Nintendo 3DS Aqua Blue Product Details

Released on 23-Mar-2011

• Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure announced for 3DS

  Sega is to unleash a unique new musical adventure on Nintendo 3DS early next year titled Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure.

  The game will introduce players to Raphael, an honourable art thief operating in the city of Paris, who embarks on a rhythm-based journey to solve the mystery of the Wristlet of Tiamat and find the truth behind his father's disappearance.

  Gameplay will take the form of a series of musical challenges, with players tapping and swiping the screen or controlling the gyroscope in time with the beat in order to progress.

  Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure will support multiplayer modes and StreetPass, while featuring perplexing puzzles, stylish animations and eye-popping 3D graphics.

  Gary Knight of Sega said: "This unique blend makes creative use of the Nintendo 3DS technology, offering an engaging, challenging and most importantly fun experience throughout."

  Published: 31/08/2011

• Nintendo 3DS sales reach 6.68 million

  Nintendo has expressed hope that sales of its 3DS console are back on track after reaching 6.68 million units at the end of September.

  Although the figure is below the company's expectations, it is ahead of the data for the device's predecessor the DS during the same period, reports MCV.

  Sales of the 3DS, which allows users to experience an innovative way of playing new and exciting games, increased during August as a result of a substantial price cut.

  Nintendo has also forecast strong sales during the festive period, with the reduced cost and an improved software line-up expected to attract customers.

  This comes after the Japanese technology firm announced the launch of a new coral pink 3DS console, created to mark the upcoming release of Nintendogs + Cats.

  Set to hit stores on November 18th, the new title will see the portable pooch accompanied by an adorable female friend to play with.

  Published: 04/11/2011

• Nintendo 3DS to introduce 3D video recording in December

  Nintendo 3DS to introduce 3D video recording in December

  Nintendo 3DS owners will be able to use their consoles to make their own 3D movies from next month onwards.

  On December 8th 2011, gamers will be able to download the latest firmware update for the console, adding a host of new features and functions for the popular handheld.

  Most prominent is the ability to shoot and save up to ten minutes of 3D video using the system's in-built cameras, while creative users can even put together stop-motion animations.

  Meanwhile, the StreetPass Mii Plaza will be bolstered by a range of new content, with extra puzzles for the Puzzle Swap game and all-new areas for StreetPass Quest.

  The update will also make it possible for owners of more than one Nintendo 3DS system to completely transfer all data, including downloaded games, between the two systems.

  Nintendo 3DS was released in March 2011 and has seen a surge in popularity thanks to a recent price reduction, plus the launch of games such as Super Mario 3D Land and the new Mario Kart 7.
  

  Published: 29/11/2011

• GAME : 3DS update Round-up

  
  

  GAME : 3DS update Round-up

  If there's one thing the latest generation of consoles has taught us, it's that newly purchased gaming systems aren't the finished article when you first take them out of their shiny wrapping. Not to say they 're lacking anything fundamental, far from it in fact, but system updates now mean it's possible for platform holders like Nintendo to dramatically improve a console's functionality and boost the user experience post-launch.

  

  December's free 3DS system update is a prime example, introducing fresh game content, social features and hardware functionality to the console. Here, GAME runs you through all the major new additions.

  
  

  3D Filming!

  One of our favourite new features is the ability to make ten minute long 3D videos with just a few simple button presses. Icons on the 3DS touch screen allow you to select or fine-tune different recording features such as the 3D effect, altering the sharpness and brightness of your video, and choosing whether to film in regular colour, black and white or sepia. The quality of the recordings we've made so far is surprisingly good, although you obviously have to see them in person to get the full 3D effect.

  While the basic ability to record in 3D is a cool feature in itself, special praise is reserved for the three Trick Shot modes. Interval Shot takes still snaps at your choice of intervals, between every half a second and 60 seconds, before playing them in a rapid slideshow.

  Frame Pick, which essentially enables you to create stop-motion animations, is similar to Interval Shot except it lets you capture images of a physically manipulated object whenever you choose, creating the illusion of movement when the series of pictures is played as a continuous sequence.

