kenzo

@John_Enigma

Today, I saw a copy of Mario Sunshine in the second hand shop for $100.

The original sticker price of $50 was still on it.

Must be a good game .....

The NEW 3DS is essential for Nintendo.

The 3D had to be improved over the old model.

Its is clear, stop-gap or not, the NEW 3DS has been globally embraced as a step forward.

I love how older games like Luigis Mansion 2 and Castlevania: Mirror of Fate look great with the new model. Get the demo for the latter on the eshop and see for yourself.

With the hacking being made on the 3DS, if Nintendo don't exploit the hardware features then the modding community will. More CPU, no problem.

I still think the 3D cameras were very undersold and neglected the whole time. If they had two inner cameras and better resolution all round, there could have been a potential killer app for it.

I doubt Nintendo will discontinue the 3DS for a number of reasons.

1. The 3ds is still maturing and can certainly be bumped up in screen size, resolution and processing power. 3DS games are capable of higher resolution graphics, as seen in some emulators already.

2. The 3DS has no comparable competition. If any company copied its technology, then Nintendo would be onto them.

3. The 3DS is a cash cow for Nintendo. They are the highest performing listed stockmarket company in the gaming sector. They would be mad to retire the 3DS prematurely, especially when there is no established platform to replace it. Nintendo have doggedly held on during the woeful days of WiiU and old 3DS, so they are unlikely to throw it all away when things are looking up.

4, The New 3DS has recently been introduced as is going very well, despite few games taking advantage of the increased CPU and c-stick. And despite losing circle pad pro optionality.

So there. Long live the 3DS.

@Savino
" Sure, the best thing in the world is to play with your thumbs covering half the screen!! "

That problem is easily solved.

Just put the actual screen above the touch screen controllers and sticks.

Perhaps with 3D technology, the apparent screen depth can be put where the touch screen physically is.

What if the supplemental device is a mobile phone or something similar.

For instance, if the supplemental device contained all the phone functionality except for use as an actual phone, then essentially it is a smart wireless controller - with memory, CPU, graphics display, inertial sensors and cameras.

Just think.

Why buy a Wiimote for $50 say, when there are so many more capable mobile phone type controller devices available today for the same price.

The wiimote is nearly 10 years old, yet phone technology is cutting edge and beating PC technologies.

So my bet about the next Nintendo gaming system, is that it needs some kind of mobile phone type controller technology to stay competitive. The phone stick could even look like a wiimote, and could eventually have programmable surround touch sensors and even a wrap around display in future versions. Why not ....

@DarthNocturnal

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak developed BreakOut for the Atari.

Who knows how many other developers from that era could have gone on to greater things.

Even Atari founder Nolan Bushnell regrets turning down a third of Apple for $50,000.

Nintendo are expecting a significant ramp in sales before this Christmas.

It better unleash the tsunami of new games before its too late to meet this Christmas season's targets.

Never could understand American.

Wonder what kind of spell checker they used.

->Settings/US/Dumbass

Looks like Nintendo are piping hot with Mario and Luigi.

Without them, Nintendo would be plumbing the depths of dis-pair. Doomed.

RE4 for Wii was the definitive version.

I would not bother playing it on PC.

It could be argued this was the pinnacle of the RE series.

Now, you can buy a second hand Wii and copy of RE4 for the price of a new game.

And, you haven't really played RE4 unless you have a proper Wiimote gun such as the Blaze Scorpion Vii. Good luck finding one now.

@NauticalCrimes

Googled the datasheet :

http://datasheet.octopart.com/BU8844FV-E2-Rohm-datasheet-5330952.pdf

The BU8844FV sound chip has more capabilities than direct streaming of ADPCM. The question is what else can it do given the limited memory and input/output bandwidth of sound data in the Wiimote.

You have to say Nintendo made hard work of sound production in the Wii Remote, and it was not entirely successful. They could have, for better effect, used the dormant Bluetooth sound channel.

The Wii Remote design was locked in by 2005 and chip technology keeps advancing rapidly. After 10 years its all a bit archaic now, but strangely, out of all the Wii Remote functions, the audio features have not been fully reverse engineered (and may never be).

Someone should tell us how to program the BU8844FV sound chip in the Wii remote.

I can only get it to make very basic sounds with Glovepie.

I always wanted to be an armchair rocket scientist.

The Wii remote sound output is one of the only things that has not been properly reverse engineered.

It would be great for many hobbyists and academic projects if Nintendo or someone can successfully implement chip-tunes and sounds on it without a digital signal processor emulator, as exists when using the Dolphin emulator (for example).

Let me guess - there is a SPLATLING GUN ...

Big Arnie says - If it bleeds ... we can kill it !

Kenzo says - If it computes .... we can reprogram it !

As for Sakurai-san, it helps if you never see the sun, as it damages your skin with UV light.

He would regain the aging if he worked at Konami. Kojima looks like an old man already.

At least working at Konami is still better than North Korea.

If you fail there your whole extended family goes to the gulag.

