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[Ledsen]

I'm kind of unimpressed with the 3 games I've put about 2+ hours into so far (Paper mario, 3d land, Zelda). I expected the hardware to be sub par so nothing on the OS really bothers me, although the analog stick is atrocious and my finger is constantly sliding off of it. It feels like how 360 sticks get after the grips wear off after months of heavy use.

My problem with the games is the same as it has been with Nintendo games since I grew tired of them many years ago...they're too simplistic. I'm not just talking (lack of) difficulty but they really do feel like games designed for kids. People applaud the gameplay only focus of Nintendo games but they don't offer any depth or challenge with their gameplay so there's nothing else there to boost the overall package up. Like 3D land for example, the main focus is to find those 3 star coins in each level but so far it's been really easy to do so, and after you do what's the point of staying and exploring each level? For useless coins? I already have 45 lives and I'm not even on world 4 yet. There's nothing to really do in that game and the actual platforming has been ridiculously easy so far.

And as for Zelda, only Nintendo can get away with rehashing a 20 year old world in a brand new game. I hope the dungeons are different at least.

If you want difficult games you should probably play Fire Emblem, Etrian Odyssey IV, Monster Hunter etc, not Zelda and Mario. Although I've heard that SM3DL gets fiendishly difficult once you "finish" it.

 

[Ludicrous Speed]

But then that's like saying the Wii's library was outright better than the PS3's or 360's because you have a gaming PC that can play most of their libraries. It might make more sense for you, personally, to purchase the Wii over the PS3/360 but to say one is superior because of that, I'd still say is disingenuous.

And if those watered down versions of a game are still superior to handheld exclusives, that doesn't speak well about handheld exclusives.

Again, I'd say it's not disingenuous. Most multiplat games I DID buy on pc, and not the PS3. I bought a PS3 for the exclusives (Uncharted, God of War, Infamous, etc), not the multiplats that I could get the superior version on pc. Further, I bought a Wii for the exclusives, not the multiplats. There is no way I would have bought a Wii if all it had were multiplat games. That would make no sense.

Back to the 3ds, the thing that made me choose it over the vita was that it had excellent games that I could ONLY play on the 3ds and nowhere else. Some of the best vita games can be played on the ps3 or pc (Guacamelee, Hotline Miami, Spelunky, etc etc). They are decent enough ports and they might be comparable to the pc versions, but for most of these indie games you have to wait several months for them to be ported to the vita. So 3ds was the obvious choice for ME. It sounds like you don't have a gaming pc so maybe it makes sense for you to get a vita since it's quite a bit cheaper than a pc and you want those games that are readily available on the pc.

 

[Spieler Eins]

I had massive problems holding the OG 3DS comfortably in the beginning but that went away. I see nothing wrong with the UI, it does what I need quickly.
I was hoping for a revision with better battery, not the fucking 2DS.

 

[Chill Penguin]

For the most part you're not wrong, the hardware feels cheap and the OS/UI is clunky. Where you are wrong is about the software. There's no other platform that can match the 3ds' output since 2011, it's simply overflowing with great games at this point.

I owned a 3dsxl, and i have to agree that the image quality is horrendous. I decided to trade it in for a 2ds, and personally couldn't be happier. Not only does the image look cleaner with a higher pixel density, the 2ds is about 10x more comfortable to hold. The 3d is a novelty for the most part, so i don't miss it. Granted it's not exactly a sleek device, but it does fix the image quality and ergonomics issues you were mentioning.

 

[MercuryLS]

Nintendo needs to stop making hardware, they absolutely suck at it. Let companies like Sony make great machines and make games for them.

Imagine Nintendo games on the Vita. Fuck that would be amazing.

 

[genjiZERO]

I have to say I love my 3DSXL. I can understand some of those gripes, but overall I think it's the best system since the DS which might be the best console of all time.

 

[Celine]

In terms of quantity, nope. But, on average, the games they made for it are around the same quality as Nintendo's.

Good.
Have SCE made unambitious and content lacking games too?

 

[phanphare]

This thread only reminds me how much i was blown away by the constant flow of GREAT to good gamesthat the DS and to a lower extend the psp offered last gen.

I believe the 3DS can match psp 's library but that is still some time away.

