Since I haven’t really played with another Nintendo console, I can’t compare the New Nintendo 3DS to any of the hand-held consoles in its family. What the experts and gamers say about the new model is that its significant upgrade has resulted in more buttons, better sound, bigger screen, facial tracking, a faster processor that loads games quicker, improved battery life, and enhanced 3D features.

I’ll have to go with what the experts say and their glowing reviews on the new Nintendo 3DS, which sold around 335 000 units in North America and Europe when it was launched last week.

However, what I can say for myself is that the 3DS has as much appeal for me as my five-year-old, which really surprised me. I mean, I knew my little guy would love this device and games such as Pokemon and Super Smash Bros, but I didn’t anticipate that I would enjoy it too.

It didn’t take Max long to learn how to play

Granted, it took me a while to learn things since I’m used to playing games on an iPad, and I haven’t played on a hand-held console since I was about 10, when my dad had to literally peel my obsessed fingers off my Donkey Kong console.

But an old dog (me) can learn new tricks, like the fact that Donkey Kong is still awesome (and even better), and that playing games in 3D is pretty mind-blowing. And that I now have something else to do when I’m standing in queues and waiting for appointments etc than checking Facebook and Twitter.

Kids will probably love amiibo – a series of Nintendo character toys that interact with multiple games on the 3DS. What this means is that you can use a plastic figurine character to interact with the game – depending on the game and character, every time you tap the character on the gamepad. So, if you’re playing Super Smash Bros, for example, a figurine will create a computer-controlled opponent that’s cleverer.

Nintendo 3DS also comes with cool cover plates (sold separately), so you can personalise, and have fun with the look of your console. You can buy the packaged games from shops, or you can buy and download most of them from the Nintendo eShop.

I love the simplicity and portability of the Nintendo, and I like that it doesn’t involve hectic setups or admin. This is a big small thing for me – I like ease of use, and intuitive devices.