Nintendo this week unveiled its first commercial for the Nintendo 3DS, set to debut in the U.S. on March 27.
The 30-second spot (below) shows various gamers using the device, the 3D functionality drawing them into the game. "3D games, photos, entertainment, and more. No glasses required. Nintendo 3DS. Take a look inside," a voice says at the end of the commercial.
In New York, Nintendo will host an event on the eve of the 3DS launch, from 9pm on Saturday until 2am on March 27. Nintendo President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime will be at the Union Square Best Buy around 9:45pm to greet fans before being lifted onto a hydraulic stage at 11pm to address the crowd and begin a countdown clock to midnight. Fifteen minutes before Best Buy opens its doors, Nintendo said people will throw old-school 3D glasses into the air to "unshackle themselves" from the need for 3D glasses; the Nintendo 3DS displays 3D images without glasses.
Best Buy will then be open until 2am for those who want to get their hands on the 3DS. The first 300 people in line will receive Nintendo 3DS carrying cases, among other giveaways, Nintendo said.
In addition, the lights on the Empire State Building will be red for the 3DS launch.
The $250 3DS will support 18 games at launch, including the Nintendo-published "Pilotwings Resort," "Steel Diver," and "nintendogs + cats" for $39.99 each. Netflix will also bring its streaming service to the 3DS, the company said at the Game Developers Conference, while Angry Birds is expected on the device later this year.
Nintendo made headlines late last year over a warning that the 3DS might be hazardous to children's health. At CES, however, Fils-Aime said that the warning that Nintendo put out is common for 3D displays.
For more, see PCMag's Nintendo 3DS: What to Expect and our comparison between the Nintendo 3DS and the upcoming Sony Next Generation Portable.