Would you pay $250 for 3-D gaming, movie watching and picture taking you can carry in your pocket?

That's the question Nintendo is gambling on this spring when it rolls out its latest in a long series of what have been incredibly popular portable gaming consoles.

The 3DS hits the U.S. on March 27 for $250, the same price that Nintendo launched its incredibly popular Wii console for in 2006.

That $250 price tag puts it in direct competition with the current lineup of consoles, with the Wii and Xbox 360 both now selling for $200 and the PlayStation 3 selling for $300.

The 3DS also faces some stiff competition among other portable gaming systems. The iPod Touch, an increasingly popular gaming device for tweens and teens, starts at $229 and Sony's PlayStation Portable sells for $170. And later this week at an event in Tokyo, Sony is expected to announce details for its PlayStation Portable 2, a device rumoured to have a touch surface, 3G connectivity, and more power than an Xbox 360.

Fortunately, the 3DS seems to have something no other portable hand-held or home console can deliver: The ability to play games, look at pictures and watch movies in 3-D without the need to wear glasses.

The first time I saw the technology in person it was an almost magical experience, leaving me with a feeling that I needed to remove the glasses I wasn't wearing when I was done.

The 3-D gaming options that Nintendo is offering up on the device so far, though, aren't that impressive. With just eight or so weeks until the pricey device hits, no single game seems to be standing out as a must-own, must-buy title.