3 DS Models

The 3DS has been doing well in Japan for a long time, and the most recent U.S. sales in June had the portable topping the hardware charts. After some good showings for various titles, including Mario & Luigi: Dream Team making its debut at number two in the UK all-format charts, Nintendo UK has told MCV that the 3DS is tracking ahead of the PS3 and Xbox 360 in the country.

Using data from GfK Chart-Track, the handheld is said to be trending ahead of the home consoles and is the only system to have sold more games to date this year compared to the equivalent period in 2012. Nintendo UK's head of consumer marketing, James Honeywell, has naturally attributed this success to the strong software lineup on the 3DS, and therefore expects the upcoming Wii U lineup to boost the home console's fortunes.

Software sells hardware.

You must have heard that from us a lot. And the same can be said for Wii U as we move into peak season. With such a strong line-up of titles that are so critically acclaimed, it is just a perfect storm. It has made it the format of the moment.

Sometimes 3DS, or handheld in general, suffers because people tend to focus on the home console market. But 3DS is really doing the numbers right now.

The 3DS is certainly hot stuff in various regions right now, showing that patience and top games — along with some other factors, admittedly — can do much to revive a platform. Next up, Wii U?

[source mcvuk.com]