Following on from my last post about 3D TVs, I thought I’d follow up with an overview of Nintendo’s new handheld console – the 3DS. Unlike TV, I think the handheld device could make a real difference to how we play games, mainly because you don’t need glasses to get the 3D effect. This is obviously even more important for a handheld console, because most people wouldn’t want to wear 3D glasses while on the train or bus.

Aside from the unimaginative name, the 3DS really does seem to be a unique piece of technology. To get the 3D effect you need to be looking directly at the screen, which is why this works so well for a handheld. The same technology probably couldn’t be used for a regular TV unless the viewer was willing to sit at a certain angle. On a side note, there is a slider to control the “amount” of 3D, so you can turn it off altogether if you don’t like it for certain games.

The only downside to the 3DS at the moment is the lack of games. We’re used to having at least one big name release when a new console launches, but a standout title seems to be missing from the launch line-up. There are games such as Pilotwings available which are good, but many reviews claim that these seem to have been rushed for release. We’ll only really know how successful the new console is once some of the big name games – such as Mario Kart and Zelda – start to be released.

So, will I be getting one? I definitely won’t be buying one straight away – I’m going to wait and see what happens regarding the next games to be released. Once the top games have started to come out then I’ll consider it more carefully. None of the launch games really appeal to me, although the augmented reality games that come with the console sound fun and interesting.

If anyone has bought the 3DS already I’d love to know about it – leave me a comment in the form below.