Mar 22, 2011 20:51 GMT  ·  By

The Nintendo 3DS eShop, from where owners of the new device will download new applications and games, was delayed by the company because it wants to really improve the experience and not wind up with slightly disappointing services like the current WiiWare or DSiWare ones.

The Nintendo 3DS has already been launched in its native Japan and is getting ready to be released in Europe and North America.

One of the most important parts of the 3DS experience, the eShop, isn't ready for the debut of the portable console, as the company wants to take its time and really deliver a quality experience.

According to Nintendo's Hideki Konno, the head of the 3DS project, the Japanese hardware and games manufacturer doesn't want to repeat the same lackluster experience as with the WiiWare or DSiWare online services for the Wii and DSi, respectively.

"We definitely want to make sure that it's ready before we bring it out," he told Gamasutra. "The iterations that we've had before -- for Wii and DS -- to be honest, we just haven't been as satisfied as we would like. It's browser-based, and to be honest, the ease of use wasn't what we wanted, and I don't think that anyone has been pleased with the user response."

It was even worse on the Wii, as the service needed to compete with the promotion channel, which actually showed new information or game demos but didn't allow players to directly buy them from the application.

On the 3DS, however, things are going to be much better, as the eShop is going to be a dedicated and complete experience.

"For Nintendo 3DS, we really want to cover that all in one spot and cover it from all sides. And so we're really taking the right amount of time to make sure that it's right. It's not going to be browser-based; it's a native application. So again, the preparation needed for that is quite extensive."

According to a previous statement from Nintendo, the eShop will arrive in late May together with a software update for the Nintendo 3DS, so you'll just need to connect to a wireless Internet hotspot and get the new feature.