Nintendo has really been pushing the 3DS recently what with some stellar new releases and the promise of more to come via this week's brilliant Nintendo Direct.
The company firmly believes this will be the year that will see many of the current DS owners upgrade to the 3DS and is willing to back it up with an extensive advertising and marketing campaign.
Speaking to MCV, Nintendo UK’s Marketing and PR director Shelly Pearce said the 3DS now has the strongest ever software line up and, with games that appeal to several different audiences, she believes that 2013 "really is the year of 3DS".
3DS has really come into its own over the last two years. The 2013 software line-up is the strongest we’ve ever had and combined with a diverse back-catalogue that includes both Nintendo favourites like Mario, Professor Layton and Zelda as well as titles like Kid Icarus and Heroes of Ruin or New Style Boutique, there really is something for everyone.
To help get more people on board Nintendo will be running TV advertising campaigns as well as other marketing efforts. 3DS product manager Roger Langford told the publication:
You can expect to see extensive sampling, heavy weight TV campaigns, significant online activity and a focus on building communities via social media and events.
Nintendo UK has already set up an official Facebook account for The Legend of Zelda and there's an Animal Crossing: New Leaf Twitter page as well for anyone who fancies following the mayor's assistant, Isabelle.
With games like Fire Emblem: Awakening and Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon recently being released and Pokémon X & Y, The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D all on the way, Nintendo really is covering all bases with its impressive catalogue of 3DS titles.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section below.
[source mcvuk.com]
Comments 28
When I saw the headline, I thought, "What happened to Luigi?" Then I saw the tagline was saying the same thing.
I agree, but i don't think luigi is being overshadowed especially with luigi's mansion 2 being the best game right now. and i'm sure mario and luigi-dream team and super luigi u will be very successful. although only 3 games based on luigi in the ¨year of luigi¨ sounds pretty poor to me. i expect some more luigi news sometime this year, whether its at e3 or in another nintendo direct
I actually agree. The line up is second to none. PS3 has a strong line up too, but the 3DS is looking like a real powerhouse now. I wonder what 2014 will have in store? Surely they can't top 2013?
Release some special miis already then! That's the only area Nintendo UK has neglected. Game line up is excellent for this year, but I want the special mii accomplishment having had my console since day one.
I wasn't happy with the 3DS last year when a lot of people were going nuts over it, but 2013 has been fantastic. Luigi's Mansion 2 and Fire Emblem: Awakening are two of the best Nintendo games in years.
I LOVE the Mario and Luigi series too, so I could end up enjoying Dream Team even more than the two above, but after what happened to Paper Mario on 3DS, I'm keeping my expectations low for that one, just to avoid disappointment more than actually expecting it to be poor. Then there's Animal Crossing too... what a great line up!
@Peach64 I think Dream Team is going to be miles ahead of Sticker Star because it looks like it'll have many of the components that made its predecessors so good. Where Sticker Star failed was in dropping story, RPG mechanics, and interesting characters, but Dream Team looks like it'll succeed greatly. I actually thought Sticker Star was fun, but still a bit of a disappointment.
@Peach64 - Keeping low expectations is what I do to appreciate games more, but can we cut it with Paper Mario please? It wasn't even bad. For the record, Dream Team has exp.
I agree that 2013 in shaping up to be a fantastic year for the 3DS. I honestly don't know how it can get better.
hope 2014 will be the wii u year
@LuigiMan200 I never said it was bad. I said it was a disappointment. I feel exactly as @Five-seveN does about it. Not every game is either amazing or utterly rubbish. I like Paper Mario Sticker Star, but to me it was a disappointment because of all the elements they removed.
Year of the 3DS, why not the year of Wii U? hopefully E3 is full of announcements
I'm really loving my 3DS XL, I got it just before Christmas. I intend to get Luigi's Mansion next month & after Wednesdays great Nintendo Direct I'm setting my sights on Zelda & I LOVED DKC Returns on Wii I may have to get it again if there is enough to justify a second purchase
At least a quarter of "The year of the 3DS" will be because of Luigi... so it's not all that bad...right?
