The Truth About Nintendo’s First Attempt At 3D Gaming
If you were to ask an adult gamer who grew up through various generations of console systems about Nintendo’s first true effort in 3D gaming, he’d probably say it was the Virtual Boy console. However, you might be interested to know that Nintendo developed a 3D device that predates the Virtual Boy, which was released over a decade ago in 1995. This device was actually made during the era of the original Famicom from Japan.
In those days, Nintendo created a 3D accessory that was compatible with the Famicom console. It was called the Famicom 3D. It consisted of a pair of LCD shutter glasses hooked up to the console and it would sync with both the left and right eye to make images on the screen a credible 3D gaming experience. However, only a few games were actually developed with Famicom 3D compatibility since the device never gained popularity in Japan.
As a result, Nintendo didn’t risk bringing this accessory to the United States after its unsuccessful run in the land of the rising sun. Furthermore, gamers who actually used the Famicom 3D complained about motion sickness and headaches, which served to make the product’s failure certain in the gaming world. Well, there’s your dose of gaming history for the day, dear readers. Let’s see if Nintendo has learned anything from the failure of the Famicom 3D and the Virtual Boy flop when they launch the upcoming 3DS in the near future.
Tags: 3D gaming, Famicom 3D accessory, Nintendo
