Recent claims made by the Sun newspaper that 'thousands' of gamers had returned their 3DS consoles back to the shops after they had experienced several side-effects, have been refuted by retailers.
The article stated that there had been 'record returns' of the new 3DS console after gamers experienced dizziness and nausea after playing the console with the 3D effects enabled. Nevertheless, several video game retailers including GAME and HMV have said that the newspaper's claims are untrue.
GAME has admitted that a few people have requested a refund for the console after experiencing some minor ill-effects, but that these returns figures do not add up to thousands of returns. A spokesperson for GAME said: "We've had less than five people complain that they feel sick and want to return [the 3DS]."[Source:http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-04-05-nintendo-discredits-3ds-headaches-story]
Meanwhile, HMV has denied any 3DS returns. A representative of HMV said: " we are not aware of any manufacturing fault with the 3DS console - which we have seen huge demand for, and that we have not issued any refunds for it."[ibid.]
Nintendo have also been quick to defend the 3D technology used in the new console, saying: "The number of calls and emails with queries on Nintendo 3DS is in fact well below the rate experienced during past hardware launches and having spoken with our retail partners there are only a handful of people who have actually gone into stores to request a refund." [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2011-04-05-retailers-deny-3ds-scare-story]
The 3DS has proven to be extremely popular with the European gaming community. The console sold 113,000 units in its first two days on sale in the UK, and 303,000 units across Europe combined. Nevertheless, this latest media backlash - whether true or otherwise - is now likely to dent public confidence in the Nintendo handheld.
For those gamers who have experienced side-effects from using the 3DS, however, Nintendo have offered various pieces of health and safety literature that accompany the 3DS console, and which can be summerised in the following way:
Children aged seven or under should not use the 3D effects on the new console as it could damage their developing eyesight. Parents and guardians should use the 3D Depth Slider to turn off the 3D effect before giving it to a child aged seven or under.
Play the 3DS in a well-lit environment and avoid playing if you feel tired. Take a fifteen minute break after approximately half an hour of playing the 3DS (with 3D enabled).
Consult your GP before playing the 3DS if you are prone to epilepsy or seisures when playing video games, or are affected by flashing images.
Use the 3D depth slider on the side of the console to control how much of the 3D effect is displayed. If the 3D effects make you uncomfortable, slide the depth slider to the lowest possible 3D setting.
HAVE YOUR SAY...
Have you experienced any ill-effects whilst using the 3DS with the 3D effect enabled?
Has The Sun newspaper article put you off of owning a Nintendo 3DS?
Have you tried to return a Nintendo 3DS console to the shop where you bought it? What was your experience?
If you have any comment to make on this subject, please let us know. We'd be delighted to hear your thoughts.
It has become apparent over the last few days that many of you are still searching for answers about the new Nintendogs + Cats 3DS game. Mini Gamers takes a look at some of the more common questions about the game and attempts to provide you with the answers.
Q1. How do I unlock new breeds of dog?
If your dog takes part in competitions with opponents whose breeds have not yet become unlocked, and if your dog wins First Place in the competition, then there is a good chance that the opponents' breeds will become unlocked the next time you visit the kennels.
Rather annoyingly, this game does not tell you when a new breed becomes available, so it is worth checking the kennels regularly to see if a new breed has become unlocked. Please note, however, that if new breeds have recently become unlocked, it may be some time before the method above will unlock any more breeds.
Q2. How can I make money in Nintendogs + Cats?
There are different ways to make money in Nintendogs + Cats. For example, you can sell any unwanted items back to the Second-Hand Store. This can also include items found when you are walking your dog.
Enter your dog in the Daily Competions. The more skilled your dog gets at each competition, the higher they will progress and the more money you will earn. You can enter each competition twice a day and can make several hundred pounds in this way.
If you have more than one dog, each dog can enter a competition twice a day, which means that you will make even more money over time.
If your dog wins the Nintendogs' Cup for the first time, they will get a Gold Crown along with their £500 prize money. This Crown is worth £1,500 when sold to the second-hand store.
However, please note that it is only possible to win the Gold Crown once for each of your dogs in each of the three competitions on offer. Once these crowns have been sold there is no way to earn them back again.
The other option for making money is to find Piggy Banks on your walks. If your dog is lucky enough to find a Piggy Bank, wait until you get home and then drop the piggy bank on the floor to break it open. You will unlock a random amount of money inside.
Q3. Can cats go for walks or take part in competitions too?