It won't be long before there is photoshopping of the official company photos at Konami as senior staff get the chop (and fed to the dogs).

Sad passing of Mr Iwata.

My father passed away at 55. All I can say is - it was a rip off.

I suppose we can reflect and appreciate each day we get, and not be too over-concerned about minor things.

I am sure Iwata san will want you to put down your console occasionally and go outside and look more deeply at the marvellous world we live in.

Good bye.

There is a reason it was called Project Hammer.

there is a Japanese saying - " The nail that sticks out get hammered down ".

Obviously there were too many American nails that stuck out of the woodwork. Unfortunately, all the Japanese management made was a packing crate.

Has anyone told Nintendo that Android OS no longer supports Wii remote functionality since 4.2.

Google knows about this problem but has been VERY SLOW to bother fixing it.

Gives you real confidence in their OS.

Make your own controller (N)interface.

3D Printer at the ready !!!

If I never saw the unloved white WiiU 8GB left in the cabinet window of a major second hand store, despite being discounted twice down to $145, then I would not be a proud WiiU owner at all.

We want 3DS game controllers for WiiU games.

Make it happen for Splatoon.

I didn't realise they had gum that CAUSES FITS.

Instead of Mario saying 'Its a me', he might now say 'Fits a me' Reggie Style.

Is there a reason he has one eye shut.

Maybe he is a one-eyed trouser snake.

SHPRAT TOON - !!!!!!

Love that Japanese pronunciation.

For Prats that Splat. (tm)

They should base their pension financial software on the game Snakes and Ladders.

As you would know, the more ladders you climb, the more snakes you are likely to run into. Eventually you will end up on the bottom rung.

A board game like snakes and ladders mimics the maze of bureaucratic regulations needing to be worked through to get a pension. Perhaps they should put a help desk on one of the squares, and hope you don't get a snake charmer on the other end of the line.

I would like to practise quadcopter art like this:

http://www.wired.com/2015/04/age-drone-vandalism-begins-epic-nyc-tag/

I am sure the PC streaming capability of the 3DS can be improved.

Its just a matter of working out the best streaming protocol and knowing the inner workings of the 3DS.

After all, Nintendo have improved the 'downloading' capability of the wi-fi in the New 3DS models, and Youtube online plays videos quickly in both 2d and 3d formats.

This article should also have mentioned the 3DS being used as a game controller too.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/3ds-controller.375443/

I though Janet Jackson was bad enough at the Superbowl halftime show.

EXCITATION Confirmed.

Yeah but .... https://gbatemp.net/threads/wip-karl3ds-kernel-access-on-n3ds-via-ninjhax-loadcode.382113/

Apparently Paper Mario plays very well now on Dolphin VR.

Discussed here:

http://www.reddit.com/r/DolphinVRcullin/comments/2zk17x/gcpaper_mario_the_thousand_year_doorusa/

I love how all these unknown Australians go to the United States and out-American the Americans.

Its revenge for all those American shows we sat through growing up.

Where do you think Iggy learned all her extravagant flossing and blinging from.

One thing looks wrong though. Those fine tattoos on her hands will look like unreadable smudges within two years.

I can imagine a classic scene from The Wrath Of Khan, where Science Officer Miyamoto speaks to Captain Iwata.

"Captain ... the thinking of those 20th century beings is rather two dimensional".

Wait on !!

April 1 is next week.

Its obvious what they will do.

Head tracking will definitely be part of the NX gaming console, possibly with infrared light emitting spectacles / headset.

Super Stable 3D - Chop chop, Get Shiggy With It !!.

What is the point of developing this technology if it was not meant to be used.

Makes you wonder what eventual products they really intended to use it for.

Perhaps its about time Nintendo made a 3DS game called 'Up-ending the Tea Table'.

There's a lot more than region free going on at the moment.

The barbarians are at the gate.

https://gbatemp.net/forums/3ds-homebrew-development-and-emulators.275/

I would like to see a wireless accelerometer/gyroscopic module that works with the 3DS or Wii U. Much like a wireless motion plus adapter would do.

Can you imagine what people would strap it to !!

How about a quality of life application or a dance game that uses a Twerkometer.

Oops .... I think its been done .... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fVvp4dstBc

The 3DS NEXT has to have TWO inner high resolution cameras.

The selfie craze needs to be capitalised on.

Surely the ability to show ones face and head in 3D is useful for real-to-life Miis, for 3DS video chat, for avatar creation, for virtual makeup or hairstyling or cosmetic surgery, and for manga-fication.

If these images could be exported to 3D printing, either locally or by online mail order, then personalised amiibos or caricatures could become all the rage.

The 3d cameras on the 3DS are a great idea but poorly implemented so far.

If people are having trouble keeping in the 3D sweetspot, then maybe a version of Nintendo Cardboard should be developed.

Its like a cardboard box strapped to your head which forms an inter-face between the 3DS and your face. It keeps the top screen locked at the right distance and position to see the 3D fully, but allows viewing and access to all the other controls on the lower screen with the hands.

