There were some rumors about it going around for a day or two, but Nintendo made it official today. They've announced that they'll release a special edition Fire Emblem: Awakening 3DS bundle in North America. The design is the same one used for a special bundle released in Japan last year, and comes with the game preinstalled on the hardware rather than a physical copy.

EDIT: For those just now seeing the thread, Nintendo has announced that the bundle will go on sale on February 4th and will cost $200.

That's so fucking hype. Any word on price?

Love it. Want it.

...not enough to buy a second 3DS, my black one is pretty nice, but still... looks good.

I'll break down and buy a second one if they actually put out a green Luigi's Mansion model.

@Dragon4234: They have not announced the price yet.

@TooWalrus said:

Love it. Want it.

...not enough to buy a second 3DS, my black one is pretty nice, but still... looks good.

Same here, except for the part about it being black. (Mine's pink.)

That is a pretty awesome design and I love Fire Emblem. Kinda want an XL though...

If only if it was a XL... gah... :(

Why is it not an XL? And why does it not come with a physical copy of the game? Also, why is it blue? Shouldn't it be Orange. Also, why am I asking these questions here. None of you clearly know the answers to them.

Really bothers me that tactical RPGs basically only come out on handhelds.

Any information on whether or not this is coming to Europe?

@Snail said:

Any information on whether or not this is coming to Europe?

NoE hasn't made any announcements on that yet, to my knowledge.

@ArtisanBreads: It's an unfortunate market reality. They're too niche to pull the funding required to make a game actually look good on a home console.

@StarvingGamer said:

@ArtisanBreads: It's an unfortunate market reality. They're too niche to pull the funding required to make a game actually look good on a home console.

I suppose but I believe a digital release could do just fine. Maybe we will get there.

The whole genre just confuses me though. No new Tactics Ogre or real sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics (boo Advance) in how long now?

I get why they appeal to handhelds but they are great at home too.

Well, now I need to get a 3DS

This is pretty awesome. If I didn't alrready have a 3DS I would totally get this. I still can't wait for the game to come out though.

@ArtisanBreads: I hear ya, but Valkyria Chronicles was the nail in the coffin for this generation. That game looked amazing, played amazing, had shooty bits for some more mainstream appeal, reviewed great, but sold terribly. And if a TRPG is going to have lower production values to reflect its budget, I'd rather have it on a handheld anyway so I can play it at home or on the go.

@Hailinel said:

@Snail said:

Any information on whether or not this is coming to Europe?

NoE hasn't made any announcements on that yet, to my knowledge.

Since the EU release is farther off, there probably won't be any announcements like that for a while.

@oulzac said:

Why is it not an XL? And why does it not come with a physical copy of the game? Also, why is it blue? Shouldn't it be Orange. Also, why am I asking these questions here. None of you clearly know the answers to them.

Because it's the same thing that Japan got which was way before the XL even came out. It's pre-installed because cheaper and that's how they're handling their hardware/game bundles now with 3DS in general.

If this was an XL I would be allll over this, but sadly it is not, still pumped for the game

@Iodine said:

If this was an XL I would be allll over this, but sadly it is not, still pumped for the game

Me too. I would give my regular 3DS to my cousin and just upgrade to this if it was XL but sadly it is not.

@DeF said:

@Hailinel said:

@Snail said:

Any information on whether or not this is coming to Europe?

NoE hasn't made any announcements on that yet, to my knowledge.

Since the EU release is farther off, there probably won't be any announcements like that for a while.

@oulzac said:

Why is it not an XL? And why does it not come with a physical copy of the game? Also, why is it blue? Shouldn't it be Orange. Also, why am I asking these questions here. None of you clearly know the answers to them.

Because it's the same thing that Japan got which was way before the XL even came out. It's pre-installed because cheaper and that's how they're handling their hardware/game bundles now with 3DS in general.

We are not Japan. The XL is already out. It makes more sense to upgrade the bundle to the XL in other markets since the XL is already out. Their object is to sell as many of these units as possible. Using an older model with the same standard color is not going to push a high number of sales on these. They should have upgraded to the XL and made it a unique color. Silly, silly Nintendo.

@oulzac said:

We are not Japan. The XL is already out. It makes more sense to upgrade the bundle to the XL in other markets since the XL is already out. Their object is to sell as many of these units as possible. Using an older model with the same standard color is not going to push a high number of sales on these. They should have upgraded to the XL and made it a unique color. Silly, silly Nintendo.

The XL is not the better version of the console. I got a regular black 3DS recently. And they still heavily advertised the DSi after the DSi XL was out. Why do you think they're more interested in selling the bigger version of the 3DS than the regular one?

@Snail said:

@oulzac said:

We are not Japan. The XL is already out. It makes more sense to upgrade the bundle to the XL in other markets since the XL is already out. Their object is to sell as many of these units as possible. Using an older model with the same standard color is not going to push a high number of sales on these. They should have upgraded to the XL and made it a unique color. Silly, silly Nintendo.

