The Nintendo 3DS is finally here, and even though families have been spending a small fortune buying the latest DS upgrades over the past few years, this one really does offer something unique and different, and is worth an investment for families with kids school-age and up.

The most notable part of the new 3DS from Nintendo is the system’s ability to provide 3D images without requiring the user to wear glasses.  There’s an adjustable slider on the side of the top screen that allows users to choose the depth and amount of 3D that works for them, as well as the ability to turn off the 3D entirely, and just view everything in standard two-dimensional view.  The system’s 3D can also be turned off using parental controls.

The 3D effect of the Nintendo 3DS is absolutely stunning.  Until now, the only time that we’ve ever seen images like this were when we wearing special glasses, but now games, photos and more are able to be seen and experienced with a new depth that offers a significant advancement in how entertainment can be presented.

The Nintendo 3DS system is able to play new 3DS games as well as all previous DS games.  Obviously, DS games were not designed to be played in 3D, so they can only be played in 2D mode.  But what’s really interesting about the 3DS is that you may not need to buy any new games in order to enjoy the system.

Nintendo has also incorporated a couple ways to reward players for carrying their 3DS around with them while in sleep mode.  The first is called StreetPass, and allows users to share and receive Miis (along with short messages) from any other user in proximity that is carrying out their 3DS in sleep mode.  Additionally, the 3DS rewards players with Play Coins depending on how many steps they take while carrying the system in Sleep Mode.  We have mixed feelings about the sharing and encouragement of carrying your system around like this.  On one hand, it’s great to encourage movement, but on the other hand families do need to be leery of not only getting private information stolen, but also in protecting their 3DS itself since it will be taken with players all the time in order to either find new Miis or earn more Play Coins.

Nintendo recommends only players 7 and older play the 3DS, as it may damage younger kids’ eyesight to experience the 3D.  We think they’re probably being overly cautious, and that 5 and 6 year olds can likely be exposed to small bursts of the 3D, but we’re not doctors, and until we read otherwise, we’ll stick with the recommendation for kids 7 and up.  We think the 3DS is a great addition for families with kids older than 7, with its groundbreaking 3D technology and numerous enjoyable play modes that don’t even require game cartridges to enjoy.

Although there have many recent DS upgrades that parents have been asked to buy for their kids, the 3DS is truly a new step forward in technology and is set to change the way that families are entertained.  It’s not perfect, and it’s really not designed for many multiplayer experiences, but it’s definitely a lot of fun and is a great addition to a family’s videogame collection.

Read on for a more in-depth look at what it’s like the first time you use your 3DS, as well as look at all the things you can do with just your 3DS – no additional game cartridges required.

Upon opening the Nintendo 3DS, you’re asked to immediately charge it.  Instead of plugging directly into the wall, like previous DSes did, instead the 3DS comes with a docking station, which you can place the system into.  You can still turn on the system and use while it’s in the docking station, although it only loosely fits so you’ll need to be careful it doesn’t slip out and stop charging.

As with previous versions of the DS, the Nintendo 3DS comes with a stylus that fits into a compartment on the back.  However, this definitely seems like an improved version, as it is chrome with a black tip, but also is retractable, meaning you can extend it to be as long as you’d like.  This is definitely a nice upgrade over previous stylus versions.

One other thing that’s new, aside from the 3D functionality, is the left side of the DS features two ways to control character and onscreen movement.  At the bottom, there is a “d-pad” (which stands for directional pad), which is shaped like a “+” sign, and allows users to point left, right, up or down.  Since many find it hard to be precise in directions besides those four, the 3DS also includes a circle control pad, which provides directional movement in almost any way possible.  Different games and software take advantage of these different inputs differently, although the natural position is to put your thumb on the circle control pad, and use the “d-pad” for secondary controls.

The first time you turn on your 3DS, you will need to configure things like your language and the date and time, as well as lots of other information.  You also will need to give your system a nickname, and can also enter your birthday as well as the region in which you are using the 3DS.  We selected United States, and you can even then go and pick your state from the list, although you also have the option of not choosing a specific state.  We are unclear as to whether or not it’s better to select one.

