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[cametall]

Wow, glad I held off on buying a 3DS when the Vita's price was announced.

Now maybe I will have both handhelds by the end of 2011 ... if the 3DS gets more than updates of games I beat 13 years ago that is.

 

[dinosaur_hunter2]

WOW 3DS launched at 350 AUD?

and is only dropping to 250 AUD. Canadian here, but how the fuck does Nintendo get away with such crazy pricing considering AUD is above par with USD

My fellow GAF'er, you say that because you don't know Brazil (my country). The official price for the 3DS here is roughly equivalent to 727 dollars. SEVENTY HUNDRED AND TWENTY SEVEN AMERICAN DOLLARS.

But that is not because Nintendo. Our taxes here are absurd.

 

[brochiller]

This is awesome. I can actually play the copy of OOT 3D I got just for the free soundtrack now.

 

[Vamphuntr]

Wow did not see that one coming. It's 200$ in Canada for the weekend as they probably tried to make money before the real price drop happened. I guess it confirms the speculation GAF had for quite a while that the 3DS wasn't doing that great. I'm really glad I was able to resist buying one at 250$. This drop is massive and quite early in the system life. At least it shows that Nintendo is taking the competition and its position as leader in the industry seriously this time. The free games are also a nice compensation for those that bought the system at full price. It shows the big N respects its customers.

At that price it's much more interesting to get one if you are currently only interested in 1 or 2 games available or coming up.

 

[Chris R]

Incredible! I might buy one this year after all.

Same here. Depends if game price drops too.

Also, are people planning on buying the unit, registering it, getting the free games and then price adjusting when the drop happens? Would that even work? Nintendo has to have thought that one through right???

 

[nVidiot_Whore]

Don't most price drops happen fairly immediately upon announcement?

I can't imagine retail is too thrilled to be having 3DS's sit on their shelf the next 2 weeks... or maybe that's not such a big deal?

 

[phosphor112]

They're guessing that most of their early adopters are classic Nintendo fans, who appreciate these old games. Especially with the GBA titles, since there's no practical way to play these games on a modern system.

I think it was a good bet.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't most Nintendo "enthusiasts" already have those games?

I'm not even an enthusiast, but every single damn game they are re-releasing, I already own and have beaten.

 

[BLagiver]

I will get the 3ds at the lower price and the 20 free games. Now that is value and Ill still have it before anything relevant that I haven't played yet comes out lol.

 

[Mailenstein]

I guess the real winners are early adopters which never owned or played any Nintendo system before. For them those 20 games are better than the cheaper 3DS tbh.

 

[Red Liquorice]

Yep, still gonna wait for the 3DS Lite.

 

[nVidiot_Whore]

I guess the real winners are early adopters which never owned or played any Nintendo system before. For them those 20 games are better than the cheaper 3DS tbh.

I haven't played most of those games.. or at least haven't played the GameBoy versions.

Sort of makes a purchase tempting.. especially if retailers throw the thing on sale in the next week... just have to get it and log in by the 12th right?

 

[Vamphuntr]

I will get the 3ds at the lower price and the 20 free games. Now that is value and Ill still have it before anything relevant that I haven't played yet comes out lol.

You only get the free games if you bought/registered the system before the price drop...

 

[brochiller]

I haven't played most of those games.. or at least haven't played the GameBoy versions.

Sort of makes a purchase tempting.. especially if retailers throw the thing on sale in the next week... just have to get it and log in by the 12th right?

If they sell it for say $199 next week or something around there then I may actually pick one up then to get all of those free games.

 

[Marty Chinn]

You only get the free games if you bought/registered the system before the price drop...

Good thing stores have anywhere from a 30 to 90 day price match window.

If they sell it for say $199 next week or something around there then I may actually pick one up then to get all of those free games.

Just price match it. Man, some people really don't know about store policies.

 

[nVidiot_Whore]

Good point.. price matching..

lol.. could totally go buy one today, and then just go have it price-retrofitted in 2 weeks.

 

[Boney]

Since Metal Gear is delayed, Ridge Racer 3D is hardly monumental and Zelda OOT is not in the 'next generation' graphics camp I'd have to say that 'precision control' is pretty much the only thing they got right in this ad. Still I like the set up, the montage and pacing is nice.

should've showed a bit more of Snakes face, and more exciting footage of PES.

But it was cool I guess.

 

[brochiller]

Yep, still gonna wait for the 3DS Lite.

Why? The battery life? I'm really just interested to know. I was thinking the same thing too but now that they fixed the issue where the top screen was scratching the bottom screen and with this price drop, I see no reason to.

 

[BowieZ]

If you say "our 3DS" really slurred it sounds like "arthritis".

and household sounds like ... never mind.

