Your Pocket Gamer guide to the Nintendo 3DS

What do you do when the most successful handheld console ever starts to lose steam? Simple - stick a number '3' on the front of the name, and fire off some mind-bending stereoscopic 3D visuals.

And so begins the story of the Nintendo 3DS, successor to the wonderful DS consoles. Not only is the twin-screened wonder reborn, but it now has a variety of new tricks up its sleeve, not to mention upgraded graphics and new online capabilities.

With so much to take in, from the launch software to the hardware specs to the expected future releases, we've decided to compile a complete guide to the Nintendo 3DS for your viewing pleasure.

In this guide you'll find everything you need to know about Nintendo's latest venture, as well as our reviews, previews, and thoughts on the handheld beauty.

We've got early hands-on impressions of the device, streams of news that cover all aspects of the hardware and games, and full reviews of the console and software.

You might as well pull that internet cable right out of the wall, as this is the only page you'll need for 3DS info. Well... you'll need a connection for clicking the links below, so best leave that in actually.

Nintendo 3DS specs

What does the Nintendo 3DS offer that no other console can claim? What makes it so special?

Let's start with the obvious feature - the stereoscopic 3D. Put those 3D glasses away - you won't need them here, as the 3DS's graphics appear to pop right out of the screen and right into your eyes, adding serious depth to your gaming.

The touchscreen makes a return, although the top screen is now widescreen. Ooh, wideness! Everything else looks very much like the original Nintendo DS, from the buttons to the cart slot to the folding hinges.

However, the console also has another trick ready to impress - much like the iPhone, the 3DS has a motion sensor and gyroscope built in, allowing for movement control.

Let's not forget that 3D camera. Two lenses on the back of the 3DS work together to form a 3D image on your screen, and photos can be captured and stored away on the supplied SD card. Of course, you won't be able to transfer the 3D images to a computer screen or print them out, but they still look rather snazzy.

To finish off the package, an update is coming in May that will allow your 3DS to communicate with an old DSi and download any DSiWare games that you already own. The 3DS eShop will also become available, with plenty of old skool games (including Sega Game Gear titles) and new games becoming available.

Hands on with the Nintendo 3DS

Want our opinion on how the 3DS plays? Then look no further than our full six page 3DS review, listing all the available features and describing why you should be excited.

As Damien noted:

"Clearly the biggest selling point of the 3DS is the incorporation of glasses-free 3D gaming. In this regard the console is an astonishing success: the effect is wholly believable and grants games an additional degree of depth that just isn’t possible with a traditional 2D display."

We also took time out to give even more detailed accounts of how the various new additions work. StreetPass? Covered! Face Raiders? Check! Augmented Reality cards? We're all over it. We're far too good to you.

More opinions

That's not to say we all loved it. Jon Jordan came away with a massive headache and some strong words for 3DS developers. He argued:

"What developers and publishers will need to learn and fast is where not to use 3D - otherwise the Nintendo 3DS could end up purely as a great device for kids to watch 3D Hollywood movies, take and view 3D photos, and play DS games with the 3D effect switched off."

Will Wilson, on the other hand, took a shine to the lil wonder:

"Overall, I came away impressed by the technology and the potential of the new device. While I’m certain that a number of the launch titles will be shaky in the implementation of the new display, in the same way that many of the first generation DS titles were with touchscreen controls, there’s no doubt that the third dimension breathed new life into the games I saw that used the display effectively."

Tracy, meanwhile, had some stern words for Nintendo in his opinion piece on why high game prices threaten Nintendo 3DS's success.

"The rise of cheap, easy mobile games has us talking about Angry Birds more than Pilotwings Resort. There's a strong desire for inexpensive, accessible portable games and Nintendo risks alienating conservative consumers with high prices and a lack of compelling, affordable digital downloads."

And here are a few assorted features we've produced over the last few months.

Top 10 Game Gear games we want to see on the 3DS eShop
Nintendo 3DS: The story so far
Top 10 most anticipated DS and 3DS games for 2011
Top 10 DS games we want to see released on 3DS
Top 10 GBA games we want to play on the 3DS
Top 10 N64 games we want to see on 3DS
Top 10 games we'd like to see on 3DS
10 reasons you won't buy a Nintendo 3DS
10 reasons you'll buy a Nintendo 3DS Launch games

There are thirteen launch titles in total, with offerings from Nintendo, Capcom, Ubisoft and Sega. The line-up in full is as follows:

