3DS Launch Thread

I was a pretty big supporter of 3DS right out of the gate, but now that I am seeing several problems, I think I will pass for now. It's not that the 3DS doesn't have potential; I really think it does. But after seeing what Sony farted out just recently with the NGP, it made me seriously rethink my decision to grab 3DS at launch.

For one thing, NGP really looks like it can reasonably compete with products like the iPad, while retaining full analog controls at the same time. This is a GREAT step; not relying on flimsy touch screens for games that are absolutely not designed for them. The inclusion of dual joysticks was a surprising and fantastic announcement. The closest we have come to analog control on a decent handheld was the PSP with its awful slider knob, and since Nintendo is following suit with this (and only including ONE, for that matter.) it really makes me feel as though the 3DS really IS just a minor upgrade of it's predecessors. In fact, it looks like it is just barely matching the original PSP in quality, apart from a higher resolution and the inclusion of 3D, which is to me the LEAST exciting feature about the system. Battery life doesn't bother me much, but a distinct lack of innovation in all the wrong places does. I really don't want to drop 250 dollars for what essentially amounts to another gimmick with an upgraded PSP under the hood.

I have always been a Nintendo fanboy first (after Sega, of course.) and I skipped the PSP entirely. It was only a few months ago I even bought a PS3, but it has been the most convincing next gen console out of all of them for me. I play it twice as much as my Wii, and I got rid of my 360 long ago. So if the NGP is essentially a smaller version of the PS3, which seems to be the case, but retains all the functionality of more recent touch based gaming, as well as heavy internet connectivity which has recently become quite important for me, it is clear which console I will be buying FIRST; however, down the road, maybe after an upgrade or two, depending on what games are available, I am sure I'll eventually pick up a 3DS. The NGP has me sold without even seeing games, because I know there are many other functions (Netflix being the main one, if this Canadian bullshit policy doesn't end up going through, and we don't get metered for our internet) which I will use. And I am positive certain people like Kojima will definitely be supporting the system as well.

I'll still be following the details, but I am definitely not NEARLY as enthused about this system as I was early on. And that is maybe unfair on my part; they laid it all down from the beginning. But seeing a truly next gen handheld all the way is making me think twice. However, I have been wrong in the past; I was a supporter of PSP in the beginning, and look how much better the DS ended up faring?

It's exciting to see the two head competitors fighting for the handheld market; more tech and more games for all of us! Maybe Microsoft will jump on board as well at some point? Now THAT would be fun to watch.

The NGP looks cool, definately, but it scares me that they haven't even given a hint of the price. I recall when the PS3 was unveiled everyone was like "YEAH! COOL!" then the pricetag of $599.99 showed up and nobody cared anymore. I have a feeling that Sony isn't announcing the price yet to prevent the same reaction.

I love my PSP and PS3, but I waited several years for price drops since they cost too much at launch. I'll probably do the same for the NGP. The 3DS costs too much too, But it's at the high end of what I will actually buy, and I don't expect Sony to match the $249 price.

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Originally Posted by MrMatthews

(Wow, I called it)

I'm not asking you to buy the game, but it's kinda necessary to play the game in question if you're going to critique it with any semblance of credibility.

Of course, you and credibilty waved good-bye to each other a long time ago, but at least you could have pretended that you weren't talking out of your ass.

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Uh no, no, and no, was SMG the first platformer you ever played or something, level design is the game.

You must know nothing of game design, to say you have to play SMG (a platformer) to know how the gameplay is, and the concept of the game is even worse. Everything other then how good the controls are, is very visable from simple gameplay videos.

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Originally Posted by GohanX

The NGP looks cool, definately, but it scares me that they haven't even given a hint of the price. I recall when the PS3 was unveiled everyone was like "YEAH! COOL!" then the pricetag of $599.99 showed up and nobody cared anymore. I have a feeling that Sony isn't announcing the price yet to prevent the same reaction.