DS/PS2/SNES library are godly i know better than to expect this much from 3DS lol


Vita's library was really disappointing to me but i have accept it for what is it :/

I feel like the DS had a ton of good games while the 3DS has a handful of great games. I honestly prefer the 3DS library to the DS one, especially considering Nintendo's first party output and the fact that the 3DS is only pushing 3 years on the market

 

[sörine]

Imagine Nintendo games on the Vita. Fuck that would be amazing.

Not with those memory card prices/limits. I couldn't go all digital like I am with 3DS.

 

[jett]

Clearly everyone at Nintendo that works on anything regarding their operating systems needs to be fired and made sure nobody hires them ever again.

And 3DS demos have a limited number of uses? Wut?

 

[jgmo870]

Again, I'd say it's not disingenuous. Most multiplat games I DID buy on pc, and not the PS3. I bought a PS3 for the exclusives (Uncharted, God of War, Infamous, etc), not the multiplats that I could get the superior version on pc. Further, I bought a Wii for the exclusives, not the multiplats. There is no way I would have bought a Wii if all it had were multiplat games. That would make no sense.

Back to the 3ds, the thing that made me choose it over the vita was that it had excellent games that I could ONLY play on the 3ds and nowhere else. Some of the best vita games can be played on the ps3 or pc (Guacamelee, Hotline Miami, Spelunky, etc etc). They are decent enough ports and they might be comparable to the pc versions, but for most of these indie games you have to wait several months for them to be ported to the vita. So 3ds was the obvious choice for ME. It sounds like you don't have a gaming pc so maybe it makes sense for you to get a vita since it's quite a bit cheaper than a pc and you want those games that are readily available on the pc.

Well, we're on different wavelengths so it's probably best to move on.

And I have an ok gaming PC plus the HD consoles. I just like using my handhelds more because the genres I like are more suited to them for me.

Good.
Have SCE made unambitious and content lacking games too?

Burning Skies and Unit 13. GA was content lacking going by series standards too (multiplayer mode).

 

[Spieler Eins]

I feel like the DS had a ton of good games while the 3DS has a handful of great games. I honestly prefer the 3DS library to the DS one, especially considering Nintendo's first party output and the fact that the 3DS is only pushing 3 years on the market

The 3DS is like what a good Nintendo home console should be with so much quality Nintendo content and a couple of 3rd exclusives (Most likely one big reason WiiU is just barren so far on the other hand). While the 1st party efforts on the DS were weak, it shined through tons of great both classic- and fresh/experimental 3rd party titles. 3DS is not gonna touch that.

 

[RaikuHebi]

If you are underwhelmed with the 3DS, you are underwhelmed with games.

In terms of quantity, nope. But, on average, the games they made for it are around the same quality as Nintendo's.

I said something similar in the Tearaway thread in that the game feels like it is hitting that "Nintendo magic" that Nintendo fanboys cite.

 

[Ludicrous Speed]

Well, we're on different wavelengths so it's probably best to move on.

And I have an ok gaming PC plus the HD consoles. I just like using my handhelds more because the genres I like are more suited to them for me.

Fair enough. Different strokes and all.

 

[jblank83]

I can't fathom complaints about the 3DS OS, because it's by far the best OS of the new systems. The only way this makes sense is if you haven't bothered doing any customization and have left it at its default settings, like this:

And if you've done that, you've done it wrong.

Zoom it out and create folders. It should look like this, except more organized:

Granted, that screenshot is not well organized, however that's the user's fault, not the OS, just as it's the user's fault when they fill their Windows desktop with 100+ icons without any hint of organization, and the same on iOS with hundreds of tiles and not a hint of a folder.

The 3DS does almost everything right about an OS.

• Everything is immediately accessible with 1 click, 2 if what you want is nested inside a folder. There are no sub-sub-sub menus, as with the XMB.

• Which means it's quick to navigate.

• You can customize the display to provide more or less information.

• User creatable folders.

• You can get rid of unwanted system icons by tossing them in a junk folder.

• Visually it's attractive with the diorama mode on the top screen.

• It's extremely stable.

• Multi-tasking is fairly complex, considering you can task out of complex software on the fly.

More on that last point. iOS isn't multitasking multiple titles at once. They're not really running in the background when you close out. They're saving states and possibly running some background services, which is exactly what 3DS does with Streetpass. Anyone who is arguing that iOS is better at multitasking based on a "recent software and background processes" list is flatout wrong.

