Sounds like a lot of you have been very enthusiastic about the 3DS, but we’re curious …

One of the 3DS’s best surprises is its sense of humor. A lighthearted, playful atmosphere runs through all the built-in software, from Mii Plaza to the Music Player to all the AR games–but it reaches new heights in its Ace-Up-the-Sleeve, Face Raiders.

This is an odd one to review; if you’ve bought a 3DS, you already own the game. If you haven’t made the jump yet, then Face Raiders is a $250 game that comes with a 3DS attached. But this little gem is one of Nintendo’s most clever creations, and it deserves its own review. (more…)

Gamepro has a great piece up about Nintendo’s long history in the handheld market. Noticeably absent is the Game & Watch series, but everything else is there. I can remember paying a ridiculous amount at my local import shop to have a Game Boy Light imported from Japan, only for the Game Boy Color to release less then a year later.

Go brush up on your handheld history in-between 3DS play sessions. Awesome to see how far handheld gaming has progressed in less than 25 years. I mean how did we even game on those horrid green-ish screens?

What has been your favorite gaming handheld, Nintendo or otherwise?

Upon my initial boot up of the 3DS, I just had to try out the cool Face Raiders app that come pre-installed on every 3DS. After taking pictures of everyone I live with (which includes my girlfriend and 2 cats), I ran out of faces to raid. Have you ran into the same problem readers? If so, I’m here to help! Click on to see which faces I find most compelling to riddle with tennis balls….in 3D! (more…)

I have been toting my 3DS around with me everywhere I go, just for the opportunity to meet someone else’s Mii via StreetPass. Yesterday it finally happened at, of all places, the grocery store. After finally experiencing this, I have to see it’s a really neat feature! Plus his Mii helped kill a ghost on my quest to free my king.

Have you had an unexpected StreetPass encounter yet?

“An error has occurred. Unable to update. The system will now be restarted.”

This message keeps popping up on my 3DS, despite getting a message on Sunday saying a system update, including an OK Go 3D video, is now available.

Checking the Nintendo support forums, it doesn’t seem like there’s a solution yet. Anyone else having this problem? Were you able to resolve it?

Solution found!  I fixed my 3DS using Nintendo’s instructions found here:

http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/3ds/en_na/ts_internet.jsp

Click on System Menu Updates” and then “Error Message: An Error Occurred. Unable to Update”

I was able to restore my 3DS back to automatically obtain an IP after the update and it was able to check for updates again with no errors.

I’d never played or even seen 3DS in person until I picked it up this afternoon. I’m having a great time with it…or I was until the battery ran out after three hours. Sad battery reality aside, here are some quick initial thoughts:

1. Love the whole user environment, and the camera’s going to get a lot of use.
2. Face Raiders is a blast. It lessens the sting of the hardware price.
3. The AR games are amazing.
4. The Miis look great in 3D.
5. Street Fighter looks incredible, plays great.
6. Pilot Wings is thrilling, with a convincing feeling of height.
7. Nintendogs looks even better than I’d anticipated, and the 3D really pops in this one.
8. Gotta find a coat pocket big enough to carry it to work to earn coins! (more…)

When Okami debuted on the PS2, it garnered plenty of critical acclaim and eventually saw a version released for the Wii in 2008. Though it couldn’t quite rack up the impressive sales figures of a Zelda release (and actually holds a Guinness World Record as the “least commercially successful winner of a game of the year award”), reviews universally praised the gameplay, music and stunning visual style.

Despite Okami’s disappointing commercial performance, on March 17 Capcom released Okamiden, a direct sequel to the beloved cult classic – this time on the Nintendo DS. Does it live up to the grandeur and breathtaking aesthetics of the original Okami? And can the accuracy of the stylus compensate for the graphical downgrade? In this review, I’ll sum up the gameplay, graphics/audio, controls, and story of Okamiden to help provide an answer to those questions.

(more…)

Nintendo’s newest console is available today! Anyone else get a 3DS yet?