  Meanwhile, Clip Link enables you to record various video segments which are then mashed together in the same video file. There's no doubt that budding animators and movie makers will spend a lot of time playing around with these simple to use but rewarding new video recording features.

  
  

  New Plaza updates

  The system update also introduces a range of new features for Mii Plaza, the place where 3DS owners can view the Mii characters they've met via StreetPass (which automatically swaps the Miis and gameplay profiles of players who pass each other on their travels). These include a follow-up to the free, in-built 3DS RPG-style game StreetPass Quest, and new 3D puzzles of famous Nintendo characters to complete by collecting pieces from other players.

  

  
  

  You now receive congratulatory messages in the Mii Plaza for achieving goals such as meeting a certain numbers of Miis or ones from different countries (which are displayed on a new StreetPass Map showing the locations of all the Miis you've encountered), or by working your way through StreetPass Quest 2. There are 78 accomplishments to get in total and a congratulatory message for each. They also unlock up to 35 different tunes to listen to in a new Mii Plaza Music Player.

  The new Puzzle Panel pieces we've collected so far are for Donkey Kong Country Returns and Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time 3D. The puzzles themselves are larger than the originals, with 24 pieces to collect instead of 15, including four pink pieces which can only be collected via StreetPass (others can be purchased with Play Coins, a virtual currency accumulated by carrying your 3DS around with you like a pedometer).

  
  

  New Street Pass Quest

  StreetPass Quest 2, in which you control a team of fighters made up of your friends' Miis, challenges players to save three fictional family members kidnapped by slimy monsters and placed in separate cages. It contains branching paths as well as brand new enemies, and even lets players make parties of Miis to carry out team attacks using weapons or magic. The game also offers players the chance to collect a total of 57 hats for their Miis, compared to the original game's 16, but the title's only accessible if you've completed the first one twice.

  
  

  Download Demos

  Additionally, the 3DS system update paves the way for players to download demos of 3DS games, although none have been made available yet, as well as making it easier to browse and pay for games and content in the Nintendo eShop. Players can now transfer games purchased from the eShop, as well as account funds and save data including photographs and audio files, from one 3DS system to another too.

  
  

  Summary

  All in all, the 3DS system update is an impressive release, adding great new hardware functionality, amusing new game content and cool new social features. It has been almost nine months since release and our 3DS feels like a fresher piece of kit than ever before, all of which leaves us eagerly awaiting the next major system update.

  

  Published: 14/12/2011

• New Eurosport content arrives for Nintendo 3DS

  New Eurosport content arrives for Nintendo 3DS

  Sports fans can now download special 3D content from Eurosport via their Nintendo 3DS consoles.

  Nintendo has teamed up with the broadcaster to launch a free Eurosport video player application via the 3DS eShop, with new videos to be released on a weekly basis from December 15th 2011 onwards.

  Content will include two to three-minute clips from the popular Watts show, which mixes footage of high-calibre action with amusing sporting bloopers from around the world.

  Laurent Fischer, managing director for marketing and PR at Nintendo of Europe, said: "We are always striving to bring fun and exciting new content to our fans and this new partnership with Eurosport will do just that."

  Nintendo 3DS owners already have access to all sorts of 3D clips via the Nintendo Video application, which offers content from the likes of Red Bull Media House and Aardman Animations.

  Furthermore, a firmware update released earlier this week lets users record their own 3D movies of up to ten minutes in length.
  

  Published: 16/12/2011

• Nintendo Letter Box brings wireless messaging to 3DS

  Nintendo 3DS owners will have a new way of communicating with their friends this week with the release of the new Nintendo Letter Box application.

  Downloadable for free via the Nintendo eShop, the new tool lets users stay connected by sending customisable messages using the handheld consoles' StreetPass and SpotPass wireless features.

  Players can create their own text messages, photos and sound effects, or even 2D and 3D drawings, which will come to life as though they are being drawn in front of the recipient's eyes.

