When you pick up and switch on the Nintendo 3DS for the first time and look into the glasses-free 3D screen, it will be nothing short of amazing. You get the feeling that you cannot believe what you are seeing.

To the right of the 3D screen, which is the top of the two screens on the handheld console, you will see a 3D slider. This lets you adjust the intensity of the 3D to a level your eyes are most comfortable with. Like any other DS console, the bottom screen is a touchscreen.

Once the screen is suited to your eyes, the fun begins. As a first time user, you will be required to create a Mii, which is a digital avatar of yourself. You get to create one from scratch, or do it the fun way – let the 3D camera take a picture of yourself, which is then morphed into avatar version of your facial features, and is completely customizable.

Good: 3D without the glasses; AR games; intensity of 3D can be adjusted.
Bad: pricey; console has to be held in a certain position; may hurt your eyes.
Rating: 8/10
Price: R2800
Contact: Core Group – 011 535 9000

Originally published on My Digital Life.

Yesterday I fetched my Nintendo 3DS (review unit) from Core Group. I was given the blue one, which by the way, is very pretty! Unfortunately, no games have arrived in the country yet, we should get them later this week or early next week.

It’s smaller than the Nintendo DSi XL:

I’ve been using what is currently pre-loaded onto the system:

1. Nintendo 3DS Sound
2. Nintendo 3DS Camera
3. Mii Maker
4. Mii Plaza
5. AR Games
6. Face Raiders

I’m waiting to get the Street Fighter game and then the fun begins!

As for the intensity of the 3D, you have a slider on the side, next to the screen, to adjust to what you suits your eyes best. Mine is mostly just by the halfway mark.

I will have a full review up on My Digital Life in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for it.

The Nintendo 3DS launches in South Africa on 25th March.

Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training has been very successful on the Nintendo DS and has been adapted for the Xbox 360 as a Kinect title, with the addition of body exercises.

Up to four players can compete in more than 20 different activities with three levels of difficulty and face maths, logic, reflex, memory and physical challenges. All activities use the Kinect motion sensor and require movement of the limbs to solve puzzle.

The idea is to follow your personal programme and keep your ‘brain age’ as low as possible, by completing tasks in the shortest time possible. The game is designed to stimulate the mind and body by completing fast-paced games, which can be played in either single or multiplayer modes. Correct answers are given by using arms and legs. For example, if you are given four balloons with random numbers, you have to pop them in ascending order using your limbs.

Other activities require you to make a bridge with your hands to direct colour coded cars on the right platform, punching and kicking balloons once you solve the maths problem, and using both hands to keep Pacman away from the ghosts.

Compared with the Nintendo DS, I found the game didn’t translate very well on Kinect. On first attempt, challenges were confusing, which resulted in a high brain age on day one. Sometimes balloons popped while I stood still, and sometimes movements didn’t register as smoothly as other Kinect titles. When your arms fall back into place, you may end up hitting an object on screen, which results in selecting an incorrect answer and can get frustrating. Some issues may be caused by lack of space.

Once you complete games, you are graded and if you get a ‘C’ or ‘D’, it can be a bit demotivating, which takes away the fun element. More so if you get an ‘F’.

Kinect games shouldn’t make you feel like a loser.

It should focus more on letting the player know they’ve accomplished something. Dr Kawashima’s commentary reaches a mocking level when you perform badly.

If you played the Nintendo version, don’t expect the same experience on Dr Kawashima’s Body and Brain Exercise for the Kinect. The game gets repetitive and won’t make you smart, but will motivate you to better your time each day to reach the lowest brain age as possible.

IN SUMMARY

Good: Challenging.
Bad: Display of failure is discouraging; games can get repetitive; sensitive to slight movements.
Rating: 5/10
Price: RRP R399
Contact: Megarom – 011 361 4800

Originally posted on My Digital Life.

Last night I attended the “pre-launch” of the Nintendo 3DS at La Toscana restaurant in Montecasino. It wasn’t just a media event, it was for VIP’s, partners, retailers and other folk, even little kids.

The opening performance was very good – gymnasts doing all sorts of impressive things with their bodies, keeping the wow factor of the 3D console:

Eventually the Nintendo 3DS was brought on stage by a whole bunch of guys and girls. The device was attached to them, via a belt around their waste, as you can see. (The units were sample units).

