Children 6 and younger should not use the 3D functionality in the soon-to-launch Nintendo 3DS because it could harm the development of their eyes, the company said. Nintendo said that all of those who play the new handheld device, which allows for 3D play without special glasses, should take a break from the machine after 30 minutes, and if they start to feel ill, they should stop immediately.
Vision in children under six is still in a developmental stage and the delivery of 3D images “has a potential impact on the growth of children’s eyes,” Nintendo said in a statement.
The 3DS does not require special glasses to view three-dimensional images. The top screen has a 3.53-inch widescreen LCD display and an 800 x 240 pixel resolution (400 pixels are allocated for each eye to enable 3D viewing). The touchscreen has a 3.02-inch LCD display with 320 x 240 pixel resolution. There is one inner camera and two outer cameras. At launch there will be a 2 GB game card. The device also features an embedded microphone, a slide pad that allows 360-degree analog input, a motion sensor, and a gyro sensor, in addition to the typical DS buttons.
The 3DS will shown off publicly for the first time at Nintendo World 2011 in Japan on Jan. 8-10. Children under six will not be allowed to use 3D at the event, according to reports. The console will launch in Japan on Feb. 26 for around $300. Nintendo has not announced a release date or pricing information for the United States, although earlier this week, GameStop said is now accepting preorders for the device.
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