Friday, April 8, 2011

Taking it easy with the 3DS

So I get a phone call from my mother earlier today asking me if there's any 3DS game I'm interested in. I told her the 3DS has no games at the moment, but she just got Street Fighter since she knows I play SSFIV. I'm still pretty spoiled despite being my age, it's kinda why I enjoyed the NEET life for as long as I did after I finished high school. I didn't ask for the 3DS, I was planning on buying it for myself later when some good games actually come out for it, but my family loves buying me electronics.
 
I've previously posted on how I lost my original DS (phat model, even though my mother really wanted to upgrade it for me but I insisted it'd be pointless because I prefer my phat). I've still yet to find it, so I guess this works out for me. It's probable I dropped it outside that day when my hands were numb and I placed it in my pocket. Perhaps I didn't quite place it in securely, but couldn't tell since my hands had no feeling. In any case, I'm here with my 3DS now. I have a new flash card since my old one was in my DS when it got lost, unfortunately I didn't realize that my other 2GB MicroSD card is lost somewhere in the black hole of my house. So I have a 250-ish MB MicroSD and a 520-ish one to pick from instead. Well the larger one is enough for me to throw the cart's firmware and Pokemon along with another game, so I fire that one up. I decide to go with Kumatanchi since I've wanted to play it for a long time but never got around to it (the English translation project for it dying did boost my Japanese motivation at the time by the way). I mean, it's not like it's an amazing game, but it's cute as hell and has character designs from Shigatake, the dude that did the Habanero-tan comics!

I'm also looking for some more DS games to throw on for when I get a larger MicroSD. I may throw in Japanese Chrono Trigger as a game to replay while practicing with. Coropata seems like a really cute puzzle game with, I'll probably throw that in. I've actually never played the Hotel Dusk games either, and I've been meaning to for a while. Might be a bit hard with my Japanese at its current level though, so I'll give it a try and hope I don't get stuck on something. Witch's Wish seems like another cute game I'll be adding. And Okamiden will be one of the first ones I place on as well. If anyone has any recommendations, feel free to post them. Since I'm only playing the Japanese versions of my games, untranslated ones work fine as recommendations as well.

But what am I doing talking about DS games when I have the 3DS, right? Well as I said, there aren't any real games for it out yet. SSFIV3D edition is pretty much the only real game out, rest really seem like tech demos. Rayman too, maybe, but I haven't liked a Rayman game since its 2D platforming days.

The 3D effect is nice. Nothing mind blowing, but I don't think anyone should be expecting that. Does it bother the eyes? Hmm, not really. I played for about 2 hours on Street Fighter and didn't really feel any effects from the 3D wearing my eyes. At some points I did see the 3D a bit fuzzy, but if I just adjusted myself a bit it was perfectly fine.

I'd like to get some of the Japanese 3DS games, since they have a much better lineup at this point. I'd probably get Layton and Blazblue Continuum Shift II, but the 3DS is region locked. So I guess I'll just sit back and wait for those wonderful people online to create dump tools so that roms can be uploaded. But that'll probably take quite some time, so until then I'll most likely be enjoying my normal DS games.

Ah, before I wrap this up I have to say there's one thing I'm disappointed in. I was glad to hear that the 3DS actually lets you use wireless protection other that WEP for its wifi. Funny thing is, for DS games you still need to use WEP. Even though your 3DS can connect with everything, it has to be using WEP if you're going online with a DS game. In the settings menu there are actually 2 wifi settings, one where you set up your 3DS and one where you set your 3DS to use for when it's playing DS games.
Why? Why Nintendo? What the hell?  I'm going to assume that it's not as easy as just making the DS games use the connection settings on the 3DS, but couldn't they have at least made it so that the 3DS emulated the correct settings for DS games to connect through it? Like when going to the DS wifi settings in game and searching for an access point, having "3DS connection" always show up as one, and sort of tunneling the connection? I dunno, it's just a pretty big annoyance for me. I'm sure they could have made it work, but they probably figured nobody will care about DS games a year from no so there's no point in putting extra work in DS functionality. They almost make me want to pay for their stupid USB wifi adapter. Almost.