Unfortunately, the answer to this is no. Cats behave very much like their real counterparts in this game and pretty much do their own thing. We hate to say it, but cats do seem very much like the - well - underdogs in this game really.
It would have been nice if there had been a Cat Show competition in the game, but this has not been included. You might find that yourcat randomly brings you a present every now and again, but that is about it.
Q4. I own the original Nintendogs game as well, is there a way to transfer or import my old dogs into the new Nintendogs + Cats game?
Again, the answer to this is no. Unfortunately, the two games are incompatible with each other and there is no way to import your old dog into the new game.
Q5.How many cats and dogs can I actually own in Nintendogs + Cats?
Although there are twenty-seven breeds of dogs and three breeds of cat in Nintendogs + Cats, you can only own a maximum of six pets in total. This includes three pets at home and a further three pets in the Hotel.
This is a stark contrast to the original Nintendogs game, which allowed players to keep up to eleven pets in one go, three at home and eight in the Dog Hotel.
Mini Gamers was very disapointed to learn that the number of pets had been reduced as this has a serious negative impact on the overall replay value of the game.
Q6. What is the 'Surprise Me' function about in Nintendogs + Cats?
The 'Surprise Me' option mixes together different colours and fur patterns to create several varients on the traditional fur patterns that are available within each of the main breeds of dogs and cats available in the game. If you don't know what colour of dog you would prefer, select this option. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you find!
Q7. Can Puppies and Kittens grow up or have their own puppies and kittens?
No, your puppies and kittens are designed to stay cute and adorable forever. If, however, you do want a game in which your dogs or cats can grow, you might want to check out the PETZ range of games on the Nintendo DS, but this is not available for the 3DS. Sorry.
Q8. Where can I find the 'Secret Path'?
The secret path does not always seem to appear in the same place within the game, although it almost always leads your dog to the Mountain trail. You must look for a signpost with a woman walking her dog on it. Select 'yes' when prompted and you will soon find yourself on the secret path, which means a lot more presents and items to sell.
Q9. Why are there Traffic Cones on my walks?
The Traffic Cones are actually a hidden mini-game. Guide your dog successfully through each of the coloured cones on your walk and you could find yourself rewarded with an extra present at the end of your walk. It takes practise though!
That marks the end of our Mini GamersNintendogs + CatsFAQ. We hope that you found it useful. If you would like to read more about this game, please take a look at our full hands-on review of the game.
The Nintendo 3DS has proven to be a very popular console since its launch just over a week ago. The 3DS launch games for March/April have been highly publicised throughout the Media, and even some of the games scheduled for later in the year have already appeared on online retail sites such as Gameand Amazon etc.
Imagine Mini Gamers surprise therefore when we discovered that a 3DS version of the best-selling MYST game was also scheduled for release at the end of this month. Why had we heard nothing about about this version until now?
In fact, Mini Gamers only found out that the game was being released for the Nintendo 3DS after searching on the Play.com website for new 3DS releases. There is no boxshot at the moment, but the the overall preorder information on the website clearly states that the 3DS version of this game is scheduled for release on April 22nd 2011.
If you are a gamer, it is likely that you have already heard something about the MYST franchise, which has been re-released countless times in several different formats since its debut on the PC over eighteen years ago. Its more recent incarnations have also included the iPhone and the Nintendo DS.
For those of you to whom MYST is a complete mystery, however, the game puts players in the role of someone called the Stranger, who uses a special book to travel to the island of Myst.
Once in the game, players can then use other special books (which are all written by an explorer named Atrus) to travel to several worlds known only as 'Ages'. Players must help people trapped in the dimensional fissure of MYST's tropical island by finding clues in different locations and solving puzzles.
MYST is probably best described as a completely open-ended point-and-click puzzle adventure, and therefore the game has several endings, depending on the course of action that each player takes.
The original PC game was very popular and was commonly thought by many videogame critics and publications to be "The best-selling PC game of all time" until 2002, when it was finally overtaken by The Sims franchise.
Nevertheless, the Nintendo DS version, which was released in 2007 proved to be a lot less popular. The game was criticised for its lack of a clearly defined plot, which could be one of the reasons why the 3DS version of MYST has so far not been highlighted as an April 3DS release game, however, there is just no way of really knowing why this intriguing and innovative game has been virtually kept secret until now, all we can say at this stage is: its a MYST-ery!
Remember to keep checking in with the Mini Gamers blogsite for more news on this game as it develops.
"The 3DS is so awesome, it just blows your mind..."
