E3 '10: Nintendo 3DS Hands On

Nintendo's announcement of their 3DS handheld was stunning, but nothing can compare to actually getting your hands on one of the systems. It actually does exactly what they say, which is to deliver a mind-blowing 3D experience without glasses. The effect is amazing, and there's even a little bit of leeway as far as the viewing angle (though not much). The graphics are crisp and clear, and there is no blurring or fuzziness because of the 3D effect. And as I mentioned in my wrap-up of the Nintendo press conference, the graphics are better than regular DS games, approaching Wii levels of quality and detail.

First I watched a Mario Kart video, and the depth of the racetrack was impressive. One jump in particular was dizzying. Then a quick video of Animal Crossing in 3D. Wandering amongst the trees created some depth, but it was going into someone's house and shifting the camera angle around that really blew me away. Then I watched the trailer for the upcoming Disney movie Tangled, which also looked really high-quality. There's still no distribution plans for how movies could be released on the system, but it seems most likely that Nintendo would use their own DS cartridges in order to load it up with plenty of copy protection. And with studios like Dreamworks, Warner Bros. and Disney on their side, this could be the best way to watch the new Shrek movie in 3D without having to shell out all that money for a 3D big-screen TV.

Finally, I actually played Starfox 3D. After the initial adjustment to controlling a game with that kind of depth of field, the 3D effect really added to the gameplay, making it easier to maneuver around obstacles and target enemies. Also, going through tunnels and stuff makes you physically duck and lean in response!

There are a ton of games heading for the 3DS, which we've already listed for you earlier, but one that didn't make the list that was revealed at the Nintendo Developer Roundtable was a 3D remake of the N64 classic The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. They had a video you could watch that was the opening of Link riding Epona through Hyrule Field, and it was so flipping amazing that I got chills. Chills, people. Nintendo has done it again, and have renewed their license to print money. Because once you see the 3DS in action, there's no going back!