Reminder: Club Nintendo New 3DS Ambassador Promotion Final Invites Sent, Deadline at Midnight

Meanwhile in America.... [thumb twiddling intensifies]

Three rounds of emails and got nothing. While i couldn't afford to buy it anyway, i think it's wrong that this offer wasn't extended to ALL club Nintendo members as they usually are the most loyal Nintendo fans. Hope America gets this opportunity too as it would be terrible to leave those fans out.

Got mine today!! woohoo!!! Thanks Nintendo!

Yup, ordered one first thing this morning after i spent yesterday evening frantically searching for my credit card

@bouncer0304 These promotions are limited by design. They are intended to generate excitement and a "must have" feeling before the launch, not as an alternative distribution channel. When the original Phat DS was launched, NoE did a similar VIP program to get people talking about it.

Nintendo UK may send another one if they find out Yodel messed up the delivery (which they did), so yay!

Damn, was really hoping to get in on this, was waiting card in hand to buy it too

Sometimes I feel like America is an afterthought for Nintendo.
I've always known the coolest video game toy lines come from Japan, but then Club Nintendo started showing clear favoritism for Japan and Europe. I love those places, but I'd like to see these specials offered globally. Australian fans should matter just as much as Japanese ones, and the same for American audiences. We're all passionate about Nintendo, but sometimes it feels like Nintendo isn't passionate about all of us.

I sense a direct incoming this week!

My email arrived this afternoon 0 dated the 9th of JANUARY!! However - as most of you know lol - I had already cheekily signed in and ordered (with a look of disbelief on my face ha ha!)

Whoop mine arrived at 18:30 . Immediately ordered. I'm so happy!

I would be jealous if they were offering the XL version. I will wait patiently, and hope for a US release soon.

I checked my email...

@SteveSnowmn
Meanwhile in America...

@sleepinglion To be fair, all of the Europe love on Nintendo's part wasn't until -very- recently. Satoru Shibata has been very good to us - stepping up Europe-only localisation efforts to allow European audiences to get their hands on games like Inazuma Eleven, Project Zero 2 and XenoBlade - niche Japanese titles previously considered too risky to bring to Europe; as well as massively revamping Club Nintendo to provide us with better, more frequent incentives. The man's very committed to reversing the general European attitude towards Nintendo - that they really don't give a damn about Europe, never have, and never will; and so far, he's been doing a really commendable job at proving that general mentality wrong.

I'd, also, be surprised if Nintendo of America isn't taking notes right now - I think even NoE is surprised by just how much buzz this promotion is getting, and NoA would be insane to not attempt to replicate its success outside of Europe.

Still nothing for me. Feeling pretty put out by Nintendo right now.

NA got lefted out. AGAIN. Nintendo come on.

I got an e-mail in the first batch but because you just HAVE to pay with a freaking credit card I can't get one. Ugh.

Received my n3ds today, and I'm very impressed by the 'super stable 3d' (played both resident evil revelations in highest 3d settings with gyro aiming, and starfox without any problem with fuzzy or double images), and the ability to watch 3d videos on youtube in the web browser.

@SteveSnowmn Well Said. I feel the same way in North America.

@FritzFrapp I like the white Consoles. Not sure why he would veto them.

@cfgk24 Promotion pages link, please?!

I actually imported an Australian one, now I'm wishing I hadn't. LOL :-/

I imagine NA won't get anything like this.

Don't know why the Americans are complaing. You got "Shanta: The Pirates Curse", while in Europe, we are still waiting.

Mine came today. Just got to transfer the data.

Did it come up on Club Nintendo site for you guys? Just trying to check everywhere I can to see if I got in

Looks like I wont be ordering one then.... :/

I really do wonder what the criteria for this was. Tens of thousands of stars earnt, loads of games registered and completed surveys for over the years... and I get nothing. Yeah, cheers Nintendo.

Got left out. After all the UK praise. Oh well.

@FritzFrapp It's credit card only. No PayPal either.

And... left out again.
I'm a loyal Nintendo fan since my toddler years, own(ed) every single Nintendo hardware they released in Europe and bought software worth over 1000€ in 2014 alone. Why do you hate me, Nintendo?

@Yosher Don't you know someone whose credit card you could use?

I checked my email again but nothing and so I went ballistic:

Predicting a Nintendo Direct soon, announcing the New Nintendo 3DS releasing along with Majora's Mask in the end of March.

@scamander Nobody I know has a credit card. Shouldn't even be a problem in the first place if Nintendo would get with the times and allowed multiple ways of payment. But that's just Nintendo being Nintendo sadly. Sorry to hear you're left out entirely though.

Of course I never got one. This is such BS. I was one of the people who bought the original DS from the stars catalogue when it was first available months before release! I was a 3DS ambassador. I register every console within a week of launch. Nintendo must be able to see I'm a very early adopter and yet they leave me out. Not cool Big N.

