Nintendo 3DS Quickie Impressions

While looking around in Best Buy, I got a chance to play the handheld that everyone is going ga-ga over, the Nintendo 3DS. As far as outward design goes, the 3DS is based off of the DS Lite mode and having done my DS gaming on the original, bulky model (or the DS Phat is it is often referred to on the Shizz message boards), I wasn't use to playing on a smaller model. The main issue for me was the thumb pad. It isn't bad per-say, but I can already tell it's gonna take me some time to adjust to it. Maybe because I've used analog and control pads for so long the idea of a thumb pad just seems so foreign to me. But if I was able to adjust to analog sticks then I can surely get used to the 3DS thumb pad.

The game I got to play was Pilotwings Resort. I'm sure some gamers would much rather have seen Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition on display but I think Pilotwings Resort was a much better choice. Graphically, the game looked gorgeous! Pilotwings Resort is by far one of the most visually stunning games the 3DS has to offer at launch and a great showpiece for anyone looking to see what kinda eye candy the system can dish out. Sadly, I couldn't spend a few hours playing the game, so I choose a speedy round of Free Flight in the plane. Controlling the plane was almost as simple as taking a walk, even though I wasn't used to the thumb pad. I flew around the island checking out the sights and just enjoyed being in the sky. Free Flight was short but fun.

I know Pilotwings Resort may not be getting stellar reviews, but I'd personally buy the game. I've been a Pilotwings fan since playing Pilotwings 64 and was more than happy to pick up a cheap copy of the original Pilotwings on the SNES years ago. One of my favorite things to do in Pilotwings 64 was to fly around and take in the scenery and I could easily see myself doing the same in Pilotwings Resort. Of course, getting a good rating was fun, too, if often times frustrating.

I can't get a 3DS anytime soon but by the time I'm able to, I'm sure there will be a broader selection of games, and probably a newer 3DS model that takes care of whatever problems crop up with the original. When I do buy a 3DS, Pilotwings Resort will be one of the first times I own. Now if you'll excuse me, all this talk about Nintendo's flight simulator has got me itching to play the SNES original.