Nintendo 3DS: Difference between revisions

The Nintendo 3DS console has a similar appearance to that of the [[Nintendo DS]], but it builds upon its features. It includes three cameras, one being inward and the other two being outward, that are used to shoot 3D pictures, merge them, record 3D videos, and play camera-based games (see [[#AR Games|AR Games]]). The console, much like its predecessors, features the four {{button|3ds|A}}, {{button|3ds|B}}, {{button|3ds|X}}, and {{button|3ds|Y}} buttons; the {{button|3ds|start}} and {{button|3ds|select}} buttons (which are embedded below the Touch Screen); and the {{button|3ds|L}} and {{button|3ds|R}} shoulder buttons. Two new additions to the console are a Circle Pad {{button|3ds|Stick}} located above the {{button|3ds|Pad}}, which has been shifted downward, and the {{button|3ds|home}} button, first used with the [[Wii]] console, used to access a HOME menu that is similar to that of the [[Nintendo DSi]] and [[Nintendo DSi#Nintendo DSi XL|Nintendo DSi XL]]. The console also has wireless connectivity, which is used to connect with other consoles via local play or StreetPass, or to the Internet to download expansions for the console or play with people from around the world, for example. Online expansions include friend lists, sharing game content with friends, paid downloadable content for games (an example is ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' having additional [[Coin Rush]] packs),<ref>[http://www.cubed3.com/news/14273 3DS To Feature Expanded Online; Achievements, Friend Lists]</ref> and firmware updates.

The 3DS also features enhanced language accessibility. The system is the first Nintendo console to have Portuguese and Russian system language settings and the first Nintendo handheld console to feature a Dutch setting. All these languages are included on the PAL version of the 3DS, and the Portuguese language is also included on the American version. ''Mario'' games also began being translated into these languages (except Brazilian Portuguese). The 3DS is the first [[Nintendo]] system to be rated by PEGI and the ESRB (receiving a 7+ and E rating, respectively) due to the built-in games, including Face Raiders, AR Games, and StreetPass Mii Plaza containing 3D images which could cause damage to eyesight for anyone below the specified age groups.

The '''Step Counter''' works by using the 3DS's motion sensor to count the player's steps when the 3DS is closed. Every 100 steps gives the player one Play Coin, which can be used in the AR Games, StreetPass Mii Plaza, and compatible games (e.g. ''[[nookipedia:Animal Crossing: New Leaf|Animal Crossing: New Leaf]]'' or ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]''). Players can receive a maximum of ten Play Coins per day and can hold a maximum of 300 on the 3DS system. Additionally, every step is logged in the Activity Log.

===''Nintendo 3DS Camera''===

The '''''Nintendo 3DS Camera''''' is an application that allows users to take photographs and videos in glasses-free 3D. Some photos can have a decorated effect with in-game tools like Dream. The videos can last up to ten minutes. The user can also send pictures to the SD card or make copies of pictures.

===''Nintendo 3DS Sound''===

'''''Nintendo 3DS Sound''''' works similarly to the function previously seen on the Nintendo DSi. Players can record sounds with a duration of ten seconds and store them in the console or on an SD card. The user can also add music into the SD card and, unlike in Nintendo DSi Sound, the music can be in either MP3 or AAC format. A limit of one hundred music files can be stored in the default folder as well as in any additional folders, though there is no limit to the number of folders that can be created so long as there is enough memory on the SD card. In addition, any recorded sound less than five seconds in length can be attached to a Swapnote.  

===''Mii Maker''===

The ''[[Wii#Mii Channel|Mii Channel]]'' on the [[Wii]] makes a return with minimal changes as '''''Mii Maker'''''. However, there is a new feature in which the 3DS camera takes a photo of the player and converts it to make the photo look like a [[Mii]]. This feature is not automatic. Players must select the Mii's gender, hair color, and eye color before being prompted to take a picture of either themselves or another person.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7QMPkWptmw</ref> Players are then able to leave the Mii as it is or to make any modifications they may deem necessary with new customization options (hairstyles, eye shapes, etc.). Players can also connect to their Mii Channel and import any Miis found there to the 3DS. To connect the '''''Mii Maker''''' to the Wii, the player must press the {{button|wii|A}}, {{button|wii|B}}, and {{button|wii|1}} buttons on the {{button|wii|Wiimote}} when on the ''Mii Channel''. Holding down the {{button|wii|2}} button for a period of time afterward makes a "Connect to DS" icon appear (if it is not present already).

===''StreetPass Mii Plaza''===

[[File:Logo AR Games.svg|left|220px|AR Games logo.]]

