Nintendo 3DS gets huge price drop, early adopters get 20 free GBA and NES games

[TimmiT]

http://press.nintendo.com/articles.jsp?id=30048
On August 12th the price of the 3DS will be dropped to 169 USD. Those who bought the 3DS before the price drop gets 10 free NES and 10 free GBA games. Here's a partial list of the games those will get:

NES:

• Super Mario Bros
• Donkey Kong Jr.
• Balloon Fight
• Ice Climber
• Legend of Zelda
• + five more games

GBA:

• Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
• Mario Kart: Super Circuit
• Metroid Fusion
• Warioware Inc: Mega Microgame$
• Mario vs. Donkey Kong
• + five more games

I'll buy it for that price. The biggest reason I didn't buy the 3DS was the price and I really want to play Nintendo's upcoming games.

[Barry the Nomad]

Wow! What a price drop! Not a good sign for Nintendo, but a good sign for me! I might just pick one up. I really want to play Shinobi and Generations when they hit, plus I want to catch up on all the DS SEGA titles.

[TimmiT]

Wow! What a price drop! Not a good sign for Nintendo, but a good sign for me! I might just pick one up. I really want to play Shinobi and Generations when they hit, plus I want to catch up on all the DS SEGA titles.

The 3DS hasn't been selling well when compared to their previous handhelds. Besides that, the PSVita, which is capable of better graphics than the 3DS, is going to cost 250 USD. If they want to compete with that, they have to drop the price.

[segaismysavior]

Wow, I figured they'd drop to $200 before the holidays, but that is a nice bonus. I hope I can get one before the year is out.

[Chaosmaster8753]

Good to see there's something in it for early investors.

[segaismysavior]

Crap, I just noticed this about the GBA games in the list:

"These games will be available exclusively to Ambassadors, and Nintendo currently has no plans to make these 10 games available to the general public on the Nintendo 3DS in the future."

Really the only one I'd love to download is Metroid Fusion, but I guess I'll just have to Ebay it some day and play on my older systems. Then again, Nintendo loves to say "no plans in the future" and then change their mind a few months to a year later.

[George]

I have a huge feeling that a way better looking 3DS is around the corner for a re-launch. I think it will try to match the software that is on the Playstation Vita by having a more social experince and a pretty decent music player. Why you ask? Well, I think Nintendo knows there is a market for it and if it can stay under the 200 dollar mark for the 're-launch' they will most likely outsell the PSV. Not to mention a bigger screen and larger battery.

They just need to take care of the software part and Capcom canceling Mega Man Legends 3 project isn't good.

Reggie when he heard the news:


I won't purchase a 3DS due to how inferior the user experience is compared to something like the DSi XL. I have one and it has longer battery, better on system software and screen. Try harder Nintendo. Also no Mega Man Legends 3, fuckkkkkkkk.

[TimmiT]

Crap, I just noticed this about the GBA games in the list:

"These games will be available exclusively to Ambassadors, and Nintendo currently has no plans to make these 10 games available to the general public on the Nintendo 3DS in the future."

Really the only one I'd love to download is Metroid Fusion, but I guess I'll just have to Ebay it some day and play on my older systems. Then again, Nintendo loves to say "no plans in the future" and then change their mind a few months to a year later.

"No plans" is also known as PR speak for "not ready to announce it yet".

[Waffle]

Ambassadors are what now?

I thought this was very good, but if they only get NES ROMs now, that is not worth it. I would be very irritated to know I had wasted money by buying it just a few months early.

As for the price drop, it is still too much for what it is. 3D is not a selling point for me, and I think most people agree.

[Sega Uranus]

I suppose a 3D-less 3DS is out of the question considering that is the main gimmick and all, but I am definitely waiting for the improved hardware before I even considering biting. The 3DS we have now could be so much better, even the DS backwards compatibility is lacking badly. How does something like that happen?

