Nintendo 3DS: Newsbeat's sneak preview

As far as Nintendo is concerned the future is all about 3D.

Or to be more specific its new 3DS, the world's first hand-held console in 3D.

Company bosses are hoping its unique selling point of not needing special glasses will be enough to win over gamers.

With big product launches from other rivals the traditionally busy run up to Christmas could be more competitive than ever.

Sony has plans to release its new Playstation Move controller in mid September.

While the new motion control system for Microsoft Xbox, Kinect, is expected to hit the shelves later in autumn.

It's gamers like Neil from Swansea that Nintendo hopes will get on board, so Newsbeat got him to test it out.

Bumpy ride?

He said: "We've had a sneak preview of some of the games, demos, films and 3D camera.

"Competition-wise with the Kinect and Move I think it's going to stand alongside them this Christmas."

He added: "I'm pretty impressed to be honest and reckon I would buy one.

"But because of the way this 3DS system works you do need to be looking at it at a bang-on straight angle.

"So if you were on a train or maybe a bumpy car journey you might need to turn the 3D off."

Turning off the 3D and returning to 2D is just a matter of flicking a small, sliding switch on the right of the console.

That's something 21-year-old Melanie reckons users would have to use from time to time.

"I think the fact that you do have to hold it really still is a weakness," she said.

"And some of the graphics on some of the games weren't as good as the other ones.

"Overall though I'm pretty impressed with it. So it would all depend on the price tag as to whether I'd get one or not."

'A revolution'

Those price details, as well as a specific release date, haven't been released by Nintendo.

It's also keeping very quiet about technical specifications for the device, such as the quality of the console's three cameras.

All spokesman Rob Saunders would say is that it'll be in the shops sometime between now and March and that the company has never worked so hard on a new product launch.

He added: "We've got over 70 games currently in development for it. Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Mario, they're all coming.

"What you're seeing, I think, is games developers really getting to grips with 3D for the first time.

"Giving gamers something they really haven't seen before which, without the glasses, truly is a revolution."