While there are still some deficiencies in the 3DS OS, such as not having an immediately accessible download list, it is a complex, elegant, attractive, useful OS, and in many ways is a better OS than other systems.

I almost feel like people have been brainwashed into believing that braindead non-customizable OS is best OS: "give me a 4x5 non-customizable grid of icons that is best". Except that the most popular smartphone OS is now Android, which is highly customizable, similar to a Windows desktop, so I guess that's not true (thankfully).

 

[phanphare]

Nintendo needs to stop making hardware, they absolutely suck at it. Let companies like Sony make great machines and make games for them.

Imagine Nintendo games on the Vita. Fuck that would be amazing.

::tries to put SD card into Vita::

::throws it against a wall::


just kidding



but seriously...

 

[Skilletor]

If people only care about games but not the hardware then why aren't you all carrying around a DS or PSP? They have libraries multiple times better than either the 3DS or Vita and are much cheaper too! I doubt anyone has exhausted all the great games on the DS and PSP.

Simply put, hardware matters, and anyone arguing "it's all about the games" is being very disingenuous (consciously or subconsciously).

I still play my DS XL and PSP. Though I play my psp much less since I got my Vita and have access to almost all PSP games I would play on my Vita.

Games > *

Period. It's silly to me that there's even a discussion. You can argue that there's nothing you care about on a platform, but it's silly to say anything in the OP matters more than games. imo.

And as far as the OS goes. I can download games. I can launch games. That's all I want or need.

Other than an account system, but that wouldn't change how the OS/UI function.

 

[Ledsen]

I can't fathom complaints about the 3DS OS, because it's by far the best OS of the new systems. The only way this makes sense is if you haven't bothered doing any customization and have left it at its default settings, like this:

And if you've done that, you've done it wrong.

Zoom it out and create folders. It should look like this, except more organized:

Granted, that screenshot is not well organized, however that's the user's fault, not the OS, just as it's the user's fault when they fill their Windows desktop with 100+ icons without any hint of organization, and the same on iOS with hundreds of tiles and not a hint of a folder.

The 3DS does almost everything right about an OS.

• Everything is immediately accessible with 1 click, 2 if what you want is nested inside a folder. There are no sub-sub-sub menus, as with the XMB.

• Which means it's quick to navigate.

• You can customize the display to provide more or less information.

• User creatable folders.

• You can get rid of unwanted system icons by tossing them in a junk folder.

• Visually it's attractive with the diorama mode on the top screen.

• It's extremely stable.

• Multi-tasking is fairly complex, considering you can task out of complex software on the fly.

More on that last point. iOS isn't multitasking multiple titles at once. They're not really running in the background when you close out. They're saving states and possibly running some background services, which is exactly what 3DS does with Streetpass. Anyone who is arguing that iOS is better at multitasking based on a "recent software and background processes" list is flatout wrong.

While there are still some deficiencies in the 3DS OS, such as not having an immediately accessible download list, it is a complex, elegant, attractive, useful OS, and in many ways is a better OS than other systems.

Great post. The UI is good with eshop being the sole exception.

 

[QaaQer]

I had massive problems holding the OG 3DS comfortably in the beginning but that went away. I see nothing wrong with the UI, it does what I need quickly.
I was hoping for a revision with better battery, not the fucking 2DS.

circle pad pro actually helps quite a bit. I sold my first og 3ds because of ergo things, but I bought a second one because I like the smaller screen for 3d + a circle pad pro and gave my xl to my SO for animal crossing. I don't use the circle pad for anything but to make holding it easier. It does look really stupid though in public.

 

[Basileus777]

The 3DS has better multitasking than IOS? Now I've heard it all. The 3DS doesn't have multitasking, it closes down applications every time you launch something else. If you want to go back to what you were doing before, you have to launch that application again and start over.

 

[Chipotle]

I'm borrowing a friend's XL at the moment and loving it. Zelda and 3D Land alone make me want one and there's so much other stuff I really want to play. It's like the game library just suddenly became amazing out of nowhere.

