Fun 3D, Compelling game library, Decent battery life,Superb value.

Amazing product. The 3DS is not some gimmicky device for easily- impressed kids. The titles are tons of fun, controls are easy to use and the overall experience remind you what gaming is supposed to feel like in a smartphone dominated era. The 3D works like a charm, and is quite impressive.

Having to look at the console at a steady angle can prove a little annoying, especially while playing a game like Mario Kart 7, but the visual experience is worth it. It can make your eyes feel tired after about 45 min or so. During which time you can turn the 3D off using the physical 3D level. Knowing Nintendo, I think its safe to say they are going to improve 3D functionality in a future iteration of the 3ds.

Battery life is not like the earlier DS's. You won't be able to play 4 hours, and put it down to be able to pick it up later without a charge. I get about 4 non-consecutive hours on this, 5 if I'm easy on the 3D. While not disappointing in itself, it can be if you are expecting the performance of the non 3d DS.

The design is not as bulky as alot of people contend. If you don't mind the size of the DS Lite, then this is not bulky at all. It's a little thicker on the 3D screen lid, but it's almost negligible. I have the DSi and the DS lite,and side-by-side, these things are almsot indistinguishable.

BEST PORTABLE GAMING SYSTEM ON THE MARKET

Recently purchased this item as I was looking for a fun portable game system. I had tried the PS Vita, but was left unimpressed.

Positives:

1) The 3DS is pretty much the same size and weight as the DSi.
2) One of the best features of this model is the addition of the analog thumpad which really helps in 3D games.
3) Very bright 3.5" screen
4) Comes with retractable Stylus.
5) Adjustable 3D Effect (Adjust the lens so if you are holding the DS closer/further away from you the picture still will come in clear)
6) 3 Cameras
7) Built-in WiFi

Negatives:

1) Cannot play Gameboy Advance Games.
2) Only About 4 1/2 hours of battery life.
3) Only has 2 GB Storage on SD.
4) Picture quality is average at best.


In addition, the game selection for the Nintendo 3DS is good if you include all the Non-3D games. Pick this portable system up if you are looking for good games with good system functionality.

Great system for anyone looking for a fun way to pass some time.

I've always liked Nintendo handhelds and after reading product descriptions I decided to check out the system for myself and found it to be even better than I expected. Almost everything great about the dsi has been retained or upgraded, from the built in mic to the dual cameras which can now take 3D pictures. The system supports all ds titles and though the top screen is larger the quality is relatively unchanged thanks to the letterbox ratio used for ds games.
One great feature is the use of the AR cards provided with the system which give you several different fun minigames all in 3D. Everyone I know who sees ARgames or Face Raiders gets drawn in and has a great time, even my 50+ year old family members love shooting each others faces in Face Raiders. This is one of the major appeals of Nintendo products, it's mass appeal to people of any age.
Another great feature is The Streetpass Mii plaza, which uses your Mii and the data of others using Streetpass you walk by to populate your plaza and give you coins as you take steps which can be used to buy items in the plaza. The people you pass are logged along with their status and available to help you fight monsters and perform other tasks within the game.
Now for the only downside I've found, the battery life. The battery is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery but it only last for about 3-4 hours during 3DS gameplay and 5-8 on ds games. This seems short considering that most previous ds platforms boasted 10+ hours of playtime, but when compared to other handhelds of comparable quality such as the psp 3000 this is about average. This short life is also balanced out by the systems capability to use the pedometer, Streetpass, and Spotpass content while in sleep mode and save a great deal of battery power while still allowing you to collect the coins and content.
As for the actual 3DS games, they are top notch handheld quality and can only truly be understood by seeing them for yourself. If you're on the fence about purchasing the system for yourself or as gift I would recommend going into a local store and and checking out the display for yourself and seeing just how much fun the system can be. I would also recommend purchasing a case that can fit a few games and the charger/dock for the system.
Overall I would recommend the 3DS to anyone who is already a fan of the family friendly entertainment that Nintendo provides as well as those who are just looking for a fun way to pass some time.

Pretty good system!! Not THE ABSOLUTE BEST, but certainly worth your time.

I enjoy the upgrade from the original Nintendo DS: For example, the integration of apps, better online capabilities, camera/video, the circle pad, and the overall refinement from the original DS. It is truly a great evolution in Nintendo's handheld genre.

The AR games in particular are very intriguing and fun to play. Watching my house in the background, my table, etc. is crazy cool!!

The selection of games are pretty good. There are the standard flagship Nintendo games like Pokemon and Mario, all solid games.

As far as it being the best handheld console?..... Eh, not quite there. The game library could be better and bigger (compared to that of the PSP/PS Vita). The camera is of a very low quality, however it is still impressive for this console. Also, I personally have not been a fan of the graphics for most Nintendo games (also preferring the PSP/PS Vita here).

The biggest thing is, of course, the 3D capabilities. It is initially quite impressive that a handheld device can produce 3D video images without the need of glasses. There are some flaws here, though. It uses the biparallax technology, meaning it takes advantage of the fact that your eyes are far apart, and produces images selective to each eye. This means that you can only hold it a certain way to get the 3D effect. And let's be honest here, 3D technology just looks weird anyway; 3D movies, etc. all look weird.

The battery life is the next biggest issue. It's something like up to 8 hours maximum, with all extraneous capabilities turned off (wireless, 3D, brightness, etc.). It's around 3 hours with all that stuff on. It's not the end of the world. We oftentimes have to keep our wireless technology plugged in anyway. So it's not THAT big of a deal.

Overall, it's a solid upgrade in Nintendo's handheld line. It's built like a beast, and it's pretty cool. 4/5.

Great system, but could be much better

This system is a great replacement for the old nintendo DS line. It features screens with higher resolutions, as well as a much faster processor. This means that better games can be developed for this system. The main selling point of this product is that it displays glasses free 3D. This 3D actually works, and is not a cheap trick. You will be amazed at how some of the preinstall software uses this 3D. The battery life on this system is horrible(3-5hours)-but luckily there are some extended batteries available to purchase. I have found this system very easy to use and am pretty happy with it. However, $250 is a lot for this system considering its capabilities. If you wait, there will probably be a price drop or a better system. But whether you choose to wait or buy it now, there is a lot of fun to be had.