Nintendo Slashes 3DS Price to $169.99, Early Adopters Get Free Games

3DS has not lit the world on fire in the same way DS did. You can blame your smartphone for that. When DS launched, devices like the iPhone did not exist. Decent video games were not available for your mobile phone!

That's all changed, and Nintendo's glasses-free 3D gimmick hasn't been enough to sway customers to drop $249.99 for its new handheld.

Maybe they'll pay $169.99, though, which is the new retail price of 3DS, effective August 12.

Nintendo also confirmed release months for Super Mario 3D Land (November) and Mario Kart 7 (December). Wait, Mario Kart...7? Really? I wouldn't be surprised if that one changed before release.

If you (like me) already bought a 3DS and are cringing, Nintendo's hoping to appease early adopters with the "3DS Ambassador" program, which roughly translated into English means "free stuff."

First, you'll gain access to 10 free Virtual Console games from the NES era, including Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong Jr., Balloon Fight, Ice Climber and The Legend of Zelda. The others five aren't known, and all ten will become publicly available for purchase at a later date.

Additionally, Nintendo's offering up another 10 free Game Boy Advance titles. The games include Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3, Mario Kart: Super Circuit,Metroid Fusion, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ and Mario vs. Donkey Kong. The other five weren't listed, but that's a hell of a list already.

Strangely, Nintendo claims these free GBA titles won't be made available to everyone else.

"Nintendo currently has no plans to make these 10 games available to the general public on the Nintendo 3DS in the future," reads the press release.

More details about the program are to be announced, but Nintendo's only requirement is that players connect to the eShop before 11:59 p.m. EST on August 11. Before the price drop, basically.

Sony can't be very happy about this aggressive move. Many did not expect the company to hit a $249.99 price point for Vita.

Gonna get one this year then, thats cheap!

Edit: Also yay for me getting that stupid quest people kill themselves over without trying or without being a moron!

Awesome! Really glad they aren't simply ignoring us early adopters.

$149? I've been hearing $169 from other sites.

Don't you mean $169?

$149? I've been hearing $169 from other sites.

Yeah, my bad. What I get for writing this at 2AM after playing Catherine for an hour.

It seems it didn't work quite well for them... well, I'll check the 3DS August 12 then... xD

Ack! I actually read that instead of just posting something stupid fast. What is wrong with me. :( Yeah, yeah, that's a tempting price. I still need Layton vs. Phoenix Wright before I buy one.

ok im gonna buy one when they drop the price.

late night post by patrick klepeck. does he have his brain hooked up to game news or what

NOT BAD. 20 free VC games seems like compensation enough for being an early adopter, sure!

@skinnyluigi said:

late night post by patrick klepeck. does he have his brain hooked up to game news or what

What do you think the curls are for?

Hmm... well 170 still isn't bad, think i will get one this winter.

Now little kids can afford it with a few months of allowance and it falls into the range of christmas/birthday gift prices.  And little kids don't have their own smartphones because of data plans.

Yeah, my bad. What I get for writing this at 2AM after playing Catherine for an hour.

Hurray free stuff!

@scarace360 said:

FUCK YA IM GOING OUT TOMORROW TO BUY ONE!

lol, did you read the article? Or am I being trolled?

@scarace360 said:

FUCK YA IM GOING OUT TOMORROW TO BUY ONE!

lol, did you read the article? Or am I being trolled?

@scarace360 said:

FUCK YA IM GOING OUT TOMORROW TO BUY ONE!

lol, did you read the article? Or am I being trolled?

@scarace360: The price drop occurs on August 12

This might tempt me to pick one up. Pretty big price drop, pretty fast too. Sony won't be too impressed. Just when they thought they'd got their pricing right.

Yeah, my bad. What I get for writing this at 2AM after playing Catherine for an hour.

Any drop for Europe, or are we just expected to take another shot in the ass?

@NotorietyH said:

This might tempt me to pick one up. Pretty big price drop, pretty fast too. Sony won't be too impressed. Just when they thought they'd got their pricing right.

Are you kidding? Nintendo was just forced by terrible reception, and probably to an extent the competitive Vita pricing, to drop their price by nearly $100 (with tax here in the states) for the 3DS. I'd say Sony sees that as a damned good thing, especially considering how Nintendo tends to make money. If they dropped the price that much, they won't be making much from hardware. Less then half the margin per unit, if I remember the production prices correctly.

I'm interested in how many held off due to the hardware design, which is the case with me. I plan to buy one as I think it's a really good platform to play retro, indie and past gen. games which seem a bit thinly spread on HD real estate, but I want a slicker design.

At this price, I'm getting one of those at my next pay. Or even now, considering that 20 games are coming free before august 12... Unless it's one game per NES/GBA era.