 

[Skyzard]

3DS games with a Metacritic at or above 75: 68

PSV games with a Metacritic at or above 75: 71

FYI, the 3DS' library also benefits from the usual "it's a handheld, so kids games get free points!" bullshit while the Vita does not and instead has it's games compared apples to apples with full console releases. Hence why Killzone: Mercenary has a Metacritic of 78 while a game like Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure gets an 82 on 3DS. Best part: reviews for both specifically mention a lack of content compared to console offerings, but while Skylanders is a port from consoles with content removed Killzone is being compared against different $60 MSRP shooters on consoles. Absolutely brilliant, right?


Only if they damage the game experience for people who never pay more for them. So far Sony has done a pretty admirable job keeping that from happening with LittleBigPlanet, MLB: The Show, etc..



Cross buy of the old Nintendo library wouldn't be beneficial? Why do people have to buy multiple versions of classic games?

Hardware changes sometimes necessitate the loss of backwards compatibility, hence why the Wii U can't play Gamecube games. But a unified library where you aren't penalized for wanting a game on multiple platforms from the same first party is absurd. Any PS1 title you buy on PSN can be played on PS3, Vita, and PSP. Any PSP game can be played on both PSP and Vita with one purchase. Changing hardware is one thing, offering digital versions of classic games that can play on two different systems, feature identical, yet charging for them as separate titles, is something else entirely.



All services are done to generate profit, obviously, but the philosophy as to how that profit will be generated is what's important here. Sony's philosophy for PS+ has been to offer so much value to the consumer as to make PS+ too attractive to refuse. Nintendo's philosophy for the 3DS has been that the hardware and OS could be cheap jank knowing that their fans are a captive audience due entirely to IP loyalty. They aren't offering a good product for the money spent, they're just exploiting a fetishist audience.



Between a PS3, Vita, PS4 arriving tomorrow, Wii, OG Xbox still hooked up, DS, a Steambox, and a powerful gaming PC I have access to more games than I could ever hope to play. I'd argue that most people on this board likely do as well. I see no reason to settle for poor hardware when the opportunity cost is so damn low.

Look, the 3DS has a strong library of unique games. That's what Nintendo does. They've got their key brands on it and their first party software studios are still hitting home runs for them. That will make it a success. But is it really that hard to be honest about the fact that Nintendo either completely fucked up or just flat out refused to care when it came to hardware and OS design? The 3DS is a worse piece of hardware than the PSP in pretty much every regard and the PSP is nearly a decade old.

Nintendo deserves a lot of props for their commitment to the platforming genre, 60 fps gameplay, diligently funding a studio still focused on delivering blockbuster console JRPGs in Monolith, funding Bayonetta 2, etc. etc.. They do A LOT of good for the industry, but lets try being honest with their shortfalls instead of being apologists for a company really just out to take our money.

They make great games. In almost every other aspect of servicing us as customers they're either woefully archaic or downright anti-consumer. Games are the primary reason we're all here, but the rest of the pie isn't trivial by any means. They need to get better, fast, or the games aren't going to be enough anymore with rising competition in the industry.

Nice to see refreshingly honest posts like this every now and then.

 

[QaaQer]

I'm borrowing a friend's XL at the moment and loving it. Zelda and 3D Land alone make me want one and there's so much other stuff I really want to play. It's like the game library just suddenly became amazing out of nowhere.

buy one. There are sure to be some good deals over the next 3 weeks. Must haves include kid icraus (must play with stand), mario 3d (of course), the new zelda, and Etrian Odyseey IV. [you might hate EOIV, but if the idea of mapping on virtal 3d grid paper sounds cool to you, you'll love it.]

 

[Petrie]

buy one. There are sure to be some good deals over the next 3 weeks. Must haves include kid icraus (must play with stand), mario 3d (of course), the new zelda, and Etrian Odyseey IV. [you might hate EOIV, but if the idea of mapping on virtal 3d grid paper sounds cool to you, you'll love it.]

If you have to tell me I need to use a stand to play my handheld game, then it is not a must-have. And I adore my 3DS.

 

[TheOohChild]

I really like the 3DS, but sometimes I get a little tired of the screen spazzing out and making me go cross eyed every time I accidentally tilt the console

 

[Frolow]

If you have to tell me I need to use a stand to play my handheld game, then it is not a must-have. And I adore my 3DS.

Screw the stand, this is how you should play the game:

 

[Agent Gibbs]

ok serious question now....
waht are people multitasking on their 3DS/Vita's for? both have horrible web browsers, both have no notable memo apps or anything of use.