I love my PSP and PS3, but I waited several years for price drops since they cost too much at launch. I'll probably do the same for the NGP. The 3DS costs too much too, But it's at the high end of what I will actually buy, and I don't expect Sony to match the $249 price.

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lol sad but true, if the specs of the PSP2 are factual, I predict a whopping $399 price tag.

Yikes, people are not even willing to pay 250(seriously, handhelds shouldn't cost as much as consoles) for a handheld, so who knows what Sony was thinking(needless to say, I'm gonna lmao when they initially release it).

Anyone who states that SMG was trying to be SA1 should just leave any video game discussion. The two are nothing alike. They don't even remotely resemble each other.

You might as well say "call of duty 4 is just a knockoff of Daikatana". Yep. A Daikatana reference.

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Originally Posted by InternalPrimate

Anyone who states that SMG was trying to be SA1 should just leave any video game discussion. The two are nothing alike. They don't even remotely resemble each other.

You might as well say "call of duty 4 is just a knockoff of Daikatana". Yep. A Daikatana reference.

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Are you crazy, just replace sonic, with mario, and you have a crappy mario game, trying to be Sonic, I mean damn, he even uses basically the exact spring type device, to bounce from one point to another, infact there's so much damn automation, It's very simular to the SA game. Won't they just make mario run like sonic too, while we're at it.

There should not be such mechanics in a mario game, sorry(what did they have the same person who designed the SA levels advise them on making a 3D mario game or something). The levels are just smaller(crappier) then the ones in the SA games, that's all(sorry, but bouncing around overly small planets for a lv, is not my idea of good lv design).

I would estimate that NGP will be priced anywhere between 350 and 400 dollars. I can't see them justifying a price much higher than that, at least from the point of view of the consumer.

That being said, if the tech behind it is accurate, I would have no problem paying that price, personally. But I think it would definitely hurt Sony as far as the masses are concerned. Nintendo has a real Commodore philosophy behind their product: "for the masses, not the classes." While I appreciate that, I don't mind their being a premium, more expensive option from another competitor like Sony. Doesn't always mean I will take the plunge (I waited until now for PS3, skipped PSP) but if the hardware warrants it, and also depending on which 3rd party developers sign on, I'd definitely drop that kind of cash.

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Originally Posted by Phosis

I would estimate that NGP will be priced anywhere between 350 and 400 dollars. I can't see them justifying a price much higher than that, at least from the point of view of the consumer.

That being said, if the tech behind it is accurate, I would have no problem paying that price, personally. But I think it would definitely hurt Sony as far as the masses are concerned. Nintendo has a real Commodore philosophy behind their product: "for the masses, not the classes." While I appreciate that, I don't mind their being a premium, more expensive option from another competitor like Sony. Doesn't always mean I will take the plunge (I waited until now for PS3, skipped PSP) but if the hardware warrants it, and also depending on which 3rd party developers sign on, I'd definitely drop that kind of cash.

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Ouch, I don't know how to break it to you, but you so should've got a PSP instead of a PS3.

PS. Tech doesn't mean crap, and seriously at this point in the industry/the way the industry works, I'm sure most would agree, the less tech the better(and not just because of price, but because It's a known fact developers make better games, when given limitations to work around. When most developers have like no limitations, they go graphics over gameplay, since they don't need to put much effort into getting systems to atleast function to begin with, and morons will buy the game based on the trailer anyway).

What I would give for the 16bit era to come back or even the PS1 era, tech doesn't matter if developers aren't gonna properly use it(I mean come on, for example, realisic Physics can be done now, yet how many games actually use it, what less then 1%, instead of improving gameplay, we just get crappy games, that are more movie then game).

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Originally Posted by Zoltor

Are you crazy, just replace sonic, with mario, and you have a crappy mario game, trying to be Sonic, I mean damn, he even uses basically the exact spring type device, to bounce from one point to another, infact there's so much damn automation, It's very simular to the SA game. Won't they just make mario run like sonic too, while we're at it.

