That's right, I choked out the 250 dollars to get a 3DS, and I don't regret it! So lets address the obvious question first, does the 3D work without glasses? Hell freakin yes! The extra depth adds to gameplay in a surprisingly significant way, making it easier to judge attacks. But as many have said, there is a sweet spot you have to be in to view this effect, but it's not as small as most seem to think. You can view it from a comfortable distance without trouble. The only issue is you can't tilt you head. For any other system this wouldn't be a problem, but for portables that is an issue. This is far from a deal breaker when the effect is this good and can be turned off if you don't like it.
Another major addition is enhanced wireless, which may not seem like a big growth in this day and age, but the last DS could barely communicate with half the routers out there. This one makes it simple to get updates and will eventually have a full internet browser.
They also added a joystiq which makes motion so much smoother. With the option of playing old DS games with it as well you can more smoothly control even you classic titles. It's a standard on console systems that hasn't seen enough light in the portable world. There are still two screens, one touch and one 3D, and both have enhanced clearness compared to past systems.
Another great addition is street pass, a feature created to promote friendship and playing together. While your 3DS is in sleep mode you carry it with you and it communicates with other 3DS owners. It automatically swaps data and gives you the chance to gain bonuses from being social. While in sleep mode the built in pedometer counts you steps to and rewards you with coins towards games.
The software that's packed in is great fun. There's the standard mii maker from the Wii, but this time you can use a camera to create a more accurate adaptation. Face Raiders steals an image of your friends and allows you to shoot at them in a first person star fox style game. The 3D camera allows you to, you guessed it, take 3D pictures. Mii Plaza allows you to gather other peoples miis via street pass and play games with them. And last but far from least, AR cards allow you to turn your kitchen table into a game of mini golf or a battle against a enraged dragon.
The only big issue with the system is the battery life. It last around 4 to 5 hours and can be extended by lowering the brightness and turning off the 3D effect, but still this is a problem. If your creating a portable system it needs to last more than a few hours for those long road trips. Nintendo seems to be aware of the issue cause the back panel of the system can be removed to replace the battery. This implies there may be new batteries in the future.
The 3D works, the built in software is great, and it's a great enhancement from the previous system. Once a upgraded battery is released this system could be perfect.
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