[Mini Gamers Blog Reader]
First Impressions:
From the minute that we removed the new 3DS console from its box here at Mini Gamers HQ, it was clear that we were holding something pretty special. Its bright metallic finish means that the Nintendo 3DS console is sleeker than any of the previous Nintendo handhelds, which just adds to its immediate sense of excellence.
Nevertheless, it is only when the console is switched on for the first time that you get to see how brilliant it truly is. The old adage of "It has to be seen to be believed" definitely applies to the 3DS. From the moment we calibrated the 3D sensors, we couldn't believe our eyes - the upper screen just seemed to burst into life.
Each of the menus included in the console contained some amazing floating icons, which served as our first introduction to the three-dimensional world of the 3DS. We were really impressed with what we saw, and we had not even tried any software yet!
The Mii Maker Studio and Mii Plaza:
One of the first things Mini Gamers did after inputting the basic settings, was to create our very own Mii characters. We opted to use the 3D camera to help us construct a reasonable likeness and then added a few minor tweaks. The 3D camera function definitely proved easier than creating a Mii from scratch like in the old days of the Wii and Nintendo DSi. It only took moments to create a good (and very lifelike) Mii.
Once our Mii characters were created, we decided to examine the Mii Plaza. This was similar to the Nintendo Wii's Mii Plaza, but with some noticeable differences - in the 3DS version, we were offered the chance to use the new StreetPass function to scan for other players Miis, and we were also allowed to try out a Mii Plaza Mini Game, in which we hunted for puzzle pieces that would eventually create a 3D picture.
The idea is that the more players we connect with while out-and-about with the 3DS, the more Miis we can collect, and the more puzzle pieces we will find. The mini games help to give the 3DS Mii Plaza an extra sense of enjoyment which sadly seemed to be lacking in the original Wii version, and besides, the games are really great fun to try.
Face Raiders:
Face Raiders was next on our list of 3DS preloaded software to investigate. This preloaded mini game had some intial problems: It took a long time before the 3DS camera was able to accurately detect a face in Face Raiders (mostly to do with low lighting conditions at the time,) which was a little bit frustrating.
Nevertheless, once we had snapped an acceptable picture, our chosen face was placed in a 3D vikings helmet and went darting around on the screen, this was so funny that we forgot our earlier frustrations and really started to enjoy the game.
For those of you who haven't experienced this zany bit of software for yourselves yet, Face Raiders turns your chosen face into a fast-paced intergalactic enemy. You must move the 3DS around and shoot at the spinning and darting heads in order to gain points. There is even a chance to face-off against 'Boss' heads in order to progress to the next level.
The 3D heads have a variety of attacks to use against players, including throwing heavy items, firing laser blasts and even trying to kiss you to death! Players can follow the cartoon indicator to locate the direction of new heads on screen, but they tend to disappear and re-appear very quickly, so players have to be fast in order to defeat them all.
The on-screen health meter goes down further with each successful attack. If it reaches the end before all enemies are defeated, then the player loses the game and must replay the level from scratch. If you are successful however, your chosen head gets placed in the 'rescued faces' section and can be re-selected at any time.
Face Raiders can only be described a totally crazy game, but it is a lot of fun if you have a few minutes to spare and it is also a good test of the 3D graphic capabilities of the new console.
AR Cards:
The AR Cards, and the six mini games included on them, posed a similar difficulty to the Face Raiders game in that it took a while to position the card in the correct place and with the correct lighting conditions in order for the card to be detected by the 3DS.
As some of the games involved moving the 3DS around, the console's ability to detect the AR card was sometimes lost during the mini games as well, which proved to be quite annoying overall and interrupted gameplay. Nevertheless, once we had located an area with an adequately flat surface and good lighting, we were able to play the first mini game, which was target shooting on a Desert island.
The AR graphics were breathtaking. It was amazing to watch this compact little box unfold to reveal a 3D tropical island complete with four shooting targets to aim for. The actual game proved quite difficult to master at first as it was difficult to spot all the target boards, but after a few practise goes, it did begin to get easier to lock on and shoot each target in turn.
Each of the AR games has to be completed with a successful score in order for another game to be unlocked. The AR character cards (such as Mario, Link, Kirby etc) are used to create 3D model characters that players can interact with in some of the games.
If you have a 3DS console, but have been too busy playing one of the 3DS launch title games to really bother with the AR cards for the time being, then you really are in for a treat. The Augmented Reality Games software was one of our favourite features of the 3DS console overall.