The Nintendo 3DS supports augmented reality games through the built-in application '''''AR Games'''''. The system is released with a total of six '''''AR Cards''''' that are used primarily in this feature, having a minor role in ''[[Mario Party: Island Tour]]'', among other games. In ''Nintendogs + Cats'', using the Mario AR Card enables the player's pets to wear ''Mario''-related hats. The [[? Block]] card can be used to play games, while the five Character Cards included can be used to take 2D or 3D photos.

[[File:Logo-Face-Raiders.svg|200px|left|Face Raiders logo.]]

Face Raiders Gameplay.jpg|Gameplay of Face Raiders using [[Baby Luigi]]'s head.

===''Nintendo eShop''===

The '''''Nintendo eShop''''' (initially called '''''Nintendo 3DS Shop''''') is a feature that allows players to buy software titles, including [[Virtual Console]] and [[DSiWare]] for their Nintendo 3DS with Nintendo 3DS prepaid cards or credit cards. It also allows Game Promotion. The eShop is similar to [[Wii#Wii Shop Channel|Wii Shop Channel]] and was released with a firmware update on the evening of June 6th, 2011 in North America and on June 7th in other regions, along with the Internet Browser. At GDC 2011, it was also announced that "3D Classics" would be made available for download in addition to the regular titles (Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and NES titles). These games, while 3D-compatible, retain their original graphical styles. Other than purchasing content, users can view information on current and upcoming 3DS titles (most notably through monthly episodes of Nintendo Show 3D, which provides footage of and commentary on popular or notable releases) as well as the Staff Pick of the Week (a Virtual Console or DSiWare title). If desired, users can also purchase and play a variety of "Quick Plays," including popular games such as ''{{wp|Bejeweled}}'' and'' {{wp|Solitaire}}''. Continuing a practice established on the Nintendo DSi, content purchased from the eShop is transported to the 3DS Menu in the form of a gift that must be unwrapped before use. In addition, users are able to purchase downloadable content for their existing games. As of the December 9, 2013 update, a Nintendo Network ID is required to download free and demo software from the Nintendo 3DS eShop. In addition, the player can link their Wii U Nintendo Network ID to their 3DS and vice versa to combine eShop funds on both systems into one.

===''Nintendo Zone''===

'''''Nintendo Zone''''' is a feature that enables users to, once in participating public locations, view screenshots, watch 3D videos, download and play game demos, access the eShop, play compatible games online, browse the Internet, and receive SpotPass content.<ref>http://www.nintendo.com/3ds/built-in-software/#/12</ref> In the August 2013 Nintendo Direct, StreetPass Relay Points were introduced. When players visit a Nintendo Zone location, their StreetPass data for certain games is temporarily stored at that location and can be received by another player who visits that location and has the same games. Nintendo Zone was discontinued in North America on July 16, 2015, but ''StreetPass Relay'' functionality remains operational.

===''Activity Log''===

The '''''Activity Log''''' allows users to view the amount of time they have spent playing certain game titles. It can also show the time spent playing each day, week, month, and year, as well as showing the number of steps the players have taken. It also has a catalog, called a Software Library, that shows what games have been played on the Nintendo 3DS.

===''Game Notes''===

The '''''Game Notes''''' tool allows players to use up to 16 panels to make annotations or make simple drawings while other applications are suspended. Only a pencil option and an eraser option are available, though users can switch the pencil color between black, blue, and red. Any annotation can be saved and stored in the Nintendo 3DS Camera. A view of the suspended application is available if the player wishes to take notes on a game.

===''Friend List''===

From the '''''Friend List''''', players can see their own friend codes and manage the register of other Nintendo 3DS owners they have added as friends. If their friends have the wireless feature of their consoles turned on, users can see the last game they were playing or the last application they were using. If friends play a game that has online capability, such as ''Mario Kart 7'', and users own the same game, then users can join that game and play alongside their friends.

===''Notifications''===

'''''Notifications''''' provide users with various alerts that can be received while the console is in sleep mode. When an alert is received, the notification light, located on the front of the console near the {{button|3ds|R}} button when closed and between the two screens when open, glows a certain color depending on the alert. If the alert is SpotPass-related (e.g. news or a software/application update), the light glows blue, and a blue circle appears on the software/application/feature that sent the alert. If the alert is StreetPass-related, it glows green, and a green circle appears on the software/application/feature. If one of a user's friends registered in the Friend List is online, the light will glow orange (it will flash orange if one of them is playing a game the user can join), and an orange circle appears on the Friend List icon. Finally, if the console's battery is close to being depleted, the light will glow red and flash.

