We hoped the 3DS would land in 2010, but unfortunately this will not be the case. The device will be released to the West a month after the Japanese release, so March 2011 is the magic date.

 

At launch the device will carry a price tag of ¥25 000, which translates to about R2 100. Initially only two colour options will be available, Aqua Blue and Cosmos Black.

 

Nintendo also revealed what users will receive bundled with the hand-held. A standard AC adapter with charging stand, a telescopic 10 cm Nintendo 3DS stylus, 2 GB SD card, instruction booklet and six augmented reality cards for use with the 3DS' camera will be included in the box.

 

Taking a look at some more technical details, the devices’ dimensions measures in at 134 x 74 x 21 mm and it will weigh 230 g. A 3.53” upper screen with naked eye 3D support sports a resolution of 800 x 240 while the 3.02” lower screen will have a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels.

 

Carrying on where the DSi left off, Nintendo has equipped the 3DS with a string of cameras. One camera on the inside with two on the outside, each sporting 0.3 megapixels and 640 x 480 resolution. Nintendo also said the cameras will be capable of taking 3D pictures viewable on the spot.

 

Once again, wireless communication is present on the device, with the 3DS being able to connect to the internet via wireless LAN (WLAN) access points. A 2.4 GHz receiver also makes it possible to connect two 3DS units directly through Surechigai (Tag Mode). An internet browser will also be present.

 

As far as control goes, the 3DS breaks new ground for Nintendo by introducing a slide pad, motion sensor and gyro sensor, in addition to all the controls found on the original DS. Users will also be able to control the degree of 3D output via a 3D volume switch. Using this control users will be able to make 3D images appear fully 2D, an interesting added feature which may come in handy when eyes start getting sore.

 

The 3DS will be equipped with a lithium ion battery, but no further battery information was made available. We also learned that the 3DS game cards will be the same size as DS cards, and will have a maximum data capacity of 2 GB at launch.

 

Nintendo brought joy to many a fans day when they announced that the 3DS will be fully backwards compatible with DSi and DS games, so there's no need to dump your DS classics when the 3DS launches.

 

Parental controls will also be included, giving parents the ability to set restrictions based on game ratings as well as limiting internet browser options.

 

With all of these features, the little 3DS is looking like one of the most promising new gaming devices on the market. Time will tell whether it will be able to live up to the DS, but we definitely can't wait to get our hands on the world's first 3D hand-held gaming device.