What's up guys. Here's my first product review just to kill some free time of mine. Frankly speaking, I had intended to do product review since I started this blog but alas, I just couldn't find the proper digital camera, experience, and time to do it.
After long time of hesitation I finally get ahand of Nintendo latest portable gaming console, the Nintendo 3DS. At first I had been juggling between PS Vita and 3DS. So what make me choose 3DS over the PS Vita? For me, the primary factor in choosing a console is the games library. As PS Vita is just launched in JP and HK few weeks ago, the game library is still in its infancy and the current game title is countable by fingers! Even the future release games list doesn't appeal much (to me at least), with the exception of probably Persona 4 and Disgaea. For 3DS, a list of promising titles had been announced, in development, and in my wish list. To name a few, Harvest Moon, Etrian Odyssey, Pokemon, Mario, Zelda, Resident Evil, Kirby, and Phoenix Wright.
Another issue is the pricing, as of now the price is a bit pricy and only after it is released in MY/SG can we expect to see a price drop. But for the time being, purchasing it doesn't seemed to be a wise choice, not if I had a limited budget at hand. 3DS, on the other hand, had seen a price drop and it had helped Nintendo to rise up the sales target once again. Previously, many had speculated that the sales number for 3DS is not so promising and will never compete against the sales record of PSP. But look at the chart now, it is without a doubt that 3DS leads the number among other portable handheld gaming device. Only time will tell whether PS Vita will triumph over 3DS.
Another factor that leads me to choose 3DS over PS Vita is the 3D effect. As you might probably aware of, a majority of people had said that 3D is just a hype of the moment while some are still standing on the fence, hesitating. Yea one can live without 3D but 3D will enhance the gameplay even more.
Hardware spec for PS Vita is definitely overpowered, with 4 cores (only 3 cores are usable), touch front and back screen, dual analog control, and the massive 5 inch OLED screen, what's not to like. But at the end of the day, it's the games that matters, not the hardware. Given the most powerful handheld device in the world, if there are no popular games to unleash its potential, what good will it be?
Speculations had it that 3DS Lite might be announced in E3 but I highly doubt so as it took 18 months for DS Lite to emerged and another 12 months for DSi. It is CNY and I thought why not having a 3DS to spur the moment for this festive season.
Enough talk. My 3DS package consist of crystal case by FunBox, Hori Screen Protector, Acekard 2i and a 3DS game, Super Mario 3D Land! The console is Flare Red color and it is MY/SG set, which is also a US set.
More pictures after the break.
Time for some pictures:
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| Package arrived and packaged in bubble wrap form |
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| After unwrapping the bubble wrap form |
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| Laying out the items |
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| Box top |
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| Box back |
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| Box front |
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| Box side right |
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| Open box |
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| Console (left) and charger (right) |
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| Charging dock (front) |
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| Charging dock (back) |
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| Console (wrapped) |
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| Console (top) |
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| Console (bottom) |
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| Console (front view) |
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| 3DS console (open) |
Accessories
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| Hori screen protector (front) |
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| Hori screen protector (back) |
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| Crystal case |
Flash Cart
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| acekard 2i |
AR Cards
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| AR cards holder (front) |
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| AR cards holder (back) |
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| 6x AR cards |
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| AR Card #1 - ? |
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| AR Card #2 - Mario |
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| AR Card #3 - Zelda |
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| AR Card #4 - Kirby |
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| AR Card #5 - Metroid Prime Hunter |
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| AR Card #6 - Alien with flowers on the head ?> |
Super Mario 3D Land
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| Super Mario 3D Land (front) |
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| Super Mario 3D Land (back) |
Mini-Review
My first impression with this device was - never underestimate how 3D will look on a handheld device. The first thing that I tried upon turning it up is to fiddling through the settings and launch Face Raiders, which is a built-in app. I'm not sure what attracted me to it but judging by the name itself it seemed like a fun game. After which I fired up Super Mario 3D Land and jolly gosh, the upper screen shows its glorious 3D effect once again. As granted, the game is playable without 3D, but the game is much more enjoyable with 3D turned on. I have to say that I felt a little bit of dizziness after clearing 3 worlds probably because my eyes need to adapt to it. As I played it again several hours later, I found myself starting to get used to it and it does not bother me at all. Of course, it is not advisable to stare at the screen for so long.
As for DS games, I couldn't see any pixel issue at all even when playing it on the magnified upper screen, as complaint by nominal users.
That's all for now. Hope you will get yourself a 3DS if you haven't already.
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