  Nintendo Letter Box will be available this Thursday (December 22nd 2011), just in time for 3DS fans to send off Christmas messages to their friends.

  This is one of many new communication and media features introduced for the Nintendo 3DS in the last month, with a recent system update adding 3D video recording functions for the first time.

  Other recent additions include new StreetPass Mii Plaza content and an app featuring downloadable 3D Eurosport videos.

  Published: 23/12/2011

• Pink and white Nintendo 3DS consoles launching next month

  The popular Nintendo 3DS will be available in two new colours from February 10th 2012 onwards.

  Nintendo has announced that it will be launching the hit handheld system in Coral Pink and Ice White shades next month, bringing the total number of available colours to five.

  Previously, these colours were only available as part of special bundles, with the pink unit coming with Nintendogs + Cats, while the white model accompanied Super Mario 3D Land.

  Now they are being made available individually, prospective 3DS owners will be able to take their pick of Coral Pink, Ice White, Cosmos Black, Aqua Blue and Metallic Red versions of the system.

  Since its launch in March 2011, the Nintendo 3DS has sold more than 15 million units worldwide, thanks to hit games such as Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D.

  The console offers 3D photography and video recording, web browsing and online gameplay and shopping, as well as compatibility with more than 1,000 Nintendo DS titles.

  Published: 26/01/2012

• 3DS owners get free Wi-Fi access at 5000 UK hotspots

  Online gaming on the go just got a lot easier, as Nintendo has announced that the 3DS now has access to over 5000 free wireless internet hotspots across the UK. The locations include popular fast food outlets McDonalds, Burger King, KFC and Subway, as well as Ibis and Etap hotel chains.

  Firing up your 3DS in any of the hotspots will enable the console to automatically detect and open the connection. Features available over Wi-Fi on the 3DS include downloading game content via SpotPass, browsing and downloading new game content and, of course, using the web browser.

  "The access points are largely located in popular restaurants and hotels - places where Nintendo 3DS owners are likely to want, and to unwind in," explained Laurent Fischer, Nintendo's European director of marketing and PR. "We also urge all Nintendo 3DS owners to also take advantage of the latest System Update which has brought an array of new features and enhancements, including 3D video capture."

  The 3DS is out now, in case you hadn't noticed.

• Nintendo agrees 3DS connection deal with free-hotspot.com

  Nintendo 3DS owners will be able to enjoy online gaming at a much wider range of locations thanks to a new agreement between Nintendo and free-hotspot.com.

  The gaming giant has struck a deal with the free wi-fi network provider to allow 3DS users to automatically connect their console to more than 5,000 hotspots across 21 European nations.

  It means gamers will be able to easily browse the web on the 3DS systems at fast food restaurants such as McDonald's, Burger King, KFC and Subway, as well as at a number of leading hotel chains.

  Doing so provides users with access to a wide range of online content, including downloadable software from the Nintendo eShop or 3D videos via the free Nintendo Video app.

  Nintendo's Laurent Fischer said: "The access points are largely located in popular restaurants and hotels - places where Nintendo 3DS owners are likely to want to unwind in."

  Having also recently agreed a separate connectivity deal with Boingo Wireless covering many leading UK airports, Nintendo is ensuring it has never been easier to take their 3DS consoles online.

  Published: 02/02/2012

• Crush 3D demo available for 3DS this week

  Nintendo has revealed that a demo of Sega's platform game Crush 3D will be available to download for Nintendo 3DS this week.

  The trial version can be downloaded for free via the Nintendo eShop and will let players get a taste of its innovative blend of 2D and 3D gameplay, which challenges them to use all their wits and spacial awareness to reach the goal.

  Crush 3D is a remake of the acclaimed PSP game Crush and centres on Danny, a young man who is trapped in a dream world created from his own worries and must escape his own labyrinthine, tangled imagination.

  Gamers can "crush" the visuals from 3D to 2D at any point, allowing them to progress through more than 50 levels in different head-scratching ways.

