The Geek Church

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.

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Ah, the internet, also called the information superhighway. It exists as a resource with a vast wealth of possible uses. With websites, search engines, streaming video, audio files, games and other applications, we can find the latest information, chat with friends, manage our bills and bank accounts and entertain ourselves from our PC. However, companies regularly take advantage of our online use through pop-up advertisements, commercials, surveys and chat forums to generate publicity for their products. Now Nintendo is using this strategy to promote their new DSi XL.

Recently, Nintendo started polls to get the feedback and opinions of social network users regarding their new handheld gaming system. The DSi XL itself was designed with a feature that allows players to make the game screen ninety-three percent larger. Apparently very excited about their new development, Nintendo came up with a idea of doing online polls. The polls can be found as an application on Facebook or on Nintendo’s Twitter page. Today, Nintendo also stated that it has a new focus on promoting social gaming with their handheld systems. According to them, the DSi XL’s larger screen will allow gamers to gather around a handheld unit and help each other when playing a game.

Furthermore, two new games focused on the social aspect have been scheduled for release on the same date with the DSi XL. The games are called America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking and WarioWare: D.I.Y. In the cooking game, chefs and chefs at heart can develop delicious recipes while the new Wario game will allow gamers to create their own mini-games. Sounds like Nintendo is using the concept of social networking to create a new game genre. But doesn’t social activity with gaming exist already since video games were first created?

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There comes a time when you see the signs of the times, and you know things are coming to an end. I’m not really talking about the Second Coming, because I don’t think I can read those signs too well.

Of course, that is another story. The story that I would talk about is the Nintendo Wii. It had a great opening with too little supply to meet the incoming holiday demand, and the Wiimote simplified the button-munching controllers from the other two competitors.

Alas it has appeared that its run is about to come to an end. I am not going to report this officially, but I will just report the aforementioned signs.

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Sometimes I get up in the morning and discover something that is just plain sweet. Today, it was the discovery that a Web browser is now available for the Nintendo Wii, for nothing.

This wasn’t the first time that Nintendo offered this application, but it suddenly pulled it in 2007 and said: “You want it, you pay 500 Wiipoints for it”. Now it is free, and it works, and you can read about how to do it here.

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