Jon Hare, the designer between such classics as Sensible Soccer and Cannon Fodder, has diminished much hyped Nintendo 3DS by writing it off as a hardware gimmick, and expressing concern at the system’s approach to graphics over gameplay.
“The Nintendo 3DS take is interesting, but in my eyes it is just a hardware gimmick which might do well,” says Hare. “I am not interested in the limitations and demands of graphical engines. I want 75 per cent of the focus of making a game to be on the gameplay and to keep on making it better and better and better until it is ready to be published.
“This is almost impossible to achieve with 3D without a massive budget and a lot of time.”
The whole 3D thing is certainly something to be cynical about. I’m cynical about it myself. However, while I agree that the 3DS is a gimmick, that’s not to say it won’t be good. Some gimmicks are pretty awesome, and having seen the 3DS in action, I have a feeling Nintendo’s handheld will fit that bill.
Interview: Jon Hare [Beefjack]
Published: Jan 11, 2011 10:00 am