The XL is not the better version of the console. I got a regular black 3DS recently. And they still heavily advertised the DSi after the DSi XL was out. Why do you think they're more interested in selling the bigger version of the 3DS than the regular one?

Because its the US. It has XL in the title. Also its the latest version. US consumers love the latest and greatest. And how is the XL not the better version?

@oulzac: The 3DS we're getting is the exact same as the one released in Japan last year. If they wanted to do an XL version, they'd have to prep a template and production line for that variant when they already had one set up for the original 3DS.

@oulzac said:

@Snail said:

@oulzac said:

We are not Japan. The XL is already out. It makes more sense to upgrade the bundle to the XL in other markets since the XL is already out. Their object is to sell as many of these units as possible. Using an older model with the same standard color is not going to push a high number of sales on these. They should have upgraded to the XL and made it a unique color. Silly, silly Nintendo.

The XL is not the better version of the console. I got a regular black 3DS recently. And they still heavily advertised the DSi after the DSi XL was out. Why do you think they're more interested in selling the bigger version of the 3DS than the regular one?

Because its the US. It has XL in the title. Also its the latest version. US consumers love the latest and greatest. And how is the XL not the better version?

Some people prefer the smaller size. And it's actually kind of insulting to assume that Americans prefer everything XL.

@oulzac said:

@Snail said:

@oulzac said:

We are not Japan. The XL is already out. It makes more sense to upgrade the bundle to the XL in other markets since the XL is already out. Their object is to sell as many of these units as possible. Using an older model with the same standard color is not going to push a high number of sales on these. They should have upgraded to the XL and made it a unique color. Silly, silly Nintendo.

The XL is not the better version of the console. I got a regular black 3DS recently. And they still heavily advertised the DSi after the DSi XL was out. Why do you think they're more interested in selling the bigger version of the 3DS than the regular one?

Because its the US. It has XL in the title. Also its the latest version. US consumers love the latest and greatest. And how is the XL not the better version?

1. The screen is bigger but the resolution is the same, so they use an anti-aliasing filter that still doesn't produce an image quality seen in a regular 3DS screen. It's not a big issue, and some don't mind it (Jeff seemingly kinda liked that), but no thanks.
2. It's heavier than the regular 3DS.
3. The regular one fits in smaller pockets. Since it's a handheld, I find that to be a good feature.
4. It's not like a phone where a bigger size means better hardware and a more impressive screen. It's just bigger and has more battery life. It's a good and tempting version of the console, but I prefer the smaller one.

To say that Nintendo wants to sell more of the XL because it "has XL in the title", or because it is "the latest version" or because "US consumers love the latest and greatest" makes no sense, and is discriminatory.

@oulzac said:

@Snail said:

@oulzac said:

We are not Japan. The XL is already out. It makes more sense to upgrade the bundle to the XL in other markets since the XL is already out. Their object is to sell as many of these units as possible. Using an older model with the same standard color is not going to push a high number of sales on these. They should have upgraded to the XL and made it a unique color. Silly, silly Nintendo.

The XL is not the better version of the console. I got a regular black 3DS recently. And they still heavily advertised the DSi after the DSi XL was out. Why do you think they're more interested in selling the bigger version of the 3DS than the regular one?

Because its the US. It has XL in the title. Also its the latest version. US consumers love the latest and greatest. And how is the XL not the better version?

I would need to start wearing cargo pants if I had an XL.

I might as well just stop now, since everyone on this site seems to take everything so serious. I will stop trying to have fun and only post completely serious things on these forums from here on out. My bad.

@oulzac said:

I might as well just stop now, since everyone on this site seems to take everything so serious. I will stop trying to have fun and only post completely serious things on these forums from here on out. My bad.

If you were joking in any way, it was impossible to tell.

Why is it not an XL? And why does it not come with a physical copy of the game? Also, why is it blue? Shouldn't it be Orange. Also, why am I asking these questions here. None of you clearly know the answers to them.

@oulzac: The last sentence throws the whole thing off. You played it too straight, making the whole thing seem sincere.

@StarvingGamer: You will not bait me into having a fun. This is unacceptable behavior. As are cargo pockets.

I don't know how someone can fit a cellphone, wallet, keys and a 3DS into their pockets comfortably. Either way, cool bundle but since it's not an XL I don't feel any urge to get it.

@Ducksworth said:

I don't know how someone can fit a cellphone, wallet, keys and a 3DS into their pockets comfortably. Either way, cool bundle but since it's not an XL I don't feel any urge to get it.

How many of those do you keep in the same pocket?

So, uh, I'm kinda interested in this 'ere bundle, but the number of "It's not the XL, so bleh!" comments in here have me kinda hesitant. Is the difference between the XL and the regular ass 3DS really worth turning this thing down? I mean, battery life really ain't an issue since I rarely take my handhelds outside of my house, so what's the selling point for the XL?

Oh yeah. Excuse me for being a lazy bum and not doing the research myself. I'm placing my faith in my GB brethren to give me a simple response.

