Nintendo Confirm Plan To Release 3D DS Portable Console

Gaming giant Nintendo has confirmed that they are developing a 3D-capable successor to their DS handheld console. The Nintendo 3DS handheld will play games in 3D but players won’t need to wear special 3D glasses in order appreciate the effect.

The 3DS will be fully backwards-compatible with Nintendo DS and DSi games, meaning that gamers will still be able to play their old games, including popular titles like the Mario and Zelda series, on the new device.

Nintendo has not yet released details on which specific 3D technology the handheld will use but more details will be given at E3, the annual video games expo, in June 2010.

The Nintendo 3D DS handheld is expected to be released in March 2011, although there is speculation that the device might be released in time for Christmas 2010 in Japan.

Nintendo are not the only company planning to use 3D technology for gaming devices. Sony will release firmware update later this year that will transform Sony’s PS3 into a full 3D-capable gaming machine. Sony has questioned the wisdom behind Nintendo’s decision to use 3D on a handheld device. Sony’s marketing director John Koller said, “8 and 9 year-olds playing 3D is a little bit of a stretch given where some of our research is right now.”

It sure looks like it’s going to be an exciting year for 3D gaming.

Watch the video below for a demonstration on how the 3D technology might be utilised in the Nintendo 3DS