  The 3DS version of the game includes all sorts of bonus content, including new collectibles and unlockable artwork, as well as the ability to swap gifts using StreetPass.

  Other demos already available for 3DS include Resident Evil: Revelations and Cooking Mama 4.

  Published: 06/02/2012

• June 2012 launch marked for Myst 3DS

  A June 2012 release date for the Nintendo 3DS version of Myst has emerged through the fog, with Funbox Media handling publishing duties.

  The latest version of the enduringly popular puzzle adventure will feature revamped 3D visuals thanks to the 3DS' signature stereoscopic screen, which will help to breathe new life into the 1993 megahit.

  Myst transports players to the eponymous fantasy island and challenges them to explore their surroundings, learn about the history of Myst and figure out how to get home.

  Featuring six worlds and more than 80 hours of gameplay, it has sold more than 13 million copies and was once the best-selling PC game ever.

  Myst has also proved a common staple of recent handheld console libraries, with versions appearing on Nintendo DS and PSP.

  Mark Clemens, sales manager at Funbox, said: "We're sure it's going to be a big hit with the fans that remember the original and those that will be new to one of the greatest adventure games ever."

  Published: 16/02/2012

• Shaun the Sheep 3D shorts coming to Nintendo Video

  Nintendo 3DS owners will be receiving weekly doses of fluffy fun with exclusive new Shaun the Sheep shorts from March 7th 2012 onwards.

  Award-winning Wallace & Gromit creator Aardman Animations are teaming up with Nintendo to create brand new 3D clips based on its popular kids' TV show, which will be distributed via the Nintendo Video service.

  The first film will see Shaun and his farmyard friends heading to the countryside for a picnic, with a total of 15 new shorts to be available for download over the next few months.

  Aardman co-founder David Sproxton said: "To be contributing to something as innovative as the Nintendo 3DS from the very outset is an extraordinary experience for us."

  The Nintendo Video app is available for free at the Nintendo eShop and works using the console's SpotPass wireless connectivity feature, which means content is automatically downloaded to the system when it enters a compatible wireless zone.

  Over the last year, the application has featured 3D movie trailers, Sky 3D previews, Zelda orchestral music performances, Kirby animations and much more.

  Published: 20/02/2012

• Sega cult classic Seaman coming to 3DS

  Now that the 3DS is flying off shelves in Japan, where it recently became the fastest console to reach five million sales, it looks like we're going to see some stranger ideas making their way to the machine.

  Top of that list? Sega's bizarre and frankly disturbing 1999 Dreamcast virtual pet game, Seaman. In the original, players used a microphone to raise, nurture and befriend a fish with a grumpy (and nightmare-inducing) human face. Seaman started as an egg and could be evolved into a frog. Just to make it even more surreal, the game was narrated by Leonard Nimoy, best known as Spock in Star Trek, when it was released in the west.

  It's unclear whether the new version will be a straight remake, or an all-new game based on the same pant-wetting concept. With the addition of a touchscreen, the possibilities are both endless and horrifying.

  Japanese news source Nikkei reports that the move is part of an initiative by Nintendo to identify and revive popular old games from other publishers that would work well on the 3DS.

• A History of Handheld Gaming

  
  

  

  This week saw the long-awaited UK release of the PlayStation Vita, the most powerful handheld gaming console ever. Despite a size that fits snugly into your palms, it's a muscular beast of a machine capable of giving its PS3 big brother a run for its money where graphics and processing oomph are concerned. But how did we get here? How did gaming on the go become such a big deal?

  The simple answer is that it's always been a big deal. Even way back in the early 1980s, when the best games were on giant arcade cabinets and the best home gaming had to offer was the bleeping blocks of the Atari 5200, Nintendo was cleaning up with its Game & Watch series of handheld LCD games. Simple in the extreme, they were a cultural phenomena - and Nintendo's first runaway gaming success.

  They were so popular, in fact, that their creator, Gunpei Yokoi, couldn't leave the idea of portable gaming alone. As well as designing classic games such as Donkey Kong and Metroid, he is best known as the father of the GameBoy.

