I actually got a chance to try out a Nintendo 3DS at a recent IGDA Philadelphia meeting. One of the developers had one for their current project and allowed me to take it for a bit of a whirl. The 3D effect was certainly pretty cool and easily remained consistent while sitting down and my hands planted firmly on a desk to keep steady.

I learned a bit more at PAX East, though, and while some of my thoughts shifted I’m still pretty sold on the game system as a whole.

The Device

The first thing I got to try was one of the Augmented Reality games, which was technically intended to be a tech demo. The goal was to shoot targets in the environment, using the cameras to capture what I’m seeing in real life and use the 3DS’ technology to manipulate and change it. A card on the table was used as a sort of “marker” for the surface, and the targets super-imposed on the world often required me to physically move so that I could get the right angle on them. On the whole it was neat, but that was it.

Then the dragon burst out of the ground and started to try and bite my head off. While it wasn’t too difficult a challenge, the demo quickly showed me how these features can be used in more traditional games by forcing me to move around in order to dodge the dragon’s attacks while also searching for his vulnerabilities.

The technology wasn’t quite surprising since I’d seen the beginnings of it when the DSi came out, but it was still nice to see it being used in such fine and polished ways. At the very least the Augmented Reality games should be really fun, forcing the user to interact with the actual environment as well as the game world.

Pilotwings Resort

The first actual game in development I got to try out was Pilotwings Resort. I barely remember playing the SNES game when it first came out, just that it was relatively fun and I was absolutely terrible at landing with the parachute. We rented it once and then never again.

I have a feeling Pilotwings Resort is supposed to be the 3DS’ equivalent of Wii Sports, introducing many concepts that are fun for newbie gamers as well as challenge hungry players. Yet all I got to sample was a simple flight, using the analog stick to fly through a series of rings. The 3D effect certainly helped simulate depth perception and made judging the distance between rings easier. Other than that I didn’t get to try much and passed it off to the next eager user. The analog stick feels smooth and natural and the 3D effect was helpful.

I don’t know about being a killer app, but Pilotwings Resort should be a worthwhile launch title for someone grabbing the system on day one, though more if you’re looking for quick aversions. It’s definitely a suitable portable title for sitting down and playing for five or ten minutes.

Steel Diver

Before PAX East I was pretty much apathetic to Steel Diver. Now I’m not so sure. When I got my hands on it the game was in “periscope mode”, where the player has to physically move and look around their actual environment to spot their foes. Simultaneously they may have to dodge incoming fire from surrounding foes.

The touch screen features firing controls and a lever for diving under water. When the submarine is struck by enemy fire leaks will appear on screen that the player will need to plug up with their stylus or thumb. The overall effect is actually pretty fun, forcing the player to be aware of their surroundings and making sure to duck when fire is coming in.

However, due to having to move and circle so much the game works best with 3D off. As many have said, the 3D only works when you’re looking at it from the proper angle. Having to move the 3DS so much means the player will likely keep losing that “perfect spot”, and on the whole it will become distracting. Best choice is to just shut the feature off and play as normal.

Steel Diver is also a launch game, and if the later levels prove to improve the challenge of what I had been playing then you could be seeing a really awesome real-time rendition of Battleship. If I get myself a 3DS this game is a likely candidate for purchase.

Dead or Alive: Dimensions

Somewhere on the Internet I had heard negative things about Dead or Alive: Dimensions’ controls. I’m here to say those complaints are bogus. Sort of.

I’m a pretty decent fan of Dead or Alive: Ultimate and Dead or Alive 4, and for the most part the controls are mapped similarly. The L and R triggers are the only difference, acting as a shortcut to fierce strikes. If you like Dead or Alive, though, this is an excellent way to carry it with you on the go.

Moreover, the touch screen is used as a sort of combo list for constant reference. It should actually allow players to more easily learn attack combinations and pull them off without being a master that has sunk in hours upon hours of play. Simultaneously, a player can just touch one of the combos and the game will pull it off automatically.