@Yosher you can use PayPal mate, I bought one for a friend who didn't get an email in the initial batch using PayPal?

Nope, I haven't been lucky enough to get an email. Oh well, I was on the fence about whether to get it anyway.

This promotion would have been much better if Nintendo revealed the criteria for receiving the email, whether it was special conditions or just luck of the draw.

US needs this, I'm dying here xD

@crimsontadpoles
There is a term and condition they won't reveal. I just received an email about my inquiry on the matter.

All three chances, shot down for me. Doesn't matter, but I'm starting to question my luck when Nintendo does these things, as I always get their emails lol

@MJKOP I don't know if that's just for your country then or something, but I only had the option to use a credit card. I even e-mailed Nintendo asking if there was any other payment option I could use, and the response I got from them also said that I can ONLY use a credit card to pay for it. No PayPal or whichever other payment option, only credit card.

Hmmm, I'm from Northern Ireland, the UK, guess that must be it. Strange though!

@MJKOP Indeed it is. I feel gimped. XD

No luck, but in some way; that's a good thing. Now I won't have to worry about buying it now on impulse; I'm not in the position to spend money so quickly. Hopefully an official release for it comes soon though... I'd prefer getting one in black anyway.

It'd be really cool if Nintendo Japan, USA, and EU all got on the same page, or at least coordinated their strategies, where interesting things like this are concerned.

@MJKOP @FritzFrapp
The promotion is handled via the official Nintendo store in the UK. There is no such store in the rest of Europe, which is why this promotion works completely different here than in the UK. We also don't get shipping mails or tracking and only have one shipping option, which isn't free.

@ledreppe It's in t:
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/01/new_nintendo_3dsnambassador_edition_promotion_is_suddenly_available_to_more_club_nintendo_members

Not sure it is was coincidence or not but I took the advice of a GAF'r and emailed Nintendo directly. I was told I'd be added to the list and sure enough once I checked my account status I was able to add the N3DS to my cart.

Order is now processing.

@FritzFrapp I just tried again just now after you mentioned it just to be sure, but no change. I'll have to miss out on it, despite being one of the 'lucky' ones to receive an e-mail. I honestly don't understand why they can't make use of other payment methods. Very amateuristic, I think. But, oh well, c'est la vie.

@scamander Are you sure that the rest of Europe doesn't get shipping confirmation? I ordered in Germany on Saturday. So, is it possibile that the 3DS arrives tomorrow even though I got no confirmation? Any experiences from someone in Germany?

Still not made my mind up only 2hrs to decide as I've had my new 3ds XL from my sis in oz over a month ago and it is excellent stable 3d is amaaaazzzzing

@FritzFrapp Oh, interesting. So, Germany gets its 3DSes via Zavvi as well - but delivered by German parcel service DHL without a tracking code, though? Guess it's gonna more like the end of the week then. (While if I order something from Amazon UK to Germany it's usually being shipped overnight from a German warehouse but I have to pay International Shipping...)

No email here...which is actually OK with me. I'm not really looking at the New 3DS (And if I was, I'd want only the console) since nothing for it is heavily tempting me and my normal regular 3DS has a capture card port I kinda frequently use now.

Reeeeeaaaally want the chance to get one of these (in the US). But I probably don't qualify anyway.

@mgkoeln @FritzFrapp

Nope, there was a misunderstanding. NoE had to set up a new homepage for us mainland plebs, so that they can send directly from the different Nintendo warehouses. Thanks to that deliveries will arrive faster and we won't have to pay customs (we would have if the official UK store is sending from the channel islands just like TheHut group is). The downside is that NoE probably doesn't have the necessary infrastructure of actual online shops to inform their customers about shipping and tracking services.

What would really sting is if Nintendo said they weren't bringing it to NA from "lack of interest" but I'd like to have more faith in them than that, they aren't Capcom after all

@cfgk24 Yeah I'd rather have the XL, which is what I imported. I'd love to know if the docking cradle is going to be made available outside the ambassador edition. The promotion description says its only available through promotion.

I got an email but the link won't accept my Club Nintendo account.

I got the e-mail on 6th Jan. It took me a little while to decide whether I should go for it and could afford it... I know it's a little late, but there's still more than 30 mins to go until the deadline. I followed the link in the e-mail, entered my Club Nintendo details when asked (I only have one Club Nintendo account), and low and behold.. "This Club Nintendo account is not eligible to take part in this promotion". Looks like the changed their minds about me

@Jazzer94 Me too...

With fingers crossed I decided to start selling some older games on ebay in hopes I will gain enough money to order one of these IF NOA decides to be nice enough to bring the Ambassador N3DS here.. If not oh well, I'll be able to afford one on launch.