  

  Launched in 1989, this chunky beige brick with a tiny monochrome screen was nothing short of a revolution. Gamers snapped the system up, along with portable versions of hit console games, movie tie-ins, the first entries in the evergreen Pokemon franchise and a certain little game called Tetris. Bundled with the GameBoy, the Russian puzzle classic helped to define handheld gaming as the natural home of simple yet addictive one-more-go game design. It also pioneered the world of multiplayer, using a link cable to allow two GameBoy owners to battle against each other.

  The GameBoy was such an enormous hit - shifting well over 100m units in its lifetime - that other electronics companies tried to ride the bandwagon. Atari released the Lynx, the first handheld with colour graphics, but it struggled to match Nintendo's efficient tech, draining its batteries at inconvenient speed.

  

  More challengers emerged from Japan, such as the TurboExpress, but it would be Nintendo's long-standing rival, Sega, that put up the best fight. The Game Gear launched in 1991, and shrewdly used the same technology as the popular Master System home console, allowing hit games to be quickly ported to the handheld. Although it never outsold the GameBoy, the Game Gear put up a solid challenge.

  GameBoy and Game Gear battled for handheld supremacy throughout the 1990s, with other - often technically superior - portables such as the Neo Geo Pocket and WonderSwan barely making a dent in their dominance. Nintendo's lead was so assured that they waited until 1998 before upgrading the GameBoy's grey and black screen to a colour model.

  

  As the 21st century rolled around, however, the home console experience was becoming so sophisticated that the handhelds were starting to look outdated. Nokia tried to capitalise on the rise of mobile phones with the ill-fated N-Gage, a clumsy hybrid of phone and console that failed to capture the public's imagination.

  It was Nintendo, once again, in 2004 that changed the landscape. The Nintendo DS at first appeared to be an act of supreme folly. Boasting two screens - much like some of the Game & Watch titles of yesteryear - as well as a stylus for touchscreen interaction, it was like nothing else around. And, as with the original GameBoy, Nintendo kept the DS fresh by constantly revising and relaunching the machine in different configurations - smaller, larger, and with more features.

  

  With Sega having long since abandoned the hardware market, the challenge to the DS came from a new rival: SONY. Having exploded into gaming with the PlayStation, SONY's take on handheld gaming was sleek, powerful and designed for the hardcore gamer on the go. The PSP, or PlayStation Portable, certainly made the cheerful DS look like a toy but, much like the Game Gear, it was never quite able to topple Nintendo from its throne, even with cult hits such as Monster Hunter making the system a must-have in Japan.

  

  Which brings us to 2012, where once again Nintendo and SONY are battling for the palm of your hand. Nintendo's 3DS continues the design approach of the original DS, with left field technical innovation and a breezy pick-up-and-play approach. The PS Vita, as we've seen, is the PSP on steroids, a desirable bit of beautiful entertainment technology that pushes the boundaries of what can be done in a small space.

  Looking from dazzling titles like Uncharted: Golden Abyss, all the way back to the rudimentary two-button Game & Watch experience, it's hard to believe only thirty years separate them and yet it feels as though handheld gaming is only just getting up to speed. Imagine where we'll be in 2042!

• Project Zero horror games coming to Wii and 3DS

  Two new additions to Tecmo Koei's acclaimed psychological horror series Project Zero will be heading to Nintendo consoles across Europe this year.

  Coming to Nintendo 3DS in the second quarter of 2012 is Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir, a unique augmented reality game that utilises the console's in-built cameras to deliver a spine-chilling experience.

  The game challenges players to help a mysterious girl called Maya, who is caught in a terrifying curse and can be seen interacting with gamers' real-world environments through the camera.

  Included with the game is a 16-page notebook filled with unsettling images that come to life when viewed through the 3DS screen, some of which reveal clues to unravel mysteries, while others will cause players to come under attack from evil spirits.

