Technocrat: nintendo

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Nintendo GDC keynote roundup: Netflix and free AT&T WiFi coming to 3DS this summer!

We survived the keynote address here at GDC 2011, where Satoru Iwata and Reggie Fils-Aime just got done revealing a veritable cornucopia of info about the 3DS. On the video content front, the 3DS will get Netflix this summer along with the ability to pause a video on your handheld and continue watching on your Wii -- though we presume you may recommence your cinematic experience on an XBox or PS3 too. The addition of Netflix wasn't the only announcement by Iwata, however. Get the rest after the break.

A wireless 3D video channel is coming too -- exclusive to the 3DS -- that will push Nintendo-selected content like movie trailers (Green Lantern's coming soon), music videos, and comedy shorts to the device. And if you want to make your own, Nintendo's enabling 3D video recording as well. Along with the new video content, Nintendo is bringing Game Gear and TurboGrafx 16 titles plus 3D-remastered classic games to the 3DS. The games will be available in the new Nintendo eShop along with existing DSiWare titles. While much of the attention was on downloadables, cartridges got some love when Iwata teased a new 3DS Super Mario game that may or may not include the use of the racoon tail from SMB 3 -- all will be revealed at E3.

Now, you may be thinking: "This new content is well and good, but how does Nintendo expect me to download it when I'm gaming on the go?" Well, Nintendo's got you covered by partnering with AT&T to provide free WiFi access at 10,000 hotspots starting in late May. It'll also use the SpotPass passive connection feature -- that works even when no game is in the system and when its in sleep mode -- to download new content as it becomes available. Could 2011 be the year of the 3DS?

For more details, head on over to Joystiq's liveblog of the event.

Nintendo 3DS launches in Japan, populace tears through initial 400,000 unit shipment

You won't be able to snap one up at your local GameStop for a full month, but the Nintendo 3DS had a solid launch in Japan today, reportedly liquidating nearly its entire initial shipment of 400,000 spiffy stereoscopic gaming handhelds by the end of the day. Some of those sales were to customers waiting in a few lines up to 2,000 persons long, but those lines were exceptions to the norm -- several publications note that very few stores actually had any lines to speak of, as most Japanese electronics retailers sold out when the 3DS went on pre-order over a month ago. Get a refresher on what to expect from the system here (and here) or read all about the surprisingly orderly Japanese launch at our source links.

Update: Our friends at Engadget Japanese were on hand for the 3DS launch, and picked up a pair of systems themselves -- get a closer look at one of the first retail 3DS units in the gallery below!

Nintendo 3DS -- Japanese retail version