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Nintendo 3DS release date, price, features

Queasy

Queasy

Moderator<br>Console Gaming
First, it appears that the rumored November release of the 3D handheld in Japan is false. Instead, it will release on February 26, 2011 for 25,000 yen. It will be released in North America sometime in March of 2011.

How much does 25,000 yen translate to in US dollars? Almost $300 at the current exchange rate. That price is in line with what some analysts predicted earlier this year.

The Nintendo 3DS will come bundled with a charger stand, an AC adapter, a telescoping stylus that extends up to 4 inches, a 2GB SD card, six augmented reality cards plus all necessary instruction manuals.
On top of the 3D screen, the 3DS adds an analog "slide pad", motion sensor and gyro-sensor. It also has two outer 0.3 megapixel cameras and one camera on the inside of the clamshell. The 3DS will also offer the ability to play games downloaded off of the 3DS's Virtual Console (which includes GameBoy, Game Boy Advance games and classic 3D games) plus DSi downloadable games.

The Nintendo 3DS measures in a 5.3 inches wide, 2.9 inches long, 0.8 inches tall and weighs 8 ounces. The top screen is a 3.53 inch widescreen and offers adjustable 3D. Meanwhile the bottom screen is a 3.02 inch touch screen.

The 3DS will have a slot for not only game cartridges but SD memory cards as well. The SD cards are the same size as the DS cards and have the same stoarge capacity (2GB) as well.

Some really good news for DSi owners is that Nintendo will allow you to transfer over a limited number of DSiWare games. They've also added a new in-game menu browser by pressing the home button. This keeps you in the game while doing other things like browsing the web.

Nintendo is enhancing the wireless capabilities of the 3DS by including SpotPass and StreetPass. When the 3DS is closed and in sleep mode, SpotPass will allow the 3DS to detect nearby wifi hotspots to download free demos and other updates. Meanwhile, StreetPass will allow the handheld to share data with other 3DS's that are in sleep mode.
 
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Personally, I'll have a really hard time with the $300 price point if I consider getting it. The hardware is actually shaping up to look pretty nice though.
 
1 bare 3DS, or a DSi and 5+ games? Hmmmm.....

Or a PS3 or Xbox 360. $300 is steep when it will buy you a full home console.

Maybe I'll buy the $149 revision #3 in a few years, but $300 is PSPGo craziness.
 
DaveSimmons said:
Maybe I'll buy the $149 revision #3 in a few years, but $300 is PSPGo craziness.
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Yeah, my sister was waiting to hear the price of the 3DS before deciding to wait and get that for her son or getting the DSi. I think she'll be getting a DSi now.
 
I guess we need to keep in mind that that's the Japanese converted price, not necessarily US price, but it's a damn good indication. This is going to be at least $250 here in the states.
 
peritusONE said:
I guess we need to keep in mind that that's the Japanese converted price, not necessarily US price, but it's a damn good indication. This is going to be at least $250 here in the states.
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I reflexively shy away from handhelds that cost more than $150. I had a hard enough time buying a DSi for $169 even though the majority of it came in the form of gift cards.
 
Pretty steep. Ordinarily I'd say it's too rich for my blood, but I'm not dismissing it out of hand, especially if I can string together some coupons/credits/discounts when it's available. But this is coming from a guy who's still running first-generation DS hardware, since the iterations to date haven't really justified the price tag.
 
I'm really not impressed with their hardware choices. Its pretty much a PSP with a 3D gimmick. The iPod Touch has really raised the bar for mobile gaming hardware. The 3DS feels really last gen.

That said, it all boils down to what games are on it. From the demo reel I saw, they've got a pretty solid lineup so far.
 
Question for you DS guys...my co-worker knows I like video games and asked what I know about the DS, he's thinking of getting one for his son (turns 6 next month). I've never played one before and know next to nothing about one, but I do know there's several different versions. Are the games all compatible or do certain games not play on various versions (3DS games excluded)?
 
My guess is a $250 price here in the US, but even that's too much in my opinion. The graphics aren't terribly impressive (don't get me wrong, not awful by any means), and too many of the games just look like rehashing the same stuff we've seen for about 10 years now.
 