 

[chifanpoe]

Just got one off of local craigslist seller with Zelda 3ds for $160. They said best offer so I sent them the NA press release of the price drop. Now to get it online and get setup for some free games!

 

[ShockingAlberto]

I said a week ago Nintendo would have to do something dramatic, like a price drop, to avoid the same catastrophic process the Wii went through with software.

I did not think Iwata was reading that.

 

[Father_Brain]

Said it before, I'll say it again: Those who think a 3DS Lite is imminent have forgotten why the DS Lite existed in the first place. Whatever one thinks of the 3DS' aesthetics, it's no DS Phat, and power-saving tech is not likely to advance too dramatically in the next 12-18 months.

 

[Poyunch]

and household sounds like ... never mind.

Spoiler

I don't get it.

 

[demosthenes]

Good thing stores have anywhere from a 30 to 90 day price match window.



Just price match it. Man, some people really don't know about store policies.

Target is 7 days I believe.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

I said a week ago Nintendo would have to do something dramatic, like a price drop, to avoid the same catastrophic process the Wii went through with software.

I did not think Iwata was reading that.

post about f-zero

get your post on

 

[a Master Ninja]

I pre-ordered the 3DS before launch but got cold feet because of the software line-up. To buy this within the next two weeks or hold out for the 3DS Lite? There still isn't anything I MUST play nor are the software prices reasonable...

The 3DS now just needs a guaranteed seller like Mario Kart and/or Brain Age 3 to come out. And I think Nintendo would be wise to price games at $30.

Touch Generation stuff is dead now that iOS devices and smartphones are everywhere and similar apps are free or cheap. The days of mom or grandma touching a dedicated handheld are over.

 

[bathala]

Yep, still gonna wait for the 3DS Lite.

yeah this.
better battery i hope

 

[Sadist]

Said it before, I'll say it again: Those who think a 3DS Lite is imminent have forgotten why the DS Lite existed in the first place. Whatever one thinks of the 3DS' aesthetics, it's no DS Phat, and power-saving tech is not likely to advance too dramatically in the next 12-18 months.

And even when a revision happens... it will rather be 3DS XL

 

[Vamphuntr]

Target is 7 days I believe.

And Best Buy here in Canada is 30. All of this depends on the day the price drop will happen.

 

[Fularu]

Yes.

The wording is weird, you have to buy the 3DS before september 1st to be eligible or before the price drop happens? (I know, I'm asking lots of questions)

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

Said it before, I'll say it again: Those who think a 3DS Lite is imminent have forgotten why the DS Lite existed in the first place. Whatever one thinks of the 3DS' aesthetics, it's no DS Phat, and power-saving tech is not likely to advance too dramatically in the next 12-18 months.

OLED could be a major draw in terms of both visual clarity and battery savings. Of course they could also go a GBA SP 2.0 route with that and just put new improved screens in the old hardware model. I do sort of get the feeling Nintendo's going to be hesitant with full hardware refreshes going forward since it's undoubtedly contributed to the confusion surrounding 3DS's troubled start.

 

[nVidiot_Whore]

The wording is weird, you have to buy the 3DS before september 1st to be eligible or before the price drop happens? (I know, I'm asking lots of questions)

How is the wording weird?

They say quite clearly you have to register online before the price drop.. with a 3DS you own.

They even give an exact time down to the minute.

These free games are available to anyone who owns a Nintendo 3DS system and uses a wireless broadband Internet signal to connect to the Nintendo eShop at least once before 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Aug. 11. These users will automatically be registered in the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador program. The program contains two elements:

 

[Lindsay]

I was expecting ta get a 3DS at a reasonable price during black friday 2013/2014 but with a drop like this maybe BF 2012 will be the year! Until then, devs need to start announcing and releasing games I'd actually wanna play. Cause of all the stuff out now and announced there's el zilcho for me >.<

 

[Little Green Yoda]

And even when a revision happens... it will rather be 3DS XL

All other things being equal, I'm fine with an XL version if it means better battery life.

 

[KarmaCow]

So wait, did anyone with a near-launch 3DS manage to get their 3DS replaced for a newer one that doesn't have the bottom screen touching the top screen before it leaves a permanent mark?

I just called up Nintendo to see if I could get my 3DS replaced for a newer one that doesn't leave marks on the top screen and they said they wont until it actually scratches the screen. I feel worse and worse about buying this thing at launch.

 

[Takuya]

Why? The battery life? I'm really just interested to know. I was thinking the same thing too but now that they fixed the issue where the top screen was scratching the bottom screen and with this price drop, I see no reason to.

Software.

 

[Fularu]

How is the wording weird?

The japanese one I read seemed rather weird in its wording (on the first page). Thank you for pointing it out

 

[Rocksteady33]

I was expecting ta get a 3DS at a reasonable price during black friday 2013/2014 but with a drop like this maybe BF 2012 will be the year! Until then, devs need to start announcing and releasing games I'd actually wanna play. Cause of all the stuff out now and announced there's el zilcho for me >.<

People plan four Black Friday's four years down the road??