You have the option to set up internet connections, and after that, you can also set up your Parental Controls for your 3DS.  The first part of setting up Parental Controls is choosing a 4-digit PIN, as well as a secret question and answer that can be used in case you forget your PIN.  After that’s done, you can choose to modify the Parental Controls.  Here’s a more in-depth explanation on the different Parental Control options available for the 3DS

All of this set up information can be changed later in the “Settings” selection on the 3DS menu.

Once you are done with the initial 3DS system set-up, there are quite a few options and even games available to play, even without buying any separate cartridges.  These all appear on what is known as the “Home” screen, and can be accessed at any time by pressing the Home button that is directly below the touch screen in the center of the 3DS.

Along the row of large icons one the back are many features which users will likely want to experiment with.  The first two slots are for the Health and Safety Information and for use whenever a game cartridge is inserted.  After that comes the exciting built-in features of the 3DS, which when all combined make the 3DS a system worth owning, even without looking at any of the additional games you can buy for it. 

Nintendo 3DS Camera

The first option you’ll see is the Nintendo 3DS camera.  With the slider slid all the way up for maximum 3D, you can take a picture of your surroundings that appears to be in 3D.  It can’t be rotated though, since the camera’s don’t go around wide enough to allow that, but when you view pictures, sliding the control pad left or right separates the two images.  We’re not exactly sure how this is useful.

Nintendo 3DS Sound

The next option is the Nintendo 3DS Sound application.  While this seems simple to gloss over, it actually is fun to play around with.  It lets you record up to 10-second chunks of audio, and then you can play them back at faster or slower speeds while changing the voices pitch to high and squeaky or low and grumbly.  It’s fun to play around with for sure, just to see how you can change what you hear.  Another thing that you can do is play whatever you record backwards.  Again, you can slow it down, speed it up, and make the pitch higher or lower.  We’re not exactly sure why this would come in handy, but it’s something we think is very cool and we always sort of dreamed of having, so now we can record ourselves and listen back to what we say backwards and see if we hear any hidden messages.

Mii Maker

Next up is the Mii Maker.  As anyone with a Wii knows, players can spent countless hours just working on avatars for themselves or their friends.  And the Mii Maker works much like the Wii version, but is able to give you a head start since it has a built in camera.  Players can set a few basic parameters and then take a picture of their face, and the Mii Maker will generate a good starting point for your new Mii.  Unfortunately, the Mii Maker isn’t as kind as our own mind’s eye sometimes, and you’ll likely want to tweak your Mii to make sure you’re comfortable with it.  For example, the system insisted on giving us a very large nose, but we really don’t think our nose is that big!  If you’d like, you can also forgo having the system use a picture of you as a starting point, and simply create your Mii from scratch.

StreetPass Mii Plaza

StreetPass Mii Plaza is the place where you can view all the Mii characters you have collected using StreetPass.  The way StreetPass works, if you choose to use it, is that you can walk around with your 3DS in Sleep Mode (closed, but not turned off), and it will seek out other 3DS systems with StreetPass activated.  If it finds others, you can then exchange your Mii characters.  Along with it, you can also include a 16-character greeting.

Within StreetPass Mii Plaza, there are a couple of games you can play.  In Puzzle Swap, you’ll collect puzzle pieces using StreetPass and use them to complete a 3D puzzle.  You obtain pieces by either meeting other Miis via StreetPass, or you can purchase them using Play Coins, which you collect by using your 3DS.  The other game is called Find Mii, and the object is to utilize other Miis you meet to help free you from being kidnapped in a cage by ghosts.

AR Games

AR stands for “Augmented Reality,” and the AR Games for Nintendo 3DS are a collection of mini-games that require a flat service the pack of six cards that come with the system.  These six cards look and feel like playing cards, but feature different Nintendo images on each of them.  The main card that is utilized is shaped like a gold item box from Super Mario Bros., with a big question mark on it.  Other cards feature Mario, Link (from Legend of Zelda), Kirby, Samus Aran (Metroid) and Pikmin characters.

