3DS games to be "serious" says Iwata, and their next home console might be 3D too

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Perhaps the 3DS will be safe from the casual plague that struck the DS

Ever look at the DS games for sale at your local Best Buy, Gamestop, or for our UK readers, HMV? Notice that for every great title like Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor or GTA: Chinatown Wars, there are approximately 27 Petz games and 75 Imagine titles on the same wall? The DS is choked with casual trash like this, and Nintendo is just as guilty as anyone, with their cooking, walking, and brain ageing titles. It’s understandable to fear that the 3DS could suffer the same fate, but Nintendo’s President Sarotu Iwata saysthat isn’t happening.

According to a recent interview for Japanese news service Nikkei that he wants to "expand into elaborate games targeting serious gamers". And when you take into account that they unveiled the system with a new Kid Icarus, a title hardcore Nintendo fans have long yearned for, we want to believe they intend to keep the system stocked with “real” games. And when you see theinsane list of big name franchises announced for 3DS, it seems very possible.

Now we’ve been stoked about the handheld sincewe put our hands on it, but we’re a little worried these good intentions won’t really pan out in the long run. On that list of major franchises like Metal Gear and Resident Evil, look a little closer and you’ll see some of the worst casual offenders from the DS: Nintendogs, Deca Sports, Carnival Games, Martha Stewart. So while we’re all excited at the “serious” stuff that’s been shown for the handheld and we want to believe Iwata, the seeds are already being planted. Ultimately casual titles like those are too popular and too easy to make to disappear overnight.


Above: I am like the rocks of the eternal shore: crash against me and be broken

Also of note was a passing quote near the end that the next home console Nintendo makes will focus on 3D too, which seems counter to the very anti-3D glasses vibe of the 3DS. But don’t expect it too soon, as Iwata said, “a full-scale entry into this field will take some time because 3D televisions will not catch on right away." So who knows, there may not even be 3D until the system after Wii 2. May we suggest Wii3D?

Jun 24, 2010

Henry Gilbert
Henry Gilbert

Henry Gilbert is a former GamesRadar+ Editor, having spent seven years at the site helping to navigate our readers through the PS3 and Xbox 360 generation. Henry is now following another passion of his besides video games, working as the producer and podcast cohost of the popular Talking Simpsons and What a Cartoon podcasts.