Based on all of the buzz leading up to its release, the hype behind the Nintendo 3DS has built to near epic levels, comparable to things like Charlie Sheen or Rebecca Black. But now that it's been just over a week since Nintendo officially released its latest handheld game console into the wilds of the U.S. retail market, we've got to ask if the 3DS is really the tiger blood fueled revolution in gaming we've been led to believe? Or has Nintendo simply cranked out another Auto-Tuned one hit wonder to the video game audience?

Nintendo was still riding high on the success of its Game Boy line of handhelds when it announced the first Nintendo DS system back in 2004. Initially, the system, with its dual screen setup and touchscreen capabilities, seemed like just a novelty that would pass, but somehow Nintendo made it work. Over time, the DS evolved with the addition of new features like better backlighting, SD card support, multiple camera, and online connectivity. And while the Game Boy eventually went the way of the dodo, the DS continues to press on, giving Nintendo free reign as the undisputed ruler of handheld kingdom.

When it finally came time to develop a successor to the DS, Nintendo knew it had to come up with something really innovative ... and if there's one thing Nintendo knows about, it's innovation. Just look at what it did with the Wii. But how could developers possibly cram any more features into the DS's compact package? Easy ... they started by adding a little more "depth" to the experience, courtesy of a slick new glasses-free 3D technology, and then built on from there. Enter the Nintendo 3DS.

The best way to describe the 3DS is that it's the video game equivalent to a Swiss Army knife. Besides 3D, the system can act as a web browser, a pedometer, a social media device, a movie viewer, a camera, and an MP3 player. There's certainly no question that the 3DS is capable of a lot of things, but the problem right now is that it's not exactly living up to its fullest potential yet. For example, the web browser, the Netflix viewing, and the online 3DSWare shop are all MIA out of the box, with no plans to activate those features until an update currently scheduled for late May. Even some of the features that ARE active out of the box feel more like demos waiting for a full release. While I'm glad to see Nintendo ditch the game-specific friend codes in favor of a singular system specific ID, what good is it to see your friends without any way to talk to them? Supposedly, the company plans to add more chat features to the friends list, but once again it's a feature coming "at a later date". Making matters even worse, the system's launch line-up of games leaves a lot to be desired.

Despite the feeling that the 3DS was rushed out without everything in place, is the system still worth the $250 asking price? Absolutely. The first time you fire up the system and see the 3D in action, you can't help but get blown away by the way it looks. The 3D effect doesn't pop out at you like you'd expect, but instead seems to fall back behind the screen as if you could reach into it. Even without the 3D engaged, the system boasts some amazing visuals, meeting or in many cases beating what its bigger brother, the Wii, is capable of. And the first time you use the pre-installed Augmented Reality (AR) Games, you actually feel that the 3DS is capable of altering the world around you. It's an amazing piece of technology, and things are only going to get better once developers begin to really tap into its potential.

As it stands, the Nintendo 3DS is something that early adopters and people who don't yet own a DS will have a lot of fun playing with. The glasses-free 3D is an awesome experience, and the augmented reality and accelerometer make for a cool new way to game. On the other hand, the lack of major launch titles and missing out-of-the-box features means that people who already own any one of Nintendo's earlier models probably won't be in any sort of rush to upgrade.

Final Score: B+