Launch Game Software:
After testing the pre-installed software, Mini Gamers thought it was finally time to examine some of the 3DS launch title software.We chose The Sims 3 (3D) and Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars. We won't go into too much details about the games themselves at this point, as we don't want to spoil the surprise for other gamers, nevertheless, it is true that the graphics on both games was absolutely stunning.
Furthermore, both games seemed to utilise the 3DS features and effects in slightly different ways to create two very interesting games. The Sims 3 (3D) had vastly improved graphics from the original DS version. Sims now look much more lifelike and there is a real sense of depth and space when moving between rooms in your chosen house. Furthermore, objects appear more solid than in previous handheld versions.
The internal 3D camera can also be used to 'morph' a 3D image of their own face onto the Sims 3 avatar, supposedly making it easier to create lookalike Sims than ever before. We tried to do this. However, the result was not entirely accurate and we still had to do quite a few facial tweaks to get a reasonable lookalike. Nevertheless, it was all part of the fun and we were delighted with the final results.
Lego Star Wars III on the 3DS was equally impressive. The landscape really had depth. The desert rocks looked so real in the opening scenes that we felt we could reach into the console and touch them! Even the traditional scrolling text, which we have seen in the Star Wars Films and other Lego Star Wars games looks fantastic in 3D.
The overall game appears to be sharper and brighter than in the other titles in the series. Characters seem to be much more detailed and the cutscenes are almost movie-quality to watch. The 3D enviroments make it even easier to become immersed in the action than ever before.
Obviously, the 3DS launch games will all respond differently to the 3D effects, but if these games are anything to go by, then gamers are truly in for a treat over the coming months.
The 3D Depth Slider:
A lot has been written about the 3D Depth Slider recently. As Mini Gamers discovered earlier this month, some games respond differently when the 3D effects are set to maximum, which can lead to distorted images and poor gameplay. In our hands-on with the 3DS we found that most of the software features worked best with the depth-slider set to the halfway point.
Most of the pre-installed software graphics were unclear when the slider was on full, and some of the game images also started to 'ghost' - an unwanted effect which is known to cause headaches and dizziness if viewed for too long without correction.
Battery Life and Charging:
According to the 3DS instruction manual, the 3DS takes about 3 and a half hours to charge, but in our experience it only took around two hours to complete its first full charge.
The battery has a lifespan of 3-5 hours with all the settings on maximum, but this can be increased by setting the screen brightness to minimum and lowering the 3D Depth Slider. Setting the Power Save settings to ON can also help to increase the battery life.
The 3DS Charging Cradle(pictured above) is very handy when trying to charge the console. it also makes it easier to continue gaming whilst charging and is a good way to save battery power when the console is in Sleep Mode.
Conclusion:
It is very difficult to describe the amazing 3D effects of the Nintendo 3DS console to anyone who has not experienced it for themselves, but we were truly impressed with what we have seen of the console so far.
The pre-installed software is enough to keep most people entertained for a few hours at least, and when you consider the wide range of launch titles on offer in the shops at the moment, it is certain that the 3DS is going to remain popular for a long time to come.
Having seen the console in action, Mini Gamers is in no doubt that the 3DS is currently the best handheld console to date, and could quite possibly be the best handheld console ever produced ever... If you are a handheld gamer then the 3DS is a must-buy. You won't believe your eyes! Overall rating: 10/10.
Retail giant, Game Group PLC, has revealed the list of locations for its special midnight openings, which will occur on the night of Thursday24th of March to celebrate the UK launch of the Nintendo 3DS console.
According to the Game website, over 100 of its participating stores will open their doors around 11.45pm. Nevertheless, it is possible that some shops may open earlier to help customers who are wanting to trade in their old DS/DSi consoles for a new 3DS. The shop tills will be open from midnight and will remain open for approximately one hour. Depending on the level of demand and the volume of the crowds, local branch managers may choose to close a store earlier or stay open longer than the aforementioned time.
The participating store locations can be found HERE.
Game is not the only retailer to offer Midnight Openings. The official 3DS UK launch venue is at HMV's flagship store at 150 Oxford Street, London. Nevertheless, HMV has yet to confirm whether any of its other local branches will be opening the doors at midnight as well.
Gamestation has also followed suit with several of its highstreet stores and has prepared its own detailed list of Midnight Openings, details of which can be found by clicking HERE.
Whilst queuing up outside a busy highstreet shop late at night may not sound like most people's idea of fun, but a chance to be one of the first people to own one of the most impressive handheld consoles to date, is certainly an appealing one.
