
The Nintendo 3DS dropped in price recently — you might have noticed — and with the Flame Red 3DS hitting North America on 9th September and both Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 due for Christmas, many are predicting a resurgence in fortunes for the console. But is the price drop and the promise of these two much-needed games enough to send 3DS rocketing up sales charts? And if so, where does it go from there?
Despite shifting 3.6 million units around the world in its first month, the machine sold just 710,000 units in April, May and June, way beneath Nintendo's projected sales estimates. Even so, the decision to lop $80 (or around 30% in Europe) off the 3DS price less than five months after launch was a bold move on Nintendo's part, and while it might renew uptake of the console in the short term does it send out the right message about the console's future?
In the past Nintendo has been proud of its ability to pull in profit on every console sold, in stark contrast to its competitors who lose money on hardware but make it up with software sales, subscriptions and more. Of course, without an expanded install base it's almost impossible for Nintendo to turn a profit on 3DS retail software, but the more 3DS consoles it sells at a loss the more software it needs to sell too.

At first, this seems a good thing: it's no secret that people buy Nintendo consoles to play Nintendo games, one look at the DS software sales figures proves that. Despite resurrecting Pilotwings in Pilotwings Resort and including felines in Nintendogs + Cats, the only game that's had any lasting impact on the sales charts is, predictably, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D. If the predicted increase in hardware sales is to be sustained, there needs to be a regular flow of new titles from Nintendo and third parties, and while we listed 5 3DS games worth buying before Mario many are hoping for dozens of new titles.
The price drop should drive more users to purchase the console and cement it as a viable platform for publishers, but even so it’ll take months until we see a significant increase in new titles coming to 3DS. New owners may get caught up in the buzz of that new gadget smell, but what is there in the long term?
It also raises the question of where the console price goes from here. Assuming the machine sells well at its new lower price, will Nintendo increase the price further down the road to reclaim some of its lost profits? If its sales don’t increase, will we see another attempt at a catalytic price cut? How low can it go before publishers, retailers and gamers feel Nintendo has lost faith in its current 3D experiment?

One crucial change Nintendo must make to turn 3DS into a runaway success isn’t just pricing or software, though: it must rethink the way it explains the console to the mass market. Early negative press about headaches and dizziness still hangs over the console, and neither word of mouth nor Nintendo’s “seeing is believing” approach quite hit the spot. Recent adverts in the UK stress the console’s power, online capabilities and array of games rather than the 3D display and camera that featured so heavily in the early marketing.
In some ways, the machine is held back by its backwards compatibility: the necessity of two screens resulted in a console that, to the casual eye, is indiscernible from a DS Lite. Of course, had Nintendo’s new machine not worked with any of the 840m+ DS games sold so far, parents would have railed against the company’s greed. The inevitable console redesign is likely to make a much more bold statement with its aesthetics, but we’re a long way from that yet.
Retailers also have to play their part: many online stores still lack dedicated 3DS sections, or combine the format with the regular DS. The Wii was never marketed alongside GameCube, and everyone knew DS was different to Game Boy Advance, but the major difference here is that many retailers still turn a decent profit from DS, and may not believe a new console is required.
The price drop has brought 3DS back to the top of the agenda for many gamers and media outlets, but it’s a sticking plaster over an open wound. It will stoke the interest of those who wouldn’t have given it a second glance before, but Nintendo must have a newly reinforced plan for long-term software and third-party support if it’s to get anywhere close to the unbelievable success of DS.
What do you make of the 3DS price drop, and what do you think Nintendo should do to turn the console into a hit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Comments 138
Oh No...
I hope the 3DS suceeds.
I think the price drop happened early, but meh, whatever :3
I love my 3DS It smell's good, it's outragiously fun to play. It's good Stuff actualy one of mine favourite consoles of nintendo however GBASP HAS SPECIAL PLACE IN MA HEART!!!!!
Nintendo released the console way too early. Should've been around August imho. Also, poor software support overall and poor marketing and idiotic pricing (particularly in Europe) haven' t helped. Also, most ppl are more than satisfied with the bohemoth that's the DS. Hard act to follow. Price drop was a wise, brave and humble move
At retail, all they have left to do is drop the price of their software from $39.99 to $29.99 and despite the enthusiasm of hardcore Sony fans, it'll be very tough for Sony Vita to gain a foothold in the actual market after that...(unless it's pirate friendly), it's all uphill for Vita after that. On the eShop front, they need to release more games, their drip drop method of game distribution needs to go away.
Agreed, before the eShop launched in June, the 3DS felt like a demo. Still kinda does sometimes. Besides all that though, It's still a great system that deserves alot more attention then it got.
I also think they need to release more games than the eShop. They are still putting more attention towards DSiWare. I mean, 1 VC game a week, and like 5 other DSiWare games. I can't stand that.
Price of software obviously needs to come down. 3D is not an excuse to ask for the same price as AAA games on PS3, that cost a lot more time and money to make. Look at Sony's pricing for PSP software and follow suit.
Wow. Enough of the complaining about the 3DS looking similar to the DS. It has so many differences, while still maintaining the initial DS design in a way. That makes it more impressive. I'm quite happy it looks like a DS - it managed a good design IMO. To be honest anyone that's getting the 3DS confused with the DS just shouldn't be bothered with.
i think if there is a difference in sales its just because the casuals havent got one because they have a ds its mainly just long time gamers that have got 1 so long as nintendo arent hurt by lack of casual buyers i dont mind
I bought the 3DS as my first DS and so I only own one 3DS game (Ocarina of Time) and the rest are DS titles. For me, there simply aren't that many 'killer' DS games as of yet. Possibly Super Street Fighter is another title I would consider, but I recently purchased that for another console. It does seem odd that Nintendo would drop the price without really trying to push the true 3D games first; my Amazon wish-list contains many 3DS titles that will come after the price-drop. I can imagine those early adopters of the 3DS, who had another DS previously, are feeling a little annoyed, though.
Software sells hardware. 3DS has no software. There are like 3 games actually worth buying right now, and it's pretty sad that the best game out for the system is almost 15 years old. Even NL's list of games worth buying before Super Mario isn't too great. Another remake of an even older N64 game, and a couple fairly obscure niche titles. The 3DS will absolutely fail if we don't get any games worthy of the system. It has potential, but no one is buying a $250/180 system just to look at a pretty 3D menu screen and play 20-year-old games.