Second photo credit: Kate Kearney from Nintendo

The first time I experienced the Nintendo 3DS (no 3D glasses required), I was really amazed. I played a little Fifa on it and I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing! Eventually a friend and I hunted down the guys with Street Fighter and played a few games. We played in “dynamic” mode, which gives you a feeling like you’re there. As if 3D doesn’t do that already!

The Nintendo 3DS will sell for R2800 and games are R500. I think the pricing on the console isn’t bad at all, considering the technology it houses. There were lots of complaints on Twitter about price. But a lot of people complain for the sake of it, especially in South Africa.

I am not a fan of 3D TV, but give me the Nintendo 3D console!

I know I’ve been neglecting my blog and I want to change that. I think Twitter is partially responsible for me being a lazy blogger, especially if I attend product launches; I end up tweeting rather than blogging. Also, I have no idea what people prefer: detailed blog posts and pics or tweets and twitpics. Anyway, I will make more of an effort to blog.

Since we got an Xbox 360, I haven’t switched on the PS3. I prefer the Xbox because it’s more social. Also, there’s something about wanting to play games on an Xbox rather than PS3, to rack up gamerscore (which is earned if a user has a LIVE profile). I’m still a noob, my score is 485. It’s very intimating because most of my friends have more than 10,000 points. But that didn’t stop me from displaying a gamercard badge to the right, which shows basic stats. Proud noob, I am.

We bought the Xbox specifically to play the Kinect title, Fighters Uncaged. You start off fighting guys who aren’t as skilled, and slowly build up your own character (and skill, as the game progresses), and eventually fight the toughies. The game is tiring! If you aren’t fit, you will be panting after your first two matches. I had to take a break and drink water between fights, and I’m no Rocky! The problem with the game though, is that it’s not very accurate. You can get a good workout and a decent fight, but sometimes your punches or kicks don’t register, or there is a delay.

Other games I enjoyed were Kinect Sports and Kinect Adventures. Is it best played with a group of people. I think the most “rewarding” part is watching the video playback of yourself from the game, at the end. Very entertaining! I played a bit of Dance Evolution and wow. I’m officially the worst dancer ever. It’s just as tiring as Fighters Uncaged, but you need to know the basic moves and steps, and have some sort of rhythm. Even though I played on “light” mode, it took a lot out of me.

Since my last post, we’ve upgraded our plasma to an LED TV. What a difference! I’ve started watching garbage on E! Entertainment channel, because it looks so good (ha).

Have you played on Kinect yet? What are your favourite games?

Yesterday I got to meet the man who is the voice behind Mario, Charles Martinet. If you follow me on Twitter, you would have seen my updates. The man is full of life – Nintendo’s Kate Kearny said it best when she said it’s like he has 12 personalities in one body.

Here is a snippet of him speaking in character:

After the meet and greet and answering questions, he was signing posters, and whatever else anyone wanted signed. I (with permission), as did many of us, took the giant mushroom cutout and got it signed:

He goes everywhere with Mario and Luigi figurines and at his visit to Moyo, got their hats painted (1 dot each):

Nintendo’s most successful game for two decades was Super Mario Bros., which was outsold in 2009 by Wii Sports. Easily one of the most recognisable characters in gaming history, Nintendo’s mascot Mario is back.

In the latest game to be released in the franchise, New Super Mario Bros. Wii (NSMB) proves to be challenging, hours of fun, and lets up to four players play at once. To highlight how special the title is considered, it is boxed in a red casing; it’s thus one of only two games ever to come in a non-white casing.

The storyline needs no introduction to die-hard fans. Princess Peach is kidnapped by Bowser on her birthday, leaving Mario, Luigi and the Toads to rescue her, passing through different levels and worlds, all while collecting coins along the way.

Most notable are the 2.5D effects. The game is in 2D, while some characters and objects are displayed in 3D, which is rendered on a 2D background, resulting in a 2.5D effect.

Players can choose to play as Mario, Luigi or one of the two Toad characters. Player 1 is always Mario in multiplayer mode, and if a character dies, he will re-emerge in a bubble and can be freed if any other player touches the bubble. NSMB includes Nintendo’s new ‘super guide’ feature, which guides a player through a level, after said player has failed eight consecutive times; this feature will probably attract new fans.