In all, there are six different AR Games for the 3DS:

- Archery – In this game, you take aim at different targets that pop up and appear around the AR card you’ve placed on a flat surface.  The game does a really neat job of transforming and morphing the real-world surfaces you see on the screen.  In order to succeed, you’ll need to move the 3DS around and over the card in order to be able to shoot your arrow at the target.  To finish the Archery mode, you’ll need to shoot a dragon that has popped out of your AR card.

- Mii Pics – This is a really cute mode that allows you to take your Mii character, and place them on a surface and take 3D pictures of them.  There are a number of different poses you can cycle through with your Mii, as well as lots of facial expressions and even different sizes you can use.  So for example, you can have your Mii sitting on a pencil winking at you, or maybe laying down next to the remote control.  It’s also up to you whether you want to lock your Mii’s eyes on the camera, or have them staring pensively straightforward.  Okay, maybe not pensively.

- Star Pics – Star Pics is just like Mii Pics, except you can utilize the other five AR cards to pose and take pictures of Nintendo characters Mario, Link, Kirby, Samus or Pikmin.  Again, you can change characters size, poses and placement, and take funny pictures of them in real-life environments.

- AR Shot – This is a combination of mini-golf and pool really.  You’re asked to hit a ball at a target in a few shots as possible.  The trick is, the targets are part of the morphed surface your AR card has been placed on, and features moving terrain  and obstacles such as water or hot lava.  At the end of the AR Shot game, you’ll also need to hit a dragon with the balls multiple times in order to defeat it.

- Fishing – In this game, a virtual pond is set up around your AR card.  You’ll tilt your 3DS forward to make sure your line and hook is in the water, and when the fish shapes nibble and strike, an exclamation point appears, and you need to pull up and back on your 3DS like you were reeling it in.  This was definitely the mode where we had the most trouble keeping the AR card in our camera’s view and at the appropriate distance.

- Graffiti – In this neat mode, you make a drawing on the touch screen, and it comes to life in 3D on your AR card.  You can also apply pre-made stamps and effects such as fire, flowers or lucky clovers, as you move your creation around the room via your 3DS camera,

- Additional modes – After playing AR games for a bit, you’ll unlock the ability to “buy” more modes with your play coins, which are collected by walking around with the 3DS in sleep mode in your pocket.  In addition to expanded “free play” versions of the AR games, there are also items like a clock, a globe and other 3D tools which you can purchase.

Face Raiders

At the start of Face Raiders, you line up your face, by aligning your eyes with the two dots and the mouth with the lines.  Once the game takes your picture, it then is able to morph your face into funny expressions as it’s flying around trying to smooch you.  As you play, you’ll end up standing up and moving around your play area, shooting down hovering faces.  Since the faces are your own, you actually are shooting yourself.  The goal is to defeat all the faces and the boss face, while avoiding getting kissed by them, which is a nice way to keep the game non-violent. All in all, it’s a neat little mode that shows off the 3DS technology, but isn’t something that players will play for an extended period of time.

Activity Log

The Activity Log monitors play-time data and the number of steps you’ve taken while carrying your 3DS system.  You can also view all the different software that’s been played on the system.  For play-time data, the system shows either a graph or a page representation of how many minutes each type of software has been played each day.

Download Play

Download Play allows you to connect with other users of DS or 3DS software to play multiplayer games using game cartridges.

System Settings

And the last of the main options is System Settings, which allows you to change or tweak the options you set when you first started the system. These include Internet Settings, Parental Controls, Data Management, Profile and Date and Time.  It’s also here where you can tweak the equipment settings, for things like the 3D camera, the circle pad, the microphone and more.

