Now I honestly know for certain that we’re not talking about the Virtual Boy collapse here for just any reason, but if a double warning released out of Mario Land earlier today is any indication, then you’d best prepare for some real deja vu.
In fact, should it come to pass that a fairly recent discussion from IGN is a good indication of the future, then Nintendo will somehow be unable to avoid the eternal ghost of its last 3D gaming attempt despite all preparations and proverbial exorcisms — and it would come further even as it prepares for the launch of the 3DS in the springtime.
The point in question is not so much the pending showcase next week in Japan, but the fact that the Big N is warning about two potentially tough issues. First, younger players (notably those age six or younger) should limit themselves to 2D mode only. Basically, the idea here is that artificial 3D can potentially hinder eye development. Second, even adults should avoid playing in 3D mode for any longer than 30 minute intervals.
So basically speaking, that’s two strikes against the most centralized feature of the 3DS. Could past history indicate a strikeout? After all, the same IGN post goes on to note that while the same kind of warnings circulated around the Virtual Boy launch window, they were still not the “key undoing [thereof]… but it was definitely a piece of the rug that was eventually pulled out from under the gaming device.”
So to make the final point, could this truly be deja vu all over again? That remains to be seen, but with Nintendo World 2011 in Japan and CES in Vegas both offering potential showcase opportunities (or definite in the former case) along with the potential for hard release dates pertaining to Europe and/or North America (in the latter case, that is) then we’re facing some potentially troublesome news here. I’d suggest that you serve this meal with a layer of salt for now, and then just wait and see how it all turns out.
