3D Complex

The Nintendo 3DS is finally out worldwide (including Southeast Asia for once!) and I've been able to play with it a bit.

My unit is actually the Cosmo Black color.

I put in my reservation in Data Blitz Festival Mall, figuring it would be the place I would have more chances to get one close to launch date. Looks like I was right... DB Festival got several units in last Wednesday, but they were in danger of being pulled out (most likely for the stocks to be relocated to other high-demand branches like Rockwell or Greenhills), so I hauled it from the office straight to Alabang in record time (30 mins from Ayala Ave. to Muntinlupa? UNBELIEVABLE).

Yes, I know Festival Mall is out of my way. It's not the first time I've done something like this. After all, wasn't experiencing THE FUTURE worth the trouble of the commute?

Even better, Data Blitz priced the unit at Php13,500. It's a bit more expensive than the US SRP ($249), but considering the importation cost and taxes, it's more than acceptable. For what it's worth, I was expecting around 15K at the lowest and 20K on a worst-case scenario.

It also says "Offical Product - Singapore - Malaysia" on the box of the unit which means Nintendo has considered SEA an official market. YAY! It looks like we get the US version though, so to be on the safe side, if you're buying the unit from DB, get only the US version games.

I'll leave you to figure out what the first 3DS game I got was.

Here are some notes that I thought were interesting about the unit, and may help you decide if the system is worth your time and cash.

• The 3D effect just works. No kidding.
• There is a sweet spot for viewing the 3D effect, but it's not as finicky as others make it seem. People can see the 3D while looking over my shoulder, for example.
• There is a 'bulkiness' to the system that makes it feel heavy, but compact. Heavier than any of the PSP or DS hardware iterations. Holding it feels like you have a serious piece of hardware in your hands that feels crammed with awesomeness.
• I used to think the PSP Go analog nub was the perfect non-joystick-type analog directional thing. After using the 3DS' circle pad, I don't think so anymore.
• D-pad and buttons are now the clicky type, same as the DS Phat and the DSi, not the mushy type used by the DS Lite.
• Games can be suspended almost instantaneously by pressing the Home button, like the PSP Go's 'Pause Game' option when you press the PS button. You can only run some of the applications, though, like the Notes and the Web Browser while a game is suspended. In other words, you can't take a picture with the camera without exiting the game.
• It carries over the DSi's cartridge hot swappability. As long as you're in the Home menu, and the game is not suspended, you can replace the cartridge.
• Each 3DS unit comes with a charging dock that, while light, works wonderfully. Unlike similar docks for other gadgets, you just plop the unit in and it's charging. No pushing down required. Even better, you can still use the 3DS while it's in the dock and there's a flap at the back so you can access the stylus and cartridge slot without removing the unit.
• The touch screen, while still the same resistive type seen in the DS family, seems to respond better to finger presses.
• Battery life is shorter than the older DS units, but is roughly the same as the PSP's. This means you have to get used to charging everyday if you're a heavy player.
• It's still not a portable media player. Don't get rid of your iPods or PSPs just yet.

A lot of the features in the 3DS are not yet available (going to the Web Browser on the menu opens a message box saying that it will be available in a future update), but it is ironically indicative of the 3DS in general... I get the feeling that it will be great in the future, but right now, I'm more excited in the potential, rather than the reality. Case in point, the Activity log shows that my most-played application on the 3DS is Dragon Quest IX.