Nintendo 3DS handheld will arrive in Japan on February 26, 2011

At the press conference where it announced the official launch date of February 26, 2011 for the Japanese market for the Nintendo 3DS handheld and the price of around $300 Nintendo has also offered some more information about the new device and confirmed that both Resident Evil and Metal Gear Solid will be launched at the same time as the hardware. Unlike 3-D games for the PlayStation 3 or those utilizing NVIDIA's 3-D Vision technology, which adds three-dimensional special effects to PC titles, software for the Nintendo 3DS doesn't require the use of cumbersome stereoscopic glasses.

Everyday expectations also play to the 3DS' advantage, because players naturally anticipate smaller and/or less complex gaming experiences on handheld devices. This makes supporting games easier and more affordable to build for the unit, giving designers a leg up on 3-D game development. Instead of forcing manufacturers to push the technical bar to justify pricey living room upgrades, the Nintendo 3DS offers creators a platform to experiment. In this way, it offers simpler, more natural transitions between 2-D and 3-D adventures. Early feedback from gaming critics is promising. Nintendo's knack for making new technology engaging and user-friendly is evidenced by the success of systems like the motion-sensing Wii.

The Nintendo 3DS will also have a new tag functionality, which allows video games installed on the device to communicate with others while the console is in sleep mode. The device will even have a special light that will attention the user if the console passes another one which has data that can be shared.