Even with such a massive price drop, I still feel this is nowhere as cheap as it should be. Smartphones are obviously a billion times more useful and are slowly creeping up around the same price. Nintendo just really dropped the ball with the 3D gimmick, but I guess they needed to learn a lesson.

I honestly just wish SEGA would drop support for the platform, but I know it is out of the question. Hopefully Shinobi comes to something else, Generations3DS will be one of the worst Sonic games ever, so I hope it rots forever. I also rather just have a different Monkey Ball game anyways.

[Autosaver]

Ambassadors are what now?

People who used the EShop before AUG 11.

I thought this was very good, but if they only get NES ROMs now, that is not worth it. I would be very irritated to know I had wasted money by buying it just a few months early.

Not just NES Roms, GBA Roms too. And the GBA Roms may never be released to the public, only to you!

As for the price drop, it is still too much for what it is.

I disagree, I thought they price dropped too much! Well, the DSi is 150 dollars and the 3DS is a heck of an upgrade for only 20 bucks more!

I honestly just wish SEGA would drop support for the platform, but I know it is out of the question. Hopefully Shinobi comes to something else, Generations3DS will be one of the worst Sonic games ever, so I hope it rots forever. I also rather just have a different Monkey Ball game anyways.

Drop support? Erm... No. They will make a lot of money from the handheld which will help fund future bigger games. Crush is even getting a revival after the whole PSP bomb shenanigans.
I seriously don't get why you're bawling at SG 3DS. Most of the builds played are old and they said they would work on the issues. The "RUSH" segments are just as fun as before so fans are sure to love them. Are you seriously thinking it could be any worse then Sonic 06... or even Sonic 4? It supposedly has Sonic 4 physics but with a couple improvements here and there. (See Running)

Sega dropped the ball with Monkey Ball a while ago. If it was on another platform, it probably would of sucked just as much. The original Monkey Ball games are long gone and now we'll be getting a sub-par experience with a bunch of sub-par minigames.

I found it a bit shocking on how Iwata did this. A lot of the salaries were cut and he priced dropped it WAAY more then I expected to. Now they're taking a "PS3" situation by underpricing it and LOSING MONEY with each handheld sold. Although, he did say next holiday season would bring back profits. It isn't like the PS3 where it continued to sell for a loss for a very long time.

[Barry the Nomad]

Sega dropped the ball with Monkey Ball a while ago. If it was on another platform, it probably would of sucked just as much. The original Monkey Ball games are long gone and now we'll be getting a sub-par experience with a bunch of sub-par minigames.

I found Super Monkey Ball 2 for the iOS to be fantastic, played a lot like the console versions. Shame SEGA does a better job on the iOS than they do on the 3DS. Maybe they should get the same dev team to create the 3DS version.

[Autosaver]

Oh no! I think I was confused! My memory must of been fuzzy thinking that every Super Monkey Ball Game that came out after the second one was trashed by reviewers. The only was that was trashed was Adventures and the DS one to the extent.

And looking at the scores, it seems the official team makes better games. Ocean Interactive basically trashed MB with the first game but they really upped the ball game with the sequel. Still, it supposedly wasn't as good as the official series. Even the 3DS one beat it out. (IGN)

I wish they would do a new model along with a price drop. That would be pretty sweet.

[Happy Cat]

I found Super Monkey Ball 2 for the iOS to be fantastic, played a lot like the console versions. Shame SEGA does a better job on the iOS than they do on the 3DS. Maybe they should get the same dev team to create the 3DS version.

It's being dumbed down for the casual Nintendo Audience. I heard that Amusment Vision made the 3DS version lol. We all know they don't make dumbed down games by default.

[Waffle]

Nintendo is simply bizarre with how they title people... that is not what I would ever consider an 'ambassador'.

As for 3DS, it seems more like a Virtual Boy at the moment. I do not want 3D anything besides Space Harrier 3D, and I want to wear some glasses during. 3D just seems like a pointless gimmick, eye strain, and a huge waste of battery power for a handheld.

Considering how egotistical Nintendo is, I hope it fails hard.