New Iwata Asks: 3D GBA SP and 3D Screen for GameCube!

[link83]

New "Iwata Asks" interview here:-
http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interview.html#/how-nintendo-3ds-made/
Interesting discussion about Virtual Boy on page 2. Also on page 3 it seems there was a prototype Game Boy Advance SP with 3D screen:-

Iwata:
Those products never saw the light of day.

Itoi:
Now that’s interesting!

Iwata:
For example, a sample screen used in the Nintendo 3DS to illustrate how you can see three-dimensional images without special glasses was functioning on the Game Boy Advance SP system.

Itoi:
Game Boy Advance SP? That’s the Game Boy Advance system that opens and closes, right? So…even before Nintendo DS?

Iwata:
Yes, that’s right. Making three-dimensional images that can be seen by the naked eye requires a special liquid crystal, so we tested it out by putting it in the Game Boy Advance SP. But the resolution of LCD was low then, so it didn’t look that great and it never made it to being a product.

In order to make images look three-dimensional without special glasses, you display the images for the left and right eyes separately, and deliver each one separately. To do that you need high resolution and high-precision technology. We didn’t have that to a sufficient degree back then, so the stereoscopic effect wasn’t very sharp.

Also, although we have known for quite some time that the GameCube could do 3D visuals, it wasnt clear exactly how this would have been achieved. Iwata explains that it would have used a 3D LCD screen accessory and that there was a 3D version of Luigi's Mansion fully playable:-

Iwata:
To go back a little further, the Nintendo GameCube system actually had 3D-compatible circuitry built in.

Itoi:
Huh?

Iwata:
It had the potential for such functions.

Itoi:
Nintendo GameCube did? And all the Nintendo GameCubes systems around the world?

Iwata:
Yeah. If you fit it with a certain accessory, it could display 3D images.

Itoi:
What a secret!

Iwata:
Nintendo GameCube was released in 2001, exactly ten years ago. We’d been thinking about 3D for a long time even back then.

Itoi:
Why didn’t anyone ever know?

Iwata:
The liquid crystal for it was still expensive. Simply put, Nintendo GameCube could display 3D images if you attached a special LCD, but that special liquid crystal was really expensive back then.

Itoi:
Yeah, we’re talking about ten years ago.

Iwata:
We couldn’t have done it without selling it for a price far above that of the Nintendo GameCube system, itself! We already had a game for it, though—Luigi’s Mansion, simultaneously released with Nintendo GameCube.

Itoi:
The one in which Luigi shoulders a vacuum cleaner?

Iwata:
Yeah, that one. We had a functional version of that in 3D.

Itoi:
That was 3D?

Miyamoto:
It would jump out at you pretty nicely.

Iwata:
Even without special glasses, the 3D looked pretty good. But we considered how much the liquid crystal would cost, and it was just too expensive. We figured the market just wasn’t there for it.

[subbie]

the part I find interesting is they have this 3D version of Luigi's Mansion already built yet it didn't cross their mind to have it ported and sold with the 3DS (wouldn't cost them much and giving it for free would go over well).

[Shadowlayer]

I bet we're going to see that version of Luigi's Mansion as a launch title

[JamesMichael]

I bet we're going to see that version of Luigi's Mansion as a launch title

Doubt it will be a launch title but it would be nice to see it in the future! I think its one of the Gamecubes underrated titles. I really enjoyed it when I first got my Gamecube

[Shadowlayer]

Yeah I got it with my DOL-001 GC too, not that there was a lot to choose from, completed the game in a couple days and never played it again.

Not that it was bad, just not in my alley...

[JamesMichael]

Yeah I got it with my DOL-001 GC too, not that there was a lot to choose from, completed the game in a couple and days and never played it again.

Not that it was bad, just not in my alley...

Yeah I never played it again but if they added some content and re-released it on the 3DS I'd get it. I agree about the Gamecube not having not much to choose from to start with. I remember getting LM, Wave race and Super Monkey Ball on launch day and then a few days later thinking what the hell? I actually went to mid night launch to get mine and got loads of free stuff. Got this VHS video showing upcoming games which at the time hold my faith but my Gamecube in the end got no where near as much play time clocked as the N64.

[ave]

Nevertheless I think the GameCube was a much better console software-wise than the N64. There were lots of great Nintendo titles, at least as much as on the N64, but opposed to the predecessor, 3rd party developers did a great job too.
I'll admit that the GC pad added a big part of the fun, without a doubt it is the most ergonomic gamepad in history right next to Xbox 360 and... not sure.

[JamesMichael]

Nintendo brought out the games for the Gamecube. I recently got back in to Pikmin 1 and 2. They are proper amazing games. But tbh other than the standard Nintendo gems there wasn't much else. I guess for me I missed Rares input to making first party games. They made some real classics for me on the N64. Such a shame whats happened to them in recent years

[Shadowlayer]

I remember getting LM, Wave race and Super Monkey Ball on launch day and then a few days later thinking what the hell?

Haha man I feel your pain, bought this shitty non-combat flight sim and toy commander with my DC, because those were the only games left in the shop. Boy did those sucked!

Anyways, on my GC I waited a little longer and got Pikmin and Rogue Leader, both great games:thumbsup:

[Alchy]

Capcom did good stuff on the Gamecube. RE4 is the obvious highlight, my favourite game on the platform without doubt.

[7Force]

RE4 was great, but Viewtiful Joe was even better. Definitely one of my favorite last gen games.

[A. Snow]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Luigi's Mansion show up as a Club Nintendo title.

[Taucias]

This is a pretty interesting article. I take it as being something new Nintendo are experimenting with? Hopefully they touch on more historical stuff in the next "issue".

[link83]

This is a pretty interesting article. I take it as being something new Nintendo are experimenting with? Hopefully they touch on more historical stuff in the next "issue".

"Iwata Asks" is not a new thing:-
http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/index.jsp
http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/...sks_12108.html
There are even more interviews that dont appear to be listed there - You have a lot of catching up to do!

To me this is the most interesting interview:-
http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/...603_15604.html
As it revealed pictures of some of the original design documents for Famicom Zelda:-

[lvsteven]

Sorta makes me think:

Did nintendo put THAT MUCH into luigis mansion that they had a 3d version before there were 3d tv sets.

Then they go and hand us freaking Mario sunshine.

Thanks. Really.

[Taucias]

It's a great read knowing that these guys are so close and have so many fond memories of their games. They seem very down to earth.

[Alchy]

Then they go and hand us freaking Mario sunshine.

I've never understood the antipathy there. It wasn't another Super Mario 64, but it was still a great game.

It's a great read knowing that these guys are so close and have so many fond memories of their games. They seem very down to earth.

They do. All those articles are genuinely interesting, it's great that they made them.

[joehax]

When Iwata says you needed to attach the GC to a special LCD, does he really means a 3D TV? Or was it some other peripheral that was required on-top of a 3D TV?

[la-li-lu-le-lo]

If they made a 3D Luigi's Mansion for the 3DS, I would probably explode.