3DS loads DS games much slower than DS itself

[Snailface]

From Gamespot:

Despite faster hardware, Nintendo's new portable trails the original DS when it comes to firing up original DS games.

Nintendo released the 3DS in Japan on February 26, and we promptly flew one back to the States for some tinkering. Nintendo traditionally makes its handheld consoles backward compatible with the previous generation. The original Nintendo DS was backward compatible with Game Boy Advance games, and the pattern continues with the Nintendo 3DS's ability to play Nintendo DS/DSi games.

GameSpot tested load times on the Nintendo 3DS and the Nintendo DS Lite with five DS titles. Time measurements began from the moment we launched the game in the console's menu until we could interact with the game menu. All tests were repeated three times and then averaged to the nearest whole number.

Nintendo 3DS Load Times
(post#3 by mercluke)

Surprisingly, the Nintendo 3DS loads games considerably more slowly than the Nintendo DS Lite. On average, the Nintendo 3DS took 35 percent longer than the Nintendo DS Lite to get to the in-game menu. Performance didn't seem to suffer once we started to play the games, though. Frame rates seemed normal across all the games we played.

The Nintendo 3DS has internals that outclass those of the original dual-screen handheld. However, outside of stating that the console contains a 200MHz PICA200 GPU, Nintendo has been silent on the details surrounding the CPU, but it's clear from the resolution jump on both screens that the 3DS needs to have more processing power. By comparison, the original Nintendo DS is powered by a 133MHz ARM9 and a 33MHz ARM7. We're guessing that the software emulation hoops the Nintendo 3DS needs to jump through to run DS games bog it down a bit. Nintendo hasn't yet responded to inquiries regarding the results.

Source: Gamespot
Edit--Factual error: Original DS has a 67 Mhz Arm9 not 133 Mhz (lol)
(thanks for the chart, mercluke!)

 

[AlanJohn]

... I don't think it loads 3DS games faster...

 

[redact]

load times comparison chart^

 

[heartgold]

DS games are emulated

It's probably just some extra AP checks or stuff. Probably switching from 3DS mode to DS mode hardware takes time.

 

[TheTwoR's]

The DS barely takes time to load DS games anyway, so waiting 35% more wouldn't really make any difference.
And since it's all the same once the game has loaded, it really won't matter.

But thanks for the update anyways mate.

load times comparison chart^

Is it just me or the picture isn't loading?

EDIT: Omg sorry!

Double-post :/
Mods please merge them..

 

[Ace Overclocked]

0.0 hell
but wont really matter

 

[Forstride]

I don't see why this is big news. I'm sure people won't die waiting 5 more seconds than usual. It's just start-up time anyways.

Now, if in-game load times are affected, it might be important, but other than that, it's really not.

 

[redact]

*snip*
load times comparison chart^

Is it just me or the picture isn't loading?

EDIT: Omg sorry!

Double-post :/
Mods please merge them..

working perfectly fine for me
maybe your pc hates my webhost?

 

[Ace Overclocked]

I don't see why this is big news. I'm sure people won't die waiting 5 more seconds than usual. It's just start-up time anyways.

Now, if in-game load times are affected, it might be important, but other than that, it's really not.

yeah
but for the cpu...

 

[Ikki]

Software Emulation?

Lol people trying to look smart.


Well, I don't really care about this. I won't be playing DS games a lot on the 3DS given the fact that I'll keep my DSL.

And extra seconds or not, the games are playable. It's not the world's end.

 

[TheTwoR's]

I don't see why this is big news.

No one said it was.

 

[Snailface]

Software Emulation?

Lol people trying to look smart.


Well, I don't really care about this. I won't be playing DS games a lot on the 3DS given the fact that I'll keep my DSL.

And extra seconds or not, the games are playable. It's not the world's end.

Right, but you have to admit, it's kinda surprising.

Edit: Another thing they got wrong in the article is that the avg. increase in loading time is approximately 60%, not 35%. (lol again)

 

[Vigilante]

Well if its only booting time,its not really a big deal.

 

[BlueStar]

Presumably it just takes about 5 seconds to shut down the 3DS OS and boot DS mode.

 

[NamoNakamura]

Calling it now: Nintendo's competition and various people who dislike Nintendo are going to overblow this minor issue to make it seem like the 3DS is a bad console.

I can see the headlines: "Sony: The 3DS takes longer to load older software, our system is clearly better".

Then I can see the CoD-heads saying "The 3DS takes forever to load older software, h0w c@n 1 pwn n00bs with that? Lol my screen name is xXxXx0oO0oO7heCh0$3nWhun0oO0oOxXxXx"

Edit: Poked more fun at teh ecksbawks

 

[Skyzoboy]

Presumably it just takes about 5 seconds to shut down the 3DS OS and boot DS mode.

And 1 second to write some logs in device (AP)

 

[Bladexdsl]

couldn't care less if i ever get a 3ds i wont be playing ds games on it and anyway it's stupid it's like saying gamecube games take longer to boot on the wii cos you have to click the disc channel button

 

[haddad]

looks like 3ds loads games faster then?

 

[Noitora]

Presumably it just takes about 5 seconds to shut down the 3DS OS and boot DS mode.

And 1 second to write some logs in device (AP)

Umm...No?

 

[mkoo]

DS games are emulated

It's probably just some extra AP checks or stuff. Probably switching from 3DS mode to DS mode hardware takes time.

I think 3DS uses some sort of hypervisor to mimic ds cpu.