Nintendo 3DS = Virtual Boy 2.0?

After a 15 hour nap, passing out in the bathroom for 3 1/2 hours and just feeling like pure shit in general, I bring you my thoughts on the health factor on the Nintendo 3DS and its close ties with the Nintendo Virtual Boy. NOTE: There is no connection with my sickness and this subject as I am too poor to own a 3ds.

No doubt some people have/want the new Nintendo 3DS. But is it the better version of "Virtual Boy" just with better graphics but the same warning label?

Nintendo's first go at portable 3d system. Yes, they marketed this as portable.

Nintendo has a warning on the 3DS advising players to take a break every 30 minutes from the system, should stop playing if they feel ill, and advise against children under the age of 6 from playing it all together. Is this just crazy propaganda started by the same parents that started the "Nintendo thumb" and "Wii elbow" trying to get a reason for their kids to put down the game, or is there a legitimate concern here?

I personally believe that there should be some concern. Other than my theory that Nintendo is trying to take over the game market literally by brainwashing the players to help Nintendo take over the world on top of buy out any and all Nintendo merch out there, I do see what people are trying to say here.

Much like the biggest flop in Nintendo's history, the Virtual Boy, the 3D gaming can cause eye strain, headaches etc. more so and faster than 2D gaming. And much like everything ever made in the history of ever it effects some people more than others, and some people have no effects at all. Does this mean I feel like the system should be pulled off shelves? Nope. I do feel like parents need to know their children a bit better and know if they walk out of a 3D movie with a headache, the 3D feature on this system probably needs to be disabled. The difference between the 3DS and the Virtual Boy? Well if you're not old enough to know what the Virtual Boy is and how horrible it was, here is a quick glimpse into the past of "portable" 3D gaming:

Mario Tenis Virtual Boy 1996

MarioKart 3DS 2011

As you can clearly see Nintendo has made a lot of progress in this market. And thank god! But what bugs me is that both systems carried similar warning labels, and something SUPER FISHY (to me) was that the Nintendo 3DS was released 15 years to the month the Virtual Boy was discontinued. Is this just coincidence? Or is Nintendo elaborately planning something here?!

Whatever the case may be Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata says the Virtual Boy paved the way for the 3DS and I fully agree. Without Nintendo going through that horrific machine known as a Virtual Boy, chances are we wouldn't have this new shiny piece of awesome known as the 3DS, at least not for a few more years.

My only fear is whats next on the agenda of portable gaming? State your opinion in the comments. And for further reading, check out Kotaku's article on the subject!