the device on March 23, 2010, Nintendo plans to announce additional details at the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3),[1] scheduled for June 15–17,[3] when the company will invite people to play with the console.[4] According to industry analysts, the timing of Nintendo's announcement, which has 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.[5]

The Nintendo 3DS was officially announced on June 15th, 2010 at the gaming convention of E3.

Features

  • The top screen is a 3.53 inch 3D screen with a resolution of 800x240 (400 pixels per eye)
  • No 3D glasses required
  • The bottom screen is a 3.02 inch non-3D touch panel with a resolution of 320x240
  • The Nintendo 3DS is black and blue, black and red or black and grey[6]
  • Two cameras on the outside of the device for 3D picture taking. Camera resolution is 640x480 (0.3 Megapixel).
  • 3D depth slider on the side of the device
  • Round nub analog stick called the “Slide Pad”
  • Motion sensor and gyroscope
  • Compatible with Nintendo DS and DSi
  • A camera facing the player above the portable’s 3D screen. Camera resolution is 640x480 (0.3 Megapixel).
  • The ability to play 3D Hollywood movies, like Legends of the Guardians from Warner Brothers
  • The 3DS launch game will be Kid Icarus: Uprising
  • The 3DS periodically searches for Wi-Fi spots and other 3DSs
  • Easy online navigation
  • No monthly fee for Nintendo’s 3DS online access
  • More than twenty companies have signed on to develop for the 3DS
  • Release date is TBA
  • Appox. 8 oz.
  • 5.3 inches wide, 2.9 inches long, 0.8 inches tall (when closed)

History

Although it had been discussed before then, speculation about a true generational 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.[7] 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.[8]

Though Nintendo has expressed interest in including motion-sensing capabilities in its handhelds since before the release of the original Nintendo DS,[9] 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.[10] 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."[11][2]

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.[12]

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.[13] In the same month, several developers spoke publicly about features they wished to see in a Nintendo DS successor, including stronger online functionality,[14] dual multi-touch screens,[15] a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, and 3G mobile broadband connectivity.[16] On March 23, Nintendo officially announced the Nintendo 3DS.[17]

In late-April 2010, a picture of a possible development build of the internal components of the 3DS was leaked online through a U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filing by Mitsumi.[18] 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 have not been announced like a 16:9 top screen, and a control nub similar to those used in Sony PSP systems.[19]

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 "close to HD consoles such as PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360". They also cited "several developer sources" as saying that the system does not use the Nvidia Tegra mobile chipset. [20]

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, Warner Bros. Interactive with "Batman" and Ubisoft with Assassin's Creed and Capcom with Resident Evil.

Speculated features

According to the Japanese industry news website Nikkei.com, Nintendo plans to include "a 3-D joystick and a force feedback system"[fn 1] in the Nintendo 3DS, for which the company acquired related patents at the end of 2009. The website states that Nintendo is also considering incorporating an accelerometer for features such as tilt control, and that the Nintendo 3DS will feature "significant improvements" in wireless communication and battery life while providing compatibility with Nintendo DS series software.[21]

Nikkei.com reports that the screens for the Nintendo 3DS "will likely be no larger than 4 inches".[fn 2] The 3D effects for the Nintendo 3DS are currently speculated to be based on autostereoscopic imagery generated by liquid crystal displays (LCDs) with parallax barrier technology.[22] According to Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, the Nintendo 3DS will likely consist of autostereoscopic 3D LCD panels by Sharp Corporation.[23] An announcement by Sharp of a new 3.4-inch autostereoscopic touchscreen on April 2[24] (shortly after the announcement of the Nintendo 3DS) has led to speculation that it will be the same screen used in the Nintendo 3DS.[22][fn 3][fn 2]

