The 3DS game console from Nintendo certainly impresses with its stereoscopic 3D screen, accelerometer, gyroscope, stereo-3D camera and improved graphics processor. Nonetheless, an important question is whether the 3DS will be much more expensive than the current DS. Nintendo remains tight-lipped over the exact price, but claims that the value the console will offer to end-user will be high.

“I have to refrain from talking specifically about the price point. What I can confirm is that, in terms of the production costs, it will cost more than the costs for the Nintendo DS today. Having said that, we believe we will produce enough value worthy of the production cost. We do not think we have to sell the products below cost,” said Satoru Iwata, the president of Nintendo, in an interview with VentureBeat web-site.

Nintendo 3DS comes with a 3.53” top screen and a 3.02” bottom touch screen. It has three cameras – one inner and two outer – to deliver the stereo-3D effect and take stereo-3D pictures. It includes a motion sensor, a gyro sensor, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n controller, a Slide Pad that allows 360-degree analog input and so on. The device also has a special slider that can increase, decrease or disable stereoscopic 3D (S3D) effect. The 3DS comes in form-factor that is similar to the predecessors and is fully compatible with Nintendo DS titles. The console uses DMP Pica 200 graphics processor.

Nintendo pins a lot of hopes on the 3DS and claims that it is a brand new platform that will serve on the market for the next five years or even more. It is also the world’s first portable video game system that supports stereo-3D output.

Traditionally pricing of video game systems from Nintendo have been more affordable compared to systems from Sony. But while the latter as well as Microsoft Corp. usually sell consoles below cost, Nintendo has not sold Wii or DS below the manufacturing cost.

Tags: Nintendo, 3DS, Stereo 3D