I agree. Get the games flowing and the sales will pick up. Just dropping the price isn't going to be enough.
Now to wonder, did Nintendo make a mistake to trust third parties at launch and not release their own AAA software ( Mario, Zelda, etc ), or did third parties just lack when given the chance?
I hope Nintendo learns from this, especially since systems like the Gamecube had such a fantastic launch ( Super Smash Bros. game at launch? System seller right there! )
If the 3DS is as powerful as they say it is . . . I would like to see Resident Evil 4 on the system. I love that game as do millions of others, and I would love to take it on the road with me.
Unfortunately i agree with this article on IGN http://uk.ds.ign.com/articles/118/1184980p1.html#disqus_thread
The 3DS is an awesome system and well worth the now 169.99 price tag . I play my 3DS more than any of my other systems at this point , though that was not the case when I first got it due to the lack of software at launch. The games are starting to flow a little now if they could pick up the pace in getting more good software out I really don't think Nintendo would have to worry about the 3DS's sales.
I'm interested in picking one up now. Not just because you can get them as cheaply as €160,- but also because there finally seems to be a decent line-up coming together.
Fancy this: The other day I saw a DSi XL that was actually €10,- more expensive than the 3DS lying next to it.
I went game shopping this morning and the 3DS section was uninspiring at best. Still the same old games on the shelves.
so it sold over 4 million units in 4 months, that sounds very impressive to me. but i guess we are just number crunchers just like the corporate folks. lets enjoy some of the hardware and some of the games thats out there already and lets not forget the back catalog of games. well a price drop has me sold on the system already. i guess it can get better on the online front, cause everything else on the 3ds seems good to me..
I ot mine the 12th for 80 bucks off. Ambassador, smashador
@the3dsismine i agree the 3ds could handle that easily and think we will get re4 sometime would be another port but a topnotch one
@billy-beauts I agree. It's quite difficult to drop down $40 on any handheld title. I've got the same issue with dropping down $60 for a console title as well. It's just getting way too expensive and the amount of games on the market is absolutely staggering as well.
There's more than 15 3DSWare titles in Japan and some of them are actualy pretty interesting for example Picross E and many other titles that deserve more atencion in other countries but will never come. It's a shame cause we only Have one 3DSWare Title an average one: Let's Golf 2
oh my god....you guys seem to forget that the DS had plenty of titles that were 39.99 or more. So I don't see why you are complaining. The 3DS has only been out like 6 months. Of course there aren't going to be a lot of games out right away. It was the same with the Wii and the DS. Mario Kart DS still sells for 42.99 here in Canada and 39.99 in United States. 3DS games are on sale all the time or they have deals when you buy a 3DS you get a game free or something. Or you can buy one 3DS games and get one free. So stop complaining about the price of the software. Plus these titles have 3D. They are nothing like the DS games. They cost more to make than the average game.
The whole thing stinks in my opinion. The original price tag, thin launch line-up, regional pricing differences, marketing, and the dramatic price cut which is a kick in the balls to those who were loyal.
Me a massive Nintendoid but they pissed me off with the 3DS.
Rushing the 3DS launch, rushing the Wii U announcement. This isn't the Nintendo I know and they need to stop, and chill.
Well, the impact is that I actually got convinced to buy one.
Im a nintendo fan but to tell the truth i still own the the original ds and never upgraded for a few reason.s
1) the upgrades have not really be worth it , in other words ds lite games etc still run on the old the original ds so its ponitless to pay out.
2) psp games go for around £15 instead of £30-£40 which is much more affordable.
3) a hand held consle should not cost more then a gaming consle such as the wii,xbox360 or ps3, it should cost around 1/4th of the price of a consle. Rember many familys have atleast 3 children and this adds up fast, so tesco at £115 is really £345 with no games thats a lot of money.
4) graphics are very poor compared to the psp even the n64 and sony has a new hand held on its way which can provide graphics near the ps3. Now its true that graphics dont make it a good game but think how much more sucess you would have if mario galaxy graphics was on your handheld.
Tesco does the best deal at £115 but i think ill wait for it to drop more, im sure nintendo will make the 3ds-lite or something soon which will force the price down lower.
Its not a world which every one is made of cash, most people earn just over the minium wage and can not afford such goods. Cheapen it down to around £80 and you have a deal.
Ill stick to my pre-own games like every one else
@Geonjaha: I think the point people are trying to make when discussing how similar the 3DS looks to the DS Lite and DSi is that, to the casual observer, there appears to be very little separating the consoles.
Sure, to people in the know, it's obviously a brand new console with lots of additional features, but to someone browsing in a store looking for presents for someone else I'm sure there would appear to be few compelling reasons to buy one over the cheaper DS models.
I think the main problem was the mediocre launch line-up. The fact that the 3DS doesn't seem that much different to casual audiences doesn't help either.
Honestly, I just want some low-priced-good-ol' Nintendo software. Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 can't come fast enough.
Games, real standout games. Nintendo has to lead the way at all times before 3rd party can follow through, they know their hardware best. Another idea is to remove such games as Pilot Wings from demo stands, to show off potency, it requires games like Zelda OoT. Also, did Nintendo ever thought of at least a YouTube or Skype? I know it's not a phone but the 3ds is capable of the these, why not use it to the maximum? I believe this would lure in the masses especially in times like these when software are in a drought.
Well, I heard there was plans for a SMT:Persona game on 3DS. It's probably not going to be P5 (And thanks god for that, a major Persona title HAS to be played on a big screen), but I wouldn't mind a remake of P3 or P4, or hell, since PSP is getting P2:Innocent Sin, they could very well port it to the 3DS. That could make my buy that console.
In my opinions, the games that need to be released as quickly as possible are:
I also believe they could take a cue from Sony's PlayCreateShare. There's WarioWare alright, but compared to the sheer freedom of LittleBigPlanet 2, it's seriously lacking. But yeah, we all know of Nintendo's genius when it comes to online capabilities...
All I can say is that because of the price drop I own a 3DS now so it looks like their strategy is working.
I would also like to see more unique 3D software/apps that other consoles can't do. Really bring on the 3D!
