Is your Nintendo 3DS giving you a headache?

“Aaah,” you yell, as a shot of pain goes through your head. Now there is no time for Mario, your head hurts.

Yes, it is a shame but, as with all technological advances, a particular part of the population is not completely compatible and must deal with some of the side effects. In the world of the Nintendo 3DS, or any 3D content for that matter, that side effect (affecting 10-25% of the world) is the inability to handle stereoscopic 3D images for extended periods.

But is there a solution? Can you still play your Nintendo 3DS without giving in to the pain? Maybe you should push through your headache or take a pain reliever? Do not stop!

Listen to your body. Before I tell you how to play your Nintendo 3DS without a headache, at least follow this advice. Your body has the wonderful ability to identify pain. This is useful. If something hurts stop doing it. In this case, if you run into a headache in the middle of a particularly hectic boss battle in Kid Icarus: Uprising, pause the game and take a break.

Headaches occur when playing the Nintendo 3DS due to how the 3D effect is achieved. This is consistent with all other 3D media, as all technology demonstrations are based on the same principles. Basically, when you look at the LCD screen on a 3DS, each of your eyes is sent a different image. This is how the “real” world works and it is how you can access the art of depth perception. But the 3DS approach just messes up your brain.

It creates the illusion of an impossible scenario and adds stress to your mind’s processing capabilities. You are in a state of confusion and a heightened sense of commitment. Most people are not affected by this but, as I said before, there is a percentage who simply cannot handle the facade.

Do you still want to play your Nintendo 3DS? Try these few strategies:

• Rotate the 3D slider all the way down and then slowly increase the intensity of the 3D effects until you find a comfortable level.
• Shorten your gaming sessions and take lots of breaks. I think you will find that headaches only arise from prolonged gaming sessions. Leaving the 3DS on the floor for five minutes every hour or so should work.
• Drink a lot of water. There is a possibility that you are simply dehydrated after playing your 3DS for too long. Pour in a glass of water, drink it, wait a few moments and get back to action.

The last thing I want to do is scare you out of playing the Nintendo 3DS. There are no known long-term effects of playing 3D content but, in the short term at least, if you apply these few strategies (and perhaps a little common sense of your own), you will gain headaches, eyestrain, and other content side effects Stereoscopic 3D ‘Don’t mind.