Everything about the launch of 3DS just screams excitement,  from the devices’ beefed up processing power to possibly one of the best launch line-ups ever. And as the launch date draws near (official dates will be announced January 19)  we are still receiving a steady flow of information. Not that its a surprise to anyone that the 3DS and its games will cost more than the current DS  and games. Its being said that, in Japan, 3DS games will cost 1,000 yen more than the did for the standard DS RRP of 4,800 yen – US dollars, that comes out to almost $58, this brings the handheld’s games into the same price range as a big-screen console title. The actual device itself is said to be around 25,000 yen at launch, meaning about $300 for everyone in the U.S.

With all the new power that the device is pumped out has to be getting its power from somewhere, and that seems to be one of the concerns circulating at the moment. Playing a 3DS game will drain the battery in 5 hours or less. You get a little extra battery life when playing an old DS game which will last you around 5-8 hours. Charging the handheld back up to full will take just a little over 3 hours. It’s also now coming out that playing a game while the console’s 3D perspective is enabled will have an impact on not only the battery but the game-play as well. When you bring the added dimension to the screen, it will have a subtle effect on the FPS of the game according to Siliconera. Dead or Alive Dimensions is a good example, the game will run at a smooth 60 FPS in 2D, but make the switch to 3D and the FPS is cut in half. Also lurking deep inside of the 3DS is a pedometer. This goes right a long with Nintendo’s iniative to get gamers up and moving, but now doing just that can earn you rewards. The device not only tracks the amount steps taken but also awards gamers with whats being called “Game Coins” based on how many steps you’ve taken. These Coins can be used to unlock additional content for games. This is a great idea to get gamers moving but I’m sad to say I’m equally excited to see the clever ways gamers come up with to get around actually having to walk but yet still earn Coins.

On the downside of things,  its been discovered that 3DS games will be region-locked. It’s not really anything unexpected but its still a blow to anyone looking forward to games outside their region. On an upside, Nintendo has announced the launch line-up  for Japan, which includes. Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle, Ridge Racer 3D, Super Street Fighter IV 3D, Puzzle Bobble 3D, Winning Eleven Soccer 3D (also known as Pro Evolution Soccer), Nintendogs +  Cats, Samurai Warriors: Chronicle, and Battle of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D. The months following the release will also have another wave of releases including Dead or Alive Dimensions, Pilotwings Resort, Resident Evil 3D The Mercenaries and The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time 3D. With everything that you’ve read here, what are you plans for the launch of 3DS? Is this something you’re going to make sure you get on launch day or will you wait a bit before looking into getting one?

Check out some video of Paper Mario in action on the Nintendo 3DS:

Stay tuned for more news and info on the topic by following us on Twitter and/or subscribing to our RSS Feed.

Authors: V_Geek

to know more click here