1) The 3D Nintendo Videos are nice but bring 3D movies to Netflix (I know a lot of that depends on Netflix)
2) Bring out the Virtual Boy games and update them (both classic mode in red and new colorized modes)
3) Bring out all the Sega Scope 3D games
All this content is already designed for stereoscopic 3D so it should not be as heard as making a 2D game into 3D and plus there is a lot of quality content here. I know this would get my attention.
Also
Bring out those "lost" Japanese RPGs to the States that the fans wanted. I know this does not directly affect 3DS sales but when your fans are happy, they will buy more Nintendo stuff both for the Wii and the 3DS.
I just like to sit in the shadows playing game and watch gallery, no more debating from me!
There are alot of factors that do play into whats going on. Its my personal belief that if the 3DS released with all of its promises, Zelda, Mario, and strong 3rd party support, eshop, and great games on the way, price point wouldn't have mattered. Or at least it would have mattered much, much less.
As I tell anyone that tries to ask which console to get, it always comes down to the games.
Nintendo, make some wise moves. Make a confirmed GBA support for all 3DS users. Make some exclusive deals, and give Capcom some insentive to get Monster Hunter 3DS released. Im sure theres more, but now is definitely the time for action.
Once more software starts rolling in they'll get a lot more support after this price drop.
I'm holding off for the next version, hoping the battery life can get a decent improvement.
@mumof2kids82
Costing more to make isn't a valid argument. 360 and PS3 games are rarely over £30-35 these days and PC games are even cheaper. It shouldn't cost just as much, if not more to buy games for the 3DS.
Especially with the huge market for indie games, Facebook titles and iPhone/Android games. People just aren't willing to spend that much on games any more, it is a big issue.
Early adopters have also been thoroughly screwed. I'd have sold mine, if the value hadn't just completely plummeted. Things are looking bad for the Wii U when Nintendo have even managed to annoy their hardcore supporters.
Yeah like others have said, drop the price on software.
$80 price cut + Mario at the holidays = user base explosion.
@39 Prices on 3DS games will go down. :/ I've l already seen some go down to 20$. They aren't that much more expensive than the DS games anyway.
I have a feeling the 3DS will start selling better this holiday, but I highly doubt Nintendo will see the sales and 3rd party support that the DS saw. Which is unfortunate, the 3DS is a great machine. (But remember how much the DS sucked when it first came out? We need to give the 3DS time.)
It's just too expensive and too similar in design to the DS lite. Parents can't tell the difference between that and their kid's current DS. There's no incentive because it looks like "another one" I'd like to see this price drop and upcoming software cause the 3DS to rocket up the sales charts, but I'm not so sure the mass market really sees the value right now.
@42 thats still expensive i can buy games on my iphone4 for only £0.69/$1.12 and the games are just as good.
Nova 2 cost only £4.99 compare that to a 3ds game, its one heck of a game.
@stevenshearing
a. $169.99 for system, $30-$40 for quality game or
b.$400+ for iPhone, iPad (without contract), and .99-$4.00 for cheap quality games.
Sorry, no Mario, Zelda, or Pokemon quality + NO BUY
Actually I think to make the 3DS really successful they need to phase the DS Lite and DSi away
IMO, Ninty epic failed as far as marketing goes. Like the Netflix fiasco. You can't make a system & expect everyone to know what it is and what it does, and they kinda sorta did that in some places.
Software, software, software. If you look at every 3DS game released thus far, 3 are worth buying. That means that our lineup, at least in NA, is putrid, nicely put. There's no Mario, Metroid ,Star Fox, Mario Kart, Kid Icarus, MGS, or Resi 4. These are all games that WILL BE be coming out (maybe, in the case of Metroid), but should've been there from the beginning. Surprise, the 3DS doesn't sell fantabulously.
Price... Well, even with the price drop, the Wii still costs less. And right now, the Wii has a lot more AAA titles to choose from. $250 is pretty steep for not that many new features over the DSi XL.
DLC is not good right now. Let's Golf 3D is not enough. Bring on the VC games, big games like Pokémon R/B/Y, 3 a week. Every week.
@OcnCtznRI
Im with you, but this gave me pause for thought.
@EIReminator I'd love a World Ends With You Sequel, but I don't think it would help sell the system as although in my opinion it is probably the best DS game it's not a system seller like Mario or Zelda.
Back on topic, I think the 3DS didn't work due to lack of software and unfortunately it's design which largely resembles a DS Lite. I also think Nintendo should not rely entirely on 3rd party software at launch and have at least one system selling game at the ready, just in case things get ugly, which in the 3DS' case happened quite early on.
Looking more into solutions, Nintendo has to get more software out, and to do this they need to expand the company. I'm quite sure (I may be wrong!) that Nintendo have around $10 Billion from the sales success of tne DS which they could spend on pretty much anything they want. Use this to expand the company and buy some Company's Nintendo are friendly with; possibly like Jupiter, Ready at Dawn, and Creatures, and buy a share in Square Enix & Ubisoft. They don't necessarily need to be these Company's, but my point is Nintendo need to expand their Company. This will increase Software production which is important to the successfully of all Consoles. Nintendo are far smaller than Sony, and Microsoft, and they need to begin to realise that despite the brilliance of their games, they can get more of this great software flowing with more employees, and therefore more people to work on many seperate games at one time. (Did you get all that, and yes, I just typed this from my 3DS!)
@45 Ok right away you don't understand , games which you like is just a matter of opinion and franky i agree that mario and zelda are great but so is nova and many iphone games. Opinion dont count at all as all gamers like different games!.
The games cost for 3ds is an outrageous compared to the phones/tablets and even the old psp, a psp game sells at £10.00 give or take afew pounds.
Iphone 4 cost £400 then games cost around £0.69 each,1 game a month for 12 months is £8.28
Total is £408.28 for the iphone4 +12games(also counts as a phone )
3DS cost £115(tesco price) and a game cost £39.99 and if you buy 1 game a month for a year thats £479.88.
total for the 3ds+12games is £594.88
There for the 3DS cost more then a iphone4 and which games are better ?, well thats just a matter of Opinion and can not be counted.
I will not pay the high cost for video games, i wait for pre-own'd and sales.