PilotWings Resort
Nintendogs + Cats: Golden Retriever & New Friends
Nintendogs + Cats: French Bulldog & New Friends
Nintendogs + Cats: Toy Poodle & New Friends
Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition
The Sims 3
PES 2011 3D – Pro Evolution Soccer
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
Ridge Racer 3D
Super Monkey Ball 3D
Samurai Warriors: Chronicles
Asphalt 3D
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell 3D
Rayman 3D

Game reviews

Of course, the big question is: are the launch games much cop? We've given several of the games a good once (and in some cases twice) through, and now present you with words of enlightenment:

PilotWings Resort review
Ridge Racer 3D review
Super Street Fighter IV 3D review
Nintendogs + Cats review
Asphalt 3D review
Rayman 3D review
Super Monkey Ball 3D review
PES 2011 3D review
Splinter Cell 3D review
Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars review
Rabbids 3D review (coming soon)

Accessories

The battery life on the 3DS is one of its major issues, with around 3-4 hours with a single charge. Fortunately, there's a battery pack coming out that will hopefully fix that issue.

The Power Pak+ claims it can "double the battery life of the original 3DS battery". If it turns out to be true, and the pack itself isn't too bulk, this could become a must-have.

Hardware News Timeline 2010
15th June: Nintendo unveils the 3DS for 3D gaming, movies, and photos
15th June: Nintendo 3DS full specs
16th June: 3DS will launch in Europe by 'early next year'
17th June: EA developer interview appears to confirm achievements for 3DS
17th June: 3DS could allow software installation according to Japanese paper
17th June: Analyst: 3DS will cost $249 - $299
22nd June: Nintendo: 3DS out by March 2011, more expensive than DS, design not final
22nd June: Nintendo’s Iwata talks 3DS e-reader functionality
24th June: Nintendo: 3DS video chat is possible
1st July: 169 euro Nintendo 3DS price was ‘pure speculation’
12th July: THQ: 3DS will ‘really combat piracy’, tech too sophisticated to describe
12th July: 3D doesn't work on 1 in 10 people
19th July: Ubisoft priming hardcore titles to grab 25% of 3DS launch sales
27th July: Nintendo patents ‘CrossPass’ and a bunch of game names for 3DS
27th July: Pachter: 3DS to be $250, games to be more expensive
22nd September: 3DS’s guts spewed: tech specs of the new hardware
29th September: Nintendo 3DS hitting Japan on February 26th for 25,000 yen
29th September: Game Boy titles headed for Nintendo 3DS as Virtual Console downloads
29th September: Complete Nintendo 3DS specs revealed
1st October: Nintendo to scupper pirates with 3DS firmware updates
7th October: Epic Games: Nintendo 3DS probably can’t handle Unreal Engine
1st November: Nintendo shows off 3DS Shopping Channel
13th December: Amazon France prices Nintendo 3DS at €249,99
20th December: One 3DS cartridge may be able to hold 16 full-size DS games
31st December: Nintendo warns parents that young children shouldn't view the 3D effects from its 3DS 2011
7th January: Gamestation poster hints at March 1st UK 3DS release date
8th January: Nintendo: 3DS will last for 3-5 hours on one charge
11th January: 3DS will not be banned in China, to be named iQue 3DS
11th January: 3DS region-lock apparently confirmed by Nintendo
18th January: Nintendo confirms and explains 3DS region lock
19th January: Analyst Michael Pachter: 3DS will outsell PSP2
19th January: Nintendo set to streamline friend codes with 3DS, reveals StreetPass
19th January: 3DS to launch in US on March 27th for $249.99
19th January: Nintendo 3DS hits Europe on March 25th 2011
19th January: European 3DS software line-up announced
19th January: SpotPass and StreetPass - 3DS wi-fi services explained
21st January: Analyst Michael Pachter: 3DS price too low
26th January: Nintendo’s Reggie: 3DS has ‘fantastic launch library’, and best third-party line-up ‘ever’
26th January: Nintendo: 3DS contains some of our best anti-piracy technology yet
27th January: Nintendo's Fils-Aime discusses why Friend Codes are needed on 3DS
10th February: Nintendo confirms 3DS audio and connectivity features
25th February: UK retailer GAME rolls out its 'Rent a 3DS for a month for £7' ploy
28th February: Nintendo 3DS sells out during Japanese launch weekend
28th February: Hackers get R4 flash cards running on Nintendo 3DS within hours of launch
9th March: Power Pak+ battery pack claims to double the 3DS battery life
11th March: Huge AR cards for the 3DS create life-size Miis in your living room
16th March: Club Nintendo points available in third-party 3DS games
