Nintendo 3DS: Seeing is Believing

Think 3D isn't important to gameplay? Think again.

I've been saying this for a while now, but seeing is believing when it comes to the Nintendo 3DS's ability to display games in 3D. I can say it works all I want, but you won't understand how it feels to play a game in 3D without glasses until you try it for yourself. There's just no way around it.

That said, for weeks, even months, I've also been saying that 3D has no discernable effect on gameplay. How could it? It's simply an added effect on the perception of a game. Surely gameplay is only influenced by input, by the controlling device. Since the 3DS uses existing control concepts (like an analog slider, touch pad and buttons), it must work within these same existing frameworks, right?

As it turns out, that's only partially true.

I'm currently working my way through PilotWings Resort. I'm earning points and progressing through Mission Flight Mode's various difficulty levels, all by flying in planes, gliders and rocket belts. The game isn't particularly difficult at this point, but in one mission I found myself taxed slightly more than usual. I was trying to gauge my flight path, lining up a path marker with the next major goal. Hitting both would earn me critical points, so my choice was clear – don't miss either target. My grip on the 3DS tightened, as I was almost certain I was going to miss one or the other. Determining the proper depth was so tricky…

Wait a second.

Up until this point, I hadn't been playing in 3D. It's late as I write this, and, as my eyes grew tired, the 3D had started to bother me a bit. Plus, with the 3D on, the smoothness of the game takes a hit. Why not ease the demand on the system, its battery and my eyes?

As I reached for the 3D adjustment slider, I wondered if turning on 3D would make any difference. Why would it? This stuff is just a graphical gimmick, right? A cool hook to get the mass market curious about games, right? I'm the biggest defender of the Nintendo 3DS, but even I admit that gameplay isn't going to change because of a 3D effect.

But then I turned on the 3D. Suddenly I could properly figure out some last minute adjustments to my glider's flight path. I could figure out one object's special relationship with another. I knew how far apart they were, and how much time I'd have to move until the next. This wasn't so problematic after all. I coasted through one target, earning my points, hit the next, and pulled the analog slider back to soar back into the air. It was a breeze.

Consider me schooled. Consider me convinced. Though the 3D effect certainly applies to gameplay in a critically different way than a Wii Remote or touch control, it nevertheless changes the way a game is played. It changes the way a gamer is able to perceive the worlds created by developers. It's different than pressing A or swinging a device to hit a ball, but it's important nonetheless. Just as increased graphics afford developers the ability to change environments and levels, so does the ability to add greater depth. Is anyone else more excited for Mario 3DS now?

But you'll just have to wait and discover that for yourselves. Trust me, when it comes to the 3DS, seeing - and playing - is believing.

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