Is 3-D Worth It?
A recent article on CNN Tech about its 3-D video games is a little disconcerting. Read on and see what you think.
Apparently, Nintendo has sent a warning with its soon-to-be-released, handheld Nintendo 3-DS gaming system for young children. It specifically warns children under the age of 6 (which really means wake-up-parents-don’t-let-your-kids-do-this-because-kids-will-ignore- this-warning) not to play Nintendo’s new 3-D games. Why? Here’s an alarming little fact: Children under the age of six who play these games might stunt the growth of their eyes! Yikes! Really? A game could do that? So, you might ask, can it hurt older children’s or adults’ eyes? Nintendo’s warning notes state that everyone who plays the 3-D gaming system should take breaks from the game every 30-60 minutes.
This warning rides on the coattails of potential health effects of 3-D entertainment TVs which have been found to cause nausea, dizziness, and seizures in children, pregnant women, and intoxicated people. Statistically, these risks are greater in children.
Nintendo goes on to explain that parents can turn off the 3-D function of the handheld 3-DS or set passwords that keep their children from using the feature at all. And that’s great, but how many parents will follow through on that or give in to their children when they demand to play the games the way they are meant to be played; in 3-D? And how many people are really going to time themselves out of the game every 30 to 60 minutes to rest their eyes? Especially if they are in the middle of a game at that point.
Call me crazy, but what game is worth damaging my children’s eyes? And if I’m being told I have to take periodic breaks from a game, that tells me it will probably harm me if I don’t. Is experiencing a game in 3-D really worth the risk?
Here’s an idea for you: Forget about setting controls or turning off 3-D functions! How about refraining from buying this gaming system for your kids? Period!