The digital arm of Nintendo's new handheld will launch after a system update planned for late May in North America and it will offer a few different types of content. A "short-form video service" will let you view trailers for upcoming 3D movies as well as video and screenshots for upcoming 3DS games. Selected music videos and "comedy shorts" will also be available. Because all comedy becomes automatically funnier when presented in 3D.
The 3DS Virtual Console will include games that were originally for the TurboGrafx-16, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Gear. These will appear in 2D, but a new "3D Classics" label will appear on classic games that have been "remastered" in 3D. A web browser and access to the games currently sold on Nintendo's DSiWare store will also be available on the 3DS after this May update, allowing a new generation of handheld owners to experience the majesty and the pagentry of DSiWare for themselves. If you've already purchased some DSiWare software, the May update will also include a way for you to transfer your purchases over to a 3DS.
Nintendo has also announced a deal with AT&T to allow the 3DS to connect automatically to AT&T's network of Wi-Fi hotspots. 3DS owners will have to opt in to the platform's SpotPass service to use the AT&T network.
Lastly, Nintendo has announced that a summer update will bring Netflix instant streaming support to the 3DS, allowng Netflix subscribers to pick up their streaming queue on the new handheld. No word on if this gives Netflix any incentive to start streaming 3D movies, but I'm going to go ahead and say that probably won't happen anytime soon.
OK, so the obvious question then becomes: Which classic games would you like to see remastered in 3D? I think some of the parallax scrolling found on various SNES and Genesis shooters would be a good fit for that look. And the Activision classic, Venetian Blinds, would obviously be huge.
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