This isn't very encouraging.  Kids are a big part of the target demo.  If I was a parent would I deal with the hassle of buying my kid one of these and then making sure he doesn't use the 3D feature or do I just not buy him the thing at all?

Hell, as an adult I'm not encouraged by such a warning.  Any potential eye damage is a turnoff, even if as an adult I might be fine.

I wonder whether they're going to add the 3D switch to parental controls.

I could see them doing this. If it's on, it disables the slider.

they are just covering their ass just in case some kid goes blind or something down the line. I bet it will have more warning screens before you play and may even have the 'its been 15 minutes you should take a break' built into the OS when using 3d all the way

Ouch.  Yes, it had better have a parental lock... even then, if this *really* can cause damage to developing visual systems (and isn't just an overblown warning), then some idiot parent is going to screw up and let their kid play it 10 hours a day.  This isn't like 3D TV or the DS which had tiny market penetration.  The 3DS is going to sell in droves.

Please, God, no.  Super Mario Galaxy 2 once had the fat Grimace looking dude ask me if I wanted to take a break after I had just turned the game on and got one star.  I was like "okay, this wasn't programmed very well."  On that session I had only played for maybe five minutes tops.  I figure they have that come up every so many minutes into your total play time instead of your session play time, which is stupid.  I don't want that built into the OS.  I'm not one that cares much about immersion but having every game stop you to ask you "don't you think you've played enough?" is going to break immersion.

I would gladly sign a form that removed all liability from Nintendo if I could never see those stupid warnings again.

They do not mention that in all those 3D movies aimed at kids that are out this summer.

Ya I just saw Toy Story 3 in 3D with 500 small children, I don't recall a warning.

Perhaps it has to do with the degree 3D is used in some movies. Perhaps something like Toy Story 3 has it's 3D implemented in a more subtle way compared to something that is aimed at adult such as Avatar. To much of it, if the special efforts group goes crazy, perhaps can be bad. 

I read in a separate article that the warning is suggested for children 7 and under.  I wonder how many parents buy handhelds for children this young, already.  Personally I don't think kids this young should have a portable game system in the first place, for a number of reasons.

There are portable game systems that are made for children that young, Like Leap Frog's Leapster which has edutainment games.

the only thing that i think really messes with peoples eyes are chemicals, excessive light, and growth. Most people need glasses around puberty time..this is because your eye sockets shift while your growing and you get myopia. I've noticed that when I squint I have 20/20 vision, but i can't go around squinting all the time.

I would call those exceptions to the standard GB/DS/PSP portable model, which aren't made for younger children (although I can't find any official statements to claim this).

The Leapster actually has games from Pre all the way up to 8th grade.
The latest one even has a touch screen. It's not your typical gaming machine, but it has games on par with some SNES style edutainment games.... actually more like Facebook level games that I've seen so far.

True I won't argue those points, but my original point was related to GB/DS/PSP type handhelds.  A quick search tells me Leapster 2 sells for $60.  Considering the 3DS will go for at least $150, I wouldn't say they're comparable.  I can tell you really easily which of the two I'd feel more comfortable buying for a child 7 or under, who will probably lose the thing sooner or later.

My two-year-old great-nephew enjoys sitting with me an watching me play my DSi. He likes for me to play the music and then he uses the stylus to control the pitch of the sound. In fact, when I play Spirit Tracks I have him blow into the microphone to generate air for the fan in that game. He enjoys my DSi so much that he brought me his piggy bank and offered to buy it from me, I refused of course.

The ESRB's "E" for "Everyone" rating is actually for people ages six and up, so this isn't much different than that to begin with. I'm not so sure young children should be playing any videogames period, except maybe the occasional edutainment stuff. I don't think it's good for development. I'm sure there's been studies on this... I should hope...

ZOMG! Nintendo just admitted to the existence of the Virtual Boy! VB games on 3DS Virtual Console confirmed! Though seriously, has Nintendo ever talked about that system since it bombed?

I've let my little sis play them. She was quite competent by age 5. She's turned out fine and has perfect eyesight so far.

I have seen  a 4-5 year old at Wal-Mart with a DSi. It was rather comical because they were looking at screen protector accessories and the dad was bitching about how the boy was already ruining the screen on his. I almost said something but realized they probably wouldn't like what I had to say so I moved on.

Another one was left by a 4-6 year old in out store's bathroom. This is a delivery/carryout only store so he couldn't have been there long. I'm surprised people buy DSi's for basically toddlers.

Are you kidding?  It's like an electronic baby sitter.  Or ritilin.  It gets kids to sit still and leave you alone.  Of course parents buy them for the kids.

I don't like electronic babysitters. It's lazy parents like that that make my gf say things like 'maybe we shouldn't let our future kids play these things'. This is while she is swiping her little sisters DS Lite to play some Mario Brothers. LOL.

Plus if they lose it like many kids are prone to it is a huge headache.

And there are cheaper models! A DS Phat or Lite is fine for a kid. I encouraged a co-worker with children to consider the lower end models.

LOL at all the "kids under 7 shouldn't play video games or have a handheld" or whatnot. I suspect you wee folk don't have children. I dunno, so apologies if I'm wrong. Thanks for the parenting tips though. I'll consider them.

OK, I've considered them. I reject them.

Super LOL at the "lazy parenting" comment. If you only knew how "lazy" I am, or my wife is, or all of my peers, you'd instantly take that one back. If anything, the group of parents I know are guilty of over-parenting sometimes. And ALL of the kids in my circle have DS's and home systems. They've had them for years. They had Gameboys before the DS's. Age ranges of the kids are, now, between 6 and 13. Maybe y'all should stick to what you know, eh?

There is a difference between a parent who uses games as digital babysitters and parents who permit their children to use those things.

Fair enough. Appreciate the clarification.  :)

I never got a handheld system until I got a job and paid for it myself. Just saying.

Apologies for not clarifying sooner. I've seen how hard it is to take care of a child and nothing is more tempting than to set them in front of the telly if it quiets them down for a minute. It's why I don't want kids anytime soon. Very daunting. Handling my nephew for an afternoon is enough for me.

They're just saying this to make kids want it even more, like a reverse psychology thing.