We are just a week away from one of the most anticipated launches of all time with Nintendo's newest portable, the 3DS. I want one, you want one. It's awesome, it's really hard to argue any solid reason why you shouldn't get one. Eventually. But launch day? Not so much, and here are 7 perfectly good reasons you should wait at least a little while:
7. It's too expensive: At $250, the 3DS is the most expensive portable Nintendo's ever launched. I'm not saying you don't get your money's worth, it looks like one hell of a deal. But $250 is pretty damn steep, and apparently the whole reason it's that high is because reaction to the system at last year's E3 was so overwhelmingly positive. So odds are once the excitement dies down a bit the price will too. And that's just the system. The games are running higher too, hitting the $40 mark. Granted, there's not really a legitimate reason to immediately declare a portable game not worth that much, but given the more casual approach you usually see in portable games, it does seem on the high side.
6. There's nothing good to play: Has anyone actually looked at the launch line-up for this thing? I mean sure Kid Icarus and Ocarina of Time 3D are not far off in the future, but you can always buy those later. The launch line-up is pretty much a joke. Pilotwings Resort? Nintendogs + Cats? Those are the big titles? Yikes. I mean sure, Street Fighter looks impressive, but fighting games just traditionally aren't all that great on portables.
5. Extra money for Advil: Though not a universal experience, many people have experienced headaches playing this thing in 3D for an extended period of time, even to the extent that Nintendo has warned against little ones playing it in 3D at all. I'd prefer a headache-free gaming experience thank you, even if it requires glasses.
4. You might have to bring a book: One of the best feature of Nintendo portables to this point has been the battery life. These things usually last 10 or more hours on a single charge, long enough for most plane trips, bus rides, etc. The 3DS has a rather paltry battery life, even if you don't use the 3D, with things like wi-fi being enabled can drastically cut the battery power without you even realizing it. Hopefully Nintendo or someone will come with a battery extender because that seriously damages the travel possibilities with this thing.
3. See what the competition has to offer: And I'm not just talking about Sony here, though seeing how the NGP stands up to the 3DS in terms of things like price & software wouldn't be a bad idea. Phones, the itouch, tablets, even the massively more expensive Ipad all offer multmedia experiences along with a constantly improving selection of games (at a far more affordable price at least on the games side). Even Nintendo has said it's biggest worry is Apple, so there's probably good reason why.
2. It's a gimmick: I'm not saying the 3D doesn't look cool and that Nintendo won't use it in some pretty inventive ways, but how many 3rd party companies will actually use the 3D to enhance the experience, rather than just shoe-horn it in, sometimes to the detriment of the gaming experience? Well the answer to that question should be pretty clear if you look at the piles & piles of shovelware lining both the shelves of the Wii & DS sections. Odds are it will be awhile before a number of good quality titles are available for the system, if ever.
1. Bigger, stronger, faster: Ok, not necessarily bigger, but how many versions of the DS have there been? Not counting limited editions like the Zelda or Mario Kart ones, there has been a whopping 4 iterations of the 3DS' predecessor, 3 or which you can still buy in pretty much any gaming section of any store. Nintendo's portables constantly have new versions come out, usually offering a thinner package, better lighting, etc. So odds are this time next year we will either already have word of a new version of the 3DS or it's arrival might even already been emminent, making those people who had to have it right away already for some buyers remorse for not waiting for the newer, arguably better version.
Now obviously this isn't really a knock against the 3DS at all, it should be a completely awesome system and I seriously doubt anyone who buys one will really be dissapointed with it. But like many console launches, there are plenty of issues that if you wait a little while will probably be worked out.
FREE GAME OF THE WEEK: TSUNAMI FIGHTER
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