===''Internet Browser''===

The '''''Internet Browser''''' uses the {{wp|Yahoo!}} and {{wp|Google}} search engines; users can choose which of the two to use at any time. The browser used is Netfront Browser NX. Users can type queries into a search bar or click the URL option to type in a web address. The Touch Screen is used to scroll through pages, which are divided between the top and bottom screens. While it does support a variety of web standards (HTML 4.01, XHTML 1.1, CSS 1, CSS 2.1, CSS 3 (some), DOM Levels 1-3, ECMAScript, XMLHttpRequest, and Canvas element (some)) and image formats (MPO, GIF, JPEG, PNG, BMP, and ICO (some may not be displayed)), the browser does not support any type of plug-in (e.g. {{wp|Adobe Flash|Flash}}).

===''Miiverse''===

Implemented during the update on December 9, 2013 (PST), Miiverse was a social network based around [[Nintendo Network]] allowing users to post and share information with each other on games or other software. Originally only on the [[Wii U]], a Nintendo Network ID was required in order to fully use '''''Miiverse'''''; this could be done by either linking a Wii U ID to the 3DS, or by creating a new one if the user does not have one.

On November 7, 2017, at 10pm, Pacific Time, '''''Miiverse''''' was discontinued.

====''Nintendo Video''====

'''''Nintendo Video''''' is a video series available via the Nintendo 3DS eShop and, formerly, a free downloadable application. It enables the 3DS to display videos in 3D. Using the SpotPass feature, players can receive and view movie trailers, comedy clips, and music videos, all specially selected for their 3D functionality.<ref>http://www.nintendo.com/3ds/built-in-software/#/10</ref> It was available in Japan, Europe, Oceania,<ref>http://www.ntower.de/News/21402-Nintendo-Video-erscheint-am-13-Juli-PM/</ref><ref>[http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?sl=de&u=/News/21402-Nintendo-Video-erscheint-am-13-Juli-PM/]</ref> and North America starting July 13, 2011 (July 21, 2011). Like the eShop, the app updates regularly. Users can have a maximum of four videos at a time, one of which is deleted with every update. However, starting October 20, 2011, Nintendo released previously deleted videos on the eShop in North America, where they can be purchased as permanent additions to the 3DS menu.<ref>http://www.nintendo.com/3ds/nintendo-video/</ref><ref>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/nintendoware-weekly-nintendo-videos-for-sale-double-dragon/</ref> The Nintendo Video app was terminated in Europe on April 4, 2014, in Japan, Oceania, and some countries on March 31, 2014, and in North America on June 29, 2015.<ref>http://www.nintendo.co.uk/Nintendo-3DS/Nintendo-3DS/Nintendo-Video/Nintendo-Video-115097.html</ref><ref>http://www.nintendo.com.au/index.php?action=news&nid=3385&pageID=6</ref><ref>[https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/14957/~/error-message%3A-the-nintendo-video-service-has-been-discontinued Error Message: "The Nintendo Video Service Has Been Discontinued"]. ''Nintendo Customer Support''. Retrieved August 1, 2022.</ref>

====''Swapnote''====

'''''Swapnote''''' (called '''''Nintendo Letter Box''''' in British English) is a free, downloadable messaging service that allows users to write notes (up to four pages) via the stylus and send them by StreetPass (and previously by SpotPass) to people registered in their Friend Lists (in the case of StreetPass, notes can be given to people who may not be on said list). Users can reply to each note once, and replies are restricted to one page. As users send notes to their friends, they gain access to a variety of features, including the ability to attach photos stored in an SD card, to create messages and art displayed in full 3D, to change the stationery on which notes are written, to view notes in a slide show format, and (using 15 Play Coins) to attach sound recordings from the Nintendo 3DS Sound application. The software can store a combined maximum of 3,000 notes and replies, and each note can have a maximum of 100 replies attached to it, with new notes/replies replacing old ones once this limit is reached (notes given "Favorite" status are not deleted, though replies are). An update for this software was released on July 5, 2012<ref>http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/07/letter_box_update_adds_coloured_ink</ref> in Japan, Europe, and Oceania which adds the feature to change the ink's colors by pressing {{button|3ds|Pad}} either to the right or left, with North America receiving the feature shortly afterward. An April 2013 update allows users to use different colors of ink on each page in one note and added some more features to the software, such as the ability to delete multiple notes at once. On October 31, 2013, Nintendo suspended the SpotPass functionality of Swapnote in all regions, due to incidents in Japan where the app was used to share explicit content with minors<ref>[http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/UHQZFP2Jxcll_Vm-PsZpxNIK5920bRRK Notice about service for Nintendo 3DS software Swapnote] Accessed November 1, 2013.</ref>, not only affecting interaction between users, but also halting the reception of special notes and stationery from developers.

''Nintendo Badge Arcade'' is a free-to-start application available from the [[Nintendo eShop]] for the Nintendo 3DS. The game involves collecting badges in various Nintendo-themed crane-game [[minigame]]s, which can be used to customize the 3DS HOME Menu. It was first released in December 2014 in Japan, and later in November of 2015 in Western regions.