A closer look at Nintendo 3DS
nintendo co., ltd. was founded in 1889 and the company began by manufacturing playing cards. In 1975, this Japan-based corporation obtained the rights to distribute the Magnavox Odyssey home video game console, marking the company’s first foray into the video game industry. Nintendo’s first game console, the Color TV Game, was introduced two years later. Since then, the company has become one of the world’s leading video game console manufacturers.
For more than three decades, Nintendo has developed and sold various types of game consoles, such as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), the Nintendo 64, and the Game Boy. Their latest and most innovative portable gaming system is the DS series. Following the success of the Nintendo DS, which debuted in 2004, earlier this year the company released the latest addition to the family, the Nintendo 3DS.
Nintendo 3DS is the successor to the Nintendo DS, DS Lite, DSi and DSi XL. This handheld game console was first introduced in Japan on February 26, 2011. It arrived in Europe, North America, and Australia the following month.
The 3DS uses Digital Media Professionals’ custom version of the PICA200 graphics processor. However, the main feature of this console is its two screens. The top screen is a 3.53-inch WQVGA 3D 5:3 screen with a resolution of 800 x 240 pixels that can produce perfect three-dimensional effects without the need for 3D glasses. For its part, the lower screen is a 3.02-inch 4:3 resistive touch panel with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. Unlike the top screen, the bottom screen is not a 3D screen.
Compared to previous versions of the DS, the 3DS offers more advanced features, such as a slider on the side of the console that allows the user to adjust the intensity of 3D effects, a gyroscope, and an accelerometer. The portable console also has three 0.3 MP VGA cameras. Two cameras on the outside of the console allow the user to take 3D photos. On the other hand, the inner camera located above the top screen can be used to take 2D photos and record 2D video clips. The Nintendo 3DS also supports Wi-Fi connectivity with enhanced security. Additionally, the console is backward compatible with most Nintendo DS and DSi software.
The Nintendo 3DS comes with an extendable stylus pen and a 2 GB SD memory card. It also comes with a charging cradle that can be used to transfer data (both downloading and charging) via infrared, an AC adapter, six AR cards, and a manual. Prices start as low as $250, depending on the retailer.
