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MaJoR · **on:** July 28, 2011, 12:21:50 PM

The Nintendo 3DS is dropping in price from $250 to $170 on August 12th in the US. Those that already have a 3DS will get 20 free games (10 NES, 10 GBA, some exclusive) in compensation.

http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/fttgI7OsQIB1tZqRMa5CtT45KLrmNkAY
http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/28/3ds-price-drops-to-170-on-august-12/
http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/28/current-3ds-owners-eligible-for-free-games/
http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2011/07/nintendo-3ds-price-drop/
http://kotaku.com/5825495/nintendo-3ds-gets-sudden-massive-price-drop

Wow, that is one of the biggest pricedrops in video game history! Cutting a third off the price is a huge change. Sure sales were sluggish, but they weren't THAT bad. I would guess that it's probably a combination of trying to boost sales and making sure they can take down the PS Vita next year. Those compensation gifts are a little uh, not that great, but it's a wise move by nintendo. By releasing old games digitally, it costs them next to nothing. And users get free stuff and great games. It may not work, but it's a smart play.

The good news is, the 3DS's price was an experiment. The wii sold so much it was flying off the shelves faster then they could put them back on, which annoyed nintendo cause that meant they could have been making $50 more per wii and get a little less sales but more profit. So for the 3DS they increased it's price by a great deal. By lowering the price this early, they are admitting that the price experiment was a failure, and that they should have gone lower. This means that the Wii U will likely follow a similiar pricing scheme as the wii, but maybe a hair higher. I guess $300.

Acid · **Reply #1 on:** July 28, 2011, 12:44:53 PM

Is Europe affected by the drop too?

Then I would buy one immediatly.

MaJoR · **Reply #2 on:** July 28, 2011, 12:50:41 PM

Nintendo has only listed the price and change dates for the US and Japan so far. Sorry. But they said that Europe will get the cut, and it will be "about a third", but they haven't gotten into specifics.

Acid · **Reply #3 on:** July 28, 2011, 01:10:19 PM

Oh well it will come soon enough.

Setsuna F. Seiei · **Reply #4 on:** July 28, 2011, 01:41:21 PM

Nintendo confirmed for pussies and [Top Spin]s. Especially Reggie and how he was boasting after E3 about how they will not lower the 3DS price and that Vita was not a competitor.

Never mind that fact that it has far better everything for the exact same price, actual third party developers, all of it's games suck ass, companies are all canceling their 3DS games, and that the only games worth playing on 3DS are just N64 rehashes.

Flame · **Reply #5 on:** July 28, 2011, 02:06:33 PM

250 WAS a bit much.. Now I actually might consider buying it....

VixyNyan · **Reply #6 on:** July 28, 2011, 05:06:36 PM

I'm soooo happy that I got the 3DS at the launch~ (NeoGaf) (Nintendojo)

Also GBA VC pretty much announced.

CephiYumi · **Reply #7 on:** July 28, 2011, 05:30:11 PM

I'm not sure about that, they've already said that the GBA games they are using during the promotion aren't really compatible with 3DS (no manual, stops wifi/streetpass, and won't be updated to do so) so to me that says they don't really have plans to do GBA. Or at least not anytime soon.

And even if they did, I find it weird that they'd never sell the ones they are going to use in the promotion

Klavier Gavin · **Reply #8 on:** July 28, 2011, 05:32:21 PM

DAT YOSHI'S ISLAND AND METROID FUSION <3

VixyNyan · **Reply #9 on:** July 28, 2011, 05:34:42 PM

Mario Kart Advance and Wario Ware Inc~

Sparky · **Reply #10 on:** July 28, 2011, 06:38:27 PM

Quote from: Klavier Gavin on July 28, 2011, 05:32:21 PM

DAT YOSHI'S ISLAND AND METROID FUSION

Metoid Fusion Metroid Fusion [tornado fang]ing METROID FUSION NNNNGGGG.

Gaia · **Reply #11 on:** July 28, 2011, 06:48:17 PM

Like my 3DS has been SWAMPED with downloadable add-ons already. Ninty's really devoted to their customers aren't they? $:\$

Acid · **Reply #12 on:** July 28, 2011, 06:57:57 PM

Quote from: Sparky on July 28, 2011, 06:38:27 PM

Metoid Fusion Metroid Fusion [tornado fang]ing METROID FUSION NNNNGGGG.

Didn't know you liked Metroid Fusion!

