Is the Nintendo 3DS giving you a headache? Nintendo suggests you put it down

Just like “what goes up must come down,” the phrase “too much of a good thing could be bad for you” is like a law of nature. And like the good stuff you get from nature like sugar, salt, alcohol and tobacco, eating up the 3D content from Nintendo’s latest handheld console apparently won’t be good for you. A lot of players have complained about getting headaches after spending some gaming time with the 3DS lately, so Nintendo had some explaining to do.

And explain they did. The possibility of experiencing some discomfort is simply part of the deal when you’re dealing with 3D content. “As with anything that requires focus, from reading to staring at a computer screen, taking breaks frequent breaks is always recommended,” said Nintendo UK PR head Rob Saunders.

“When viewing any kind of 3D images, some people might experience minor discomfort. The effects are short term and have no lasting effect, in fact most players can continue after taking a short break.”

So there you go. It’s definitely rare for a gaming company to suggest that you put the thing down and take a break every once in a while, but that’s what you have to do when the console is making you feel a little woozy. The 3DS does come with a 3D depth slider that’ll let you adjust the 3D effect though, so you can try tweaking that too.

Or just take their advice, drop the 3DS, and go out every once in a while. It’s good for you.