Nintendo’s big, pricey bet on 3-D

Would you pay $250 for 3-D gaming, movie watching and picture taking you can carry in your pocket?

That’s the question Nintendo
is gambling on this spring when it rolls out its latest in a long
series of what have been incredibly popular portable gaming consoles.

The 3DS hits the United States on March 27 for $250, the same price that Nintendo launched its incredibly popular Wii console for in 2006.

That $250 price tag puts it in direct competition with the current lineup of consoles, with the Wii and Xbox 360 both now selling for $200 and the Playstation 3 selling for $300.

The 3DS also faces some stiff competition among
other portable gaming systems. The iPod Touch, an increasingly popular
gaming device for tweens and teens, starts at $229 and Sony’s Playstation Portable sells for $170. And later this week at an event in Tokyo, Sony
is expected to announce details for its Playstation Portable 2, a
device rumored to have a touch surface, 3G connectivity, and more power
than an Xbox 360.

Fortunately, the 3DS seems to have something no
other portable handheld or home console can deliver: The ability to
play games, look at pictures and watch movies in 3-D without the need
to wear glasses.

The first time I saw the technology in person it was
an almost magical experience, leaving me with a feeling that I needed
to remove the glasses I wasn’t wearing when I was done.

The 3-D gaming options that Nintendo
is offering up on the device so far, though, aren’t that impressive.
With just eight or so weeks until the pricey device hits, no single
game seems to be standing out as a must-own, must-buy title.

But I think that won’t be a problem in the short
run. The biggest selling point for the 3DS early on could easily be the
non-gaming things you can do with the device in 3-D and some of its
other bells and whistles.

While the ability to watch Hollywood movies in 3-D on a handheld is a huge plus for the system, Nintendo still hasn’t announced any movies that will be available when the system hits in the U.S.

But what 3DS owners will be able to do is take
pictures in 3-D with the device and then view them instantly on the
screen. While I don’t see people picking up the 3DS just for this
ability, I think it’s the sort of gee-wiz technology that could help
buoy the launch of the portable as Nintendo works to line up its top-tier titles and movies in the months leading away from the 3DS hitting.

It will be Nintendo’s
ability to attract top games from top developers and to deliver its own
big-name originals to the platform that will eventually make or break
the console.

While I’m sure it will sell out when it hits stores March 27,
in many ways this early launch of the device is aimed at early adopters
and those willing to pay a premium for the latest gadgets and toys.

Come this holiday season I expect to see a much
broader game and movie lineup for the device and hope for a more
reasonable price.

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(c) 2010, Kotaku.com (Gawker Media).

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