There are some things that
(hopefully)
everyone grows out of at some point — braces, bad hair and unflattering fashion trends
to name a few. But if there’s one thing that has the power to take a refined professional and revert them
back into a giddy child, it’s the thrill of playing a shiny new video game.
On Wednesday,
Lifestyler got the opportunity to briefly regress back into childhood with an invitation to
the Nintendo Holiday Preview hosted in downtown Toronto.
And revert we
did.
Less than two minutes
after walking through the doors, we were already at two separate Nintendo 3DS systems, excited to get going on a brand new gaming
experience.
The 3DS, which was
launched earlier this year, is Nintendo’s most recent innovation in portable gaming technology. It’s most
unusual selling point being that it offers users both a 2D and 3D experience that does not require a special
pair of glasses for viewing.
Among the sizable list of
available titles at the event, we were most excited to test-drive the highly anticipated
Mario Kart 7 (in-stores Dec. 4) for Nintendo 3DS.
With added features including customizable vehicles, the ability to drive underwater and fly through air, the
possibility of unlocking new characters, and of course — the option of playing it all in 3D — Mario Kart 7
adds a new dimension (literally) to the classic beloved racing game.
Racing through the courses
in 3D mode creates a noticeable change in the dimensions and depth of field. This change allows users to have
a better understanding of distance, something that the old system would not have allowed quite as well. While
the 3D mode in Mario Kart 7 is certainly cool and helpful, it’s even more beneficial in other upcoming
releases such as Super Mario 3D
Land,
where the added dimension helps users navigate Mario over jumps and obstacles in each of the multi-faceted
worlds and levels.
After almost two hours of
playing, we were reluctant to leave the state of childhood joy we had briefly re-discovered. Then we
remembered that adding the Nintendo 3DS, Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario 3D Land to our Christmas wishlists was
still a viable option.
And if all goes as
planned, adults will become kids once again, with the gift of video games this holiday season.
•
Photo by April
Lim