There needs to be a Youtube app, or they need to update the internet with HTML 5
@zionich-Lolz
@stevenshearing-You have a point though when it comes to weighing in on the money. I personally would also prefer pre-owned games, but there are games that are worth supporting if they are worth it, like musicians, you wouldn't want to see a great artist fall to .99 cent downloads. Also I don't believe the are many app games taht have moments worth savoring. Fun, yeah , I'll give you quick addictive 30 mins. or so. But do you remember the fun of Goldeneye 007 fun with friends? You are right in terms of opinion of choices, these games should be put in different categories.
@50: Nope, sorry, not convinced at all. I've spent $40 on my iPhone vs $2000 on my DS collection. Only reason I haven't bought a 3DS is because I want to cut down my portable backlog and since I've been very busy doing lots of reviews over at PS3Blog.net. Sure, $0.99 games are fun for a bit but they're not Ocarina of Time or a game that will keep me playing for more than a couple of minutes. I use my phone browser more than the games and so do many. Those that buy 6-10 dollar games are not he target of the DS or the 3DS. If "analyst" keep up with this nonsense BS we'll have a other Atari crash in our hands.
You know what would help sales? IF THEY BROUGHT BACK MEGAMAN LEGENDS 3!!!
The most obvious problem is the quality of the games released so far. I can't believe they're expecting £30+ for most of them, especially when so many are nothing but upgraded ports or minigames. It's a bad joke.
Nintendo needs to do two things for the 3ds to succeed
1. Make sure there is a steady stream of games coming out for it. Not just first party but third party as well
2. End support for their ds. At the moment there are more games being realesed on the ds/dsi ware then on the 3ds. 2 handhelds from the same company just can't co-exist. Their biggest competition is against themselves
@lzbirdboy- That's a really good reason, it's a tough fight when you're battling yourself.
@EdEN-Analyst only goes with whatever article gives them great attention. Most are biased in my opinion and write things things that are one-sided without doing great amount of research. They don't care for gaming but for their pockets.
I like my 3DS just the way it is. My puppy, kitten, and robo puppy are awesome. I can hardly wait for Animal Crossing to be released.
Not for me.
THE GAMES ARE TOO EXPENSIVE.
I'm not going to pay £30-£40 for any games on any platform ever again if I can help it.
END.
@Oddy, yeah, that would help them a lot, paying even $30 US for standard games would provide a huge value. I wouldn't even think twice about buying a 3DS game at that price (considering that's cheaper than the original DS average game price).
In this economy, it looks like this was the only move to be made by Nintendo. When we're possibly headed for a double dip recession (or depression, wouldn't surprise me), price cuts like this are needed to even POSSIBLY motivate a lot of people to make a leisure purchase like this.
I thought at first this looked like an act of desperation on Nintendo's part, but now I think it's the only thing that made good business sense. All those newly sold units will pay off for them despite the price cut as the library grows more impressive (which it isn't just yet, but will be soon).
Another benefit of this is hopefully Nintendo won't release the Wii U before it's finished (3DS was NOT a finished product at launch by any stretch) and it'll wait till it has a strong launch lineup. I don't care if it's November or December of next year. Hopefully with Mario at launch this time around. Doesn't feel like a Nintendo launch without Mario!
Oh and this is a win for me because of the Ambassador program, and there'll be more people here with 3DS, that I might get my first StreetPass hit off of.
They need to get more Kiosks in stores first off. While the 3DS is a cool system, the fact that it's not available for demo in a lot of retailers is bad, the Wii was playable just about everywhere before it came out and after it came out even more retailers had it. Red flags should be raised when I walk into a gamestop and can't demo the system.
Another thing, for the system owners, they gotta really start pumpin out the demo's for games in the eShop BEFORE games release AND start working on online features. The fact that I still can't message friends is a no no and drives away a lot of the initial people who purchased SSF43D because they can't easily play and communicate with friends.
They have to kick it into high gear.
i want more virtual console games!!!
Nintendo games lower price = Instant buy.
If Nintendo didn't name this machine Nintendo 3DS, it should not have been a problem. Names are important. Since Ninty has make 2 iterations of the DS, many people WILL think that this one is just another iteration. Even Though many people use the internet, not everyone will be researching on how different it is, rather more on its first impression. It looks very similar to the DS AND it even shares part of its name (unlike the PSP and the PS Vita, at least there's Vita to differentiate it), so most will assume that it's just another DS. When I had my 3DS in public, no one really noticed that it was the 3DS until I showed them.
Now looking at the Wii U, I can easily predict that it might have the same problem, but of course since the Wii didn't had any iterations, the similar naming may be ignored (hopefully).
Honestly, I think Nintendo lowered the price too much too early. The reason the 3DS sales were so slow wasn't just because the price was relatively high, but because there weren't enough good games out. I'd say this was a bigger problem than the price. Even now, there's not a single game out that I'm willing to spend, $30, let alone $40, on. If not for the price cut, I would have waited until Pokemon Rumble or Mario came out and bought it at the old price no problem.
I doubt the 3DS will ever achieve the sales of the DS anyway. That is, unless they find some medical benefit of some game on it. I mean, how many units did the brain games sell? Not to mention the huge amount of free publicity the DS got from the whole thing. In order to get all those sales again, Nintendo would have to give them some kind of benefit they couldn't get from the DS.
BTW, do 3DS games cost more in Europe? Because here they're about 30% less than new PS3 and 360 games.
@53 and how much do you pay each month just to have that iPhone active and be able to use its features? This is one main reason I don't have an iPhone. With my 3DS I don not have to worry about paying for another service plan just to use it.
You know that companies make money off of you with the service plans and not just the hardware. This is another reason why I hope Nintendo does not get into phones. BTW what are they on now, the iPhone 5?
Software sells games. I think Nintendo will sell more 3DS systems at this new price point. It is also hard for me to believe parents as so clueless they cannot tell the difference between a DS and a 3DS. I'm a parent and I can clearly tell. It is also amazing to me that people (i.e. investors) think the system can sell like hotcakes while we are in a global recession. People need time to take care of their needs first and then their wants. Even with that said, I think sales will pick up because of this new price point and as more AAA software gets out there. Furthermore as more 3D without the glasses HDTVs start to get released at the end of the year and more 3D content gets out there, this will only help the sales of the 3DS.
