A little over a month into the new year, we’re giving you a high-tech preview of the top gaming and gadget trends to hit the market in 2011.
By Gabbi Baker
On March 27, Nintendo introduces portable entertainment in 3D - without the need for special glasses. Nintendo 3DS™ system in Aqua Blue. Photo Courtesy of Nintendo.com.
3D Gaming
This year, Nintendo will introduce the first handheld 3D gaming device, the Nintendo 3DS. In stores March 27, the device will feature real 3D graphics, with no need for special glasses.
And as prices for the now-expensive 3D televisions begin to drop and they become more common in households, gamers will see their favorite games becoming 3D-compatible.
Motion Control Gaming
Motion gaming, like the Xbox 360 Kinect, Nintendo’s Wii Motion Plus, and Sony’s PlayStation Move, let users take the action into their own hands, controlling the games they play with the movement of their body. Rather than new devices coming out in the next year, it’s predicted that we’ll see a better usage for preexisting motion controlled devices.
Social Gaming
A recent study shows that 20 percent of the U.S. population ages 6 and older reports having played a game on a social network in the past three months. Since then, the numbers have continued to grow, and game developers will most certainly take advantage of this online market to showcase their creations.
Mobile Gaming
Mobile gaming on your smartphone will continue to be popular this year as the Apple App Store grows with content and the new Windows Phone 7 allows you to play Xbox Live on the go. Plus, with the official announcement of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, better known as the “Playstation Phone,” during a commercial on Superbowl Sunday, we’ll see a lot of buzz surrounding new phones that are designed just for gaming.