~ Kirari ミ★

15 posts:

Nope said...

Lucky you getting a 3DS, I really just want to have a play with one to see it for myself, I might go down to the shops next week and give one a demo.

It'd be good if there were actually some more real games ready for 3D, I don't really see how it could be anything more than a gimmick.

Both my DS phat and lite are broken atm though, I may be able to fix the lite but do you think it would be worth getting a 3DS instead?

Kirari Star said...

Right now the 3DS is really expensive. Might want to check the price. If it's expensive to fix your DS then I say just wait until the price drops and there are better games.

Cpt.Awesome said...

I'm jealous. My parents never buy me nice things anymore and they only did it on my birthday when I was younger.

I tried playing Hotel Dusk awhile back, but I it didn't keep me entertained. Surprising since I like investigation/puzzle games.

I sort of lost faith in Nintendo since the Wii. Gamecube was alright, but I'll never have as much fun as I did with my N64 and SNES.

Anonymous said...

>I'm still pretty spoiled despite being my age

Cherish that!

Make sure you get a larger SD card ASAP.
Coropata and Hotel Dusk are pretty great and enjoyable.

Tigoris said...

I'd like to say, "I wish I was still spoiled." But considering my parents are paying my tuition, rent, utilities, and all of my insurance...yeah, I'm still spoiled.

Hm, for games on the DS, I have all of the final fantasy games they remade, the three Rune Factory games, Subarashiki Kono Sekai (It's a Wonderful World), Makai Senki Disgaea, Fire Emblem Shin Ankokuryuu, World Destruction, Knights in the Nightmare, Radiant Historia, and Ni no Kuni Shikkoku no Madoshi.

The last one, Ni no Kuni Shikkoku no Madoshi, is a recent release I believe, and it's connected with Studio Ghibli. I really want to play it, but I think you need an actual book that comes with the game. Might be able to find scans of it.

librarian said...

Wow, you really are lucky to have such an understanding and thoughtful family. All the people I know just get drunk all the time, guilt trip about environment/starvation/economy and make dumb jokes about radiation.

Sometimes I wish I was a child again so I could get games as gifts. I'm only buying a 3DS when they bring out LP3DS~

Or something equivalent. Goodish DS games? hikari no 4 senshi? Ketsui? Sonic Racing? Rune Factory? Princess Maker? Idol M@ster? Shining Force Feather?

Kirari Star said...

Thanks for the suggestions guys, already downloading some of them. Hopefully I'll get a larger card sometime this weekend.

Jerry said...

I'll probably buy a Japanese 3DS someday. The region locking made me give up on Nintendo of America.

Tigoris said...

>I'll probably buy a Japanese 3DS someday. The region locking made me give up on Nintendo of America.

An accurate assessment of my own feelings.

DerpFiles said...

How small is it? It'd probably feel uncomfortable for me. My DS lite is a pain to hold because my hands are huge. The Game Gear is the only handheld that ever felt comfy for me. Thank god mine still works. Time to fire up MLB baseball 95.

Nirenn said...

I think I'll hold out for an NGP

I just can't argue with those features

Kirari Star said...

>I'll probably buy a Japanese 3DS someday. The region locking made me give up on Nintendo of America.

You could wait for the 3DS to get hacked and get a flashcard for it, since those work regardless of region.

@Derpfiles
A little larger than the lite, but it's about the same size really.

Hip-Hop Hikikomori said...

Good old DS phat. It has served me well.

>I was glad to hear that the 3DS actually lets you use wireless protection other that WEP for its wifi

That bothered me as well. I wasn't going to downgrade my security just to play some wi-fi games. Too many people out there stealing internet.

Sucks about the compatibility issues with DS games, though. That really does seem retarded.

I'm too poor for a 3DS at the moment, but it's not like there are many cool games out right now.

link said...

The DS game I've played and enjoyed the most is Mario Kart DS. It's probably not that good for practicing Japanese, though.

I don't know if I want a 3DS yet. WEP only and the region locking has made me unsure.

Kirari Star said...

Late but @Link
WEP only is for DS mode. 3DS games work with any security.

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