Well I disagree with you (when do I not? ) about MGS3D and about Nintendo finally getting great 3rd party support.

First, MGS3D actually looks really good. I'm sure if we put a side by side comparison we could see that its possibly inferior but I sure as hell can't really see a major downgrade.

mgs3.jpg MetalGearPortableComparison.jpg

It sure is looking better than Peace Walker and that's saying something cause Peace Walker is a gorgeous game. You also shouldn't underestimate Kojima and his anal retentiveness in terms of making high quality games. Personally, I'm happy to have a portable version of MGS3 which is my all time favorite game. The fact it looks like it will play like Peace Walker is an added bonus cause it means we'll be transferring to a system we know that works as opposed to us wondering how they will incorporate MGS3's complex controls to a handheld device.

Yes, I want Kojima to make new titles, hell I wish he would stop making MGS games cause I'm concerned the series will get so large and vast its cool factor gets lost underneath its bloat and history like Final Fantasy, Mario Bros., and Ultima; but Konami and the fans keep asking and Kojima really can't say no.

Still, thanks to the scenario and stages being mostly already set up, the port will allow Kojima to explore the technology better and I feel seeing Kojima's track record that MGS3D will most likely be the system that will set the standard for how games should be made on the system. I have more faith in his ability than Nintendo at this point in time.

Secondly, Nintendo is finally making a game platform that has great third party support and games that, for the most part, cater more towards the "serious" (more like old and jaded) gamer. Which is what everyone has been asking them to do for years and now you say we should just spit in their eye and be done with them, now that they are actually caving into gamers demands? Hate to see you at negotiation tables.

Personally, its this line of thinking that makes me a person who is more loyal to my third party developers, who as far as I concern, shouldn't be buddy buddy with any of the Big 3. It lets you ignore the silly console debates and when crap goes multi-platform, its a good thing as opposed to a "OMG! YOU TRA1TORS!!! I R KILL U GWARGH!!!!" which frankly is a silly way to look at a medium that is created for passive entertainment.

I don't care that its on the 3DS personally, I don't really give a smurf about 3D and think its a silly trend turned mainstream interest that honestly doesn't add much to games beyond cinematics. When I buy the 3DS it will be because of a portable MGS3, a new MegaTen game, a new Persona game, and MML3 (probably no to SSFIV but that's because I never felt like traditional fighting games translate well to handhelds and this has more to do with the design of the handhelds than the quality they put out) so for the most part I could care less its Nintendo, I don't buy games for their systems cause I like them I buy their games cause those are the games I like and it happens to be on their system.

Thirdly, I think its time we stop this silly nonsense that handhelds are second class consoles that will never surpass their home console brethren. Seriously, I feel the PSP and DS have better libraries than all three current consoles combined and I feel ever since the GBA and hell ever since Pokemon tbh, handhelds are now on equal terms of creating original entertaining games that are easily on par in terms of being fun, innovative, and beautifully design as their console brothers. The GBA was literally a portable Super Nintendo which is regarded by some as one of the greatest consoles of all time, the DS can pull of N64/PS1 capabilities and now the 3DE is proving to be on par with a PS2. We're talking about a handheld that is almost as powerful as a console that people still play today.

They may not have long ass cinematic cutscenes (though that's been changing lately) but in terms of gameplay content and fun factor I would argue they surpass some of the over bloated psuedo-realistic looking cousins on major consols and you know what? They sell just as well and were made cheaper cause no one expects a handheld game to have to drop a few million dollars into the title in order to be satisfactory to the finicky palate of modern gamers. Maybe with some PSP franchises but honestly I think their most interesting titles are games that appear to have been built by guys in the mail room, at the game company, while no one was looking. Handhelds are becoming a better investment and that why I think were' seeing more comapanies making more fun and creative games on these handheld systems over the consoles. SE has more handheld games in development right now than console titles. Its becoming the better medium to create games cause its inexpensive and lacks the outrageously high expectations that gamers have created for major consoles. *ends handheld rant*