@TrueWiiMaster - I actually think it was the right moment to pull off this price cut considering sales were not getting any better. It also put a lock on the Vita's news of their $250-$300 range, the momentum will soon follow as games would start dropping by holidays but now more individuals would own one, meaning more purchase of software. If things go as planned by 1st quarter 2012, friends and other 3ds owners would compete in games while Vita would be in a hot seat with $250+. But good luck to them too as long as it's good quality games. (maybe it'll appeal and open the minds of phone gamers some more)
The launch should have been in a few months. Everything could be ready. They failed the launch very badly. The original price should have been lower. The name should have NOT had DS in it. It just seemed like an overpriced Dsi upgrade, and those who actually understood what it was didn't see enough games worth buying to spend the $250 on it. They wouldn't have had to drop the price like this if they had done everything right in the beginning. Better advertising would have made all the difference imo.
"What's the impact?"
Huge! It will give sales a massive boost! In the end the 3DS may not become as succesful as the original DS, but I still think it will sell pretty well!
There are so many goog games coming to the 3DS, sales will undoubtedly pick up when these games are released.
~Animal Crossing
~Paper Mario
~Super Mario 3D Land
~Mario Kart 7
~Pokemon Rumble BLAST!
~Luigi's Mansnion 2
~Kid Icarus Uprising
~Resident Evil: Revelations
~MGS3
~Shinobi
~Sonic Generations
and the list goes on..
As for the eShop, everything has to go through the ESRB before it can be released. So all the AAA gb and GBC titles have to be looked at by the ESRB... again..
But remember, there are 52 weeks in a year, and the get to about 2 games a week.theres 104 games (about). I just want more GBC games.
The biggest problem with the 3DS at launch was the launch itself.
1) The fact that the games available at launch were crap. SSFIV3D was just a remake and Pilotwings was as well. Sadly due to advertising I dont know what other launch games they had since I didnt really see anyother than Pilotwings and SSFIV3D. IMO the should have held off on the launch until OoT and Netflix were ready.
2) The price really Nintendo??? A 250 price tag on an upgraded DSi? come on. IMO it should have been 200 tops. The DSiXL was $189 at launch, a $20 launch price difference over the DSi. The DSiXL was bigger than the DSi and had a better battery life than the DSi. Compare that to a $60 launch price between the DSiXL and the 3DS. $60 more for something smaller, holds a shorter charge and something that only a few of the population can experience without headaches, eyestrain and other health problems?
With Mario 3D coming out, Mario Kart 7 and the price drop I suspect the sales will be better now. This is when they should have launched it and at this price not in March at 250.
GAMES! And not just remakes, dammit!
Regarding in-store kiosks, I have to say they seem to be designed for 12 year olds. The angle of the screen while docked in the in-store display doesn't do the 3DS any justice. I looked at a 3DS at my local GameStop and BestBuy and it was extremely difficult to see the 3D display properly. Once I purchased my 3DS, I was quite surprised how much better the 3D effect is when held in the proper position.
I wish the camera displayed a higher resolution photograph as well. The 3D photos the system takes seem very soft to me, though the 3D effect almost makes up for it.
Also, as an adult buyer I really like the creative apps I can purchase through the E-Shop. I really enjoy Inchworm, Art Academy and the two versions of Rytmik, as well as the 3D camera (despite the low resolution).
I never really played video games as a kid and frankly always found games to be too frustrating! I did purchase PilotWings and Zelda because I liked the concept of these two titles because they are immersive environments. So far, I've really enjoyed PilotWings but I haven't had a chance to play Zelda yet.
I know that I'm not the target audience of a system like the 3DS but I'm enjoying it far more than I imagined I would have
My gf finally got herself a 3DS because of the price drop.
...now I finally have someone who I can Street Pass with DAILY.
Before this I only got a Street Pass once a week with random people.
...I really should keep up with the Street Pass Community... ^^;
personally i am furious! i paid the 250 bucks and i got:
crap launch games
incomplete feature set
buggy firmware patches
a ton of broken promises... especially we wont make the same mistake again we plan to have a ton of launch titles.
promised a final fantasy game in 3d!!!! that is chibi style Rhythm heaven
$##$$@@!!## you SE and nintendo.
weak to no eshop titles and virtually no 3dsware
we did get:
to pay extra
a ton of shovelware garbage games via dsiware
slapped in the face.
I will likely finish oot3d and then swap for a vita just to support a company that doesn't say: were launching at a huge price gouge because of the reactions at e3. at least sony is dropping ps3 level graphics and cellular support for way!!! lower than expected and the lauch titles are pretty sweet.
@pfontaine2 - Welcome to gaming, we're never too old to play games. You bought Zelda and haven't played it yet? Man lucky you, you're gonna enter an unforgettable experience and environment. Let's hope we get more games with great story and gameplay.
Buying the Red 3DS and Star Fox on day one, I hope a lot people will do the same.
@meizme Go ahead. When all the good games come out you'll be sorry! >: ]
@Koto: Thats what I am planning to do.
Nintendo....

Why have you made this mistake?
The 3DS really is innovative, it just needs more powerful titles and software to take advantage of the great hardware. I think Nintendo knows this but it needs to act quickly.
The thing that saddens me the most about 3DS is the lack of 3rd party support. There have been a few titles, but nowhere near what I expected, when the DS was simply loaded with fantastic third party titles that pushed the DS hardware in unique ways, and 3DS is just lacking horribly in this category.
I only own two 3DS game at the moment, because I was so ticked off with the poor quality of the third party titles I had purchased for the system,that I sold off everything but Pilotwings and OoT.
I think the system will get its footing over the holidays and next year will be a better year for the 3DS, though I do doubt it will ever come close to reaching the sales of Wii or DS.
i believe the console ( although i wanted it) was releases too early. the ds was and still is a tough act to follow, with tons of new games coming out for it. the ds could have lasted many more years i believe, but we must move on to the next level so to speak. 3ds will catch on, so i hope. hopefully 3rd parties dont see this as a bad system to make games on because of the poor sales thus far. i think the system should have came out in august
Well with the price drop and knowing I could pick it up early for 20 free games, I picked up a 3DS. I didn't buy any games though. $40 per game is way too much. I will pick up Star Fox... when I see it on sale. Nintendo fixes the prices of that to $20-$30 and starts doing specials on the eShop, and they will be OK.