  Meanwhile, Nintendo also confirmed a Western release for a new Wii remake of Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly, originally launched on PlayStation 2 in 2003.

  Over the years, the game has developed a reputation as one of the scariest games ever made.

  Published: 23/02/2012

• Fire Emblem to arrive on 3DS this year

  Nintendo's acclaimed Fire Emblem series will be making its debut on Nintendo 3DS this year.

  The gaming giant has confirmed a 2012 European release for the latest instalment in the popular tactical role-playing series, which promises to feature strategic battles, an epic fantasy story, full voice acting and a lavish anime art style.

  It will also be one of the first 3DS games to offer premium downloadable content, which will be available to purchase following the launch of the main game.

  It means fans will be able to look forward to new maps and characters becoming available as DLC add-ons.

  Created by Intelligent Systems, which is also responsible for the Advance Wars and WarioWare franchises, the Fire Emblem games have been a well-established institution in Japan since 1990.

  However, the series did not receive a Western release until after the launch of the blockbuster GameCube fighting game Super Smash Bros Melee in 2002, which included Fire Emblem characters Marth and Roy as playable characters.

  Published: 24/02/2012

• Nintendo 3DS - Great Games Coming Soon

  
  

  The Nintendo 3DS has been with us for just over a year now - where does the time go? - and in that time it's really started to come into its own. With an array of features and controls that can't be found anywhere else, the latest games for this handheld feature some classic Nintendo icons as well as creating some new ones, and show that you can have console-quality gaming on the go, and that 3D is here to stay!

  

  Mario Tennis Open

  Mario once again proves that he's as adept at sports as he is with a plunger in a game that offers tactical tennis fun previous unseen on a handheld. With a choice of traditional controls or the use of touchscreen and gyro sensors, Mario Tennis Open offers players a chance to really maek use of what the 3DS can do. It also takes advantage of Nintendo's StreetPass, letting you play online with friends or with other players in the local area, as well as the chance to upgrade your player. Whether it's a friendly game or a fight to the championship, Mario Tennis Open and 3DS are a perfect match.

  

  Heroes of Ruin

  Heroes of Ruin is the first RPG designed specifically for the 3DS, and takes unique advantage of the handheld's interactive features. You can quest alone or with other players both locally or online using drop-in, drop-out gameplay. There are extra daily challenges online to earn rewards, you can meet and trade with other players using the 3DS social features, and even buy in-game items using StreetPass. And on top of all this, the game itself is fun and immersive, coming from the strong RPG pedigree of Square Enix.

  

  Luigi's Mansion 2

  The original Luigi's Mansion was a launch title for the GameCube back in 2001 and has become something of a cult classic. This follow-up promises more of the same, sending Luigi back into a haunted mansion to capture ghosts using his "Poltergust 5000" vacuum cleaner. Promising a more puzzle-based approach than it's predecessor, Luigi's Mansion 2 also makes use of the gyroscopic controls to move Luigi around the mansion, and will finally deliver the 3D ghost-chasing that they didn't quite manage for the original!

  

  Azada

  There aren't many games that suit a transfer from PC to 3DS, but Azada is just that. Following the misadventures of hapless magician Titus, this is a series of mini-games, hidden object games and escape the room puzzles. This may seem like a simpler, older style of gameplay, but it's one that suits the on-the-go nature of the 3DS and seems a suitable follow-up title for fans of Professor Layton and other puzzle games.

  

  Animal Crossing

  Another Nintendo franchise gets a 3D facelift as Animal Crossing arrives on the 3DS. The use of 3D is said to be subtle, giving a new depth and detail to the animal village, with the bigger changes coming in the form of how much more you can do within the game itself. Customisation has been enhanced for both your player and your home, allowing for more choice in type of house, furniture and clothing. For fans of the series looking to move from DS to 3DS, this "a bit more of everything" approach is really all the reason you need!

