Why 3D Makes Better 3DS Games

On 04/18/2013 at 03:49 PM by Casey Curran

Remember when the 3DS was first coming out and everyone was saying how 3D was a pointless gimmick that added nothing to the games? Well with a few very minor exceptions they were right, it is pretty much useless and I spend 95% of my 3DS time in 2D. The irony however is that the very existance of the 3D is giving us better games. Just look at the games Nintendo showed off yesterday: Mario and Luigi: Dream Team, Yoshi's Island, DKC Returns 3D, and Zelda: ALttP2 (FUCK YEAH!).

There seems to be one thing all of these games have in common: They're not using the touch screen or the gyroscope for any core gameplay segments. They may have a small role, I don't know, but these do not seem to be something like the DS Zelda games or even Uncharted: Golden Abyss. An assumption would be because developers have finally figured out how to use controller features not found on a 360 controller, but with Batman Arkham City Armored Edition, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, and even Sly 4's minigames, it's pretty obvious that they are just as clueless as ever.

No, the real reason that the 3DS's touch screen and gyroscope are not being shoehorned are because that it has 3D. The necessity of holding the 3DS in a certain position and its emphasis on the top screen over the touch screen create a system where touch screen use is discouraged. This is what has made all gyroscope use either optional or very minimal while minimizing the number of touch screen control games.

Zelda: Controlled by buttons again. Though the 3D actually looked great on it.

There are still touch screen controlled games, however, but they are ones like Final Fantasy Theatrhythm or Kid Icarus Uprising. Games in which the touch screen was seen as absolutely necessary (well, maybe not so much Kid Icarus after the Circle Pad Pro was released). 3D is keeping the other gimmicks at bay while also being one hundred percent optional thanks to the option to turn it off. There are a couple games which do take advantage of 3D for the gameplay like Mario 3D Land, but it's so minor and easy to bypass without it that it's not a necessary feature. It is the perfect gimmick.

Captain N

04/18/2013 at 06:26 PM

I'm just glad they are giving us a Zelda game with traditional controls and an overworld (from what it looked like in the video) again. Makes you glad the thing has 3D so the game can be gimmick free. I'm excited for all of those games but Zelda, both of them, Pokemon, and Blackgate are my top most wanted right now.

Casey Curran Staff Writer

04/18/2013 at 10:33 PM

Zelda and Pokemon are definitely two of my most anticipated games now, but I'd say Destiny is number one. That game's going to be huge, I can feel it.

Super Step Contributing Writer

04/18/2013 at 06:46 PM

Yeah, it's good that developers now feel the need to shoehorn in something that is optional, and does not affect controls necessarily.

04/18/2013 at 10:34 PM

It's not that at all. Developers are still shoehorning things in all the time, hence the Vita and Wii U. It's that the 3D in the 3DS creates a system that discourages using its other features unless they actually make the game better and in turn actually is one hundred percent optional.

04/18/2013 at 10:48 PM

Well, I meant they don't feel the need to shoehorn things in aside from 3D (an optional gimmick that doesn't affect gameplay control) for the 3DS, specifically, not that gimmicks weren't apparent on other devices. Guess I could have been more clear on that, but I was just agreeing with what you said in the blog, more or less.

04/18/2013 at 10:54 PM

Well that's what I'm saying though, the nature of the 3DS is what is keeping them from putting these in, not them not feeling the need to put them in. Hence why they're still going crazy with things like the Vita. I think if it weren't for the 3D they'd be going crazier with the gyroscope.

Cary Woodham

04/18/2013 at 07:33 PM

I play all my 3DS games in 2D. But then, I've been blind in my left eye since birth so I can't see 3-D effects anyway.

04/18/2013 at 10:35 PM

That's another good point- not all people can see 3D so it discourages the feature from being a huge focus of a 3DS game. It's the perfect system for controlling gimmicks.

TripOpt55

04/19/2013 at 12:38 AM

I remember thinking there'd be less touch based games because of the bigger 3D top screen when the 3DS was announced. I actually thought of it as a negative myself. I liked seeing creative stuff like Ninja Gaiden DS with its book style presentation and touch controls. But you may be right that the only way to reign in devs is to limit their options. Which is unfortunate as they should be able to do that on their own.

04/19/2013 at 01:56 AM

I hope we can still get games like Ninja Gaiden DS, just that it means they only do touch screen focused games if they really want it. I was actually kind of disappointed at first too because it hurt the chances for Elite Beat Agents 2. Wish we could have the best of both worlds. But I suppose 3DS isn't about that, that's why we have the Circle Pad Pro.

FAF101

04/19/2013 at 07:51 AM

Granted I play all my 3DS games in 2D almost as well because the 3D hurts my eyes after awhile. But even though I do that I still enjoy the games they have been bringing out! It has yet to let me down.

daftman

04/19/2013 at 01:57 PM

I've been using the 3D more since I got my XL because it seems easier to find that "sweet spot" but yeah, I still spend most of my time in 2D mode. But you make an excellent observation. Now if they'd just give us a traditional 2D Metroid...

BrokenH

04/19/2013 at 08:16 PM

Love how Link can basically turn into a 2D chalk drawing on a 3-dimensional wall to sneak around certain obstacles. Gawd, I want this new Zelda!

asrealasitgets

04/19/2013 at 08:29 PM

I just want a beautiful game to play made by nintendo without all the gimmicks. I want a regular Zelda, Metroid, Mario, DK game on a gorgeous screen like VITA with now stupid wizbang gimmicks. I play a lot of IOS games on iphone and ipad, and I hate that they don't have proper controls, then Nintendo goes and makes cool games and gives me ipod controls? Fuck you Nintendo! I fuckin' love you but, stop this bullshit. On another note, I thought Mario 3DS and Resident Evil, Pushmo and mighty switch force were awesome with 3D and not gimmicky.

PixlBit