@14 Totally an RE4 remake for 3DS! As for a more powerful title... how about an RE5 remake? It was said the 3DS could handle it.
@83 You've gotta be testing me... I'm gonna squeeze that puppy to death.
Anyway, once the holiday arrives, Vita will never catch up to 3DS. Even if Sony coincidentally also decides to drop $80 off Vita.
@meizme here's the facts:
they announced the 30 launch titles more than 6 months before launch
It has an mp3 player, a camera, video channel, netflix and a web browser
you got your 3D final fantasy-it's common sense that they wouldn't release FF15 on it
3DSware is primarily 3rd party just like dsi ware
374 dsiware games-if you can't find one you like, then that's your problem
The 3DS was originally speculated to be priced $350-$400.
So I got to ask- when you had your $250 taken from you, did you ask what you were getting after you bought it or did they duck tape you to a chair and steal your money. Nobody forced you to buy this, price drops are expected(more in the years to come), and you can choose ground breaking glasses free 3D that other companies are following suit with or you can go with HD which has been around for years -even on phones.
Games for the 3DS need to be cheaper otherwise no one can afford to buy them. $39.99 for a title is a little steep. I think $29.99 would be better. Also, better games for the system would be nice too. So far only Zelda is currently the must have title to get. Got tons of games for my iPhone and they are so cheap!
Just lower the games pricing. 60 euros at the supermarket and 50 in Gamestop.
rushed to market, failed to deliver.
3dsi with a proper battery and better quality feel and we're talking. Now? No thanks.
@armoredghor
The 3D is so overrated. It's a gimmick, it always has been a gimmick, it always will be a gimmick. It's simply a visual trick, it does nothing to enhance gameplay.
I can't even see 3D visuals, so I have no reason to buy into the hype.
I'm getting a 3DS for the games, not the stupid 3D gimmick.
@SuperSonic (89)
The 3DS will have this Christmas all to itself, the Vita isn't releasing outside Japan until next year.
Resident evil 4 on 3ds would be great, but a gamecube not an iphone port! It doesn't even have to be 3d. But yes i agree that software prices are too expensive as well. Take Dr. Kawasima's brain training series. It was a major hit at ds but after android and ios people wont pay 35 dollars/euro for this crap even if its on 3d.
It's the GCN debacle all over again...I'll just say this: GameCube managed to recover and sell well during its lifespan, and I'm sure the 3DS will too.
/END TRANSMISSION
@Pure Trainer I love my Gamecube but its total sales are less than 22 million units, less than any other major Nintendo console. For Nintendo thats a big failure not a success.
It will be very interesting to see how the PSVita does at retail. Don't forget that sony's last iteration of the PSP has already been discontinued, so it could indicate that the handheld market has pretty much been destroyed by iOS etc.
I suspect nintendo's current problems with the 3DS are a combination of poor marketing, not enough 1st and 3rd party support, and initial pricing.
To all the people who want 79p games - do you honestly believe any of them can match a typical Nintendo 1st party game? I have found that none of the many games I have downloaded on my iPad are worth more than 5 minutes play - they are either overly simplistic or gimped by the lack of any physical controls.
Another possible issue that no one seems to pick up on is resistance to 3D adoption in general. I have never known a new technology spoken about with such vitriol, whether it is TV, movies or games it seems that most people want 3D to fail.
I could live with an N64 level of 'failure', and so could Nintendo I think. On a Virtual Boy scale though, perhaps not.
@FluttershyGuy THANK YOU for being the only one I noticed who actually pointed out the economy's influence in all of this. Sure, Nintendo didn't have the best launch plan for the 3DS. And yes, the lack of software is not helping. But this was simply a horrible economy to introduce an expensive new portable gaming system into, and I think THAT is the decisive factor that has lead to the "failure" of the 3DS so far. Right now, I think it would have taken some crazy epic ad campaign, plus a boatload of appealing titles, to have helped the 3DS's chances, and I'm not sure even that would have been enough when a lot of consumers just don't plain have the money.
To put things into perspective, when the original DS and the Wii came out, times were good. Most people weren't so strapped for cash. I personally had a decent job and was still living with my parents, so dropping $250 on a console, plus $50 per game - and not to mention all the extra wiimotes, classic controllers, Wii Points, etc. - was not a big deal to me. But as the years have gone on, times have gotten worse. Most of us don't have anywhere near the kind of disposable income as we did back then. Again using myself as an example, I've just graduated from college, am currently unemployed, my husband is a teacher and we all know they don't make a lot of money, and we have plenty of bills to pay. So there was no way I could justify dropping $250 on a portable system, plus $40 per game. Even with the price drop, it's just too expensive. To commenters like @mumof2kids82 yes, I think those of us complaining about the price of 3DS games have a point. Many of us simply cannot afford that in this economy. If I'm going to spend $40 on a game, I'd rather have that go towards a Wii game that I can perhaps enjoy playing with my friends. I don't know anyone who has a 3DS yet. But I have plenty of friends who have Wiis and/or still love to have Wii parties. It's much cheaper to just enjoy what we already have.
However, my husband and I did have some "fun money," and have wanted a DS of some sort for a long time, so we finally decided to get one this summer. But we ultimately chose to skip the 3DS and get a DS Lite, instead. (We previously have not owned a DS of any kind.) At first I was a little miffed when I heard about the price drop, since we bought our DS before the news, but now I'm happy with the decision, particularly since we got our DS for less than 100 bucks. The promise of upcoming 3DS titles hadn't been enough to sway me, anyway, and after playing demo units in the stores, I just wasn't a big fan of the 3D visuals. There is a huge library of DS and GBA titles out there for us to choose from, many of them now fairly inexpensive used, so with so much software out there, I don't feel like I'll be missing out on 3DS titles. I'll probably get to play them eventually, anyway, and by the time I get to them, they won't be so expensive, and hopefully I'll be in better financial straits. So I think Nintendo just plain jumped the gun with this one, and I'm not sure they could have done much, save completely delaying the 3DS release, perhaps until Christmas. I wouldn't expect to see much of an increase in sales until then.
i got minz on friday and i have been seeing many in stores since the pricedrop
@ Machu I agree with you.and there has been a lot of comments posted on here.
