Metal Gear Solid Sneak-Peak Shows Off 3DS Abilities...

Snake meets his enemies in 3D

It has been little over a month since Nintendo's revolutionary new console was unveiled at E3, but already there has been widespread speculation about what games on the 3DS would actually look like and how the 3D effects of the console would be seen without glasses.

Now a sneak-peak video of  the 3DS version of the third Metal Gear Solid game, Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater, could provide the answers.

Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater Trailer

Of course, this video is only a snippet of what 3DS gamers could come to expect in the future, but it is already a good indication of the type of sharp, realistic graphics and 3D environments that are possible with the new console.

Moreover, Metal Gear Solid is not the only 'big name' gaming series to be given the 3D treatment, other game series set to debut on the Nintendo 3DS include The Legend of Zelda, Professor Layton, Animal Crossing, Resident Evil, Assasins' Creed and many, many more.

For those of you who are interested in the aesthetics, (i.e. what the console will actually look like,) three inital colours of 3DS have been announced - black, red and blue.

 It is thought that the red and blue consoles are a clever reference to the red and blue colourings used in the original 3D spectacles, however this might be a coincidence.    

Nintendo have been somewhat reluctant to provide an actual UK release date for the console as yet, but they have hinted that the 3DS will be released in Japan some time between December 2010 and the end of the finacial year in March 2011.

The other major question that fans of Nintendo have been asking is how much will the console cost when it is  first released to the public? Although there is no definite answer to this, Nintendo have recently indicated that the new console may cost under £200 to buy.  

In an interview with Electric Pig, Nintendo's Marketing Manager, James Honeywell, stated that: "The DSi is around £129.99, the DSi XL is around £159.99, so obviously it [the Nintendo 3DS] is going to fit somewhere around that kind of architecture..."

[sourced from: http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2010/07/29/video-nintendo-3ds-questions-answered-by-ninty-top-brass/]

This is good news for consumers - many of whom suspected that the use of such impressive technology would carry a hefty price tag.

It might be a long wait until the console finally hits the shelves, but the 3DS already looks set to revolutionise handheld gaming and puts Nintendo squarely ahead of its main competitors.

Be sure to keep checking  the Mini Gamers blogsite for all the news about the 3DS' development over the coming months.

E3 News: 3DS Finally Revealed!

"Nothing between you and the experience." [Nintendo 3DS Slogan] 

Nintendo's President and CEO, Satoru Iwata demonstrated the lastest console to join the DS family during the Nintendo Press Conference at E3 yesterday. This revolutionary console allows players to play a selection of DS titles in 3D without the need for spectacles or other 3D devices. This is what the first image of the 3DS actually looks like:

 As you can see, The console looks like any other DS system,  although it does feature an analog stick above the D-pad on the left-hand side. It has a 3.5-inch widescreen LCD display, and  There is a 3D depth slider control on the side of the system, allowing players to choose exactly how much of the 3D effect they want. There's also a gyro and motion sensors in the system, and the analog stick is actually a slide pad. There are two camera lenses on the outside of the system, so users can take pictures and view them in 3D.

Furthermore, In an attempt to reduce smudges caused by the Stylus on the new 3D system, (which Nintendo has admitted would reduce the quality of any 3D effects,) only the bottom screen of the console will feature  Nintendo's usual touch-screen technology, whilst the top screen will be specifically for 3D. The system is also capable of displaying 3D Hollywood movies, but they aren't announcing any specific details at the moment.

Iwata also discussed Nintendo's reasons for wanting to produce a console with full 3D capabilities. He said: "When 3D effects are added to gaming, there's a better sense of height, width, and depth in gaming worlds, so it's easier to navigate them."

As for the wireless capabilities of the 3DS, it is good news. Unlike the older forms of DS console, The 3DS can automatically detect Wi-Fi access points and other 3DS systems, and can therefore communicate with them more easily.

Iwata also discussed the types of DS and DSi titles that gamers could expect to appear on the new system. Amongst those mentioned were: DJ Hero, Kingdom Hearts, Resident Evil, Batman, Assassin's Creed, Professor Layton, Ridge Racer, and Metal Gear Solid. There was also some indication that a new sequel to the Nintendogs game, called Nintendogs and Cats may also receive the 3D treatment in the future.

However, it will still be a long wait before gamers can actually take one of these consoles home. The 3DS is due to be released to the public in March 2011, but if the final product is as good as it promises to be, then it is sure to be worth the wait...