Sparky · **Reply #13 on:** July 28, 2011, 07:07:51 PM

Oh yes, I do. After all these years, I'll be finally able to play it again.

Also because I was stupid enough to sell my copy all those years ago.

Acid · **Reply #14 on:** July 28, 2011, 07:12:50 PM

I still have my original copy and booklet.

And I still love it as much as I did back then.

STM · **Reply #15 on:** July 28, 2011, 08:52:53 PM

But... I already own those on GBA and I got them running on my PSP.

Mother 3 English on PSP.

Can I exchange those 20 games for two free 3DS games of my choosing? Because that'd be MUCH better.

Police Girl · **Reply #16 on:** July 28, 2011, 10:04:30 PM

Funny how all the GBA games they mention available for download I have in cartridge form already.
Still, $170, great price compared to the original price.

Hypershell · **Reply #17 on:** July 29, 2011, 12:55:40 AM

I never got Mario Vs. Donkey Kong, and the small-name franchises are nice too. So is any reason to carry less handhelds in my pockets. And half the selection hasn't been revealed yet.

Plus, you really can't own Yoshi's Island in too many formats.

Quote from: Setsuna F. Seiei on July 28, 2011, 01:41:21 PM

Nintendo confirmed for pussies and [Top Spin]s. Especially Reggie and how he was boasting after E3 about how they will not lower the 3DS price and that Vita was not a competitor.

As if Nintendo is the only console manufacturer to blow hot air. That's a pretty common affair in the gaming industry.

Reaperoid · **Reply #18 on:** July 29, 2011, 02:18:55 PM

$AUD 250? That's more like it.

VixyNyan · **Reply #19 on:** July 30, 2011, 12:47:21 AM

Quick update.

Quote

Earlier this week, Nintendo announced that they were dropping the price of their 3DS from $250 to $170. To make it up to all of those early adopters of the portable gaming system, Nintendo also kicked off the ambassador program.

The program entitles members to 20 free downloadable games from the Nintendo eShop, half of them NES games and half Game Boy Advance titles.

But it's not automatic.

You need to sign on to the eShop with your 3DS before the Aug. 12 price drop kicks in. No Internet? Sorry, you may be out of luck. Once you do, or if you already have, then your system is signed up for the program. I say your system, because the program is tied to the device, not the user. If you were, for instance, to have registered the 3DS and then sold it, you've also essentially sold those 20 free games to whoever buys that system from you.

It remains unclear, even with the clarification help, whether you'll be able to somehow retain those games if your system breaks or if down the line you decide to buy a new 3DS, say one with a different color.

http://kotaku.com/5825878/how-to-collect-your-20-free-3ds-games-and-maybe-a-little-cash-on-the-side
http://kotaku.com/5825883/but-what-if-you-dont-have-internet-can-you-get-twenty-free-games

Hypershell · **Reply #20 on:** July 30, 2011, 01:58:09 AM

I'm sure most major retailers will be made aware of the promotion. Such a drastic mark-down with such a specific "effective date", and all.

Quote

Of course, there are WiFi spots at McDonald's across Japan (and other locations), so worse case scenario, those in Japanese without internet might be forced to leave their houses for free games. Horrible, I know.

Quote

No word how Nintendo of America is handling internet-less 3DS owners.

IIRC both McDonalds and Best Buy have DS-compatible Wifi hotspots here.

Phi · **Reply #21 on:** August 02, 2011, 04:03:43 AM

2 more games confirmed?

Take this with a huge grain of salt, of course.

VixyNyan · **Reply #22 on:** August 02, 2011, 11:12:16 AM

The Kirby GBA one is right tho (at least Nintendo mentioned that in an update a day ago).

The SMA4 one might just be a typo, or a last minute change.
We were supposed to get SMA3: Yoshi's Island.

And where's "Mario vs. Donkey Kong"? D:

Kieran · **Reply #23 on:** August 02, 2011, 06:43:01 PM

You know, I suddenly find myself wondering if we actually get to pick from a list of games, or if they're just shoving 20 games of their own choosing down our throats.

VixyNyan · **Reply #24 on:** August 02, 2011, 06:57:23 PM

It will be the last one, mostly 1st party games, but also some games from their 2nd party divisions (Game Freak, HAL Laboratory, etc)

I really hope they will add Drill Dozer / Screw Breaker in the list. It's so underrated and needs A LOT of attention!

News

3DS Pricedrop. Early Adopters gets free NES+GBA VC games