Nintendo 3DS to Liberate Gamers from Evil Cartridges

[scotth266]

Snip.

By the way Funk, is there any word on whether the 3DS will contain backwards compatibility for the GBA and under? Because that would be super-special-awesome if it did.

 

[Raykuza]

Bwah? This- doesn't... possible... huh?

 

[DarthFennec]

You know, the more I think about it, this probably actually would work alright without screwey DRMs, if they let it. The way I see it, they won't let you copy from someone else's 3DS, just from a cart, so it can't really go viral because everyone would need access to the cart. And they'll probably limit the number of possible saved carts you can keep, so let's say you can only download three games at a time, you wouldn't be able to keep all of them, and you'd have to go buy games if you want to keep them. Still, this is really good for if my friend has a game and all I want to do is try it out awhile before I buy it for myself.

 

[KrazyKain]

You know, the more I think about it, this probably actually would work alright without screwey DRMs, if they let it. The way I see it, they won't let you copy from someone else's 3DS, just from a cart, so it can't really go viral because everyone would need access to the cart. And they'll probably limit the number of possible saved carts you can keep, so let's say you can only download three games at a time, you wouldn't be able to keep all of them, and you'd have to go buy games if you want to keep them. Still, this is really good for if my friend has a game and all I want to do is try it out awhile before I buy it for myself.

or play it multiplayer with him for a week or 2

 

[Double A]

So, let me get this straight: The 3DS has massive third-party support, remakes of some beloved classics, and damn good graphics for a handheld. The glasses-free 3D effect really does work, and the control slider is a better version of the PSP's analog nub. And now you're telling me I don't need to swap cartridges on the go anymore to play multiple games?

Nintendo? Massive 3rd Party Support?

Pinch me I must be dreaming.

This is amazing though, I thought I had lost my HG cartridge at a rental beach house, but although I did find it, I was quite scared. Being able to put your games on your console like you can with the 360 is amazing!

 

[mew4ever23]

That's going to be very handy for anyone that plays on public transportation. But you gotta wonder what kind of DRM's is going to be used, since you could, in theory, just borrow a game from a friend.

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

I'm excited about the homebrew possibilities of this system.

I have approximately 50 DS games. I got a Cyclo when I got tired of dragging out my case, fumbling for cartridges, etc. Cyclo also lets me use my DS as an mp3 player and a terminal application, an ftp client (or server) and I can play nethack on it.

Really if developers would just work WITH the homebrew community instead of against them there would be a lot less "unauthorized" software. Blizzard figured out that modders needed an outlet for their creativity and skills when they made WoW an there is a thriving modding community, all sanctioned by Blizzard. They can even make command decisions like nuking popular yet game-breaking mods and the modders will grudgingly accept them because they are part of an official community rather than going rogue.

Another great thing about the 3DS is that nintendo clearly hit another one out of the park and I bet it just makes the haters froth at the mouth.

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

So can I just borrow games from friends and install them on my DS I wonder.

Chances are that you would have to authenticate the install in some way. Much in the same way that you currently have to sync your DS and the game cartridge to go on WiFi with a game, they'll probably tie the installs specifically to your DS, and the game will remember which DS you installed it to. So the installed game won't load on the wrong DS, and the cart won't let you install to more than one console. Pirates, of course, will find a way around that.

Mind you though, that's pure speculation on my part, but you know that Nintendo wouldn't allow you to install the data onto the system without some form of protection (that pirates will crack, granted, but still).

 

[RUINER ACTUAL]

You can say that now, but nothing about the new PSP has been announced, so it could just blow this thing out of the water. I know I will never get (another) Nintendo product.

I will just flat out say this: I hate my PSP. I don't want to hate it, but that's where I stand now.

Why? Because I hate that it physically hurts me to play half my games.

Can't play Monster Hunter anymore. My left index finger literally blistered and swelled from bruising due to "Camera Clawing". No game has ever done that to me before.
Can't play MGS Portable Ops, even though I genuinely like the premise (and it's the first MGS I've actually played since the NES cart.) because of awful camera controls in an already complicated game.
The interface directly impedes my ability to play any of the GTA titles.
See a pattern?

And it's not like this is rocket science.
Hey Sony, try this instead:
Base the shape of the handheld on a narrowing V shape with the option to attach a flip top cover to protect the screen (via the slots between the L and R buttons). Use the additional casing mass on the back to house two rows of back buttons, and two analogue nubs (total) for controls in addition to what the PSP has.

That way, you free your thumbs to use the analogue sticks and your index and middle fingers for the four inputs on the back, with the option of 8 additional inputs in the face buttons and D-Pad. In addition, the shape is still quite portable (Only slightly bigger than a PSP-3000) with no extraneous bits that can be easily broken off.

You can now play any console game of any genre with reasonable controls. This works best for PS2 ports, because all the controls are already there. And we already know Sony loves their PS2 ports.

In fact, Sony had a chance to rethink its system and design it to be better.
Instead, we got the farce that was the PSP-GO.
"Why no, we won't fix our hardware to support our own games better! Suck it up!"

In that time, I've actually gone back to playing my much older DS. And you know what? It works. The games might not be as mature (pity) but the variety is much much better, and the touch screen can function as an extra series of inputs. If I cannot control the game, I do not look forward to playing it. It's that simple.

Sony had better impress me, and fast. Because right now, I'm looking at the 3DS with genuine interest, and that's the first console I've been this interested in since the Playstation 2.

Yes, I will agree, the hardware design is a bit poor. I think they were made for small Japanese children. The curves don't help much ergonomically. And the PSPgo is the most unpleasent thing I have ever held next to a Wiimote and DS. I don't like the boxy feel of these things. Hopefully all the control issues will be solved with a magic SECOND ANALOG STICK, and we can play real games for real.

 

[Johnteerules]

let's see, a very tough decision,

apple's ipad which almost has no reason to exist or...
nintendo's epic no glasses required 3D 3DS that can install save files

a very tough choice indeed

 

[Brad Shepard]

After hearing this, I dont want to hear Nintendo complain about Pirates any time soon.

I for one, will keep the cartrage, i like having memory in my systems and the cartrages are fine by me, the only thing i dident like about the DS games is that they where so dang small.

 

[Plurralbles]

dude... that's awesome. i wonder how much memory it will have... A option to put in an SD card or something would be nice... Not happening, but it'd be nice.

It's funny, there's a chinese company that did this for the DS for years. My friend has one.

 

[Brad Shepard]

snip

Do you happen to know if the 3DS can play DS games?

 

[Glamorgan]

Well, this will make piracy a lot easier for a lot of people.

 

[Danpascooch]

What stops me from installing friends games?

 

[almostgold]

So, let me get this straight: The 3DS has really does work [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/101377-PilotWings-MGS-StarFox-Headline-3DS-Lineup], and the control slider is a better version of the PSP's analog nub. And now you're telling me I don't need to swap cartridges on the go anymore to play multiple games?

Wow...

I thought this would be another virtual boy, I thought Nintendo hadn't learned.

But... all of this?

Wow.

Yeah, I wasnt really that psyched before hand, but... seeing all those traits lined up like that, and reading over the launch titles again... damn.

I'm buying it.

 

[Souplex]

...But I like cartridges.

 

[MajoraPersona]

What's next? Will it come packaged with cake and a free kitten?

Mmmm, free kitten.