Considering the attitude of a lot of gamers, this ability will likely be noted as “cheap” since it doesn’t require any skill. On the other hand, if someone is too busy paying attention to the lower screen they will be more vulnerable to attack. Either way, it’s an excellent choice for a fighting game on the 3DS.

Kid Icarus

My initial experience with Kid Icarus was excellent. They drop you into an on-rails flight shooter where you aim with the stylus, move Pit with the analog control and fire with the L trigger. I was completely absorbed into the game and only after wondered why there weren’t making a new game of Star Fox for the 3DS (as opposed to a port).

Then Pit landed on the ground and things got…faulty. The biggest problem is simply that Pit doesn’t have a fast enough look speed. Or perhaps it is that the camera is stuck behind his shoulder. Either way, moving around a 3D environment in the demo was frustrating and simply no fun. It wasn’t until I encountered the level’s boss that it became enjoyable again, primarily because I didn’t have to worry about unseen enemies outside of the camera’s perspective. If I sought to turn around then the enemy could easily have moved past my field of vision.

If Kid Icarus allows the player to customize look sensitivity or increases it, then the game will easily be a lot more fun. As it is, though, this may not be the game that fans have been longing for. I’ll be paying close attention to see if this issue gets fixed before release or not.

Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D

It might have been because I was playing a demo, but this variation of Mercenaries seemed incredibly toned down compared to what I was used to. In truth, however, I was only interested in seeing how the controls felt on the 3DS so I’d know whether I wanted to try the other upcoming game. Y’know, the one that’s actually a full game.

Now that I think about it, they didn’t give me a stylus to play the game. The only game that used one (and required one) was Kid Icarus. I played this game purely with traditional controls. If there are stylus controls I don’t know if they are more precise or not, similarly to how Resident Evil 4 on the Wii played better than on the GameCube.

I do know, however, that the game looks good for a portable and controls fine. The only real problem I noticed was that some of the foes further away had lower frame rates, and watching them fall and die was reminiscent of playing Doom. That’s how horrid the frame rate was, and the enemies weren’t even all that far (at furthest I’d guess fifty virtual feet from my character).

This could merely be because the game is unfinished, however. Whether the game will be worth your money is completely dependant on how much you enjoy playing the Mercenaries mode in Resident Evil 4 or 5. Personally, I don’t care. However, the controls allowed me to feel confident that the new portable Resident Evil will be a fun game.

Super Street Fighter IV 3D

Holy roster Batman! If I didn’t know any better I’d swear Super Street Fighter IV 3D had ever Street Fighter character ever. The character selection screen was huge, and if Google has anything to say about it totaled up to 35.

Holy crap.

The game allows the player to use two modes to fight in. The first is traditional side scroller, and the second is a sort of over-the-shoulder designed to take advantage of the 3D effects and capabilities. This mode was incredibly odd and I’d recommend not using it.

As for how it controlled, pulling off moves like the hadouken with the analog stick were easy. Not one attempt to blast a fireball failed. The shoryuken proved a bit more difficult, however.

Of course, the game provides some special moves on the touch screen to just be pressed and poof! Instant hadouken. Once again, expert players will likely be frustrated that newbies and novices can just press a button and a move is executed. It certainly seems less educational than the Dead or Alive: Dimensions method as well.

Even so, for some reason I can’t feel all that excited about the game. It seems fun, but after playing Marvel vs. Capcom 3 I’d much rather a portable version of that. Such is my own preference, however, as Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is also more accessible. I never expected to see three separate buttons for punching to feel so over-whelming.

Conclusions

In most cases I needed to shut the 3D effect off. I was standing while playing most games and my hands had no support to hold still, so in order to keep the images from giving me a headache I simply needed the feature set back to 2D. Even so, the visuals were impressive and the games stood up on their own as being incredibly fun experiences.

If you’re going to get a 3DS, then the best option is to get it for the games. The problem there is that half of these games were ports of already existing console titles. Depends on how much you want to play a certain game on the go, or how suited it is. Dead or Alive: Dimensions and Super Street Fighter IV HD are suitable for short matches anywhere, especially if you spot anyone else with the game. Resident Evil…probably not.

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