NEW nintendo handheld

[hupla]

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2010/100323e.pdf

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

Whatever happened to Nintendo keeping things close to their chest? Someone'll get fired for sure...

Anyway, 3-D without glasses? Sounds awesome, and we know it can be done. That sort of headtracking shenanigans could also be taken advantage of with the cameras in Natal and perhaps Playstation Move, but Nintendo are getting in first. Again.

Am I slightly disappointed having made the upgrade to DSi not even a year ago and still barely taking full advantage of it? A little, but this sounds like a very exciting prospect.

What launch title can we expect from the new handheld? Mario? Zelda? Maybe even the Pokemon? It would add weight to CVG's claims that the Pokemon Company had the DS2 in their hands already and make Generation 5 seem all that more exciting. The games need a big graphical upgrade and full 3-D battles could be just what the doctor ordered.

Still, this gives us something to be very excited about for E3. Zelda, Pikmin, probably Pokemon 5 and now a new DS? They're onto a winner already.

[Scott Shelby]

I figured they'd show a new handheld at E3, seeing as the market for this handheld cycle is becoming saturated.

I think it's a pretty neat idea, but announcing its existence this early could be detrimental. Now Sony has 3 months to get their ducks in a row for E3, whether that means lining up equally compelling announcements, or beginning to incorporate similar technology in their next handheld.

On a side note, I can't even fathom how hard it would be to program fro something like this.

[JordAnime]

Woo, new handheld, Nintendo's E3 is going to be epic this year! 

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/23/3ds-said-to-feature-3d-control-stick-sharp-lcd-screens-will-be/

According to Japanese media, it'll use Sharp 3D LCD screens that are four inches wide, and it'll have a 3D control stick(I can't wait to see Nintendo's solution to analog on the go) and it might be out before the end of the year.  Oh, and rumble.  It'll probably have a gyroscope/accelerometer in it too if I know Nintendo.

Hopefully the other rumors about a very slim gap between the screens and Gamecube+ quality visuals are true. 

Am I slightly disappointed having made the upgrade to DSi not even a year ago and still barely taking full advantage of it?

I knew that the whole DSi thing was just a ploy to sell a few million more DS units.  I can't wait to see how well the DSi XL sells with all this news...

I think it's a pretty neat idea, but announcing its existence this early could be detrimental. Now Sony has 3 months to get their ducks in a row for E3, whether that means lining up equally compelling announcements, or beginning to incorporate similar technology in their next handheld.

I think this is completely brilliant from a business point of view, actually.  After the DSi, I said "Ball's in Sony's court".  They could announce PSP2 and totally slam Nintendo in the face, but what did they do?  Release the PSP Go, which has completely and utterly failed.  Nintendo then announced and released the DSi XL to add insult to injury.  The only thing is I think the DSi XL might be hurt a bit this announcement, but I think the XL is more for late-DS adopters, and people that probably wouldn't get the 3DS at launch.

Remember when Sony had a huge deal about the PSP?  Nintendo was on the defensive and quietly put out a short press statement about its next handheld system having two screens.  (They did a similar thing with the Wii saying it would only be about the side of three DVD cases stacked together.)  There was no mention of a touch interface until E3 among other things.  It helped generate hype and helped people get over the shock of a two screened handheld, just as I think this will help people get over the shock of a 3D handheld.  No matter what Sony does at this stage, it'll be viewed as reactionary,

I somehow doubt this gives any advantage to Sony's "new handheld" that they wouldn't have had otherwise.  It's not like Sony's been waiting for Nintendo to announce its plans for a new handheld before getting its R&D team into gear.  "Oh quick guys, make a 3D PSP!"  I mean, how do you think that'll be viewed?  I think the future of the PSP will probably be some kind of weird phone hybrid,  I believe they'd really have more luck trying to expand into that market with the PlayStation name than trying to fight another battle against Nintendo.

On a side note, I can't even fathom how hard it would be to program fro something like this.

I'm pretty sure Nintendo wouldn't release a device that's difficult for developers to program.  To come up with good ideas for, that's another story.

[Bidet to you sir]

How long before they anounce the 3DS lite, and the 3DSi.
I'll get it, but I know within 6 months I'll be angry because a slimmer version will exist.

[JordAnime]

This is the same song and dance Nintendo's always played with its handhelds:

GameBoy
GameBoy With Color Casings
GameBoy Pocket
GameBoy Light(Only in Japan)
GameBoy Color
(Super GameBoy: although that wasn't a stand-alone piece of hardware, nor portable)
---

GameBoy Advance
GameBoy Advance SP Front Lit
GameBoy Advance SP Back Lit
GameBoy Micro
(GameBoy Player:  once agian, not stand alone nor portable)
---

Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS Lite
Nintendo DSi
Nintendo DSi XL

---

3DS

So I won't be surprised when newer versions come out.  When it came to the DS, I stopped caring about the platform after the Lite. 

[hisak]

Sounds awesome. I have no idea how it'll work, but consider me excited.

Whatever happened to Nintendo keeping things close to their chest? Someone'll get fired for sure...

It doesn't look anything like a leak. Like NH said, the DS was announced in a similar manner.

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

<<<Handheld history lesson>>>

Looking at that list is strange because the DSi and XL have only just appeared. The other generations were slightly better spaced out. Oh well.

Also, here's Sony's view on the 3DS:

"Our focus on 3D right now is on the console. There's a tremendous amount of opportunity on PlayStation 3 with 3D. The amount of interest in 3D from the retail side and game publishers is off the charts. We know we have a hit with 3D on PS3 and we're going to concentrate our efforts there. I think it remains to be seen where Nintendo goes with 3D on a portable. Having been in the portable space for quite awhile, I think it's an interesting move but one I'd like to see where they go from a demographic standpoint. 8 and 9 year olds playing 3D is a little bit of a stretch given where some of our research is right now."

And now what we all wanted confirmed. Not just unveiled, but playable at E3.

[hisak]

Looking at that list is strange because the DSi and XL have only just appeared. The other generations were slightly better spaced out. Oh well.

Not really. The DS was announced ten months after the SP's release. This announcement is coming eleven months after the DSi's release. Oh sure, the XL is coming out next week, but there was an even worse offender of poorly timed upgrades last gen.

And now what we all wanted confirmed. Not just unveiled, but playable at E3.

Awesome. Hopefully it has better launch titles than the DS.

[hisak]

So I'm excited for this system. I'm looking forward to seeing what games they have in development for it, and when they plan to release it.

However, I'm a bit worried about what the price tag will be. The DS was $150 at launch, the DSi $170, and the DSi XL (I believe) was $190. The handhelds keep getting more expensive, and if the 3DS is over $200 at launch, it might be a while before I get one.

[JordAnime]

IGN's comprehensive "Everything We Know about the 3DS" article also features some developer's anonymous comments on the system's hardware.

"To provide stereoscopic 3D effects the system must have the ability to render each game field twice, one for each of the player's eyes, a technique that will require significant horsepower to produce."

"Several developers that have experienced 3DS in its current form have reported, off the record, that it has processing capabilities that far exceed the Nintendo Wii and bring the device with abilities that are close to HD consoles such as PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. "

I really wonder, I mean I expect the device to at least be on-par with the Wii, but will it really exceed it?  That'd certainly be a different direction for Nintendo, I'll say that.