Topic: 3DS Newbie

I went and bought it. Had a 5% off code so it made it £8.50 with free postage.

I doubt I'd even use up a 8GB card, but with the e-shop expanding, we may start seeing sales one day. You can't guarantee you won't need space in the future.

But also you can store music on the 3DS too so I could potentially use it as a music player when I'm out and about.

@JAY81UK:

You ask about keeping your purchased eShop games if you sold your 3DS. Assuming you would be wanting to keep them to transfer to another 3DS or 3DSXL console, Nintendo now provide a "System Transfer" tool which allows you to transfer all the contents of your 3DS across to a new console, and this also involves re-assigning your eShop identity to the new console. The old console is formatted as part of this process and can be sold on as an empty second-hand item. The System Transfer tool can be found on screen 3 of Other Settings in System Settings on the Home page of your 3DS.
See this recent feature article here on Nintendolife:-
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/07/guide_3ds_xl_system_...

I believe that if your 3DS broke and you were unable to transfer your games to a new 3DS using the transfer tool, you could negotiate with Nintendo customer service to have the matter sorted out satisfactorily. Presumably they might require you to send them the broken console.

There is also a great deal of information about System Transfer, etc., in the 3DS Help/Customer Service pages on the Nintendo UK website.
Hope this satisfactorily answers one or two of your questions

Hmm, I don't like the sound of that. Why can't you just have an account like on PS3?

If my console breaks, then I'd want to sell it as faulty on eBay like I have done in the past with previous consoles. It makes me warey of buying expensive content on the e-shop in future if I'm being honest.

So if I reset the console to factory settings, all my downloads would be lost, or can I re-download them? It's this that confuses me.

Just can't get my head round not having a personal account. What an earth would you do if the console develops a fault and you need to return it the seller within the first year? All purchases gone!

That may be changing soon with the Wii U (which is confirmed to be account-based). I dunno if they'll update the 3DS.

As for a factory reset, that's something to check with Nintendo if the situation would happen.

Hi again - no, none of your stuff would be lost at all if you have transferred everything to the new console first using the System Transfer tool - and part of that process involves re-assigning your eShop identity to the new console. Nintendo always allow you to re-download any games you have previously purchased providing its onto the console assigned to your eShop identity. If I had a problem with a console in the first year with games on it from the eShop I would discuss the matter with Customer Service at Nintendo before I went back to the seller. They respond very quickly to email, and I think they also have a phone contact, though I've never used that.
I can't answer your other questions as I have never owned any console other than a Nintendo DS or 3DS, though I understand game downloads for the PS3 are managed differently. I actually had a lot of eShop content on my 3DS, and I've just transferred all of it onto my new 3DSXL (using the System Transfer tool) and have no problems at all accessing my eShop account. My old 3DS was formatted as part of that, and while I do admit it's a bit of a pain not being able to keep a second copy of "my" games on that machine, I have to accept that it's just the way Nintendo does things if I want to play Nintendo games.

I see, ok thanks. It's a huge change going from being used to one brand to then going to get used to another. I'm confident I'll be happy with a Nintendo though. My last main Nintendo was the SNES and that was incredible.

If your 3DS breaks within a year, you can send it in to Nintendo for a free repair. If it breaks afterwards, there is a fee to repair or replace the 3DS, but it is nowhere near as costly as buying a new system. There really is no need to sell it as broken and buy a new 3DS.

The thing is, I bought it from eBay - and although it's brand new and sealed, I doubt Nintendo would cover me in the first year for it.

I know. It will be fixed soon, but not now. Not until after Wii U launches, which means spring 2013, or maybe even later.

Well I know Sony won't replace your PS3 if you bought it from Ebay, so I'm wondering where I stand, as I bought my 3DS brand new and sealed from eBay.

trying registering the system on club nintendo. just because you bought it brand new from eBay doesn't mean that you don't get the warranty. if it was a used system, then you wouldn't get the warranty.

Nintendo told me today that as it was bought from ebay, it wasn't covered as technically it's second hand.

I have registered it via club nintendo, and if anything did happen to the console, then I can kick up a fuss and say it was a gift or something. Worst comes to the worst, then I'd pay them to repair it.