So, what do you think? Will you be attending one of the Midnight Openings in your area, or is it all too much bother?
Keep checking with Mini Gamers for news of more 3DS launch events. If you are a fan of the 3DS already, why not take a look at our new Quizzes page? It features a quiz specifically about Nintendo's new console.
Nintendo have finally released details of the Nintendogs + Cats breeds that will be included in the new 3DS game, and unfortunately, the news has left us feeling more than a little disappointed.
Nintendogs + Cats is one of the 3DS launch games which will be available to buy from the 25th of March 2011 (Europe) and 27th of March (America) along with the new 3DS console.
The game comes in three versions - Golden Retriever, Toy Poodle and French Bulldog butalthough each game will differ in the initial type of breeds that will be available at the start of the game, the remaining dog and cats breeds can all be unlocked later.
The three game versions with their nine initial playable dog breeds are listed below:
Toy Poodle and Friends Toy Poodle
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Mini Schnauzer
Boxer
Bull Terrier
Labrador Retriever
Shih Tzu
Jack Russell
Pomeranian
French Bulldog and Friends
French Bulldog
Shetland Sheepdog
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Chihuahua
Dalmatian
Yorkshire Terrier
German Shepherd
Husky
Basset Hound
Golden Retriever and Friends (AKA Shiba Inu & Friends in Japan)
Shiba Inu
Golden Retriever
Beagle
Mini Pinscher
Dachshund
Maltese
Great Dane
Pug
Cocker Spaniel
However, this is where our disappointment began, because even though the all three versions of Nintendogs+Cats will feature over twenty-seven different breeds of dog, they will only feature three breeds of cat: American Shorthair (Tabby),Siamese or Persian. This came as a big surprise to us here at Mini Gamers, as we had expected at least eight breeds of cat to appear alongside their canine counterparts.
Furthermore, there is some suggestion that the cat breeds will not even be playable at the start of the game, but will have to be unlocked first, making them sound very much like an afterthought.
The new features of Nintendogs + Cats mean that there is now greater customisation between breeds. That means that players can choose different fur patterns, leg lengths and fur lengths for each of their dogs or cats. So even if you had three American Shorthairs within the game, they would all look different and have different personalities.
Furthermore, Cats within the game will act exactly like real-life kittens - they will sleep on windowsills, climb on bookshelves and other surfaces, claw at scratching posts and furniture, chase toy mice and generally do their own thing. They will also be able to recognise their owners via the new Facial Recognition Software.It sounds impressive, but we can't help thinking that the game would be even better if there were more cat breeds to choose from.
Japan has recently released this video trailer of Nintendogs + Cats:
Mini Gamers will be examining more 3DS launch games next month in the lead up to the 3DS release date. Keep checking in with the Mini Gamers blogsite for more news on this subject as it develops.
HAVE YOUR SAY...
What do you think about the fact that there are only 3 cat breeds in the new game? Will this affect the overall enjoyment of the game?
Why not leave us a comment?
Mini Gamers would love to hear your thoughts on this subject.
President of Nintendo, Mr. Sotaru Iwata has admitted that the 3DS eShop, which will allow users to download extra content including some DSiWare and retro GameBoy titles onto the new console, will not be available to gamers until at least two months after the console launches on the 25th March this year.
Originally, Nintendo had suggested that the 3DS might contain an update to allow users to download the eShop feature onto their console from day one, but this has since been changed.
Iwata said that: "The first system update is scheduled for late May, at almost the same time around the world..." [sourced: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/nintendo-confirms-no-eshop-for-3ds-launch]
It is thought that the delay may simply be an attempt by Nintendo to improve its digital distribution methods, as prior attempts such as the DSi shop and Wii Shop applications have failed to attract a great deal of attention from gamers despite a great deal of promotion at their initial launch.
Iwata claims that: "Wii Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi Shop, which are based on Internet-browser technology, have not provided the users with a sufficiently easy and accessible interface... As it is critical in digital software distribution that the software available there won't be buried and go unnoticed, and that we can prepare pleasant encounters for consumers, we will be running a drastically redesigned shop for Nintendo 3DS in which you can more comfortably purchase software through downloads." [sourced: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/nintendo-confirms-no-eshop-for-3ds-launch]
May is not too far from the initial launch date but for some gamers, however, the lack of a useable eShop from day one could be seen as another of Nintendo's broken promises about the 3DS console.