Oh, don't cry Luigi! Just wait until Luigi & Mario comes out! and New Super Luigi U & Luigi Golf they'll help you forget about all those ghosts and creepy mansions you had to experience.
I doubt there's a single unhappy 3DS owner
and later on this year Nintendo is bound to make more people happy!
Luigi Kart.
Pokemon X + Y should get some DS owners to upgrade.
Also, the Japan Direct (which ran the same time as the US/EU Directs) showed the logo for MH4 for about 3 seconds. I know that's only Japan for now but I'm sure it will hit the west eventually. Maybe they are saving it for E3.
And Yoshi. Though with a new Yoshi game on both 3DS and WiiU I'm confused on the dates.
If Super Smash Bros. U. comes out on the 3DS next year and it has online crossplay w/ the WiiU that probably won't hurt either. Maybe another E3 unveil?
Relevant but nobody has mentioned it - Sony has been holding the $249 line on the Vita w/ it's uber-expensive memory cards. That helps too.
Nintendo simply endeavours and fulfils their fans best wishes. At this point of time, Nintendo owns fundamentally 70% of the handheld market in the gaming industry.
The 3DS is the best system out there at the moment. I just hope Nintendo can achieve similar greatness with the Wii U. I guess we will find out where Wii U is going after E3.
At the moment the 3DS is leaving the Vita for dead, which is a shame because the Vita is excellent. The 3DS has more games that I want than the Vita but my most wanted game at the moment is Dragons Crown. I just don't get why Sony isn't pushing the Vita.
Nintendo seem to be focusing on the 3DS more then the Wii U while Sony seem to be doing the opposite and focusing on the PS3/ PS4 more then the Vita. I expect a lot will change after this years E3.
What about the Wii U?
Hmm. All these prove that the U will get better. By the by, where are the trolls? Absent recently.
Nintendo is really redeeming itself with core gamers with the 3DS. Hopefully the Wii U will follow suit, and we can stop hearing the Wii U being referred to as a "second console."
Nintendo 3DS: "Now you're playing with power!"
They really need to revive that.
THE 3DS IS GONNA ROCK CHA'LL
Year of the Snake...Year of Luigi...Year of the 3DS...it's all so confusing! And yet it forms a synergistic pattern:
-Two are considered green
-Two are associated with Nintendo
-Two are...uh...either a snake or a 3DS. Yep, that works.
Synergy: Nature's Synergy!
@Ralizah or what about "Who Are you"?
i totally agree! 2013 is the year of the 3DS! and dont forget about all eshop games like Mutant Mudds 2, Mighty Switch Force 2 etc...
<3
its a shame that for sooo very long, the 3DS game roster was very spare. things are rockin and rollin at the moment with lots of great games finally coming out and i can only hope that continues for some time. i personally love the 3DS, and the 3D effect, a million times more than i ever thought that i would. so i hope that the system has as long and healthy a lifespan as the various iterations of the DS.
it does say something about nintendo's awkward and short-sighted marketing though, the initially desperate drought of game availability (especially big-name games and must-have games, etc).
if they had a lineup of releases as good as what we have seen in the past few months to begin with, they would never have had to drop the price at all. not that i am complaining, i didnt jump on the bandwagon until that happened and really didnt expect much but was pleasantly surprised.
i love my 3DS about a million times more than i ever loved my DS.
with the DS i only used it once in a great while when there was a Zelda or Castlevania game. the 3DS i use every chance that i get.
You fools! Luigi IS the 3DS! They are one and the same! Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to play my Luigi now.
So I guess 2014 will be the Year of the Wii U or something.
Makes sense, really.
3DS Rocks! Nintendo are on a roll with the handheld and I love my XL...
Let's hope Wii U kicks ass soon too!
the 3DS XL is the best handheld of all time!
Lets hope they release a 3DS XL SLiM. with the same size as the XL but with 5.5 " screen
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...