Netflix now playing on 3DS

Once limited to mailboxes across the country, Netflix is finding its way into subscribers' homes through a wealth of ways these days. The on-demand movie rental service instantly streams films to PCs, Internet-capable TVs, Xbox 360s, PlayStation 3s, Wiis, and, starting today, the 3DS.

The free Netflix streaming application headlines this week's slate of Nintendo's new downloadable offerings for its Wii, DSi, and 3DS systems. At the moment, the Netflix application allows users to stream only 2D TV shows and films for viewing on the system's top screen, but the company has plans to add 3D fare to the streaming library in the near future. While the Netflix application is free, users must have a streaming membership with the company, which starts at $8 per month and covers streaming through any Netflix-compatible device.

Those who would prefer to actually play games on the 3DS have two new options this week with the Virtual Console rereleases of original Game Boy offerings Baseball and Game & Watch Gallery. Like its NES counterpart, Baseball offers a no-frills, no-license version of the American pastime, while Game & Watch Gallery revisits Nintendo's original line of portable gaming devices with updated versions featuring Mario, Yoshi, Bowser, and other Mushroom Kingdom mainstays. Both games are available for $3.

The DSiWare store sees another quartet of offerings this week with the word-guessing game Extreme Hangman 2, the microscopic augmented reality game AfterZoom, the brain-teasing Puzzle Fever, and the licensed pop karaoke game Just Sing! 80s Collection. With the exception of the $2 Extreme Hangman 2, all the new offerings are $5. Additionally, all of the games are downloadable for the 3DS through that system's eShop storefront.

The last new addition to the Nintendo online catalog this week is the WiiWare title 3D Pixel Racing. Available for 500 Wii points ($5), the multiplayer racing game lets players jump into retro-styled sports cars constructed from blocks (similar to the PlayStation 3 game 3D Dot Game Hero) and race through a variety of modes to unlock more tracks and additional cars.