While Nintendo had a lot to brag about in 
March, the overall video game industry wasn’t so fortunate.
Initial sales of the 3DS handheld gaming device beat those of its predecessor, and the powerful Pokemon franchise set new sales records for the company. Despite these achievements, overall retail software sales fell 16 percent last month and revenues on the whole were down 4 percent, according to The NPD Group, which gathers sales data for the industry.
Nintendo is pulling out a couple of big 
guns in the second quarter to boost its bottom line.
After months of hedging, the company has at last firmed up a launch date for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D. The eagerly anticipated 3DS remake of the classic title — still considered among the best of all time — will hit store shelves on June 19.
For the past four years, Nintendo and Apple have 
been grappling for control of the mobile gaming market — but last month, the stakes got higher.
The 3DS, a handheld system that presents games in stereoscopic 3D without glasses, hit shelves March 27, representing one of Nintendo’s biggest bets in years. And early indications are it was a winning one.
Konami hasn’t put out a Pro Evolution game for a 
Nintendo handheld for a few years and its developers seem to have gotten a bit rusty in that time. Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D is a so-so title, at best, offering a decent game of soccer once people figure out the controls, but forcing players to choose between an impressive-but-restricting view or a functional-but-boring view. Players who want to experience the 3D functionality of the 3DS are likely to choose the former — and will have a harder time playing because of it. The lack of the series’ “Become a Legend” mode as well as online multiplayer is a bit baffling, as well. If you’re a long-time fan of the series you’ll be more likely to find something to enjoy than newcomers, but both sets will feel a bit disappointed.
Ten years ago, the thought of a battle
in the portable gaming market was ludicrous. Nintendo had held such a dominant position in the space for so long that it seemed impervious to any sort of challenge.
The field was littered with failed opponents, but things started to get a little more interesting in late 2004, when Sony jumped into the market with the PSP. By the time Apple launched the App Store in 2008, a full-fledged war was underway.
No system launch is ever completely smooth, but the 
last thing a company wants to hear are reports that its new product is crashing when it gets in the hands of consumers.
Nintendo is in that uncomfortable situation, however, as a small number of new 3DS owners are discovering a bug causing an error screen — or worse, making the screen go completely dark.
Nintendo has some pretty loyal fans – but none of 
them can compete with Isaiah ‘Triforce’ Johnson.
Johnson was the first person in America to buy a 3DS when they went on sale Sunday, waiting for five chilly days outside a Manhattan Best Buy to claim those bragging rights. As signs of dedication go, it’s a pretty hard one to top — until you realize that five years ago, he spent more than 200 hours in line to be the first to buy a Wii.
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars 3D is a game that comes so, so close to
being terrific. The story is fun, even if you don’t follow the cartoon series and don’t grasp its nuances. And the puzzle solving elements are fantastic. Using the characters at your disposal to figure out how to progress is challenging, but never frustrating. Where it falls short, though, is in its save features. Levels are long — with some lasting 30 minutes — and you cannot save the game mid-level. Given the rather weak battery life of the 3DS, that can be problematic for players who don’t have that long to dedicate to the game. And with the 3D effects turned on, looking at the screen for a period that long can result in severe eye fatigue. A simple save at will or autosave feature would boost the game tremendously. As it is, it’s still one that’s worth your time — if you know what you’re getting into.
Rayman 2: The Great Escape is often cited as one of the best
games of all time — and it hasn’t lost a lot of its luster. The game, now called Rayman 3D, is reinvigorated by the 3DS’s 3D effects, which do a good job of simulating a world with depth. But the 3D effects can sometimes make the game a bit more difficult — and many players may feel eyestrain after playing for an extended period (or even a short one). While the gameplay elements are still a lot of fun, UbiSoft did not take advantage of many of 3DS features, such as the gyroscope or touch screen functionality, which is a bit baffling. Still, this is a fine port of a very good game — and one of the better launch titles for the 3DS.
While Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition is one of the best 
(and most elegant) multiplayer games to ever appear on a Nintendo platform, it’s worth remembering that this is, at its heart, the second update of a two year old game. That means the graphics aren’t as impressive as you might expect from a launch title for a system whose main selling point is its graphical differences. In 3D mode especially, the backgrounds appear incredibly static — almost cardboard-like.
At its core, though, the game remains a good fighter. The action moves quickly and there is a tremendous variety of moves among the large collection of characters. Finding a random online opponent is easy (though the matchmaking service isn’t fully up to snuff yet), as is connecting with friends. Fighting in the system’s 3D mode takes some getting used to, but it’s a nice (though unnecessary) addition, letting the characters stand out as they battle. Longtime fans of the series don’t need to buy yet another version, but for new 3DS owners looking for a quality game for older teens, this isn’t a bad choice.
Chris Morris: Journalist 