There should not be such mechanics in a mario game, sorry(what did they have the same person who designed the SA levels advise them on making a 3D mario game or something). The levels are just smaller(crappier) then the ones in the SA games, that's all(sorry, but bouncing around overly small planets for a lv, is not my idea of good lv design).

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No, I'm not kidding. They play nothing like each other. You're talking out of your ass.

Understand that games within a genre aren't all the same. WOW.

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Originally Posted by InternalPrimate

No, I'm not kidding. They play nothing like each other. You're talking out of your ass.

Understand that games within a genre aren't all the same. WOW.

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Does he or not bounce from one point to another often? Since when has mario ever needed to bounce like a moron, what ever happened to flying, climing, and slowly falling to get to ledges/other parts of the lv(I am using the term lv loosly here, as SMG areas aren't exactly what anyone should be calling a lv). The only time mario should bounce, is when he's jumping on koopas, and such, the maps shouldn't be designed to do that automatically).

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Originally Posted by Zoltor

Ouch, I don't know how to break it to you, but you so should've got a PSP instead of a PS3.

PS. Tech doesn't mean crap, and seriously at this point in the industry/the way the industry works, I'm sure most would agree, the less tech the better(and not just because of price, but because It's a known fact developers make better games, when given limitations to work around. When most developers have like no limitations, they go graphics over gameplay, since they don't need to put much effort into getting systems to atleast function to begin with, and morons will buy the game based on the trailer anyway).

What I would give for the 16bit era to come back or even the PS1 era, tech doesn't matter if developers aren't gonna properly use it(I mean come on, for example, realisic Physics can be done now, yet how many games actually use it, what less then 1%, instead of improving gameplay, we just get crappy games, that are more movie then game).

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I like my PS3 just fine, thank you.

The fact that it is barely turned off should be testament to that.

When I am referring to tech, I am not referring specifically to graphics chips, etc. What has specifically excited me about the NGP is the way that they are implementing several modern control styles, and not half assing in that regard. Dual analong sticks? A front touchscreen? Maybe a back one seems unnecessary now, but who can complain about more options? I like this kitchen sink approach they are taking, as opposed to setting arbitrary limitations. Control is the biggest part of gaming for me in that regard; there is a reason I don't run home to my Wii every night, and opt for the simplicity of a Sega Genesis, or even a Playstation controller. That being said, JUST providing those types of controls would be a bad move on Sony's part, so they have decided to go the Apple/Nintendo route, and have made their device more interactive. THESE are the technological aspects about the NGP that have me excited; the fact that Uncharted is running on the thing is just icing on the cake, and I personally have a feeling that will be more of an isolated case, and we will likely see many more games being a slight step down from that in terms of graphical quality, which I am fine with.

Better tech, and more power under the hood simply means longevity. Like you, I yearn for the days of simplicity, but for the niche collection of retro gamers, there are avenues we can turn for this type of nostalgia. (Like Pier Solar! Buy your copy today! And no, they didn't pay me anything.) As much as I am a nostalgic dreamer, I am also a realist, and from that perspective, it seems very opposite that most companies would not be wise taking a step back. Nintendo has gotten far in taking incremental side-steps, going in directions and taking risks other companies were more cautious about pursuing. But the Gamecube and N64 before it were not exactly tearing up the competition, and it is only with the Wii that, since the SNES, they are really starting to own the home market again. Sony in my opinion has always been much better off giving us warhorse machines with a long lifespan, rather than opting for a more creative, innovative push forward. I think they have done very well in this regard, and I don't think trying to make an uber-masses friendly handheld would serve them well. They attempted to corner a more high brow market with the costly, media oriented PSP, so I am glad they are continuing to go in that direction; just like I am glad the 3DS will ultimately be another Nintendo console, and not something completely different with Nintendo simply slapped on the case. Both of these companies are going in the right direction, their own direction; but I've already decided where my cash is going to go, at least in the immediacy of this upcoming clash of the titans.

