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Understandably, for such a groundbreaking effect, there are some less than positive elements. The glasses, although lightweight, can get uncomfortable after an hour’s use, and it takes time for your eyes to adjust before and after putting them on.

Some titles use graphics techniques that can cause blurring or jarring effects with 3D Vision, meaning you are forced to dial down the level of detail, to the detriment of the game — frustratingly, Crysis, which has won plaudits for its high-resolution graphics, was particularly affected.

Strategy games, where you control armies from a top-down view, are also unsuitable for 3-D treatment, while others sometimes throw up ghostly “halos” around certain objects. Floating icons, buttons and menu windows can all obscure the action. However, these problems are likely to be ironed out as games developers factor in the 3-D effect in future.

Console gamers might have to wait longer for their 3-D fix, but Sony was demonstrating 3-D versions of a number of PlayStation 3 titles earlier this year. Nvidia has proved that the required hardware does not have to cost the earth, nor do games have to be substantially rewritten.

The future of gaming is here and it is in three dimensions.

A history of 3-D

1851 A “stereoscopic” photo of Queen Victoria is displayed at the Great Exhibition in London

1915 The first 3-D film is shown in New York, incorporating shots of Niagara Falls and oriental dancers. The audience wore glasses with coloured lenses

1952 The first colour 3-D feature film, Bwana Devil, released

1997 The US sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun airs a 3-D episode. The effect could be seen by covering or shading one eye

2008 Philips unveils a 56in 3-D HD TV

2009 The director and games producer Steven Spielberg predicts that 2-D gaming will “go the way of the dodo”

December 2009 The most expensive 3-D film ever, the $200m Avatar, is set for release through cinemas. Special glasses will still be required

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