EXCLUSIVE: Nintendo 3DS Review (7/10)

It's here- the latest handheld console from Nintendo, the 3DS, hit stores across the country today. The pressing question, of course, is does it actually work and should you shell out £230 right now for the new hardware? Yes and no: the technology is most definitely glasses-free, requiring just a brief adjustment from your eyes before the gameplay experience begins; however, that price tag is quite a hefty one for any console (the 360 shipped for £250 and the PS3 £300, and those are far more powerful), let alone a handheld one. Adding to this obvious misstep in product retail is the inevitable fact that after only ten or fifteen minutes, your eyes will most probably get tired, forcing you either to turn off the 3-D using the built in slider on the 3DS's rear or take a healthy break for a while- that's okay in theory, but once we get onto The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Super Mario later this year (said to be at their best when all three dimensions are put to use), and heck, even with launch titles like Splinter Cell and Rayman, this just isn't good enough, and will likely be a deciding factor for many gamers. If you can overlook the irritable flaws, the 3DS hits the mark at a dead-on bullseye with great new entries in big franchises, a much-improved camera that includes its own three-dimensional minigames and high quality visuals now up to the standard of the PSP, then this should be just the right handheld for you! If the price seems too much, though, wait it out and give the tech a go first.