Nintendo 3DS on sale in the UK, two days ahead of its US launch
The Nintendo 3DS is on sale in the UK, a whopping 48 hours ahead of our US cousins. Take that, Uncle Sam! In this story we breeze through everything you need to know about Nintendo's 3D handheld.
Ah, Nintendo. Wise sculptor of our childhoods; auteur of adorable, collectible animals, the two-man turtle-terrorising team and arm-flailing, money-spinning consoles. Now the big N is back with a brand-new toy -- the Nintendo 3DS, which as any fule kno, offers 3D gaming without the need for you to wear stupid glasses. And it's on sale today in the UK, two days ahead of the US. Boom!
We've gleefully covered the 3DS from every conceivable angle. Our 3DS complete guide charts all our in-depth coverage, but you might be particularly keen to read our full review and find out which star rating we deemed the 3DS deserved.
Next you'll want to get eyes-on, so click through this photo gallery, ogling every gorgeous facet of the 3DS, and feast your peepers on this video, which shows off features such as the augmented-reality minigames in action.
If you want to know more about the horrifying science behind the 3DS' sans-lunettes 3D technology, read our explanation of how it works, which also contains our definitive verdict on how good the 3D effect really is. (Hint: it's pretty great.)
Another ace feature is StreetPass, which lets your 3DS trade information wirelessly with other consoles nearby. Useful for the acquisition of puzzle pieces, and not nearly as creepy as it sounds, read our in-depth explanation of the feature, with bonus Mario hat. It's all about the hats.
The 3DS isn't perfect, however -- we were a little disappointed with the battery life. Click this little blue bit of text for our battery benchmark results, and to learn what to do to squeeze the longest life possible out of your console. The 3DS will also face some frightening competition come Christmas, from the Sony NGP handheld. How do the two compare, and should you just wait for Sony's device?
Finally, if you've made up your mind and you want a 3DS, you'll want to know where to buy one. Check our roundup of online deals, and purchase your console from the comfort of your bed/Starbucks/prison computer room.