Queasy said:
Some really good news for DSi owners is that Nintendo will allow you to transfer over a limited number of DSiWare games. They've also added a new in-game menu browser by pressing the home button. This keeps you in the game while doing other things like browsing the web.
Click to expand...

What exactly does this mean? You don't get to transfer all of the games you bought? That sounds awful, although I guess its better than the alternative that they wouldn't let you transfer over all, but unless there's an actual compatibility issue with some games its pretty rotten if they wouldn't let you keep them.
 
Will it be a good system? Who knows. Will I buy one? Perhaps.

Only one thing is certain:

dsprintsmoney.jpg
 
By the way, 25000 yen is the same price as the Wii launch, which MAY mean a $250 price point, conversion be damned.

I'll get a 3DS eventually, but I don't know if I'll get one at launch anymore. Even $250 is pretty steep. I guess it'll depend on the launch lineup.
 
$300 is just too much. I think it'll be $250 as well, but still... that's quite a bit of cash. I definitely want one, but it's got to come in at $199 before I get it. Mostly because I love nintendo games.
 
Kabob said:
Question for you DS guys...my co-worker knows I like video games and asked what I know about the DS, he's thinking of getting one for his son (turns 6 next month). I've never played one before and know next to nothing about one, but I do know there's several different versions. Are the games all compatible or do certain games not play on various versions (3DS games excluded)?
Click to expand...

There is:

DS, plays all gb/gbc/gba games plus all ds games
DS lite same as ^ but lighter and smaller case
DSi includes camera and better wireless function, but has no gb/gbc/gba cartridge slot, can download games and music on card.
DSi XL same as ^ just bigger screen/case

Honestly I would go with the DS lite for me because I have a bunch of old gba games lying around but since they aren't made anymore, its kinda hard to find a good cartridge nowadays. So a DSi may work for a 6 year old who has no intention of getting gba games.

Seeing how its 2010, I have replaced my handhelds with my phone and am able to play nes, snes, genesis, saturn, and psx on it. At $300 freaking christ, I can go buy an 360 bundle or something, this just screams virtual boy to me (god knows its going to sell like tween undies to pedobear).
 
Soccerman06 said:
DS, plays all gb/gbc/gba games plus all ds games
DS lite same as ^ but lighter and smaller case
Click to expand...

It's been a while since I checked, but I'm pretty sure that the DS and DS Lite drop compatibility with the original Gameboy and Gameboy Color cartridges (the Gameboy Advance was compatible with these). The original DS and DS Lite are still compatible with Gameboy Advance cartridges.
 
meh. if its that much i will pass.

i have a orginal DS
2 ds lite's (geathersMcgrew is right. it does GBA games)
teh DSI XL (wish it did GBA games)

i would get the 3d but at $250 forget it. $169 maybe but not spending more then that.

though i do love my dsi XL
 
The 3D effect looks cool, but I am wondering if it will hurt your eyes after a while.

I think the DS lite will be my last handheld. I rarely have the DS with me when I have time for gaming, so the phone has been my only mobile gaming platform. I also can't justify spending more than I did on my phone.

When is nintendo going to make a Phone?
 
Dumac said:
Did we watch the same video?

Graphics look great, especially considering these are titles that aren't out for a system that isn't out.
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The system releases in five months, so those are the graphics those games will have. If it wasn't for the 3D effect and the system launched with those terrible textures in 2D alone, the system would be clowned off the internet. It barely seems to reach PSP quality at best, and that's not often in this first wave of games at that. A number of the games shown were only a notch above N64/PSX quality.

Like the Wii coming out as a GameCube+ with motion controls, it's the unique experience to be had with the third dimension of the 3DS which will allow them to get away with the sub-par graphics.
 
I didn't think the graphics of some of those in the video looked too bad. It's just that the 3DS seems more like an incremental upgrade than a whole new platform to me. In my mind, instead of being a Gameboy Advance to Nintendo DS leap, it's more like an iPhone3gs to iPhone4. A lot is the same, just a little more power and fancier screen.
 
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