Roundtable: Nintendo 3DS hype explosion begins
With just over a month away, the console out in Japan, its time to get hyped
It’s getting close people, the Japanese have already experienced it but the launch of yet another Nintendo console is nearly here. It’s about a month away and by now, you’ll be asking yourself a couple of questions, what am I getting on launch, what do I want to play first and really – why am I getting a Nintendo 3DS. That, of course, assumes you are getting one, if not you might want to avoid our love-in below.
We sat the team down, scrawled out thoughts down to find out what we’re getting day one and what exactly we’re hyped for about the Nintendo 3DS. We’d love to hear your responses to the same questions as well.
Phantom Ganon
What are you most looking forward to about the 3DS?
As the Wi-Fi coordinator for this site, I think it’s pretty obvious which features I’m most interested to see. From what Nintendo have been telling us, they’ve been working hard to fix the problems in their online set up. For one thing they’ve ditched game specific friend codes for system related codes. With this you’ll be able to see which games your friends are playing when you’re logged on, which really fixes the problem of having to get into contact with friends in another manner to tell them that you’ll be playing a Wi-Fi game. Hopefully they can minimise the difficulty that results with trying to join in with specific people, which was at times the bane of Nintendo WFC.
What is your most anticipated 3DS game?
At the moment it would have to be Resident Evil: Revelations. As much as I’ll enjoy playing through a redone version of Ocarina of Time, I’m interested to see what direction the Resident Evil franchise takes with this title. The last two main Resident Evil titles have been more action-oriented titles based on in-your-face scares rather than tense moments. With Revelations, however, it seems to be going back to a more genuinely scary approach. And I can only imagine how that will look with the 3D effects.
What launch titles are you getting?
For now it’s looking as though Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition will be my launch title of choice. Capcom seems to have put a phenomenal amount of effort into not making this a downgraded port. With the main game still there, integration of the StreetPass feature and one of the first true uses of the new Wi-Fi system the 3DS has to offer I’ll be showing them my appreciation by giving them my hard earned. Something that may not be so orthodox is that I may also pick up one of the new DS Pokemon games as well. Why does this rate a mention in terms of the 3DS? Well certain signs seem to be pointing towards some sort of 3DS functionality having been integrated into the game. It seems like something Nintendo would ask Game Freak to do and it’ll be interesting to see if it’s the case.
What are you most looking forward to about the 3DS?
I’d have to say the shift in focus the console is taking when compared to the Nintendo DS. The GBA was very much a traditional gaming system, with a clear aim to provide old-school gamers with SNES-like games. The Nintendo DS departed from this line of thought. I remember eagerly anticipating the second coming of the Nintendo 64, but it never came. This isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy the system, but it wasn’t what I expected. With the Nintendo 3DS, the focus seems to be shifting back to emulating consoles of the past, but also pushing new and innovative technology (ie. glasses-less 3D screen, gyro sensor, touch screen,). That’s got me excited – we can do both can’t we?
What is your most anticipated 3DS game?
Well, I think you might be able to guess this one. With my previously proclaimed love for second comings of things, it has to be the remake of Ocarina of Time. It’s one of my most treasured games, and indeed holds some of my most treasured gaming memories, and to be able to experience it fresh once again will be bliss. I’ve also got a bit of ’ditto’ towards Metal Gear Soild 3.
What launch titles are you getting?
Let’s replace the word ’getting’ with ’contemplating’ as the selection here in Australia is, unfortunately, quite lacklustre. I’m not a huge Street Fighter fan, so whilst I believe that’s probably the best launch title available, I’ll be giving it a miss. Nintendogs + cats will also be of high quality, but again, the franchise is a bit of a miss with me and I won’t be picking it up. Ubisoft’s efforts in Rayman 3D and Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time 3D have provided me with passing interests that may see me pick them up cheap.
No, the two games that tickle my fancy are Super Monkey Ball 3D and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell 3D. I’ve always been a huge fan of the Super Monkey Ball franchise, but I’ve never actually owned one and I think the portability of this title will make it great for puzzles on the go – or on the couch/bed. I haven’t really experienced any stealth games since 2008’s Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and I’m yearning for some more, so untreaded waters in the Splinter Cell franchise comes in as my second choice.
What are you most looking forward to about the 3DS?
Easily the improved online features. I’ve been a big fan of WiiWare, DSiWare and of course the Virtual Console and I really can’t wait to see what the 3DS has to offer with its eShop. The DSiWare Store and Wii Shopping Channel have been ok but not as good as they could be, and I’m really hoping Nintendo have learnt from what they’ve done in the past and give us a much more improved system, something that’s easier to navigate and offers a much more robust set of features (Demos, Trailers, DLC and so on).
