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• E3 2010: Nintendo Unveils the Nintendo 3DS

  To close out their E3 press conference, Nintendo finally unveiled the Nintendo 3DS. Rising from the stage (accompanied by what honestly sounded like a T-Rex roar on the soundtrack in the auditorium), the 3DS turns out to look almost exactly like a standard DS, with some key added features.

  For one, of course, is the 3D top screen, which is 3.5 inches wide -- slightly wider than the bottom screen. Satoru Iwata came to stage to demonstrate it, and he explained only the bottom screen would have touch-pad control, since smudging the screen reduces the 3D affect. It also features a slider that lets you adjust the 3D effect. Control-wise, it'll have a "slide pad" designed for analog control, and also a motion sensor and accelerometer.

  Iwata explained it's Nintendo's goal to make the 3DS (which does indeed appear to be the handheld's official name) a product for the mass market. As part of that, the 3DS also has two cameras on the outside of it, which makes it capable of taking 3D pictures. It can also display 3D movies, with partnerships with Disney, Warner Bros., and Dreamworks announced. All of this can be played without 3D glasses.

  Nintendo announced a new Kid Icarus game and Nintendogs (with cats also promised this time) for the 3DS, as well as a ton of third party partnerships, including Square Enix (making a 3DS Kingdom Hearts), Activision, Level 5, THQ, Electronic Arts, Tecmo Koei, Capcom (making a 3DS Resident Evil), Warner Bros., Ubisoft (3DS Assassin's Creed), Namco Bandai, and Konami (with Kojima making a 3DS Metal Gear Solid).

  Iwata also revealed the 3DS will have a new way of communicating with other 3DSes that might be in an area -- kind of like what Dragon Quest IX does, but no matter what game is in it. So even if you don't actually manually do it, your 3DS might download things from other people's 3DSes without you even realizing it.

  Conspicuously absent, though, were a price or release date announcement. If more comes up on that, we'll pass it on immediately.