Other Home Screen Icons

On the top row of the 3DS Home screen are a number of small icons.  These allow you to adjust the Screen Brightness, Re-configure the menu view of the Home screen, access “Game Notes,” manage your Friend list, read Notifications (which are like messages), and launch the Internet browser, which is currently unavailable.  From this list, there a couple interesting things to note.  The first is the Game Notes feature, which is a new way to interact with games, and something we have not yet had a chance to test out.  The second is the Notifications icon.  There are actually two types of Notifications you will receive, and they are called SpotPass and StreetPass.  SpotPass notifications come from the system, and provide updates on things related to your 3DS and how you use it.  StreetPass notifications come from the 3DS’ built in passive information-exchange program, which users have to choose to use.

INFORMATION FROM COMPANY PRESS RELEASES:
On day one, new Nintendo 3DS™ owners will have plenty of video games to keep them busy. Nintendo and its third-party publishing partners have made sure that people who buy a system on March 27 will be able to choose from a variety of experiences that leverage the system's new features. A steady and diverse stream of games of all kinds will keep the fun going, with more than 30 Nintendo 3DS games total launching before the E3 Expo in early June.

"Seeing 3D visuals without the need for special glasses is just one aspect of Nintendo 3DS," said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "The real test of any system is whether the games and applications draw you in and keep you engaged. Through the launch window and beyond, Nintendo 3DS delivers."

On March 27, new Nintendo 3DS owners will be able to choose from the following Nintendo-published games, each available at a suggested retail price of $39.99:

• Pilotwings Resort™, an aerial adventure featuring airplanes, hang gliders and rocket belts. Players soar above tropical Wuhu Island in 3D as they complete missions or snap pictures.
• Steel Diver™, a submarine game that involves strategy and combat. The 3D visuals give players the sensation that they are looking into a miniature aquarium as they control the sub's speed, depth and pitch, and fire torpedoes.
• nintendogs™ + cats, a game that lets players interact with realistic puppies – and kittens – in a variety of fun ways. There are three versions of the software, each with different starting breeds: French bulldog, toy poodle and golden retriever. But in each version players can unlock and enjoy more than 20 different breeds.

Other Nintendo 3DS games in the works for 2011 from Nintendo include The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time™ 3D, Star Fox 64™ 3D, Kid Icarus™: Uprising and a new installment in the Mario Kart™ series.

Third-party publishers also have a strong slate of games ready to go on March 27. These include:

• Super Street Fighter® IV 3D Edition from CAPCOM
• The Sims™ 3 from EA
• Madden NFL Football from EA SPORTS
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D from Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
• LEGO® Star Wars® III: The Clone Wars™ from LucasArts™
• RIDGE RACER® 3D from NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
• Super Monkey Ball™ 3D from SEGA
• BUST-A-MOVE UNIVERSE™ from Square-Enix, Inc.
• SAMURAI WARRIORS®: Chronicles from TECMO KOEI AMERICA Corp.
• Asphalt™ 3D from UBISOFT
• Combat of Giants™: Dinosaurs 3D from UBISOFT
• Rayman® 3D from UBISOFT
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon® Shadow Wars from UBISOFT

Nintendo 3DS also comes pre-loaded with a variety of fun games, applications and features, such as the Nintendo 3DS camera, which can be used to take photos in 2D and 3D as well as be used in other games and applications. For instance, the built-in Face Raiders™ game asks users to shoot at funny depictions of their own photographed faces, while the Mii Maker™ application lets gamers use the camera to take a picture of a person and have an automatic Mii™ character created. The system also comes with six AR Cards, which, when viewed through the outer cameras, bring to life fun and interesting animations and images. For example, when used with nintendogs + cats, users might see their puppies or kittens sitting on their coffee tables or in the palms of their hands. With Nintendo 3DS Sound, users can enjoy sound-manipulation tools or rock out with their Nintendo 3DS system while listening to their MP3 or AAC music files.

Nintendo 3DS is also able to play nearly every game in the massive Nintendo DS library, except those that require use of a secondary Game Boy™ Advance slot.

For more information about Nintendo 3DS, visit http://www.nintendo3ds.com.

*FamilyFriendlyVideoGames.com Favorite* - This was one of our favorite family-friendly video games we saw at the E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles in June.  Here's what we had to say about it then.