It had also been speculated that Nintendo 3DS would use displays by Hitachi, based on the fact that the company furnishes LCD screens for the Nintendo DSi, and already produces a mobile phone (the Wooo H001) in Japan featuring a 3.1-inch autostereoscopic display.[fn 2] According to consumer technology blog Engadget, both Hitachi and Sharp are to build the displays for the Nintendo 3DS.[22][fn 3]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ See analog stick and haptic technology.
  2. ^ a b c For comparison, the screen sizes for Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL are 3.25 inches and 4.2 inches, respectively, each with a resolution of 256×192 pixels.
  3. ^ a b The 3D touchscreen LCD module by Sharp and the 3D LCD panel used in the Hitachi Wooo H001 mobile phone both feature a switchable parallax barrier which enables autostereoscopic display modes for both landscape and portrait page orientations, as well as a full-resolution 2D display mode.[24][25] Both also feature FWVGA (854×480-pixel) display resolutions,[26] and emphasize high brightness, wide viewing angles, and low binocular crosstalk.[24][25] The parallax barrier used in the Hitachi Wooo H001 is based on Cell Matrix Parallax technology from Masterimage 3D.[25]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Launch of New Portable Game Machine" (PDF) (Press release). Minami-ku, Kyoto: Nintendo. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
  2. ^ a b Alexander, Leigh (15 January 2010). "Analyst: DS Successor To Hit In Next 15 Months?". Gamasutra. Think Services. Retrieved 2010-04-04. In the year 2010, Nintendo's continuing face-off against the PSP seems less relevant than the overall sea change in the portable market brought about by the explosive iPhone.
  3. ^ Tabuchi, Hiroko (23 March 2010). "Nintendo to Make 3-D Version of Its DS Handheld Game". Retrieved 2010-04-24. It takes place June 15-17, 2010, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
  4. ^ Tabuchi, Hiroko (23 March 2010). "Nintendo to Make 3-D Version of Its DS Handheld Game". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2010-04-04. 'We wanted to give the gaming industry a head's up about what to expect from Nintendo at E3,' said Ken Toyoda, chief spokesman at Nintendo. 'We'll invite people to play with the new device then.'
  5. ^ "Did Nintendo Doom New Handheld Before Its Release?". CNBC.com. CNBC. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-03. 'Apparently, the Japanese press was all over it and talked with suppliers there and Nintendo just wanted to get out ahead by breaking the news to prevent a leak,' says Billy Pigeon, senior analyst with M2 Research. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ http://e3.nintendo.com/3ds/ (16 June 2010)
  7. ^ Valich, Theo (13 October 2009). "nVidia Tegra wins contract for next-gen Nintendo DS". Bright Side of News*. Bright Side Network. Retrieved 2010-04-04. Currently, we have no information what exact chip is being used [just that nVidia won the contract], but with the debut set for February 2010, the second generation of Tegra chips could make an excellent base [to be launched at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona].
  8. ^ Harding, Robin (30 October 2009). "Nintendo considers Kindle tactics for consoles". Financial Times. Tokyo, Japan. Retrieved 2010-04-04. In reality, if we did this it would increase the cost of the hardware, and customers would complain about Nintendo putting prices up, but it is one option for the future.
  9. ^ Totilo, Stephen (13 May 2004). "http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/13/technology/taking-the-game-war-to-a-second-front.html?pagewanted=all". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2010-04-04. To keep costs down, Mr. Miyamoto said, some features were left out of the DS. Maybe next time, he said, he will be able to include a tilt sensor for gyroscopic control. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  10. ^ Ashcraft, Brian (2 February 2010). "Nintendo vs. Japanese Newspaper, It Continues!". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Retrieved 2010-04-04. The exec went on to address the issue with the Asahi Shimbun, asserting that the reporter stated, 'The graphics for the next DS will be highly detailed and it will contain a motion sensor, right?' Iwata claims he then replied, 'Those things are naturally being required. But do you think it would sell with just that?' Iwata emphasized that this last part was left completely out.
  11. ^ Ivan, Tom (15 January 2010). "DS2 To Release Within 15 Months – EEDAR". Edge. Future Publishing. Retrieved 2010-04-04. We believe that due to the aging technology, the possibility of new competitors in 2011, a decline in publisher support and piracy, Nintendo will launch a successor to the DS within the next 15 months, and likely announce such in the next eight months
  12. ^ Ingham, Tim (16 February 2010). "DS2 in the hands of Pokemon Company". Computer and Video Games. Future Publishing. Retrieved 2010-04-04. 'Any kind of March announcement wouldn't fit with the timeline I understand the second DS to be on,' he added.
  13. ^ Padilla, Raymond (12 March 2010). "Nintendo DS2 Information Unearthed at GDC 2010". RPad.tv. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
  14. ^ East, Thomas (9 March 2010). "Next DS needs 'stronger online functionality'". Official Nintendo Magazine. Future Publishing. Retrieved 2010-04-04. Monster Hunter Tri producer Ryozo Tsujimoto said 'I would like to see any future iteration of the DS provide stronger online functionality. Obviously Monster Hunter games rely very heavily on network gaming and if there is anything that could be improved I would have the online side high on my list.'
  15. ^ East, Thomas (9 March 2010). "Next DS needs 'multi-touch screens'". Official Nintendo Magazine. Future Publishing. Retrieved 2010-04-04. According to Nic Watt from Nnooo Games, the reason for this would be 'so you can have more than one person interacting with each screen at a time.'
  16. ^ East, Thomas (16 March 2010). "Next DS needs 'GPS and 3G tech'". Official Nintendo Magazine. Future Publishing. Retrieved 2010-04-04. 'We would also be able to add location-based features to games,' added the Nnooo Games Creative Director.
  17. ^ "Re: Launch of New Portable Game Machine" (PDF). 23 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  18. ^ "Nintendo DS testing platform revealed by FCC". Wireless Goodness. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-18. An FCC filing today by Mitsumi exposed what appears to be a Nintendo DS testing platform. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
  19. ^ Predy, Logan (17 May 2010). "3DS Dev-Build Hardware Analysis". Game Usagi. Retrieved 2010-05-18. For their '3D Control Stick' Nintendo has decided to go for something much more akin to the 'control nub' on the PSP systems.
  20. ^ Harris, Craig (4 June 2010). "E3 2010: Everything We Know About the 3DS". Retrieved 2010-06-06.
  21. ^ "No Glasses Necessary For 3-D Nintendo DS Debuting In FY10". Nikkei.com. Tokyo, Japan: Nihon Keizai Shimbun. 24 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-03. Its screens will likely be no larger than 4 inches -- smaller than the 4.2 inches of the DSi LL, released in Japan last November.
  22. ^ a b c Ricker, Thomas (2 April 2010). "Nintendo 3DS to feature 3.4-inch Sharp parallax barrier display?". Engadget. Weblogs, Inc. Retrieved 2010-04-03. And according to early leaks from Japan, the special Nintendo 3DS display is supposedly built by Hitachi and Sharp using a parallax barrier system.
  23. ^ "Nintendo tries again with 3-D console". The Asahi Shimbun. 25 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-03. The screens will likely consist of Sharp Corp.'s 3-D liquid crystal panels that offer 3-D imagery to the naked eye.
  24. ^ a b c "Sharp Develops 3D Touchscreen LCD—Switchable Between 2D and 3D Modes—with Industry's Highest Brightness". Sharp Corporation. JCN Newswire. 2 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-03. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  25. ^ a b c "Autostereoscopic 3D LCD". Masterimage 3D. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
  26. ^ "HITACHI : 携帯電話 : 商品情報 : H001 : 仕様" (in Japanese). Hitachi Consumer Electronics. Retrieved 2010-04-03. 480 × 854 {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
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