If i'm on my 3DS/Vita and i want to check the web....my smart phone is in my pocket, my laptops there if i'm near it and boots in 14seconds, and if that fails the WiiU is another semi portable web browser


if i want something that can multi task and game i use a PC>Consoles------------>Handheld/Mobile platform

 

[Zaventem]

I bought a 3DS XL for games. Sure you're right about some of the complaints but no other system right now is giving me my RPG fix.

 

[Kageshinzo]

If people only care about games but not the hardware then why aren't you all carrying around a DS or PSP?

Because the 3DS also plays DS games. Duh.

Also, arguing about UI? OS? Really? Have we as gamers come to the point that unless a handheld gaming console (which is designed for one thing and one thing alone: playing games) cannot do all those fancy multitasking options, it's already a laughable piece of junk? Whatever happened to the times when the only thing you need to do is get a cart or disc and plug it in your console and then play and that's it? Unless you decide to exclusively play or purchase games online, OS and UI should be the least of anyone's concern. And even then, downloading shit into the 3DS is simple and hardly the hell some people seem to be describing.

Time was when all one would need to enjoy a game is insert a cart and play. Gaming should go back to that basic. Who the fuck cares about UI or OS or menus. Get a cart, insert it, then press Start. Then enjoy the game. Is it fun? Do you get enjoyment out of it? If you say yes, then that's all that fucking matters. The 3DS fulfills this requirement. Inserting a cart then playing the game does not take more than 5 fucking seconds for Christ's sake.

And oh, yeah. Those of you who are entertaining the thought about how exclusive X game would look on a competing Y device, just stop. If you keep thinking about the what ifs, you will never enjoy the product for what it is. You're here to play games. So just... play games.

 

[RaikuHebi]

If people only care about games but not the hardware then why aren't you all carrying around a DS or PSP? They have libraries multiple times better than either the 3DS or Vita and are much cheaper too! I doubt anyone has exhausted all the great games on the DS and PSP.

Simply put, hardware matters, and anyone arguing "it's all about the games" is being very disingenuous (consciously or subconsciously).

If they meant hardware in the sense of (I don't care if it's on Vita or 3DS, as long as it's a game!) that would be different.

 

[Tuck]

It has great games. A lot of them - thats why it gets praise. The OS is pretty meh, but whatever.

 

[Majestad]

Clearly everyone at Nintendo that works on anything regarding their operating systems needs to be fired and made sure nobody hires them ever again.

And 3DS demos have a limited number of uses? Wut?

As if you are going to play a demo more than a low number of times.

 

[Roddslayer]

I bought the Target Zelda 3DS bundle deal last Thursday and after an hour of playing ALBW I wasn't impressed and sold it in B/S/T. It felt cheap and outdated and it was also the first experience I had with a 3DS. I think I'm just not a handheld guy but at least with the Vita, which I tried Monday at a friends house, it was more visually and physically appealing.

 

[Owzers]

i'm enjoying Luigi's Mansion 2 so far, i'm not expecting much of anything from the eshop or UI. My only gripes remain with the screen quality and very small 3d sweet spot where if i turn my head to the side at all it's gone, and who thought gyro controls for Luigi's Mansion was a good idea with 3d? eesh.

 

[Majestad]

I bought the Target Zelda 3DS bundle deal last Thursday and after an hour of playing ALBW I wasn't impressed and sold it in B/S/T. It felt cheap and outdated and it was also the first experience I had with a 3DS. I think I'm just not a handheld guy but at least with the Vita, which I tried Monday at a friends house, it was more visually and physically appealing.

You "sold it after playing an hour". May I ask why buy it in the first place?

 

[cafemomo]

Paper Mario: Sticker Star

That's already a better software lineup than the Vita has.

lol

I'd rather play Little Deviants than that abomination

 

[Currygan]

I bought the Target Zelda 3DS bundle deal last Thursday and after an hour of playing ALBW I wasn't impressed and sold it in B/S/T. It felt cheap and outdated and it was also the first experience I had with a 3DS. I think I'm just not a handheld guy but at least with the Vita, which I tried Monday at a friends house, it was more visually and physically appealing.

ladies and gentlemen, people who buy consoles to not play videogames

 

[muu]

How hard are people tapping on their screens that it's damaging them? I've had no issues w/o protectors of any kind.