22nd March: Nintendo 'not satisfied' with DSiWare, aims to get it right with 3DS eShop
23rd March: 3DS AR Cards app available for Android Game news timeline 2010
15th June: Nintendo announces Kid Icarus: Uprising for 3DS
15th June: Nintendo reveals 63 third-party games for 3DS including: Sonic, Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Saints Row
15th June: Nintendogs + Cats find new home on 3DS
15th June: First screens of Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D for Nintendo 3DS revealed
16th June: Resident Evil Revelations uncovered for 3DS
16th June: Mario Kart accelerates onto 3DS
16th June: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D to leap onto Nintendo 3DS
16th June: Super Street Fighter IV goes 3D on Nintendo's new handheld
16th June: 3DS remake of Paper Mario incoming, screenshots
16th June: 3DS remake of Starfox 64 confirmed
16th June: First Kid Icarus 3DS screenshots, video, details
16th June: 3DS PilotWings Resort shown off in screenshots
16th June: Animal Crossing confirmed for 3DS
16th June: Dead or Alive bouncing provocatively onto the 3DS
16th June: Sims 3 settling down on the 3DS
16th June: Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle heading to 3DS
16th June: Hudson bringing Bomberman and Kororinpa to the 3DS
16th June: Ninja Gaiden, Dynasty Warriors, and more fly out of the screen on 3DS
16th June: Brand new Kingdom Hearts on 3DS
16th June: Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater 3DS website and screens
18th June: Gaijin Games ‘over the moon’ with 3DS, can’t wait to do Bit.Trip 3D
21st June: Classic Nintendo games getting 3D treatment on 3DS
29th July: Capcom releases first official Street Fighter IV 3DS screens
20th August: Ono: Street Fighter IV 3DS will be a perfect port
15th September: My Garden horticulture simulation a 3DS launch title
28th September: Professor Layton 3DS will be ‘suited to American tastes’
29th September: Mega Man Legends 3 Project announced for 3DS
29th September: Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D announced for 3DS
29th September: First Super Monkey Ball 3DS details roll into town
29th September: Driver 3D coming to 3DS
15th October: Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition: new touch control details
18th October: Konami confirms four titles for the 3DS in Europe
19th October: Phoenix Wright and Professor Layton to team up on 3DS
10th November: EA's Madden NFL Football launching with the 3DS
15th November: Super Meat Boy possibly on its way to 3DS
18th November: Disney announces LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean for 3DS 2011
8th January: 8 launch games confirmed for Japanese launch of 3DS
17th January: Jonathan Ross hints at Metroid 3DS on Twitter
19th January: Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance named for 3DS, details revealed
19th January: PES 2011 3D for 3DS 'like watching the match from the stadium' thanks to new player view
19th January: Pre-loaded 3DS shooter Face Raiders uses camera to map faces
20th January: Metroid’s Samus and Ridley appear in Dead or Alive: Dimensions trailer
20th January: Retailer listing hints at Pikmin 3DS
20th January: The Sims 3 to be released in 3DS launch window
21st January: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time more intuitive on 3DS
21st January: Samurai Warriors: Chronicles for 3DS – details, screens, and video
25th January: Ridge Racer 3D on 3DS 'works similar to Mario Kart'
2nd February: Miyamoto working on new Super Mario Bros game for 3DS
7th February: iPhone mega-hit Angy Birds flocking to 3DS
8th February: Nintendo 3DS to have 13 titles for UK launch
15th February: Cave Story 3D coming to 3DS, art and trailer revealed
2nd March: Nintendo confirms Super Mario 3DS
2nd March: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3DS coming in June
2nd March: 3DS Virtual Console will have Game Gear and TurboGraphx-16 titles
3rd March: Sega announces 5 3DS Virtual Console games, including Sonic, Shinobi, Columns
4th March: AQ Interactive announces 3D-less 3DS game Cubic Ninja
7th March: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on 3DS to include 'Master Quest'
11th March: Mega Man Legends 3 'hasn’t been greenlit'
15th March: Driver Renegade 3D coming June 2011, new info released
15th March: Steel Diver 3DS delayed in wake of Japan earthquake
16th March: Ubisoft to publish 2D 3DS game Cubic Ninja in Europe
21st March: Dragon Quest Heroes 3 coming to 3DS later this year, details
22nd March: Punch Time Explosion 3DS videos show Cartoon Network favourites in action
23rd March: Capcom reveals Nazo Waku Yakata, a 'sound adventure' for 3DS