Console Spotlight: Nintendo 3DS

All week I've been giving you a run down of the different iterations of Nintendo's handheld over the years leading up to this, a console spotlight and a look under the covers at the printed circuits that make up the newest addition to Nintendo's handheld army; the Nintendo 3DS.

Released last year, the 3DS is capable of displaying 3D gameplay on its upper screen without the need for special graphics with the lower display being a touchscreen.. The added power inside the console also makes it capable of producing some quality graphics for great 3D updates of classic Nintendo games such as Pilotwings and Mario Kart as well as great additions that weren't possible on previous hardware such as Resident Evil and Metal Gear Solid. The connectivity of the 3DS is also vastly improved with StreetPass being a great idea where consoles can swap data such as challenges and quests just by passing each other. This is a great example of electronic manufacture being implemented to produce a new and fun idea.

• Measurement: 5.3in wide × 2.9in deep × 0.83in high
• Weight: 235 grams
• 32-bit colour display on top autostereoscopic 3.53in and lower 3.02in displays
• 128 MB FCRAM memory
• Dual core 800MHz Nintendo ARM Processor
• PICA200 Graphics Chip
• Internal 2GB flash memory
• One front-facing and two rear-facing cameras
• Input: D-pad, buttons, touchscreen, circle pad, 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope
• Wireless communications and 3D depth switches

Fact: The Nintendo DS comes packaged with a pack of Augmented Reality (AR) cards which are used to project real time graphics onto live footage viewed through the cameras. You can make Mario and Link appear as though they are on your sofa!