 

[noobasuar]

The 3DS is great. Only on Neogaf would you get people bitching about the internet browser as if that matters at fucking all. Also please take the Vita shilling somewhere else, nobody cares.

 

[Chill Penguin]

I find that pretty much all of the complaints here are subjective really.

I also find it strange that people are complaining about the resolution so much, we went from the DS just about 2~3 years ago running at 256x192 to 400x240, i really don't think 720p is needed.

720p would mean higher resolution models, higher resolution graphics, textures, world detail. All of this would mean more MONEY to develop the games, and honestly we would NOT see as many games or as many games from smaller studios on the portables.
Besides, higher resolution also means more power which means the battery lasts for even less time.

I'd rather have low res, bigger battery than higher res and shorter battery, i'd also have more games or more niche games than just generic safe games because no one has the money to attempt something new on the system.

Why not 640x480 then? 400x240 seems archaic in this day and age. There's no getting around that, the resolution on the 3ds (especially the xl) is god awful. I love the games on this system, but it's ok to point out its faults.

 

[cafemomo]

Also please take the Vita shilling somewhere else, nobody cares.

that wasn't necessary you know

 

[Laconic]

the 3DS is the best system on the market right now. Because games. Further, not only due to its own incredible library, but because it plays the entire DS library as well.

 

[Holy Order Sol]

It plays the games I want, end of story.

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

Well over 200 hours on that bad boy and my only complaint is lack of a second stick. But I don't play the system, I play the games. The system prevents you from playing the games Op? Talk about missing the forest for the trees. Yes, comparatively, it's terrible. It's also terrible the an account system prevents you from buying a game. Physical?

I guess there are too many options. I hope that account system makes iOS games better (they don't) over better controls (they do).

Monster hunter is not feasible on iOS. I'm not sure how I should feel about a post focusing on everything not to do with games that then prevents him from enjoying games. Have we been duped? By some mystical force? To accept trash as gameplay? Op really went out of his way to talk about everything except what happens in the gameplay realm. A fucking clock? WTH dogs you even bit this thing for? Did you miss the many games being sold and jumped straight to the apps? Did he mention what game he bought with the system?

 

[Elvick]

ok serious question now....
waht are people multitasking on their 3DS/Vita's for? both have horrible web browsers, both have no notable memo apps or anything of use.

If i'm on my 3DS/Vita and i want to check the web....my smart phone is in my pocket, my laptops there if i'm near it and boots in 14seconds, and if that fails the WiiU is another semi portable web browser


if i want something that can multi task and game i use a PC>Consoles------------>Handheld/Mobile platform

I use my PS Vita for twitter all the time. It's my favorite twitter app, despite mentions not being good on there. I'd use the browser more if it didn't refresh automatically while a game or heavy app is open along with it. It used to not do that.

I also like to browse the PS Store for things with a game open. I can have a game on Vita suspended then go into remote play with PS4. Then come out and continue my Vita game directly.

We can also listen to music unlimited while playing games, and now we can stream the content like on PS4 instead of using it for local play only. I'll also open up YouTube to check a walkthrough really quick for something to do when a game is open.

Multitasking on Vita is awesome.

I don't use anything but games on the 3DS because it's a terrible experience to do so. Even buying from the eShop is a terrible experience.

 

[metikulous]

The 3DS is great. Only on Neogaf would you get people bitching about the internet browser as if that matters at fucking all. Also please take the Vita shilling somewhere else, nobody cares.

As opposed to 3ds shilling?

Rage not needed.

 

[Linkhero1]

Everyone's said what I wanted to say but yeah it's about the gaming library, you know, the reason everyone bought a 3DS.

 

[Pikma]

Nintendo needs to stop making hardware, they absolutely suck at it. Let companies like Sony make great machines and make games for them.

Imagine Nintendo games on the Vita. Fuck that would be amazing.

Lol, no thx

 

[cafemomo]

Everyone's said what I wanted to say but yeah it's about the gaming library, you know, the reason everyone bought a 3DS.

Too bad half the library is locked down to a specific region

 

[Majestad]

With every month that passes, the 3DS library becomes more godlike. Those poor souls who pull their hair trying to downplay the system keep looking more ridiculous tbh.