I just picked up my Aqua Blue 3DS and I am very pleased. The 3DS is not perfect by any means but I do think that it is a fine system so far. As I write this some features like Netflix are not available so I may come back and update this review when I can test these features out for myself.
The system feels comfortable to hold in my hands. The size isn't too far off from the DSi. The color has a sort of metallic look to it that is very classy though I do wish that Nintendo had given us more colors to choose from. There will undoubtedly be more colors to choose from in the future though. The color isn't exactly an aqua blue, it is more of a bluish-green.
The question that most of you probably have is whether or not the 3D effect works. Yes, it does but it will take some getting used to. Keep in mind that the 3D visuals depend on the system's camera to track your head and so you will need to look at the system from a specific point for the best results in 3D. It isn't that hard to keep your head in that spot but you may need some time to get used to this. The 3DS provides a glimpse into an actual game world so you are not just looking at 3D graphics, you can actually move the system and your view changes accordingly. For example, your character in the game may step into an in-game room and you can physically move your 3DS to the right and your view will shift as you move the system. It's a lot of fun and one of the included mini games will actually have you moving around your desk or kitchen table in order to look into a hole from the right angle.
At first your eyes might feel a little buggy after playing with the 3D effects. That is normal but you should get used to it after a few plays. You can also adjust the intensity of the 3D effect with a little slider on the right side of the system and you can even do this in the middle of the game. I personally like the 3D effect to be a little under half power. That gives a nice bit of depth but the effect isn't overpowering. If you do not care for the 3D effects then you can simply turn that feature off and you still have a powerful little handheld system. This is good for people who do not enjoy 3D movies as they will still be able to play games on this system.
In addition to the new 3DS games the system can play the older DS and DSi games already out there. In a couple of months Nintendo will be revealing an online shop where you can buy and download some of the original Gameboy and Gameboy Color games optimized for the 3D screen. This effectively means that the 3DS already has a library of thousands of games even before we get into the 3DS games. The 3DS does have some flash memory for storing downloaded games but you will probably want to use the SD memory card slot and store your games on your memory card.
The 3DS does come with a 2GB SD card for saves and there are some applications already on it so you will have something to play right out of the box. There is a game where you can take pictures of yourself, your spouse, your pets or almost anything and attach the photos to flying enemies which you must then defeat. There is also a game that uses special paper cards. You put one of these cards on the table and look at it through the 3DS. You will see fun things happen like a hole open up in your table where a creature comes out and attack you or you can try another card to see characters pop up. Here is a tip, try downloading these cards from Nintendo's website and print them out on large sheets of paper. The size of the characters that come out are proportional to the size of the paper. A group of people in Japan strung together a massive square and made an avatar the size of a building!
Did you know that you can set your 3DS to sleep mode and it will communicate with other 3DS systems? Let's say that you are on your lunch break from work and you head to the deli with your 3Ds in your messenger bag. The system will find other systems and communicate with them. If you have a game such as Street Fighter 4 there will even be a mini-battle and if you win you will win rewards. The 3DS also has a pedometer so if you walk with it the system will track your footsteps and reward you with virtual coins you can use in certain applications.
Is the 3DS worth $249? I think so because of all the existing games that can be played on it and Nintendo handhelds are always very well supported with a healthy game library. It will very likely be at least two years before Nintendo updates the 3DS hardware and I certainly do not want to wait that long to play these games. Even if 3D video games are just a fad the 3DS will still play great games in regular 2D graphics and I anticipate that this system will have a great run just like its predecessors.
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