Also the fact that the console is region locked, I wonder if that has effected sales?
i got minz on friday and i have been seeing many in stores since the pricedrop
@tendoboy
How can you say 3D is just a stupid gimmick if you can't even see the 3D? You don't know what it's like so you can't judge whether or not it adds anything to gameplay or is stupid. Your reaction is like that of a child who can't figure out how to put a new toy together, so he calls it stupid and kicks the toy away.
3DS doesn't have 3rd party support yet because it's a fairly new console, give it a few months and it should have a lot more software from third parties. How do we know they aren't just perfecting the games before just haphazardly putting inferior products out there?
I'm not even going to go there with this... debate. I'm just going to say that it's still far too early to make all kinds of doomday predictions or high praising until the very thing that sustains or drops a console has yet to come, and I'm talking about the good, really good, and great software. Let's come back in one year, and let's see how the 3DS is doing as this "before the system really gets started" talk is pretty limited and makes it very easy to beat up on the console.
@TeeJay
I can use the 3D and I'll also call it a stupid gimmick. It's a fad, it doesn't add anything to the gameplay (or the experience of watching movies) and it's straining on the eyes.
I would have preferred a cheaper system that ignored 3D. I'm interested to see how 3D develops as a technology, but in its current form, it's nothing but a fad that will die out in a matter of months and that's for the best.
@Highwinter
Er... either you rarely use your 3D, or you have eye problems: After you use it enough times, 3D STOPS STRAINING THE EYES.
Your eyes are adjusting, that's where the strain comes from.
Also... Think about it like this:
Handheld screens are small. To make them any bigger is still... well... small. It's what puts off so many home-console-only players from ever playing on a handheld: They don't care for short, sweet games. And if they want a full experience, they'd rather have it on a larger screen with surround sound.
However, the 3D in the 3DS makes the world inside it much deeper. Instead of the 3D popping out, the 3D in the 3DS "dives in". The world feels much larger and with a lot more depth. It's like the world feels a lot bigger inside the screen without the screen getting any bigger.
That, to me, is not a gimmick. That's intelligent design.
Well, I'd say the 3DS price drop helped me score the system. That and the 20 free games. To be honest if retailers hadn't dropped the price early I probably wouldn't have picked one up. I'm happy so far and being as I'm strapped for cash probably won't be able to afford any new games till more of the good ones come out anyway. I'm more than happy to wait and I've still have DS and DSi games to catch up on. I'm sure after the holiday hits, now with the price drop and some Mario games the system will start to pick up sales big time.
look everyone i have a 3ds and it's fab! i would recommend it to anyone the 3d effect works really well and i've only had two 3ds games (nintendogs + cats & the legend of zelda ocarina of time) and they are both fantastic!
@tendoboy 1984 okay i will agree with you that it adds nothing to the gameplay if you can agree that hd and a good soundtrack also add nothing to gameplay, rendering the graphics race that has always flooded gameplay pointless.
Original price: Smacks of complacency
Price of games: Still an issue
3rd party support: Absent
1st party support: Currently thin
Region lock: Idiotic for a portable console
Launch: Clearly rushed
3D: Not a priority for most people
Price drop: Annoyed some loyalists
Price drop remedy: Annoyed some who want to at least be able to buy games that others have got for free
Iwata apology letter: Desperate
The whole thing has not been managed well.
Having said that, look at the situation after Mario.
"But is the price drop and the promise of these two much-needed games enough to send 3DS rocketing up sales charts?"
That, and the holiday season.
@Highwinter: 3D isn't a fad, just like HD isn't a fad. HD adds realism, ditto 3D.
More Virtual Console games, and in general more than just a bunch of uninteresting DSi-Ware! And not just Baseball. If you wanna give out a crap game for one week, please give us another to play while we wait for the next!
Otherwise pleased with the Ambassador Program, thank you !!
They released it too early, they have no games for it, and they don't advertise enough. Of course it looks bad now, though the DS didn't have a stellar start and looked how that turned out. I got a 3DS for the Ambassador program only, I do not plan to mess with it too much. I still want to play some DS games. When I come back Nintendo, I expect the 3DS to have games.
I hate complainers of the 3DS seriously 3D is a gimmik? so does that make HD a gimmik? no? why? answer daaaaa cause HD isnt nintendo therefor not a gimmik daaahhhhhh. does HD make GAMEPLAY better? No! it just makes it look real, which IMHO is bad for games, games = escape from reality, not go into reality, if I want real, I dont play games
3DS HAS GAMES! You just have to do your HomeWork
Why are people still angry about buying before the price drop? They're giving us more than enough value in free games!
@117 agreed its would cost $150 to get them on VC and its only -$80
IMHO youd be crazy not to have got it b4 Aug 12th
People are so angry, it's a little bit frustrating, but it's probably due to ignorance and selfishness. Nintendo already said sorry with the Ambassador program, Iwata's apology E-mail, and the fact that a number of Nintendo executives took a pay cut.
Complaints about the price of 3DS games? $39.99 is considered expensive after knowing that you've paid $34.99 for a good amount of first party games? Heck, wasn't FF4 released at $39.99 and the fact that PSP games were originally $39.99? Hello, we're in a new generation of consoles. Too afraid to spend 5 extra dollars on a game?
Recession? It's nowhere near bad as any of the economic declines of history. I bought the 3DS at $250 and I'm still alive and kicking, while going to school. I don't make much, but it's enough to manage a life as a gamer, with my girlfriend, and as mentioned, school.
Are some of you trying to beg Nintendo to lower the price, just because they did so with their portable? What makes you able to afford a Vita and its games? The prices are strikingly similar from this generation to the last. It's unfortunate that it's become a big deal to some.
Nintendo needs 3rd party support and they need to make sure their new handheld sells so 3rd parties can make game for a platform but gamers need to see games...it's a catch 22. With 3 to 4 high profile games in the pipeline for 3DS I think it will pick up once those games come out.
What Nintendo needs to get this thing kicking is a much better advertisement strategy.
To the general public, the 3DS really does look like just another DS with a wider screen; people don't want to pay extra for something that has barely changed.
Nintendo needs to make commercials that pound the 3DS's capabilities into consumers heads.
I've had enough of those "This is sooo neat! Oooo, look at that 3D, oh wait, you can't! I guess I'll just wave this thing around like an idiot while you switch channels." commercials.
How often do you see 3DS advertisements?