  Published: 08/05/2012

• A Brief History of Handheld Gaming

  
  

  

  This week saw the long-awaited UK release of the PlayStation Vita, the most powerful handheld gaming console ever. Despite a size that fits snugly into your palms, it's a muscular beast of a machine capable of giving its PS3 big brother a run for its money where graphics and processing oomph are concerned. But how did we get here? How did gaming on the go become such a big deal?

  The simple answer is that it's always been a big deal. Even way back in the early 1980s, when the best games were on giant arcade cabinets and the best home gaming had to offer was the bleeping blocks of the Atari 5200, Nintendo was cleaning up with its Game & Watch series of handheld LCD games. Simple in the extreme, they were a cultural phenomena - and Nintendo's first runaway gaming success.

  They were so popular, in fact, that their creator, Gunpei Yokoi, couldn't leave the idea of portable gaming alone. As well as designing classic games such as Donkey Kong and Metroid, he is best known as the father of the GameBoy.

  

  Launched in 1989, this chunky beige brick with a tiny monochrome screen was nothing short of a revolution. Gamers snapped the system up, along with portable versions of hit console games, movie tie-ins, the first entries in the evergreen Pokemon franchise and a certain little game called Tetris. Bundled with the GameBoy, the Russian puzzle classic helped to define handheld gaming as the natural home of simple yet addictive one-more-go game design. It also pioneered the world of multiplayer, using a link cable to allow two GameBoy owners to battle against each other.

  The GameBoy was such an enormous hit - shifting well over 100m units in its lifetime - that other electronics companies tried to ride the bandwagon. Atari released the Lynx, the first handheld with colour graphics, but it struggled to match Nintendo's efficient tech, draining its batteries at inconvenient speed.

  

  More challengers emerged from Japan, such as the TurboExpress, but it would be Nintendo's long-standing rival, Sega, that put up the best fight. The Game Gear launched in 1991, and shrewdly used the same technology as the popular Master System home console, allowing hit games to be quickly ported to the handheld. Although it never outsold the GameBoy, the Game Gear put up a solid challenge.

  GameBoy and Game Gear battled for handheld supremacy throughout the 1990s, with other - often technically superior - portables such as the Neo Geo Pocket and WonderSwan barely making a dent in their dominance. Nintendo's lead was so assured that they waited until 1998 before upgrading the GameBoy's grey and black screen to a colour model.

  

  As the 21st century rolled around, however, the home console experience was becoming so sophisticated that the handhelds were starting to look outdated. Nokia tried to capitalise on the rise of mobile phones with the ill-fated N-Gage, a clumsy hybrid of phone and console that failed to capture the public's imagination.

  It was Nintendo, once again, in 2004 that changed the landscape. The Nintendo DS at first appeared to be an act of supreme folly. Boasting two screens - much like some of the Game & Watch titles of yesteryear - as well as a stylus for touchscreen interaction, it was like nothing else around. And, as with the original GameBoy, Nintendo kept the DS fresh by constantly revising and relaunching the machine in different configurations - smaller, larger, and with more features.

  

  With Sega having long since abandoned the hardware market, the challenge to the DS came from a new rival: SONY. Having exploded into gaming with the PlayStation, SONY's take on handheld gaming was sleek, powerful and designed for the hardcore gamer on the go. The PSP, or PlayStation Portable, certainly made the cheerful DS look like a toy but, much like the Game Gear, it was never quite able to topple Nintendo from its throne, even with cult hits such as Monster Hunter making the system a must-have in Japan.

  

  Which brings us to 2012, where once again Nintendo and SONY are battling for the palm of your hand. Nintendo's 3DS continues the design approach of the original DS, with left field technical innovation and a breezy pick-up-and-play approach. The PS Vita, as we've seen, is the PSP on steroids, a desirable bit of beautiful entertainment technology that pushes the boundaries of what can be done in a small space.

  Looking from dazzling titles like Uncharted: Golden Abyss, all the way back to the rudimentary two-button Game & Watch experience, it's hard to believe only thirty years separate them and yet it feels as though handheld gaming is only just getting up to speed. Imagine where we'll be in 2042!

  Published: 22/02/2012

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