Ironfall's Gorgeous Tech Demo Brings PS3-Level Graphics to The 3DS

[Steven Bogos]

Ironfall's Gorgeous Tech Demo Brings PS3-Level Graphics to The 3DS

Ironfall developer VD-dev aims to push the 3DS to it's graphical limits.

It may be hard to believe, but the trailer to the right is not for a PS3 or Xbox 360 game, but for a title on Nintendo's 3DS. Ironfall, the latest game from developer VD-Dev is pushing the 3DS to it's absolute limits, as evidenced by this absolutely gorgeous tech demo.

Built on VD-Dev's in-house "Big Bang" engine, Ironfall promises to bring 7 million polygons per second, 5000 particles on screen, realistic physics, and a lot more impressive technical terms with big numbers. What's more, it will run at a solid 60 frames per second (whether or not the 3D is turned on or off), and have fully voice-acted dialogue.

VD-Dev stresses that YouTube's video is capped at 30 FPS, and encourages fans to download a full HD version of the video [http://www.vd-dev.com/News/IronFall_Tech_Preview_HighBitrate.zip] from its official website for the best viewing experience.

As for the actual game behind this impressive tech, it looks like a "Gears of War"-style 3rd person cover shooter. Nothing we haven't really seen before, but it's nonetheless still impressive to be seeing it on Nintendo's handheld.

VD-Dev are looking to release the game as a download on the Nintendo eShop in Spring, 2014. No word on pricing has been announced as of yet.

VD-Dev are a small team of independent developers who have built quite a name for themselves for pushing Nintendo's handheld tech to its limits. For example, the guys behind VD-Dev managed to squeeze full-3D graphics out of the C.O.P: The Recruit [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NwVI2QDbfQ]

Source: VD-Dev [http://www.iron-fall.com/]

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[kat-pottz]

You definitely know its time to upgrade your box when a handheld is about to be able to put out games looking about as good as full blown consoles.

if only I had the money...

(OT) this looks great but I think it's kinda weird they went for a 3rd person shooter for their game seeing how well kid icarus uprising did without a second analog stick :/

 

[Terramax]

To be honest, it doesn't look that good. Looks no better than RE Revelations on launch. Doesn't look anything like a PS3 game. Not even an early build on. This is after watching the one on their website.

Then, crippled with the XL that blows up games even more...

 

[weirdee]

The Driver 3 footage indicates that they're using mostly fakey 3d in the gameplay (the kind you see in most early SNES type games) rather than the actual stuff, but the animation of the flipping badge is pretty good, and for the most part it works well enough that nobody's complaining

as for RE: Revelaitons, I'd actually rate the environments lower than this tech demo's stuff, but the main reason for that was because the CHARACTER MODELS for that game were really detailed, while the tech demo uses traditional PS2 level blockpeople for its stuff

which doesn't really hurt the game either, because most of the time you're viewing piles of garbage, or ruined crap, or really gross things, and you don't need a lot of detail for that (although the doors and that one really big clock were done in greater detail because you'd be staring at those for a while)

 

[Firia]

Tiny screen on a still image featuring two tiny screens on yet another tiny screen. They're killing the industry secret of "when you shrink something that looks terrible, it suddenly looks fine." I am criticizing their choice of having this tech demo displayed on only a fraction of the view space. Youtube compression would make it look pretty snazzy indeed viewed that small. Until I see it displayed in the full view space (in as good condition as video compression will allow), I am just not that impressed. I can see how it could look great, but I also see the smoke and the mirrors.

 

[Kenjitsuka]

Extremely impressive for the hardware.
Kudos!!!

 

[hazabaza1]

That is... really not "PS3 graphics". Yeah it looks good and runs well for the hardware being used but it's not quite as impressive as they're trying to make out.
Also probably isn't helped by how utterly boring the game looks but oh well.

Still, if that's what the 3DS can output then I look forward to a fun game getting made like that.

 

[Keiichi Morisato]

It looks like early PS3/60 graphics, but it does definitely look like a 7th generation console game. You definitely know its time to upgrade your box when a handheld is about to be able to put out games looking about as good as full blown consoles.

um? did you forget about the Vita??? Sony's answer to the 3DS with hi-def graphics???

 

[AnthrSolidSnake]

Like many have said, that isn't PS3 level graphics, or even that close. It's certainly nice looking for that particular system sure, but my bet is that a similar game would be gobbled up by the Vita. If you want PS3-ish graphics on a handheld, what better choice than...Sony's handheld?

Honestly Nintendo, (and its developers), stick to what you've been doing best. Don't worry about keeping up with the latest snazzy graphics (especially if your system can just barely do them), and continue making games people love regardless. Graphics aren't what sold your 3DS, and it won't help now, especially if late PS2 era graphics is what you're just now getting to.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

Like many have said, that isn't PS3 level graphics, or even that close. It's certainly nice looking for that particular system sure, but my bet is that a similar game would be gobbled up by the Vita. If you want PS3-ish graphics on a handheld, what better choice than...Sony's handheld?

Honestly Nintendo, (and its developers), stick to what you've been doing best. Don't worry about keeping up with the latest snazzy graphics (especially if your system can just barely do them), and continue making games people love regardless. Graphics aren't what sold your 3DS, and it won't help now, especially if late PS2 era graphics is what you're just now getting to.

Though this isn't Nintendo doing this, it's a 3rd party. And let's face it, 3rd parties are WHORES for bragging about graphics.