Paul Humbug

So far so good. I've only tried WipEout: 2048 because it seemed as though reviewers picked this one as the cream of the crop of what's out there right now. I would agree with that assessment as the game definitely looks like a PS3 game in a handheld and the visuals are quite awesome to behold. Digging the small thumbsticks and they feel nice, but not as nice as the 3DS's Circle Pad. Touch screen is nice, and the back one is nice too although I haven't done anything with it yet. I have Little Deviants but I've kinda set it aside as reviews haven't seemed too favorable for it so I thought I'd postpone it for a little bit. May check it out later tonight. Web browser is serviceable and does do HTML5, but it's limited and a touch slow. Signing up for 3G service was a bit spotty because of some issue with filling in hidden fields and the keyboard (I use KeePass to autogenerate long, nonsense passwords with dashes and underscores and apparently it didn't like that too much or something). But this device isn't your go-to for Web browsing if you have other devices to use like a smartphone or an iPad, so that's probably ok. What you would use this for is a makeshift web browser if you don't have a smartphone and just need to look up something really quickly, or if you're in the middle of a game and, for instance, want to look up a hint or something and it's handier than whipping out your smartphone. For those uses, the web browser should be more than adequate. The thing that strikes me most is size. The system itself is so huge, while all its media, and indeed the retail game boxes, are so tiny. It's a bit strange. The boxes I liken to the Atari Lynx game boxes as they were much smaller than the norm compared to Game Gear and Game Boy game boxes. As for the OS, it's definitely one of the strangest OSes I've bumped into. It's not bad, per say, but it's a little confusing to get around at first. If you're used to a smartphone then you have somewhat of an idea of what to expect, but even then it's quite a bit different. After using it just a little bit, though, you do learn very quickly how to get around in it, and after that you're actually quite glad they did away with the overwhelming (at times) XrossMediaBar business the PSP and PS3 use. That's my initial impression however. System seems solid, nice, and well built. Sony made a decent operating system that suits it well. Now it's time to supply the promised games. If they can do that without screwing up and making their customer base mad by doing stupid stuff (as that's always a possibility with Sony given its past), then they may have a winner on their hands in the long run. I will add this however, that I do not think it will topple the 3DS. I just think the Vita will co-exist with the 3DS, and perhaps be a bit more successful than the PSP was against the DS. But I think the 3DS will keep its upper-hand, if ever so slightly. Does it need to topple the 3DS? After all, the 3DS was an epic fail to many a members and bloggers out there. For me, Ninty gaming is different from Sony gaming by how games look and handle on the different systems, but none is superior or inferior to me. If the games come, the PS Vita is indeed a little 360 in your hands. That doens't make the 3DS a worse choice. It's a different experience after all.

I buy all hard copies of games so I didn't fork over for a 32 GB card. I didnt think it was necessary for one with what I was going to be doing with the Vita and two, like you, im not paying an extra $100 for a memory card. The games I do download are the Escape Plan and Mutant Blobs of the world which are pretty small unlike the retail games like Uncharted (over 3 gb!). I have an iPad and the gaming on the Vita absolutely blows the iPad out of the water. Games like Plants vs Zombies and Angry Birds are fun at short bursts but they are games that that the Vita can do and there is zero chance the iPad could pull off a game like Rayman Origins. I gave Sonic CD a chance on the iPad, wasnt happening. There is no substitute for physical directional and action buttons in a game like that. I couldn't imagin the headache of trying to play a game that takes a little more precision like Rayman on the iPad. The apps and web browsing in turn on the iPad blows the Vita out of the water. Hopefully Sony can find a happy medium where a top of the line gaming handheld can have functional tablet capabilities. I didn't buy it for that since I have an iPad already but I think it will help sales if it does. Also as a side, I didnt buy an iPad for gaming. By the end of the 3ds' and Vita's life span we will see what kind of world we are living in. A world where there is room for a more dedicated gaming device or a world where calorie counter apps sells systems Most of my gaming on iOs sucks big times. The other day I played Unchartered and some other games at BB. The Vita IS SWEET. And it's a great upgrade from the great PSP. And at $249 not too bad to buy any time soon. I agree with the cost of memory cards. This is what I still cheer about with Ninty and the 3DS. There was the SD card right there in the console. No need to buy one extra.

Playing it. great title. Love the wireless wheel.

Well, I might go fo a HDMI cable then. but it already looks good compared to the old tube.

Not even 480p? Or is this rather old skool standard?

Thanks @ all for the really useful informartion. I don't know how to distinguish between component or composite. I'm using the ones that came with a 2007 xbox to connect to a standard TV back then. Yellow, red, and white.

Waiting for the day 3D without glasses TVs sell for under $500. Until then I'm enjoying my 3DS and the odd movie at the theaters.

So I got myself a new TV after the old tube blew up one morning. Went to BB. Was looking for a steal. Came back with a Toshiba. 2 HDMI, PC (VGA), 720p. Connected the box via the old fashioned analog inputs. The TV tells me it is set (or receives a video signal?) of 480p. Are these true 480p? Is it even possible to get HD like this? Then, I already had ordered a HDMI to DVI cable for some other purpose. If I use a DVI to VGA adapter, I could connect the xbox via HDMI out to PC in. Will this give me 720p? Will xbox games play more slowly at higher res? Framerate loss, etc.? Thanks for your input.

