So here it is the latest Nintendo handheld, usually announced to great fanfare, it was a surprisingly low-key announcement for the Nintendo 3DS. As the name suggests the big feature is that the console will display games in 3D. It certainly is jumping on the 3D bandwagon that has been storming through cinemas lately, but it has captured the interest of gamers worldwide as to how they are going to pull this off? Especially since the handheld won't require the use of 3D glasses to display the image.

The decision to not use glasses does narrow down the options available to Nintendo somewhat. I can understand why they did it though, after all I feel like enough of an idiot blowing into the mic and tapping on the screen already, throw in some glasses as well and bus journeys would be intolerable. It means though that the 3DS will more than likely use lenticular technology to display the image.

Lenticular technology works by displaying two separate images, one for the left eye and one for the right. This means that you will see the displayed image in 3D. You may have seen on posters at cinemas using this technique. If so, then you will know that to get it to work you need to be a set distance away from the image, the sweet spot if you will, otherwise it won't work. It will be interesting to see how Nintendo approach this problem, as the prospect of sitting in the exact same position for extended gaming time sounds uncomfortable to me.

Another problem that will need to be addressed is the cost of the system. Nintendo have always prided themselves on delivering affordable consoles for everyone, but 3D technology is not going to come cheap. I personally can't see it been any cheaper than £179 (about $250) and that is going to be about the minimum price. Since I would expect that the tech itself should improve as well, I know I would pay for a 3D Wind Waker remake, so Gamecube level graphics are a must. Also expect some form of accelerometer so it can compete with the iPhone.

Details are scarce on the ground at the moment but with the console apparently playable at this years E3 and slated in for a March 2011 release. It will be interesting to see whether this is the next revolution in gaming, or one gimmick to far for Nintendo.

Well with the big release of this year Resident Evil 5 sending a demo this week I thought I post back my views on what is undoubtedly the most hyped game of the year.

Resident Evil has always been renowned for it's survival horror elements but took a step away from that with Resi 4 and if you didn't like that then you will hate Resi 5 as it is no longer a survival horror game. Most of this stems from the fact you are given a A.I partner to work with. This is the one decision I was fearful of as I believed she would be incompetent like most A.I partners but mainly because I thought she would take away the suspense and I was proved right on both accounts. Sheva is fine in general shooting in fact she does it so well you don't have to do too much at all but the problem is that she follows you everywhere like a trained dog, while she should be flanking and taking some of the heat off you that is when a good A.I partner becomes a great one. Also when she dies you die and that completely baffles me, why is it my fault that she can't run past a lumbering man with a chainsaw, surely this can't be my fault and if she must die why can't I carry on by myself like how this game is meant to be played. Still I am been overly mean the inventory system works well between them and she is responsive to a point but you get the feeling she has been tacked on to incorporate a Co-Op mode which isn't really necessary after all there is already a good Co-Op zombie game out and that's Left 4 Dead which is as good as Co-Op is ever going to get.

One of the general gaming public's main criticisms has come from the shooting mechanics which have stayed the same as from Resi 4 so that you can't move while shooting. Now I don't have a problem with this as it is the only time you feel any suspense but I do think they should have included a shoot from the hip option for when it's getting really claustrophobic. Another control problem is that Chris Redfield can't run very fast, I mean Christ some of the zombies (sorry infected) can run faster than he can and they aren't trained special operatives. Also why do you have to hold the A button to run but can only turn the camera with the Right Stick do the developers at Capcom have a third hand because otherwise it is not possible to do.

On the plus side the game looks fantastic and basically plays the exact same to Resi 4 which was brilliant and when you start to get into it the game is action packed with some great set-pieces and that is just from the demo. I still have high hopes for Resident Evil 5 there are tweaks to be made (the target laser reticule could be a bit more defined) and a mode without Sheva would be brilliant but come the 13th March I'll still be picking this one up and check back a few weeks after for a full review!

BTW I hope no-one is expecting a good storyline from Resi 5 after all Capcom are famed for terrible writing in Resident Evil games and this one looks set to follow that trend admirably after all it's got Albert Wesker in it and every line that man says is solid nuggets of crap.