Game control on the Wii is no different to the original games, with the option to connect the Nunchuck for analog stick control. It might be easier playing with the Wii remote alone, held horizontally. The remote has to be shaken to launch spin attacks or pick up objects.

Power-ups from the old games are still in place, with the addition of new ones, such as the Ice Flower, which freezes enemies, and the Penguin Suit, which lets you throw ice balls and swim easily.

The game can be finished quickly but with hidden stages and alternate routes, it will keep you coming back for more. It’s a must for die-hard fans and all Wii enthusiasts.

Written for Digital Life April / May 2010.

The new Nintendo DSi XL, an upgrade to the DS Lite will be available in South Africa by the end of April (30th). The two 4.2-inch screens are 93% bigger than its predecessor and has a wider viewing angle.

It also sports 2 cameras (front & back), comes with an additional pen-shaped stylus and built-in Wi-Fi. What I already like about this handheld is that you can surf the web (Opera), share pictures directly on Facebook, and it doubling up as an e-book reader.

My review unit came with the Pokemon Silver game (which I’m no fan of) so I got the 100 Classic Book Collection as well. I don’t think I’d be able to read a complete book on it because of my eyes but it makes an ideal travel companion. It’s a good alternate to taking your cellphone and activating roaming. All you need is a Wi-Fi hotspot and you’re good to go.

The DSi XL also comes pre-loaded with Dr. Kawashima’s Little Bit of Brain Training: Arts Edition and Dictionary 6 in 1 with Camera Function. The first time I took the brain age test, my result was 26 and today it is 24. You don’t want to know what it was yesterday. Activities to stimulate your brain include memory, acting and drawing games. I enjoyed “sketching” Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, the leaning tower of Pisa etc. I’m waiting to get Professor Layton and the Curious Village, which should keep me addicted!

No word on the pricing just yet.

Spore, one of the most popular PC titles of 2008, has finally made its way to the Wii. The spin-off, called Spore Hero, is similar to the PC game but has been adapted for a younger audience.

Spore Hero allows players to create their hero, while the main objective is to save their world from destruction. You can custom-design the creature, which then evolves as the game progresses. While the PC game has a vast number of galaxies, the Wii has a set storyline that you have to pretty much follow without straying too much.

Once you hatch, you appear in the simplest form – as a ball with legs, and not much else to customise yourself. As you progress, more body parts will become available to you, which can be changed when you get back to the nest or other nests you come across. The first body part you will add is a mouth, as this will allow you to eat fruit in order to maintain your health. The interface is user-friendly and highlights new parts and talents to add to the creature.

Continue the quest by befriending locals as they help you complete the mission. When encountering another creature, you have the option to socialise with them or engage in combat. A quest log keeps track of all current and completed missions.

The game is engaging mostly because of the little rewards you earn as you go along, which is motivation enough to carry on playing.

Written for Digital Life Feb / March 2010.

Wii Fit Plus is an enhanced version of the extremely popular Wii Fit, which is the second best-selling game (not bundled with a console) in gaming history. The title can be purchased individually or together with a Wii Balance Board.

The game features all activities from its predecessor as well as 15 new balance games and six new strength-training and yoga activities.

Some new features thrown in include a calorie counter, the option to create a custom fitness plan as well as creating a profile for your pet.

You will notice ‘My Wii Fit Plus’ once you log into your profile, which allows for customising a fitness plan. There’s the option of the Wii Fit Plus Routines, My Routines and Favourites. My Routines lets you personalise a workout to include favourite games and exercises while Favourites just displays the frequent, recent and rarely played activities.

In here, you can also check the calorie count for all meals and see how many calories are being burned as each activity has a MET count. The more intense the activity, the higher the MET count, e.g. Super Hula equates to 4 METS. To calculate calories burned, use the following formula: MET x your weight x time spent on activity x 1.05 = calories burned.

New games can be found under Training Plus, like Snowball Fight, Rhythm Kung Fu and Obstacle Course, all of which should keep you entertained for quite some time. Slightly advanced ‘Plus’ games include Table Tilt, Balance Bubble and Jogging.

The Wii Fit Plus is definitely worth buying if you’re serious about burning those calories or staying fit in front of the TV. Of course, this has to be coupled with a healthy eating plan.

Written for Digital Life Feb / March 2010.