Will the Nintendo 3DS Revolutionize Handheld Gaming?

By Justin Germino

There is no doubt that the brand new Nintendo 3DS — featuring 3-D Technology without the need for 3-D glasses — is revolutionary, especially in such a small, handheld device. Notably, 3 Dimensions in gaming opens up a new depth of play and interaction for an environment within a game, unlike in movies or on television where you can’t interact. The 3-D environment for gaming is where this new technology is likely to gain a solid foothold.

There are, however, some concerns and considerations with the Nintendo 3DS Gaming console, one being that Nintendo itself doesn’t recommend parents buying the Nintendo 3DS for children under 7 due to lack of scientific research on what affect 3-D screens might have on developing eyes. This may be of small concern to someone who plays for a half-hour each day, but it could become a big issue if a child plays for 4 to 5 hours and develops problems with vision, focus and concentration, something that may not be found out years later following extensive medical research.

The other thing about 3-D is that is it really needed in such a small device where you can’t get immersed from peripheral vision to central vision in the game itself? I mean it is one thing to have 3-D gameplay while playing a Call of Duty type of game where you pan the screen and the depth of trees or buildings can really be seen. Maybe 3-D gaming will be more viable with those gaming display screens you wear or a large 30″ monitor is probably more ideal as the 3D takes up your entire visual environment. Can a small screen really provide the experience people are hoping or will it just become a fad or a gimmick?

Many claimed the Wii was a gimmick that took motion controls to bring gaming to the masses, though the Wii has good motion controls they are no longer as advanced as Sony Move or Microsoft’s Kinect technology. Yet, would have those consoles brought those motion products to light if the Nintendo Wii didn’t first innovate and show that it was going to be an accepted medium for family gaming and entertainment?

In the case of 3DS I think Nintendo will certainly push the envelope again and set a trend that other gaming and even television manufacturers will start to follow and this is 3-D without the glasses which is the only realistically adoptable 3-D technology that will gain any ground in the future. Because Nintendo will be the first — and it will likely have an almost Apple iPad or iPhone like media blitz and “must have” approach — it will drive and push the trend faster than it was developing previously.

The Nintendo 3DS will revolutionize handheld gaming, but it certainly revolutionizes how 3-D technology and implementation will be viewed for years to come with consumers who will expect 3-D without requiring 3-D glasses.