British Nintendo developers are adamant that the new glasses-free 3DS handheld, due for release early in 2011, is going to appeal to both hardcore and casual gamers alike.
So while debates in online gaming forums rage on about the relative 'hardcore' merits of new technologies such as Microsoft Kinect, Sony PlayStation Move and Nintendo 3DS, those that have played with the new Nintendo handheld and those that are making games for it seem sure that it will captivate "all sectors of the audience."
3DS developer poll
TechRadar recently polled all the publishers and developers working on 3DS games to find out their thoughts on the potential of Nintendo's new tech.
To be fair, most of the responses we got were along the lines of: "cannot really comment, under NDA [non-disclosure agreement]" but we did manage to squeeze a bit more information out of those that have seen the new tech.
Neil Long, Editor of Official Nintendo Magazine told us: "Nintendo have got form when it comes to industry-changing technology, but for me the 3DS has the potential to outstrip anything the company has achieved before.
"Picking up the handheld and looking into that 3D top screen is another 'wow' moment similar to playing Wii Sports for the first time – you get the very real sense that Nintendo have somehow nicked a time-travelling DeLorean and smuggled its new tech back from the far-flung future. Besides the headline-grabbing 3D screen, for me what's most interesting is how its other functionality will offer developers some really interesting toys to play with.
"The console's accelerometer and gyroscope open the door to tilt and motion-controlled games, and one augmented reality tech demo I saw offered up a genuinely jaw-dropping glimpse of what might be done in this space as well. Its ability to take (and, knowing Nintendo, play with) 3D photos is another feature that has been a little glossed-over."
First auto-stereoscopic 3D console
We also spoke with Blitz Games CTO and founder Andrew Oliver, who told TechRadar: "In addition to the Stereoscopic-3D-without-glasses capability and its upgraded processing power, the 3DS also already has some of the new technologies including a stereo camera, tilt sensors and a gyroscope.
"These will undoubtedly lead to some very interesting possibilities for future gameplay but are unlikely to be seen in the first wave of games."
"As far as the 3DS goes I think it will be welcomed by both core and casual gamers – not least because of the stellar line-up of games announced by Nintendo at E3.
"As the first 3D screen on the market which does not require glasses, and given the rapturous reaction from those people who have actually experienced 3DS gameplay, we expect a range of hugely exciting games to go down very well with all sectors of the audience."
