The Nintendo 3DS, awesome though it is, suffered from a botched launch. When the console arrived it felt like a prototype, and even the arrival of the Internet Browser and eShop weren’t quite enough to complete its online experience. Enter Nintendo Video, the final piece of the 3DS puzzle.

The software, which is a free download from the Nintendo eShop, enables 3DS owners to access a world of video content from a variety of genres. And it’s a tricky one to review, being that it’s still in its infancy and doesn’t have any fancy bells and whistles to shout about. It’s designed to do one thing, and that’s all it does do.

When you first launch the software, you have to give it consent to use the SpotPass and Notification features. You’re then greeted by a clean, dark grey screen with four spaces for videos, and Nintendo Video gets straight to work downloading the latest content. You can sit and watch the progress bar, or close your Nintendo 3DS — either way, the videos will be ready within a couple of minutes. At first only two of the four squares will be filled, by a disappointing “3D Magic” video and an episode of Australian-themed animation Oscar’s Oasis. The 3D in the Oscar’s Oasis video was underwhelming, and it showed signs of being converted to 3D after production, but it was entertaining enough considering it’s just launch content.

Videos can be watched as often as you like, but they won’t stick around forever as new content will come along and replace them. Some people may find that stingy, but I think it’s part of the software’s charm — like YouTube videos recommended by a friend, the videos provide quick amusement but aren’t the sort of thing you’ll want a permanent copy of. And, thanks to SpotPass, videos will be downloaded automatically — it’s likely you’ll wake up some mornings to find the blue notification light blinking, and new videos to enjoy.

Playing videos is a slick, no-frills experience, as it should be. The bottom screen shows basic playback controls, a relevant web link, and a static picture. The picture can be set to change at certain points — for example, it changes to the production company’s logo near the end of Oscar’s Oasis. The only other feature to speak of is an Internet connectivity check, which does exactly what it says on the tin and should be useful when you’re on the go.

The Verdict

 4 – Great

Content might be thin on the ground at the moment, but Nintendo has created a simple experience for its video service that “just works”. It seems strange giving such simple software a “Great”… but that’s exactly what it is.