Some Nintendo 3DS users face 'black screen of death' crashes
updated 10:05 am EDT, Mon March 28, 2011
Nintendo 3DS users get early black screen bug
Early Nintendo 3DS buyers in the US and Europe have reported encountering sometimes serious crashing bugs. Nicknamed the "black screen of death" for the error message it brings, it simply says that an "error has occurred" and forces a hard reset. Some have only had it happen periodically, but others have been caught in a permanent loop that gives them no choice but to swap out the 3DS for a replacement.
The issue isn't game-specific and doesn't appear to be tied to specific conditions. Crashes occur whether or not the 3DS is online. The root cause hasn't been identified, though it's likely an OS-level bug.
Nintendo hasn't provided an official response to the issue but so far has been willing to replace 3DS units hit by the flaw. [via Tech Digest]