With regards to having a single friend code, I’m hoping they will let us send messages and chat with ease with people on our friends list, let us see who’s online and organise games online. Just think how much better Mario Kart DS would have been if you could have seen who was online at the time and send messages to organise games. Signs are looking good for the 3DS’s online and I really do hope Nintendo deliver.
What is your most anticipated 3DS game?
Out of all the games shown so far it is easily the new Paper Mario game. I’ve really enjoyed the series thus far so I’m sure I’ll get a game that’s heaps of fun to play. Plus I’m sure the game will look amazing on the 3DS, I can just picture the art style for the game working really well in 3D, the flat characters would just pop off the screen. I really can’t wait to get my hands on this when it comes out.
What launch titles are you getting?
I’m looking at getting Pilotwings Resort and Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition for sure. I kind of want to get another game with them as I usually pick up 3 games when I get a system at launch and I’m swinging between either Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars or maybe Samurai Warriors: Chronicles.
The Lego games are always fun for a laugh and I’ll get plenty of play-time out of it, as for Samurai, I don’t know much about the series; it could be all right, but I’m still not sure. As I’m getting a US unit, Steel Diver has also been confirmed for launch and all reports say it’s good, but I’m still not really convinced on it, so I’m going to play a wait-and-see on that one. I’m also interested in Rabbids in Time 3D, as that looks pretty good as well.
What are you most looking forward to about the 3DS?
I’ve never seen 3D without glasses done well, and from what I’ve heard about the 3DS, it’s going to do exactly that. I’m hoping I’ll just be able to turn on the system and admire the pretty 3D graphics of a game. And once the novelty of 3D without glasses wears off for developers, I’d love to see how they implement this technology into gameplay. Also, the fact that graphics-wise it’s on par with the GameCube makes me think of all the cool 3D ports possible for games I missed out on.
What is your most anticipated 3DS game?
Well, having recently finished the excellent Kingdom Hearts Re:coded on the DS, the game I’m most looking forward to is obviously Kingdom Hearts 3D, just so I can get my hands on another Kingdom Hearts game. Nothing yet has really been announced that looks like it will be a much better game because of the 3D, although I’m sure the developers will get to that soon enough.
Oh, and Puzzle Bobble 3D. That game’s gonna be awesome.
What launch titles are you getting?
Frankly speaking, the launch line-up for the 3DS is pretty weak, although really I only need one or two games when I buy a console. Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition I’ll definitely be getting, as I’ve always wanted to try out the game on a console but never got around to buying a copy. And of course, Puzzle Bobble 3D, granted that it gets released on launch. But really, I’ll be happy just to buy the console without any games and just play around with the 3D camera and the AR cards.
What are you most looking forward to about the 3DS?
Definitely just the fresh new gaming experiences a new console will bring. We’re getting a refreshed graphics set (3D or not), online play, new input methods and AR games. The system will be more advanced than the Wii so we should see not only more pretty things but more complex things. It’s not that I think the Nintendo DS is boring, it still even now has a few hidden gems on the way, but as the famous saying goes: my body is ready.
What is your most anticipated 3DS game?
Well the easy answer here would be The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D. Unlike every other Nintendo fan I haven’t played the game a million times since 1998; I don’t even think I’ve finished it again. Call me lame or whatever, but I just haven’t wanted to go back to it – Ocarina is my favourite game ever and I’ve wanted to keep it in my head. I’m now ready to play through it again, and in 3D, with updated graphics – there is no better time.
The other game I’m looking forward too hasn’t been announced yet; it might not even exist. It’s the next game Nintendo makes that changes things, we don’t get them often, but with the Nintendo 3DS I think we’ll get one. Whatever it turns out to be, that’s what I want to play.
What launch titles are you getting?
This is a difficult question for me. I’m getting two consoles so I have two line-ups to chose from. First up, Japan. Really, the line-up is quite weak in Japan and that’s hampered further when you figure in games I can’t play. I can’t speak or read a lick of Japanese, so Ridge Racer and Super Street Fighter IV it’ll be. For the Australian launch, there’ll be a Nintendogs in there, possibly one of the Ubisoft games and then there is Super Monkey Ball which will be good. No Pilotwings and Steel Diver? What a shame.
Be sure sure to check out the launch line up for yourself and let us know what you think in the forums.