Could cost less than $2.

@StarDust4Ever

I have actually constructed the circularly polarized filter from the plastic lens of Real3D glasses and mounted it on the NEW 3DS XL.

It is positioned at the top of the screen over the inside camera and red eye light.

If fits quite well. I cut a section 35 mm x 10 mm from one lens polarizer, using a knife and then trimmed it down with scissors.

I used tissue to clean both sides of the film, before attaching with regular clear tape at both left and right sides. The tape folded nicely over the top edge, avoiding the screen and outside cameras.

Does it actually work.

It seems to work very well in game. I have played Resident Evil Mercenaries a few time to gauge its performance stability. I like it and will keep it on my 3DS.

There are aspects to the 'filter' which may have no bearing on super stability, and thus won't offer any possible advantages. I don't know what these modes are, but shimmering effects are still visible 'outside' of the game play - in normal usage.

Super stability could be affected by the gyroscopes, screen brightness, tilt of lower screen, blinking, head motion or smeared glasses - just to name a few variables.

In any case I will keep the filter on as it seems 'better' to use, and it seems no worse than without it. Thanks.

@StarDust4Ever

Ideally, circularly polarized light will change handedness upon specular reflection. So if a light beam (red eye light) goes outbound through a right handed circular polarizer (3D glasses film), it will be specularly reflected back (from the spectacles) as a left handed circularly polarized beam. This part of the reflected light will be blocked by the right handed circular polarizer covering the inside camera (and will be attenuated).

There are complications in practice - of course.

Not all the reflected light will be fully reversed (especially off the metallic glasses frame), and not all of the reversed light will be blocked (because of birefringence in the quarter wave retarder film comprising the circular polariser AND the circular polarizer may not polarize the infra-red portion of the red eye light either ... ).

Look, its just a throw away idea and I will try it. Wish me luck.

@StarDust4Ever
I have noticed some minor stuttering in the 3D super stability whilst using the 3DS XL in the dark with glasses. Paradoxically, I cannot really check for the same effect without the glasses because its not easy to see the screen without them. Ha ha.

I wonder if the occassional break in lock is 'normal' but is just more noticeable in the dark than during daylight ....

I am going to try something to eliminate this perceived effect.

I want to tape a thin film of circular polarizer material over the red eye light and the inside camera. This should suppress unwanted reflections of the red eye light from the glasses - as long as it doesn't impair the regular super stability function because of too much general darkening of the reflected light.

The material for the polarizer comes from those cheap throwaway 3D glasses they hand out at the 3D movies. This will be interesting, if slightly mad.

I must say that using reading glasses has a benefit that it magnifies the screen slightly, and makes the viewing experience more immersive than without them.

I think there is a bit of rose coloured glasses going on with the NEW 3DS XL.

I like it too - but all the hype about it is not believable.

1. The c-stick is not a "second circle pad".

It is not as easy to use as a circle pad for a number of reasons.

Its travel is too short and stiff for precise use, it cannot be custom calibrated in the settings (so far), and in-game it can be confused with the X or Y buttons in gameplay.

2. The shoulder buttons are awkwardly placed, and can result in both buttons on a side being pressed at once, screwing up gameplay. Also to get a good reach to all shoulder buttons the hands must be moved up a little on the 3DS. This is even a bigger problem on the larger XL model than the regular one. Its just not right ergonomically and very un-Nintendo like.

The shape and relative placement of the shoulder buttons could have been much better.

3. The stereoscopic 3D is very good.

The super stable 3D works very well in stabilising side-to-side and rocking motions.

However there is not the same stability in the distance of viewing aspect.

The NEW 3DS needs to be held at the recommended 35cm distance from the eyes. If the console is not kept with about +/- 5cm of that recommended distance then double images will start appearing in one or both eyes.

This is the most disappointing aspect of the 3D.

For an older person like myself who needs to hold the unit slightly further out to see it clearly, this is not ideal. I bought a pair of cheap 2.5 dioptre reading glasses to make the ideal 35 cm screen viewing distance comfortable.

I believe there may also be some flickering issues playing in darkness with glasses on as well.

Hopefully some software updates can correct some of these issues.

If you get "Pac-Man Party 3D" for the 3DS, you get pac-man, dig dug and galaga as bonus games.

That's the only reason I bought it (cheap).

I don't know what people are really complaining about.

The NEW 3DS Ambassidor model is way cheaper than the original one !

If people are disappointed for not being eligible for 'a limited edition', then that's the whole point of 'limited edition'.

Look, Nintendo games customers and customers game Nintendo.

Its just a game with dollars, not play coins. Don't be upset.

Anyway, an investment in electronics is a bad investment, thanks to rapid obsolescence.

Nintendo will happily sell you a razor to make money on blades. You may even get a haircut in the process.

Nintendo could make a cross-over game combining Smash and Mario Kart.

It could be called Road Rage Kart.

Art imitates life. You get to smash into the other drivers and then beat them up at the scene of the accident.