Shigeru Miyamoto has acknowledged that some people do play the 3DS in 2D.

The ability to view 3D visuals without glasses is one of the Nintendo 3DS' biggest selling points, which the name alone should give away. However, Nintendo has always said developers must ensure titles work in both 3D and 2D so that the 3D visuals are not forced upon consumers.

Speaking during E3 Shigeru Miyamoto noted that at times gamers may prefer to view their titles in 2D. Commenting on this Mr. Miyamoto said, "I think it's fair for people to say, 'Oh yeah, for this section of the game, I'm just going to turn the 3D depth slider off.' And, in other parts of the game, they may want to turn it on. I think that's a perfectly acceptable way to play the games."

Early criticisms of the 3DS stated that there was too small a 'sweet spot' to view 3D visuals in and given that the console offers gyroscope control this could be problematic. Nintendo's own The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and Star Fox 64 3D offer gyroscope controls but Nintendo are keen to ensure the two work together: "On the programming side with the gyro controls, we are providing some assistance to make sure that the 3D visuals stay in focus as much as possible".

While he acknowledged that gamers may not wish to view the title in 3D at all times Shigeru Miyamoto stated that there is one aspect that really should be seen in 3D - cinematic cut-scenes:

"There are some sections of some games where you might find it easier or more compelling to play it in 3D. For a game like Ocarina of Time, in particular, if you know a cinema scene is coming up, please, definitely pop that thumb up there and quickly slide that 3D depth slider to max. It will look great."

In our review of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D we recommended just that but how often do use the 3D display and are there certain times when you prefer not to? Let us know in the comments below.