@ArbitraryWater said:

Well, now I need to get a 3DS

@Flappy said:

So, uh, I'm kinda interested in this 'ere bundle, but the number of "It's not the XL, so bleh!" comments in here have me kinda hesitant. Is the difference between the XL and the regular ass 3DS really worth turning this thing down? I mean, battery life really ain't an issue since I rarely take my handhelds outside of my house, so what's the selling point for the XL?

Oh yeah. Excuse me for being a lazy bum and not doing the research myself. I'm placing my faith in my GB brethren to give me a simple response.

Not really. I have an original model 3DS and have no issues with its size. I've used an XL a little, but I'm not inclined to upgrade because I don't consider its improvements that important.

@Flappy said:

So, uh, I'm kinda interested in this 'ere bundle, but the number of "It's not the XL, so bleh!" comments in here have me kinda hesitant. Is the difference between the XL and the regular ass 3DS really worth turning this thing down? I mean, battery life really ain't an issue since I rarely take my handhelds outside of my house, so what's the selling point for the XL?

Oh yeah. Excuse me for being a lazy bum and not doing the research myself. I'm placing my faith in my GB brethren to give me a simple response.

It's literally only the bigger screen that would make any difference. And potentially a more comfortable grip which depends on the size of your hands. The regular 3DS is wonderful to carry around since it's pretty much the same as the DSlite. Just grabbing an XL for a quick visit to the bathroom might not seem as appealing because of its bulkiness. I never had a single issue with OG 3DS battery life, btw. Leaving it in my pocket for 24+ hours in sleep mode with occasional gaming sessions during train rides was no problem. The XL comes with a 4GB SD Card (as opposed to a 2GB card in the regular 3DS) but you can switch them out at your whim. Not sure how that works with pre-installed games, though. Maybe you have to copy it off the card on the PC and then copy it onto an already formatted bigger card and that's that. Just guessing though. One important thing about the XL is that the stylus slides in from the side again, like it did in the DS-family. The regular 3DS has it sitting at the top which is always awkward to reach.

Ultimately, if you really really want this version, there are no huge drawbacks. Only small things that come down to personal preference. You could also just buy a 3DS XL in blue and then download the game from the eShop if you want a digital copy always with you. :)

@Hailinel said:

@Ducksworth said:

I don't know how someone can fit a cellphone, wallet, keys and a 3DS into their pockets comfortably. Either way, cool bundle but since it's not an XL I don't feel any urge to get it.

How many of those do you keep in the same pocket?

One of each and if I'm going to deal with the extra bulk of a 3DS in my pocket as well I'm going to go for the XL.

@Hailinel: Taking that into account, I think there's no reason why I shouldn't get this bundle. If everything goes the way I plan, I shouldn't be able to miss any quality games on the VITA or the 3DS. Thank you.

@DeF: I appreciate your input as well.

I got the black and gold Zelda 3DS bundle and never thought Nintendo would make a cooler looking DS than that. I was wrong, but I still really like my Zelda 3DS.

@StarvingGamer said:

@ArtisanBreads: I hear ya, but Valkyria Chronicles was the nail in the coffin for this generation. That game looked amazing, played amazing, had shooty bits for some more mainstream appeal, reviewed great, but sold terribly. And if a TRPG is going to have lower production values to reflect its budget, I'd rather have it on a handheld anyway so I can play it at home or on the go.

Yeah VC was a shame.

I feel you on the handheld thing it is a genre that makes sense I just never buy handhelds so I don't get to play so many of these games.

Maybe someone will go downloadable, that's my hope. The game really doesn't need to even look much better than Final Fantasy Tactics or anything, just give me some new stuff to play around with and an interesting story.

Nintendo announced it will be $200.

So for a person who hasn't bought a nintendo handheld in like 10 years is this a decent deal?

@Meteor_VII: If the poster above you is right in it being $200 then no, it is not a particularly good deal. It is $10 cheaper than buying them separately so there is that. Not fantastic but still cheaper.

It's also just the regular 3DS which I feel is not as good as the XL, purely for the size, but that is up to you.

For Canadian players, customers can purchase the special 3DS bundle at their local Best Buy and Future Shop stores.

Edit:

L’ensemble Fire Emblem Awakening incluant la console Nintendo 3DS sera offert exclusivement à Best Buy et Future Shop à partir du 4 février au Canada! Vous recevrez une console Nintendo 3DS peinte avec une illustration de Fire Emblem, le jeu préinstallé sur la console et une carte SD de 4 Go. L’ensemble sera disponible en magasin et en ligne au prix de 199,99 $ (PDSF).

Source: Nintendo of Canada Face Book

Went into gamestop today hoping to buy a 3DS bundle. They didn't have any in stock but convinced me to buy this. Looking forward so much to play just pretty down that I walked into gamestop today and laid out 80 dollars for my bioshock preorder, and 211.00 for my 3ds bundle, and walked out of the store with 2 receipts.. and nothing in hand :(

Any body see this anywhere but Gamestop in the US? It isn't on Amazon. And with Best Buy having the 3DS right now at $150 hard to garner up excitement to pay more and go to Gamestop.