BTW BTW I miss Leon Kennedy's stupid haircut it gave me a chuckle every time.

Once upon a time there was a meeting at Sega headquarters about how they were going to deal with that pesky Mario. They came up with an Armadillo, Teddy Roosevelt in pyjamas, a Rabbit and a Hedgehog. Fortunately, the people who voted for the first three were taking round the back and promptly shot, so that their idiocy would not infect the other members of the team and thus Sonic the Hedgehog was born.

Sonic made his debut on the Sega Genesis (or Mega Drive if you live in good ol' Blighty) in 1991. It was a standard 2D Side Scrolling Platformer in which you ran from one end to the other really fast, jumping on and over things as you went. Sure it was basic but most importantly it was fun. At the end of each level you got to face Dr. Ivo Robotnik, who actually was the Teddy Roosevelt in pyjamas design I mentioned earlier, and what could be more fun than jumping on the head of a caricature of an American President. I know I'd love to do that to George Bush ( Yay! Political Humour)

Sonic appeared in a string of good titles including Sonic 2, Sonic CD, Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles. Things were looking rosy for the little blue hedgehog and then Nintendo took Mario into 3D, so Sega had to do the same with Sonic and this was the beginning of his downfall.

Sonic Adventure was the first 3D Sonic game and was released on the Dreamcast. This is recognized as the best of the 3D Sonic games. I've never quite seen why though the camera was rubbish, there was too many unnecessary characters ( I hope Big the Cat chokes on that Goddammned frog), the adventure elements were pointless and they changed Robotniks' name to Eggman which infuriates me to this day. Despite all of this though it is the best 3D Sonic game, if only by default.

Sonic Adventure 2 was more of the average same and it introduced Shadow the Hedgehog, who can join Big the Cat in Hell, oh wait Marine the Racoon she's there too and Rouge the Bat, can't forget Cream the Rabbit and I was never a big fan of Team Chaotix or Amy Rose for that matter. So there all in Hell for been such annoying, stupid, horribly voice acted characters. Hopefully with the designers who made them.

Anyway, Sonic Heroes was the first Sonic game to appear on Playstation and Xbox. The gimmick behind this was that you was in teams of three characters and you switched between them to use their skills. A good idea in theory but the camera was vomit inducing and constantly made you fall of ledges you couldn't see and horrible voice acting which made me want to stick red-hot pokers in my ears. Plus I only wanted to play as Team Sonic as all the other characters annoyed me. So it was another disappointment and one that had promised so much as well.

The series hit an all-time low with Shadow the Hedgehog. There are so many problems with this game, first off the guns. Now it was bad enough they decided to have them in the first place but to make it worse they were horrible to use, almost as if the developers realised their mistake and so decided to make them unusable, which is just stupidity covering up stupidity. The vehicle sections were crap, in a game were the idea is to run fast why would you need vehicles? The camera was still terrible, as was the voice acting. The characters started using mild language for no apparent reason and quite frankly was completely unnecessary. On top of all that Shadow was a horrible character in the first place why make a game about him. It got slated by the critics and rightly so, strangely enough some people think this is a good game and those same people are proof involuntary euthanasia is a good idea.

Sonic the Hedgehog for 360 and PS3 was just plain terrible, Sonic and the Secret Rings was average with an annoying control scheme and Sonic Riders was a stupid idea and a rubbish game anyway. On the plus side the 2D handheld games are brilliant and show exactly what Sonic does best.

So where does this leave the little blue hedgehog? Well the upcoming Sonic Unleashed is showing signs of promise but to be honest Sonic Team are probably going to screw it up, breaking the hearts of all the Sonic fans again and when that happens you'll find me playing Sonic the Hedgehog 2 reminiscing about what was.

Josh_3691

Hi,

Hopefully if your reading this it's because you enjoyed (or disliked) my Guitar Hero on Tour review. Well I plan to review a game every week for as long as I can be bothered. So if you have any advice or queries about the reviews and the game just PM me and I will try to be get back to you as soon as possible.

Josh_3691