Teyon and WaiS Co. Ltd. have teamed up to bring their text and voice chatting app for the Nintendo 3DS, Chat-A-Lot, to the North American eShop starting this Thursday, 20th November for $7.99. Originally developed in Japan by WaiS Co. Ltd. and localised for the western regions by Teyon Games, Chat-A-Lot is a bright and colourful app with some robust communication features such as group text chats with up to ten participants or group voice chats with up to four friends from around the world. Chatters can also take advantage of a mood-adjustable avatar system, and share stickers and drawings with each other.
Clearly a family-friendly application, Chat-A-Lot's interface can add and remove friends on the 3DS' friends list directly, and features a password-protected system of strict parental controls for all-ages safe chatting. A release date for Europe has not been set yet, but is expected to follow soon.
Does Chat-A-Lot look like just the thing to fill a functionality gap on your 3DS? Let us know via text in the comments as the Nintendo Life offices can no longer accept carrier pigeon - the birdseed had to be cut from our operating budget.
Comments 26
So... It's basically the Wii Speak Channel?
not for 7.99. they are crazy! bring back picochat!
@Poketendo - That was exactly my first thought - Wii Speak - which was free, but this is $8. (Though in fairness we did need to buy the mic - got mine w/ Endless Ocean - which i still siting on top of my tv.)
I like the art feature, which kind of makes this is a replacement for Flipnote, which was also free.
Video could use some real world footage - what does it sound like w/ 4 people, are the texts instant or is there a delay. Probably still wouldn't spend $8 on it but if it worked well this would be perfect for a B1 for $8 we'll give you a free code for a friend type of app.
I mean what's the point in spending $8 if this only works w/ other people who have the app? Not everyone is going to want to spend $8 on this, so B1G1 free seems the only way to go.
I'd be willing to pay it, if my friends used it. and that is a big fat if !!!
Looks, cool, and I'd probably pick it up if was like $2, but $8 is a little pricey for what it offers, and I'd rather just use iMessages and Facetime. I also wonder if it supports SpotPass and if I can message friends even when they aren't using the app.
Teyon made Steel Empire available for $30, so I am not surprised to see the price on this. I will pass.
Facebook, Chatzy, Twitter, Nintendo Life, Miiverse, and so many other things are free, though...
I'd rather have an online Pictochat
8 dollars is pretty expensive for a chatting app, if it's ever 50% off, then I might reconsider.
@rjejr I still think they should release Flipnote Studio 3D here. I know they won't but still.
I am not going to buy this though. Obviously because most of my friends have Skype.
No way! I was just thinking about and re-discovering this app a few days ago! Supposedly, people thought it will never leave Japan or something!
Response seems pretty negative so far, and I agree that pricing at $8 feels high (especially when the app only works if other people buy-in too - price the app too high and you never get enough user base to make it worth using).
But this does fill a gap in the 3DS lineup. Nintendo has shown no interest in allowing communication of any type after shutting down SwapNote, which is a feature I sorely miss.
I'm curious to see how the quality is, and whether it includes the ability to send messages to offline friends or only when people are online at the same time.
What an offensive price, and what a puerile design. I'm not that desperate for a Swapnote replacement.
If only the 3DS had the built-in picto-chat that DS had...
Agreed, it does seem too pricey, and I'd have to see it in operation before I made any final decisions. Miss Letterbox...
I remember in black 2, you can text, voice, and video chat. With video, this would be great.
I remember in black 2, you can text, voice, and video chat. With video, this would be great.
@rjejr The Wii Speak channel is unlocked only with a code inputted on the WiiShop channel. Even bundled with Endless Ocean or like Animal Crossing City Folk, the price was 10 or 20 dollars higher so it wasn't free.
I don't see the point of this app if I can't use it while playing another game. The features should be in every online game honestly.
Maybe, if any of my friends get it.
@Inkling Why hasn't that been done yet? Seriously, why?
I really don't know why people are so up in arms about the price, it's not that outrageous.
I'd rather Pictochat be updated for 3DS and released in an update... FOR FREE... SwapNote was junk, and it has been closed for a while now. Just find it stupid that I have to run a flash cart with the NDS firmware on it to use OG Pictochat.
@Porky - No, the code was free, therefore the channel was fee, but you did have to pay for the mic. I installed the Wii Speak channel on 4 different Wii - mine, my parents, and my 2 sisters, and I never paid for the channel. I did buy the Wii Speak mics on clearance at Target for $4.98 that included the code, the money was for the mic, not the channel. I don't expect a hardware accessory to be free.
Since it requires that your friends have it as well, the price could stand to be lower. I do think this is a neat app though, so I plan on keeping my eye on it. Ability to buy download codes of the app for friends would help make this more appealing
I would get this but none of my friends will at that price. We can use these functions for free on our tablets (Skype) sorry but the price is wrong! I guess I will pass until I see friends get it.
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