A menu and application navigation system utilizing pressure includes a display device including a touch sensitive user interface, and a navigation engine coupled to the display device. The navigation engine is configured to generate a measurement of pressure applied by a user as a function of time at the touch sensitive user interface. The navigation engine is further configured to navigate through a three dimensional data set in response to the measurement of pressure. An increase in the pressure navigates in a first direction through the three dimensional data set, and a decrease in the pressure navigates in a second direction through the three dimensional data set.