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Originally Posted by Zoltor

Does he or not bounce from one point to another often? Since when has mario ever needed to bounce like a moron, what ever happened to flying, climing, and slowly falling to get to ledges/other parts of the lv(I am using the term lv loosly here, as SMG areas aren't exactly what anyone should be calling a lv). The only time mario should bounce, is when he's jumping on koopas, and such, the maps shouldn't be designed to do that automatically).

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This is seriously one of the dumbest things I've ever read.

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Originally Posted by Phosis

I like my PS3 just fine, thank you.

The fact that it is barely turned off should be testament to that.

When I am referring to tech, I am not referring specifically to graphics chips, etc. What has specifically excited me about the NGP is the way that they are implementing several modern control styles, and not half assing in that regard. Dual analong sticks? A front touchscreen? Maybe a back one seems unnecessary now, but who can complain about more options? I like this kitchen sink approach they are taking, as opposed to setting arbitrary limitations. Control is the biggest part of gaming for me in that regard; there is a reason I don't run home to my Wii every night, and opt for the simplicity of a Sega Genesis, or even a Playstation controller. That being said, JUST providing those types of controls would be a bad move on Sony's part, so they have decided to go the Apple/Nintendo route, and have made their device more interactive. THESE are the technological aspects about the NGP that have me excited; the fact that Uncharted is running on the thing is just icing on the cake, and I personally have a feeling that will be more of an isolated case, and we will likely see many more games being a slight step down from that in terms of graphical quality, which I am fine with.

Better tech, and more power under the hood simply means longevity. Like you, I yearn for the days of simplicity, but for the niche collection of retro gamers, there are avenues we can turn for this type of nostalgia. (Like Pier Solar! Buy your copy today! And no, they didn't pay me anything.) As much as I am a nostalgic dreamer, I am also a realist, and from that perspective, it seems very opposite that most companies would not be wise taking a step back. Nintendo has gotten far in taking incremental side-steps, going in directions and taking risks other companies were more cautious about pursuing. But the Gamecube and N64 before it were not exactly tearing up the competition, and it is only with the Wii that, since the SNES, they are really starting to own the home market again. Sony in my opinion has always been much better off giving us warhorse machines with a long lifespan, rather than opting for a more creative, innovative push forward. I think they have done very well in this regard, and I don't think trying to make an uber-masses friendly handheld would serve them well. They attempted to corner a more high brow market with the costly, media oriented PSP, so I am glad they are continuing to go in that direction; just like I am glad the 3DS will ultimately be another Nintendo console, and not something completely different with Nintendo simply slapped on the case. Both of these companies are going in the right direction, their own direction; but I've already decided where my cash is going to go, at least in the immediacy of this upcoming clash of the titans.

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Lol funny you should mention that, I pre-ordered the classic version, but sigh still waiting for it.

However my statement had nothing to do with nostalgia, it had to do with the effort developers put on the actual important aspects of the game. Also just because 3D could be done now, doesn't mean it needs to or even should be in some cases(infact some genres don't even support 3D, as well as others just not being able to be as good, as it could be in 2D), so it very much feels like developers forgot how to develop games(synergy is very important, but very few developers even think of such when designing a game these days).

Also sorry, but Sony's way of going about widening their market should be completely discouraged(aka multi media BS, people buy gaming systems, to play games on, and then they have the nerve to charge us extra, for non gaming features, which is completely unacceptable). Sony needs to learn to keeps their divisions separate.

Zoltor what do you like? because all you seems to do is bitch and moan for no real reason, you seem to hate every game company for no reason too.

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Originally Posted by Zoltor

The levels are so simple, It's pathetic(Nintendo: Hey, lets make a crappy 3D platformer, that want's to be SA, however lets have our stupid char bouncing from planet to planet, this way it will look good, but we don't have to put much effort into the lv design at all), that's SMG in a nutshell.

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Don't forget: SMG is just totally ripping off Sonic Xtreme anyway!

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Originally Posted by Phosis

NGP really looks like it can reasonably compete with products like the iPad

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Whenever I read NGP, my brain unacronymificates it into "Neo Geo Pocket". Every time. :P