 

[Jinfash]

I didn't get a good look at the announced NES and GBA games from the 20, but are they all Nintendo's or are there 3rd party games among them? Some of my favorite games aren't 1st party.

 

[MidnightScott]

Importing one from Japan will be much cheaper as a result. However, I don't think Nintendo should've dropped it that far. A $50 price cut would've been fine I think.

Lack of games & the high price are what hurt it the most though.

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

Just 1.

Starfox don't sell it just bombs.


By this time, Canvas Curse, Pheonix Wright and Trauma Center were already out, and Advance Wars was just about to come out.

And PiT, but we don't talk about that because is sucks.

Absolute lies. If we're speaking of the two consoles launched aligned, we'd still have to wait another 4 months for Kirby's Canvas Curse (let alone Mario & Luigi PIT which came out about 5 months after Kirby Canvas Curse)

4 months after the DS launched, we had the following games

Launch Day

Asphalt Urban GT (Gameloft)
Feel the Magic: XY/XX (Sega)
Madden NFL 2005 (Electronic Arts)
Ping Pals (THQ)
Ridge Racer DS (Namco)
Spider-Man 2 (Activision)
Sprung (Ubisoft)
Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt (Nintendo)
Super Mario 64 DS (Nintendo)
The Urbz: Sims in the City (Electronic Arts)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour (Electronic Arts)

February

Wario Ware Touched

March

Yoshi Touch N Go

 

[Lindsay]

People plan four Black Friday's four years down the road??

I did since thats pretty much when GAFers said I'd be able ta get a 3DS at a price I was willing to pay ($130 or less)!

 

[Boney]

Absolute lies. If we're speaking of the two consoles launched aligned, we'd still have to wait another 4 months for Kirby's Canvas Curse (let alone Mario & Luigi PIT which came out about 5 months after Kirby Canvas Curse)

hey man i already got corrected ;_;

 

[MidnightScott]

¥15,000 at current trading is $193.10 USD
¥25,000 at current trading is $321.76 USD

That ¥10,000 price difference is $128.66 USD. No wonder they say Nintendo will be hurting...:/

No wonder they don't want to take any risks releasing those Wii games here. They are hurting already.

 

[Satchel]

So glad I held off. I'm finally learning to control my OCD!!!!

Might wait a bit longer.

Or just import from the US, I mean our dollar is at I think $1.10 US so I'd be getting it for somewhere around the $150 mark. Awesome. Can import cheaper games too.

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

Just for good measure, here is a list of all of the significant games released in the DS' first year:

Launch Day (Nov 2004)

Super Mario 64 DS
Feel the Magic: XY/XX

February 2005 (3 months later!)

Wario Ware Touched

March (1 month later)

Yoshi Touch N' Go

April (1 month later)

Pac Pix

June (2 months later)

Kirby Canvas Curse
Meteos

August (2 months later)

Nintendogs
Advance Wars Dual Strike

September (1 month later)
Trace Memory

October (1 month later)
Trauma Center
Ace Attorney
Metroid Prime Pinball

November (1 month later)
Mario Kart DS
Mario & Luigi Partners in Time
Sonic Rush

 

[MegaKungFuRadio]

Still waiting on games, but I encourage Nintendo to continue to freak out so that the price is sub-$150 for a new model that fixes the minor problems that the first gen hardware has (possible screen scratching, pathetic battery life for starters) by the time the library is actually worth investing in the system for.

 

[CoffeeJanitor]

I for one am pretty damn surprised at this announcement. I thought sales were decent, and that if they were to drop the price they would wait to the holidays at least and maybe even only go to $200.

So to all of you who thought otherwise that I thought were fools, I am eating a shit ton of crow right now.

 

[opticalmace]

Just bought one inside the price protection window for Wal-Mart. Paid $198. Didn't buy any games. Will go back in a few weeks to do the price protection.

System update took a while. We went with aqua-teal-blue-whatever.

I'm tempted but the main thing stopping me is the prospect of the 3DS Lite coming out right after there are 3DS games I really want to play. ~_~

Are there any better deals in Canada? Ideal for me would be $250 with free Zelda and being able to match it to $169 in August, but that is probably too good to be true.

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

I for one am pretty damn surprised at this announcement. I thought sales were decent, and that if they were to drop the price they would wait to the holidays at least and maybe even only go to $200.

So to all of you who thought otherwise that I thought were fools, I am eating a shit ton of crow right now.

You and me both. Still think they're making a big mistake here.

 

[outunderthestars]

You and me both. Still think they're making a big mistake here.

Lowering the price is a mistake?