@ledreppe Docking Cradle is a Standard accessory. . I have on that I ordered form Playasia along with my Standard New 3ds

@Yosher NEarly everyone (well except kids maybe) has a credit card. Even if you don't have credit, and you've got a checking account, your bank will probably issue you a debit card which can be used to withdraw money from atms as well as process credit transactions. VISA and MasterCard are pretty much accepted worldwide, not sure about the others.

Dang. I really want that 3DS ambassador edition but I suppose Europe deserves it just as much as we do. After all, we received Super Smash Bros. Wii U a week earlier.

To everyone moaning there's no Ambassador 3DS or that Nintendo don't love your country - spare a thought for Brazil

Mine just arrived this morning! I had already left for work but my thankfully my girlfriend was still home to receive it.. phew..

@Yosher i bought mine with debit card, but it takes funds from my bank account so I don't know.. I received order confirmation and I have a NoE germany transaction paid.

Btw, I placed my order on Jan 6th, after payment confirmation I haven't received a single mail or anything..
I live in italy, does anyone outside the UK got the 3ds shipped already?
I'm a bit worried they left it here while I wasn't at home

@StarDust4Ever
"NEarly everyone (well except kids maybe) has a credit card."

In the US. Credit Cards are not common in many European countries. Yosher is from the Netherlands. According to wikipedia "Credit card use in the Netherlands is very low, and most credit cards cannot be used with EFTPOS, or charge very high fees to the customer."

"Even if you don't have credit, and you've got a checking account, your bank will probably issue you a debit card which can be used to withdraw money from atms as well as process credit transactions."

Of course he will have a debit card. You can't have a checking account without getting a debit card. European countries have their own debit card systems, though and if an online retailer only accepts credit cards, you can't use those. (In reality it's more the other way around, though and you can't use credit cards with many online shops in Europe).

"VISA and MasterCard are pretty much accepted worldwide, not sure about the others."

I'm from Germany, I've got a Visa and I can't pay with Visa in
...many supermarkets.
...H&M.
...Ikea.
...Saturn and Media Markt, our biggest retailers for consumer electronics.
...most restaurants.
...most independent shops.
...McDonalds, StarBucks, Burger King, Subway, Dunkin' Donuts and all other big American franchises.

@scamander how so? I'm fine with the fact that here in the EU we don't like credit cards but I have MasterCard and even if it's a 100% a debit card I can pay in Ikea, saturn etc (it's an italian card)
I don't even pay withdrawals in all the other countries and Switzerland (in which I buy 90% of my stuff)

Such a curious thing! I thought it was the same in every euro country

@scamander Good to know. I learn something new everyday.

From the wikipedia Debit Card article:
"Credit card use in the Netherlands is very low, and most credit cards cannot be used with EFTPOS, or charge very high fees to the customer. Debit cards can often, though not always, be used in the entire EU for EFTPOS. Most debit cards are Maestro cards. Visa debit cards are often not accepted, for example ticket machines at railway stations accept Maestro debit cards but not Visa debit cards. However, all kinds of cards can be used in ATMs."

I flew to Italy in 2005 and spent 2 weeks there. I withdrew money from Italian ATMs with my US Visa debit card and PIN, paying everything in cash. I also kept my cash money in my passport wallet under my shirt at all times to prevent pick-pockets. My guide said that was the safest place to keep it, not in a handbag or pocket. He also told me banks had better exchange rates and I avoided paying fees for international transactions by using cash. When I arrived in the US I converted my remaining Euros to US dollars at the Houston Airport. I kept the coins as souvenirs though.

Also my bank account got flagged once in 2006 when I ordered some games from Hong Kong (Lik-Sang). My bank asked me if I approved the transaction, I told them I did and they released the hold on my account. I've since done almost all international transactions using Paypal when possible. Nearly every foreign website I've ever dealt with that ships to the US supports Paypal, and it's safer because I don't worry about leaking my credit card info to unscrupulous vendors.

@StarDust4Ever

The money story is hilarious ahah
I live in italy and I'm afraid as you were every time I go to big cities like Milan 😂

@Moon Well said and indeed, there's not a chance at all LoL

@scamander That's true?! I'm planning to travel to Germany at some point to enrich my knowledge in my working area (Mechanic Engineering) so knowing this helps a lot! I'll be sure to make a Internacional Mastercard then. Thanks a bunch buddy!

Mine arrived today and I've just transfered all my data across. It's the first time I've ever had to migrate data on a Nintendo handheld and I can't say it's a pleasant or quick operation.

Nintendo really need to get with the program on that one.

To all those who did not receive an email !!!.

I sent emails to Nintendo customer services, PR and Satoru Shibata (if [email protected] is correct) this morning.

I explained how I head been left out of the promotion, despite being a very loyal fan, having owned every console since the NES, being an ambassador of the original 3DS and buying a Wii U on day 1.

This evening I received the email from Nintendo, and was able to buy an ambassador bundle.

Might still be worth a try for others.