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At E3, Nintendo 3DS Makes iPhone Gaming Look Like Yesterday's News

Evidently Nintendo (NTDOY) was serious when it said its enemy wasn't Sony (SNE) or Microsoft (MSFT), but Apple (AAPL). It seems to have given up the homefront to focus squarely on the mobile with its new Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming system.

Let's look at the stats:

  • 3D display: Developed by Sharp, the glasses-less 3D display looks really good. Nintendo is already promising 3D movie trailers, which is a simple, smart move -- and a natural limitation to the iPhone/iPod/iPad environment.
  • Analog thumbstick: Right above the thumb pad, the new analog thumbstick allows for smoother controls. It is a strong reminder that the iPhone family has no physical controls.
  • Huge 3D commitment from gaming big dogs: Nintendo unleashed a surprisingly long list of 3D-enabled games that will be coming out by year's end. It shows that the bigger video game companies haven't counted Nintendo out in the wake of Apple.
If Steve Jobs wants to keep his mobile gaming marketshare, Apple is going to have to react. Unfortunately, it already did with the iPhone 4, and its previously impressive retina display and lack of buttons/control make it, on a gaming level, seem dated before it even hits the shelves next week.

Nintendo's Wii plan offered no surprises, but its mobile game will be a force to be reckoned with this year.

Photo courtesy of mattjerome_88 Related:

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