A Brief Love Letter to the Nintendo 3DS
Back in 2011 Nintendo released the Nintendo 3DS followed by the New 3DS in 2015. This was a device that took the extremely popular Nintendo DS up to a whole new level. It was more powerful, it had a thumbpad, and most importantly, the top screen could produce 3D images without the need for special glasses. Now, I don’t fully understand the technology behind this at all, but it’s really incredible and I think it needs a bit more love. Here’s a brief video I found explaining how it all works.
Back in about 2016, I decided I wanted to play Pokémon games and Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon were on the way. This was perfect! I decided to get a DS and Pokémon Omega Ruby, but there was a catch. I liked the clamshell design of the New 3DS and the bigger screens, plus it would play all the titles that required the New 3DS over the original 3DS (confusing, I know). However, I didn’t care about the 3D function and the 2DS was significantly cheaper. In the end, I gave in and bought the New 3DS anyways and a few months later, Nintendo launched the New 2DS which made me just a little peeved.
When I first got the handheld gaming device, I started playing Omega Ruby and was having a blast. I even tried out the 3D effect, but it felt gimmicky and just didn’t do enough to get me excited, so for many years, I left it off. Whenever I got a new game like Pokémon Sun or Fire Emblem Awakening, I would slide up the 3D and continue to be unimpressed. Then, I got a Switch and the 3DS went away for awhile until the announcement of Metroid Dread.
When Metroid Dread was announced, I made the ballsy decision to play through the previous 4 games in the core Metroid line. I bought Metroid Zero Mission and Metroid Fusion on the Wii U Virtual Console, I had a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to cover Super Metroid, and I decided to buy Metroid: Samus Returns, the 3DS remake of Metroid II.
Samus Returns changed my view of the 3D effect. When I put the slider up to max, I didn’t think of it at first and was about ready to turn it off like I normally do. When I did, I felt like everything about the game was different. I turned the 3D effect back on and all of it sudden, something clicked for me. It made the game feel more alive and real. It helped me differentiate background elements from foreground ones. In short, it somehow gave me a different perspective and appreciation for the game.
Since then, when I’ve gone to play a 3DS title like The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, I’ve turned on the 3D effect and have found that there are at least some games where I prefer the 3D effect. The extra depth that worlds and characters have is a lovely little touch that’s just not able to be experienced otherwise.
Now, the technology isn’t perfect. If you aren’t looking at the 3DS straight on, you look away for a second at something else, etc. the ability to present the 3D effect will become hindered and can cause a small headache until it is able to refocus. That being said, I would actually very much welcome a return to this technology if someone would go in and improve upon it. Could you imagine having a Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch that can present a 3D image while you’re playing a game like Elden Ring or The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom? That could be amazing!
Of course, it’s very possible that developing a game to utilize the 3D tech well is a pain and in the end not worth it to them. From my viewpoint though, there’s a whole new world of opportunities awaiting with improved versions of the 3DS tech. Maybe Skyrim could get yet another port!
What did you think of the 3DS? Did you hate it or feel it was underappreciated?