E3 2010: 3D Paddle Ball Hands-On (Nintendo 3DS)
By:
Andre Segers
|
June 21, 2010, 7:18 pm

One of the few interactive 3DS demos on display was a modern retake on Paddleball, and strangely enough, was one of the best showcases for the 3DS’s potential.

Most of the action takes place on the 3D top-screen in a 3D corridor, as opposed to the usual side-view. As the ball bounces toward the screen, you have to deflect it back by dragging a paddle using the touchscreen before it’s too late. We were concerned that there would be a disconnect when using the lower touchscreen to maneuver an object on the top-screen, but it all felt very intuitive. 

As we paddled the ball back and forth, we couldn’t help but notice how profound the 3D effect was--there was never any doubt as to how far away the ball was, as I could see  exactly where it was. And in a particularly neat touch, the game makes use of the 3DS’s accelerometer, allowing you to slam the ball harder by flicking the 3DS itself as you smack  the ball--it really adds to the belief that you’re interacting with an object that’s really there. We just wish the system had rumble built-in to provide some tactile feedback that we’re really slamming a ball.

This simple demo also makes clever use of the 3DS’s exterior cameras, providing a glimpse of the real world through a window embedded in the back wall of the corridor. That same window would soon begin to crack, before shattering completely, as we continued to bombard it with high-speed balls--awesome.

I couldn’t help but be impressed by what I saw. Sure, there wasn’t much to it, but taken purely as a tech demo--as intended--it proves the 3DS has a lot of potential that Nintendo’s only barely hinted at.
 
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