I can't feel bad about this as an early adopter. I've managed to get a ton of mileage from my 3DS and do not regret the purchase one bit. And free games? Bring 'em on!

Still not biting. Sorry, Ninty.

It's not the price of the system or your games, it's how much I care to carry in my pocket and if I'm gonna be playing this at home I'm not going to confine myself to a tiny screen, 3D or not.

@NotorietyH said:

This might tempt me to pick one up. Pretty big price drop, pretty fast too. Sony won't be too impressed. Just when they thought they'd got their pricing right.

Are you kidding? Nintendo was just forced by terrible reception, and probably to an extent the competitive Vita pricing, to drop their price by nearly $100 (with tax here in the states) for the 3DS. I'd say Sony sees that as a damned good thing, especially considering how Nintendo tends to make money. If they dropped the price that much, they won't be making much from hardware. Less then half the margin per unit, if I remember the production prices correctly.

Also, on behalf of those who DID buy the system early, I would like to issue a statement of Fuck You Nintendo.

Really, 20 old ass games is what you give for an AWFUL launch and rather rapidly dropping the price by that much? How are people raging that you get to pick from full, contemporary ass video games for the PS3 stuff but Nintendo gives stuff you can download and emulate in a heart beat just as free as you can get em through the 3DS if you don't count the cost of the 3DS and so far all I've seen is @Jonathan said:

Awesome! Really glad they aren't simply ignoring us early adopters.

I'm starting to wonder if someone at Whiskey Media has Patrick literally chained to the office. Someone let that man get some sleep!

Some actually fun games in there, so I guess that's an alright way to appease early adopters. Good thing too, thats a serious price cut.

@MordeaniisChaos: No i'm not kidding. Sony find themselves with another piece of hardware that's nearly $100 more expensive than it's competitor, rather than releasing the competitively priced product they intended. I think they'll be nervous that the handheld market doesn't seem to be as strong as it once was either. It could also affect initial sales too, some people might hold off buying one at launch because "the 3DS dropped in price so fast," So I think Sony, while pleased that the 3DS isn't selling gangbusters in a competitive sense, will be worried what it means for Vita sales.

Wow, I should've waited..

Oh wow. I thought something like this might happen due to the poor sales and launch of the Vita but I thought it wasn't going to happen until closer to the holidays. Unfortunately I am still not interested in buying one until there are more good games for it, but nice try Nintendo.

Ooh, that's a hot price.

NOT BAD. 20 free VC games seems like compensation enough for being an early adopter, sure!

@OsvaldoMoreno said:

At this price, I'm getting one of those at my next pay. Or even now, considering that 20 games are coming free before august 12... Unless it's one game per NES/GBA era.

They're not coming BEFORE August 12th. You need to access the eShop before that date to be counted. When they start releasing them as of September 1st, THEN they'll be free.

Are you fucking kidding me?

wow...if it gets some more stellar games I may get it. I was 100% Vita during E3 week, but thinking about it more I don't need it at all. I barely touch my PSP and it had some games I really wanted to play. So 3DS is a maybe, if there are more great games!

The 20 free download games probably amounts to the US$80 price drop. Good that they are doing something rather than entirely screwing over early adopters. 
 
@MordeaniisChaos said: 

Really, 20 old ass games is what you give for an AWFUL launch and rather rapidly dropping the price by that much? How are people raging that you get to pick from full, contemporary ass video games for the PS3 stuff but Nintendo gives stuff you can download and emulate in a heart beat just as free as you can get em through the 3DS if you don't count the cost of the 3DS and so far all I've seen is @Jonathan said:

Awesome! Really glad they aren't simply ignoring us early adopters.

Seems like a last ditch effort.

I don't understand. Where's the conductor?!

PEOPLE 

WE HAVE TO DO THE SAME WITH PS VITA

common guys, Nintendo doesn't do things at money lost for anything. Of course the compensation is less then eventful (really, it depends on the last 10 games they announce) though, those GBA games look pretty good IMO.

I was mildly interested in the 3DS, but got over it real quick. I really want the Vita because I like shiny things with big screens... but honestly, I'm starting to become disinterested in game-oriented handhelds. Kinda bums me out.

I was relatively happy with my purchase anyway, so the 10 NES & 10 GBA games sweeten the deal for me. This really does seem like the price point they should have launched at, though, particularly considering the weak lineup. Metroid Fusion is one of my favourite handheld games ever, and I haven't been able to find my copy for some years, so I'm really pleased on that front. I hope the price drop gives the 3DS a shot in the arm, I really do like the system.

Wow...now thats news. Might get one later on this year then! :)