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

Ouch, this is two doses of bad news for the PSVita:

1. The handheld market is not what it once was.

2. Their main competitor is now $80 cheaper than them.

The games aren't doing it for me at all. The only thing that could get me on board with Nintendo in general is an AR Pokemon Snap.

So let me get this straight: because I'm an early adopter, I get 20 free games, 10 of which are exclusive to early adopters forever?

GOD DAMN IT WTF. I just bought one last week...:(

Andriasang reports that we won't be able to transfer those games to other 3DS' in the future. Source.

Stiiiiiiiill won't buy this hunk o' junk.

@familyphotoshoot said:

@leejunfan83: That's funny, I like playing games in the comfort of my home where I can have the most immersive experience possible. Have fun playing Pokemon iteration #632923 on the bus.

I play handheld games mostly from home and find them to be just as immersive as playing on a console/PC. I'd also much rather play another Pokemon game than another FPS or Gears Clone.

Also, there have only been 5 main Pokemon games in the past 15 years, it only seems like more because of the amount of iterations they release of each one, but they only exist for purposes of trading - you aren't expected to buy each new colour. Franchises like CoD have surpassed that number of games in half the amount of time. And no, they haven't progressed with each sequel any more than Pokemon has.

Seems like they're giving sufficient content to those who bought in early (mind you, they're not obligated to give any). I still have the same problem with the 3DS as before though; no games.

@Artisan88 said:

I finally got a chance to put my hands on one last night at Gamestop.... I wasn't really impressed I guess. Even at $170, I'm still not sold. Sorry, Reggie. I still love that doofy smile of yours though. Also: I feel sorry for all the peopl who buy this before the cut goes into effect Aug 12.. Ouch! Free games from 10-20 years ago does not an $80 gap fill.

Actually, considering each of the games will be between $3-5 (and the GBA ones when they eventually go up could be significantly more) it actually does make up the price, assuming you wanted to buy any of them. But hey, all the ones they've announced are classics, some of the best games released for their systems. It's not like the junk Sony threw at us for the Welcome Back package.

@scarace360 said:

FUCK YA IM GOING OUT TOMORROW TO BUY ONE!

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

I wasn't going to pay the current price so this is good but i'm also waiting for good games to come out, so i've got a little while yet.

I don't know if I'm getting a waft of "3DS lite incoming" or "Nintendo shat the bed". I sincerely hope it's the latter, because the future games lineup sounds pretty promising. The current one is kinda lame.

Oh man, I might have to buy a 3DS now...

I'm conflicted about this development. On the one hand the lower price does seem more appealing and is only better for consumers but on the other hand this does seem desperate, to me, and the lack of games, I don't want to play a new Mario Kart or Star Fox 64, still makes me turn to the Vita which I hope will have a better launch.

Still don't want one.

The problem with the 3ds is that it's main selling point is 3d.

Price could be 100$ and I still wouldn't be interested unless they sell a non 3d version.

Nintendo is pure class. Early adopters didn't get screwed for once.

@bhhawks78 said:

The problem with the 3ds is that it's main selling point is 3d.

Price could be 100$ and I still wouldn't be interested unless they sell a non 3d version.

You know you don't need to use the 3d.

Wow. Unprecedented.

Damn... That's a hell of a price drop and it'll be enough to maybe convince me to pick one of these things up... We'll see how baldy I want one once the semester starts up. I'll need something for my downtime on campus.

You know what the 3DS needs? Pokemon. Once they get that they'll be set, but thats probably a few years off

At best, $170 puts this in the realm of "possible" as a christmas gift for my kid (if there's a killer software library by then).

This is such a bold move by Nintendo. I hope they can get some real momentum with the original titles, but at the very least it's a good humbling gesture if the system's library remains sparse.

I've had my 3DS for a little under 2 months, and I've clocked about 100 hours on it. I don't feel as if I should've waited it out, and I'm extremely excited about the 20 free games. It's an interesting device that keeps me coming back. Some features seem oddly limiting, others just plain unusual, but that's Nintendo for you. They don't give you a technological sandbox and let you have at it, they like to guide the way you end up using the thing. You don't really know how invested you're going to get in that StreetPass Mii RPG, or how impulsively rewarding checking that Pokedex is until you own one. These cute Pavlovian tricks, along with the OoT remake exceeding my expectations have made me a starving 3DS loyalist, and this announcement means I won't be getting away from it anytime soon.

Wow, big move. All right, I'll get one.

Wow, now I am less sure that i going to get a Vita. Now I actually have to make a choice.

Wow. That's a pretty huge price drop. But still I'm not seeing any games out worth buying the 3DS for.

Well that fucking sucks for me... They better offer me like 20 downloadable games...

Wow. That's a pretty huge price drop. But still I'm not seeing any games out worth buying the 3DS for.

Cool to hear but not gonna get one still or probably ever.

This is certainly more tempting, but there's still absolutely nothing out now or that has been announced that I want to play. Give me Advance Wars and then we'll talk.

I was about to flip a fucking table until I read about all the free shit I get for being an early adopter. All is forgiven Nintendo.

Wow. Free ten and twenty year old games. That's so amazing it almost makes up for the fact that new 3DS games are between eight and forty times the price of games on my other handheld gaming device.

Still don't want one but actually that's a pretty dam good price.

Unless there are some absolutely must have games coming out for it, I still can't see myself buy a 3DS, even at this new price.

Exciting! This means I might be able to afford to buy one myself before the end of the year and finagle a Vita for xmas. Wonder if they're going to push forward a redesign as well. I was hoping for one before xmas, but with this price drop...

I will probably buy a 3DS now.

20 free games? Well... okay I feel appeased.

But the 3DS a few days before the drop, get the free games, and price match the system after the price drop. Just about every retailer will honor a price drop within a couple days of purchase.

I have to say, I'm more disappointed in the games that are being given away than the price drop itself. I've have played every single game on that list to completion pretty much, and if the unannounced games are of the best of the best in terms of GB/GBA, then I've probably played those as well. What I could suggest Nintendo do is just email a voucher for two free 3DS games of your choice (Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario 3D in my case).

I've had my 3DS since launch and the only two games that have received any real playtime are Super Street Fighter IV and DOA Dimensions (was really looking forward to Megaman Legends 3).

Bought my son one for continuation, sucks that the price is dropping so fast, but good to see some free games for early adopters. Ice Climbers ftmfw!

I'll just wait till they come out with the 3DS lite with longer battery life thank you very much.

I might still get one for $250 for those free games, providing that the amount they total is the same were I to purchase it afterwards for $170 and buy them all.

Was the original DS a success? I didn't think it caught on until they released the DS Lite. I've always felt that 189.99 would've been a more appropriate launch price for the 3DS, it shouldn't have costed more than 200 dollars if it were to be competitive in this current market. You have to tip your cap to the generous early adopter freebies. Sure as hell beats what Sony tried to do for us.

Now that's the price it should have launched at......   Still I'll wait a couple of years for a hardware revision then I may pull the trigger if there software library improves, better battery life etc.   Hand held dedicated game systems are a dying breed anyway.   Phones/tablets will replace them with in ten years.   

20 free games? Sure. I don't care about the price drop, I was gonna get this baby day one anyway.

Looks like I'm not the only one who thinks the 3DS is a waste of plastic.

the nintendo 3ds homepage is still showing 249.99

http://www.nintendo.com/3ds

Now I'm more tempted to buy it. 169 has a better ring to it than 250.

Great - one of my two issues with the 3DS is fixed. Now do something about battery life and I'm on board.