The Nintendo 3DS has been out for a little over a month now and the library is still in its infancy stages. Of the launch titles, I was really only interested in Super Street Fighter IV and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Shadow Wars. I must say, I am enjoying every minute of the 3DS. I like how the 3D slider allows me to see and play games in a new method for gamers (without needing any special glasses), but I feel like I’m not using the handheld to it’s full potential; mainly the StreetPass feature. I asked myself why is that the case? Simply put, I don’t know that many people around me that have a 3DS and I don’t feel like just going to Gamestop or Best Buy and StreetPassing the demo unit because I want the human aspect of it all. Nothing beats knowing that when the green light pops up, someone around you has a 3DS and might even be playing at that very moment.
A few weeks back, a friend of mine informs me that there’s going to be a 3DS StreetPass meetup in my local area and that we should check it out. He sends me a link to the facebook page of StreetPassDC which laid out the events details (where and when) and I made it a point to make it. When we got to the event, Joshua Lynsen (the event coordinator) was wearing a Mario hat and welcoming newcomers as well as returning guests. I was amazed. Everything I wanted to have happened in using the StreetPass feature was becoming a reality. Almost immediately the StreetPass indicator light lit up and I was rushing to the Mii Plaza to welcome each person’s Mii to my 3DS. With each StreetPassed Mii, I am able to trade puzzle pieces as well as recruit them as heroes for a run-through of the Find Mii game. I was also able I was finally being able to use my 3DS for the fun features intended with use of the hand held. After going through the Mii Plaza I loaded up Super Street Fighter IV and went to the StreetPass battles to challenge my new rivals in simulated combat.
After the initial rush of participants, Joshua made an announcement welcoming the guests and gave a brief history for the reasons why he and his wife established the gathering in the first place. It was a means for other 3DS users to gather and make some new friends that own a 3DS and grow the community, but if you didn’t want to do the social part you couuuuuuuuld just grab the StreetPass tags and bolt! Joshua also announced that he is pushing for more Street pass events that will aid in popularity growth as well as that of the community. This is something I can stand behind and I encourage more people to participate. You can also check to see if there’s a StreetPass meetup in your neck of the woods by going to the StreetPass Network.
These meetups are fun events and ones that we here at n00b alert can’t wait to attend more of!