I watch all of the commercials in between my shows, and I watch many different things on many different channels.
I've seen one 3DS commercial on TV, and no 3DS advertisements in magazines.
When Nintendo starts to advertise more, they'll probably get more sales.
Wii + Mario kart = 139,00 euro
xbox360 = 229,00 euro
ps3 = 250 euro
so I can get a full HD console for less than a 3DS. That just
wasn't right. The new price fits much better in place with
other hardware prices. So now people can justify the price.
All they need now is good games.
With Super Mario land, star fox and Mario Kart coming soon,
I don't think Nintendo has too much to worry about.
If they had launched with Monster Hunter Portable or come out with one during the launch window, Nintendo would of moved a lot of units. In Japan anyway.
Nice to see @HugoSmits on here.
I say forget about the DS and Wii even more than you are right now and make a new F-Zero, a new Pikmin, and new Advance Wars, and new Fire Emblem, or even a new IP. Give the people more Nintendo games and we will play them!
Nintendo should have a demo station in every store that sells it so you can try before you buy. They should change their advertising campaign to one that shows how different the 3DS is from the DS even though it looks the same. Also the ad should point out that there is demo station in every store that sells it so you can see for yourself.
I think a handheld needs to be affordable, first and foremost.
Am I right in thinking this is the first time Nintendo has forgotten this rule? Seems like every past release, the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and DS were at least in range of most parent's christmas present budgets. Well christmas hasn't come yet, so we'll know then if the new price point is a winner or not.
I don't see it going back up though, not unless they come up with a reaalllly good killer app.
Is anyone else concerned that Best Buy, Target, Toys 'R Us, etc. have not advertised the official price drop at all. Maybe it's only in my area but the 3DS didn't even make it into the local Sunday ads for Best Buy or Target. It has me wondering, why?
Also, just to say, I'm loving my 3DS!!
I'm still super ticked that I bought my 3DS early. The Ambassador program is totally not for me, although I do appreciate the effort. Huge regret, and I won't be lining up for the WiiU anytime near launch.
Even though ads may not show the price drop, it is official. I just checked a local Target and it was 169.99.
Anyways, will this be the next Virtual Boy? where after creating content for it in about a year, realize that the DSi is goodenough? and stop support all together?
I think it's more likely to be the next GameCube. Kept afloat by Mario and Smash Bros. when it comes out.
I think the 3DS had better launch games than DS. Remember how bad it was then? There's more better launch games on 3DS than DS launch games.
Anyhow, I'm not concerned much about the success of the 3DS, especially with this price drop. iTouch and other tablet devices won't really kill the 3DS- lack of software as well as creative software will. I'll be keeping my iPod Nano for music and 3DS for on-the go gaming (and at home, since I have a preference of hanhelds vs home consoles). I'll also avoid gaming on my phone (simple messaging phone to be upgraded to a smartphone possibly). I'd probably get a smartphone for web browsing or even use it as a hotspot to connect my 3DS online
No problem carrying 3 devices feeding off their own battery than just one.
And of course, this is just my situation that I'm sure there are those who'd agree or be in a similar situation.
@mushroomer I know the official price drop is in effect. My point was more the fact that it seems like retailers would want to promote the price drop any chance they got but that doesn't seem to be the case. $80 is a significant drop and I would want to be the first to tell customers and offer some kind of "buy 1 get 1 half off on games promotion" to go along with it. Basically, anything to get the consumer to shop at my store. The price drop was intended to help sell the 3DS. How is that going to happen if the common consumer doesn't know anything about it. I'm wondering if the retailers are pissed at Nintendo and are holding off with promoting the 3DS at this point.
To those that thinks 3d is a gimmick, well it's only a gimmick if it's not sold well right? What about HD graphics? Looks better but does nothing to gameplay and no one's complaining that it's a gimmick. They said the Wii's motion controllers were a gimmick but Xbox and Sony adopted the idea. It's all business when ideas sell well. But to me, nothing is a gimmick if it does what it's intended to do, innovate and revolutionize are the only ways technology and ideas can improve. @ 124. Oddy - I'd love to see all those games you just named
While I was in Gamestop trying to slum some streetpass hits, there was a mom and 10-ish year old daughter purchasing a 3DS. Maybe it had something to do with the discounted price; maybe it didn't. Either way, I still haven't gotten a random streetpass hit from anywhere outside of a Gamestop and that makes me a sad monkey.
@photofool83 Target just had half of the 3DS catalog at a $17.00 price point. Sadly, not any of the Nintendo 1st party games, iirc. I did pick up Spliter Cell for my son and Petz: Fantasy for my daughter. I would have purchased Shadow Warriors too if I didn't already have it.
@Magi I saw the Target promotion but that still had nothing to do with the price drop. Didn't anybody else expect the 3DS to be all over the Sunday ads yesterday? The official price drop was on Friday. I would have thought that that was a clear indication that we could have expected 3DS to be front page on most ads or at least somewhere in the ad. Both Target and Best Buy didn't even mention the 3DS at all. That's just so odd to me. I was very ready to take advantage of some sale that was going on yesterday, only to find nothing.
It's still too expensive... €150 is far too much, try selling it for €50 and I'll give it a go
I say the system just needs some good games. Right now the whole library sucks. I bought a 3DS yesterday--GameStop had a great deal. But I didn't buy any games. Just eShop points. What good retail games are there? I have faith Ninty can make the system great, but first they'll need games.
@Nintendo-Naut there aren't any real 'adventure' games with exploration out yet besides the remake OOT. If you're into fighters, It has Blazeblue, Street Fighter, & DOA. If you're into racers, it has ridge racer, asphalt, & Kart mode in Monkey ball. We also have Steel Diver, Pilotwings & Nintendogs but those are essentially remakes and enhancements.
Why the poor sales?
I have a rhetorical question? If you were a games developer would you create games that run on the DS, DSi, DSi XL and the 3DS or would you create 3D games exclusively for the 3DS market?
I suspect that this is a big reason why we are seeing so few 3D games.....developers would be crazy not to tap the bigger market. If the 3DS only supported 3D games would you have traded in your DS, DSi etc for it?
Sadly, I'm afraid this whole 3DS experiment may end badly!
@JDO Well said my friend, well said.How do you know all this stuff?I'am scared it will end badly as well.XD
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