It's a great MK. I tend to concentrate more on driving skills, finding and using short cuts and pick up whatever it throws at me. The most hated item to use is the tail. But MK also reminds me that the 3DS is far from being ergonomic and losing the first place due to my hands experiencing unusual cramps isn't that great.

This. I really don't bother anymore with iOS games due to touch control. I got my Football Manager for the times I need some entertainment but a GBA Micro and a multi cartdrige go a long way. I even take my 3DS from time to time. The PSP is the least portable of all. More of a "home"console.

Got it yesterday (among Forza 4, Dance Central 2).....it's been fun so far. Some things that do bother me: the graphics aren't what I would call top notch. The characters hover over the ground from time to time and while fighting the graphics aren't that precise either. Swinging and hitting takes some practice and imagination I'm afraid. Hopefully, the scope of the game will entertain for more than some weeks. Oh yes, and I find text not very legible on my new HDTV. But that could be since I'm not using HDMI cable yet. The TV tells me it's at 480p. HDMI should give me 720p then.

70 million is not as good as 91 million but from 70 million sold units a lot of $$$ can and will be made. While market share is nice and neat, it's not that Apple or Sony or Android have to loose in order for Nintendo to win. If 3DS gaming were to become a niche, it's rather a roomy one with 70 millions. I for one gave up very quickly on igaming due to the bugged crap I was getting for $0.99 or even for free.

LOL, yeah, it's just the lack of talking about it. (I was surprised I was the first to post about starfox, I mean, it is new, but not a just now release) If you refer to these forums, I find that there are plenty of old threads still showing in Modern Gaming due to lack of plenty new ones (xbox 360 for example). Does this mean, people have given up on xbox? Okay, seriously, I can see that the 3DS isn't getting that much love these early days and I was surprised by the slow launch that I already feared a total flop. Nevertheless, I bought it, I bought some good games on day 1 and some medicore ones. I'm buying better games these days and hoping for a great holiday season in terms of really new games and not any rehashed versions (but then, as I said, to me they are mostly all new). I mean, the system is growing on me as are the games and features. I also can see that some people I hand over my system to explore Zelda or other games turn off the 3D while for me it's why I bought the system.

While you got a point there, it's only rehashed for the ones of you who know the original or other rehashed versions. This is my first Starfox game simply because I didn't own anything else Nintendo before the 3ds but the original Gameboy and the GBA. Don't remember to have encountered Starfox on any of these. I'm sure I'm not the only one who learns about the old franchises this way. Same goes for Zelda. Couldn't be bothered with anything Zelda until the 3DS. And what a great game it is. And yes, the 3D is a major feature and draw for me.

I got Starfox as well. Driver interests me, too. Starfox is really neat and nice. The 3D is a great addition to this game. Why do you assume people already have given up on the 3DS? Great gams in the pipeline.

Wao, it's not often that when I come back to the boards after some prolonged time off that I read shocking news about a system redesign or even worse talks about a successor which would mark the current 3DS as a failure. And all that after it's growing on me and I'm looking forward to the titles already announced. I'm just hoping the other guy proves to be right and they just get out that second controller as optional. For the price cut Ninty is making up giving early adopters around 20 games for free in the eShop. I can live with that. Should the 3DS get a major shift away from its core features (which the 3D is), I'd strongly disagree.

You never let friends borrow either your car, woman, or any games. That's an unwritten law.

I only shared my own observations and impressions I had with the local launch. According to this article, it was a great start. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2382771,00.asp

Especially since many of us own more than one of the current systems.

Thanks for bringing this up. I already fell in love with the soundtrack. Orde rplaced on Amazon.

Just a complaint on the Play Coins. I get 10 a day by doing nothing special - just my daily walk to/from the parking lot. So my first complaint is too few per day and no incentive for me to actually exercise. The second is that the two Mii Plaza 'games' eat those coins without giving you much of value. For 2 coins, you might get a puzzle piece for a picture - or you might get one you already have. The more pieces you have, the better chance of not getting a new one. That sucks big time when it takes a whole day to get one stupid piece. 2 coins will also buy you a 'hero' for about three weak sword attempts or one magic spell in the 'find mii' game. It looks it will take a few hundred coins to get through that. I'm at the point now where it takes certain color or level heroes to make a dent in the enemies. That means I will waste more coins for ones that can't do anything. Harry I guess there's your incentive to keep walking You're right. It needs some fine tuning.

SO, I've been digging 3D for 30 years of my life always looking for ways to get past the glasses and you just post a wiggle image and next thing I have a dragon sticking out of my "non 3D enabled LCD" screen? Shame on the industry. I remember having a 2000 new year's eve discussion with a friend where I claimed that all the companies were holding off new technology until 2000. I bet,we would be seeing SONY releasing 3D TV without glasses before 2001. Ten years later......still no 3d TV without glasses....but at least 3DS

So far no luck, but then again I'm not taking it with me all the time. Thought I would get hits in the mall but zero so far.

RDR was and is one of the finest games I've played on nextgen. And yes, I am itching to give it a shot because it's Rockstar but I can't understand why it's hyped being os unique. But yeah, will have to wait and see for myself.

Exactly, ift it's linear instead of sandbox a zillion of adventures pop up in my mind. It's good to see hopefully great entertainment continuing in form of adventure games but as you, I can't grasp the hype about its mature content. A naked dead corpse with breasts, nipples, vagina exposed? Oh my gosh!