3DS MSRP Drop to $169.99 On 08/12/11, already at Target, WM, Amazon

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Pre-order at the lower price at Amazon
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Nintendo 3DS Price Drop Hits on August 9th at Walmart


Quick Details:

Connect to the Nintendo eShop at least once before 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Aug. 11 to qualify for the below free games:

NES Virtual Console games:
Super Mario Bros.
Donkey Kong JR.
Balloon Fight
Ice Climbers
The Legend of Zelda
+ 5 more

Gameboy Advance Virtual Console games (exclusive to this program)
Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island
Mario Kart Advance
Metroid Fusion
Wario ware
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3
Kirby and the Amazing Mirror
+ 3 more


US Press Release
REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nintendo of America today announced plans to drop the suggested retail price of its portable Nintendo 3DS™system to $169.99 in the United States, as new games based on some of the world’s most beloved video game franchises head to the system. The new price, down from the suggested launch price of $249.99 and effective Aug. 12, makes an outstanding value even better and sets up a strong holiday season for the system.

“For anyone who was on the fence about buying a Nintendo 3DS, this is a huge motivation to buy now,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “We are giving shoppers every incentive to pick up a Nintendo 3DS, from an amazing new price to a rapid-fire succession of great games.”

Nintendo 3DS has the strongest software lineup of any video game system this holiday season and the new price now opens up the glasses-free 3D experience to many more consumers. Building on the popularity of The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time™ 3D, which launched June 19, the upcoming game calendar is a Who’s Who of iconic video game franchises. Star Fox 64™ 3D arrives on Sept. 9, followed by Super Mario™ 3D Land in November, Mario Kart™ 7 in December and Kid Icarus™: Uprising during the holiday season. In addition to great games, Nintendo 3DS has a host of attractive features* that make it the must-have video game system this season:

The new Nintendo Video™ service automatically delivers short 3D videos from the worlds of music, comedy, animation and Hollywood.A free application allows Netflix members with unlimited streaming plans to instantly watch TV episodes and movies streaming from Netflix.

The Nintendo eShop is a digital store for Nintendo 3DS owners that provides access to a wide variety of downloadable content, such as original 3D software, classic games that have been re-mastered in 3D called 3D Classics, Game Boy™ and Game Boy Color “Virtual Console” games in their original 2D glory, and more than 350 Nintendo DSiWare™ games. Visitors can also view video game trailers, screen shots and product information for games, including those available at retail locations.

Since Nintendo 3DS launched in the United States on March 27, more than 830,000 people in the U.S. alone have purchased one to enjoy 3D visuals without the need for special glasses. These Nintendo 3DS owners represent some of Nintendo’s most loyal customers, and Nintendo is rewarding them for getting in on the action early with 20 free downloadable games from the Nintendo eShop.

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:

Starting Sept. 1, Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors will be able to download 10 NES™ Virtual Console™ games at no charge and before they are available in the Nintendo eShop to the general public. These games, including Super Mario Bros.™, Donkey Kong Jr.™, Balloon Fight™, Ice Climber™ and The Legend of Zelda™, are slated to become paid downloadable games, but Ambassadors get them early for free. Once the paid versions of the games are posted to the Nintendo eShop later in the year, the updated versions will be available to Ambassadors for download at no cost. By the end of 2011, Nintendo will provide Ambassadors with 10 Game Boy Advance Virtual Console games. These include games like Yoshi’s Island™: Super Mario™ Advance 3, Mario Kart™: Super Circuit, Metroid™ Fusion, WarioWare™, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ and Mario vs. Donkey Kong™. These games will be available exclusively to Ambassadors, and Nintendo currently has no plans to make these 10 games available to the general public on the Nintendo 3DS in the future.

More details about this program will be announced in the future.

Japan details
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2011/110728_3e.pdf

For Japan, if you buy before august 12, 2011 -- the day of the price drop you get 10 free VC NES games and 10 free VC GB advance games. the VC gba games will only be made available for early adopters -- and never for those who buy on the price drop date.

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/info110728/index.html

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/info110728/detail.html
 
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This is a price point they should have started with. With only 3 games that I am interested, I still have to pass even with possibility of buying early/PM for 20 old school games. I care about new games, not 3D rehashes of old school games (which currently and projected future shows on non-digital lineup).
 
Just an FYI to the people who are planning to download the 20 free games then sell it - the only way the new owner can keep the free games is by having access to your eshop account which is linked to your Club Nintendo account. If you don't mind giving away your eshop and Club Nintendo account, by all means, go for it.
 
I always felt that $250 was a little high, and I really do have to think this is a combination of poor (comparatively) sales and the fact that Sony threw a huge wrench into the works by announcing a $250 pricepoint. I don't think anyone anywhere realistically entertained the idea that Sony could launch at that price, so I'm guessing Nintendo felt safe launching a little high. This is where you play the Price is Right fail horn.

That being said, I picked up a 3DS on day one, and I really and truly couldn't be happier with it. The thing seems to get a lot of hate online, but I've really had zero of the problems people seem to be complaining about. I've used it nearly every single day since launch, and the line-up of SSFIV, PilotWings, Ghost Recon, Ridge Racer, Dead or Alive, Zelda, and RE has kept me in a ton of stuff to play. It's why I always point out to people that it's not that there aren't games for the system, it's that *you* can't find games *you* want to play. That doesn't mean they don't exist.

If that list of 20 games is accurate, this works out either way. Chances are pretty good that if you were an early adopter, you're someone who would've plunked down the cash for those anyway. In my view, I've enjoyed the hell out of the system since March, and I just ended up pre-paying for a ton of VC that I would've purchase anyway. Plus, given the VC prices, the price difference should be less than the retail of those 20 games.

I hope this does what Nintendo intends and more people discover this system. Between the high price and poor marketing, the 3DS has taken way more shit than it deserves. Hopefully this gets it the recognition it deserves.
 
Is there some major defect with it? Just wondering because it's odd how this dropped right after Amazon made that statement earlier this week how it suspended 3DS system selling. Is this just a knee jerk reaction nintendo made? Granted the PS Vita will now face a good amount of competition with this new announced price but I was just pondering.
 
I was worried about the 3ds' future when the Vita price was announced, this mitigates some of that worry [although I still can't wait to get my Vita].

20 free games is a nice gesture, although I'm guessing I already own at least 18 of them.

I got my 3ds for $10 [B&N Groupon fiasco], so I'm not in a position to complain.

Nice work to recognize a mistake and fix it, Nintendo!
 
[quote name='headbanger1186']Is there some major defect with it?[/QUOTE]

Yea, the major defects are that it sucks and has no good games.
 
I bought my 3DS when Zelda OoT came out and then returned a few weeks ago becuase I didnt really care for it. I really just wanted it for the VC games and of course there wasnt any. I own a Wii and only play VC games on it. I have a PS3 and 360 for new games I only really like the old Nintendo stuff.

For me this is a great deal, I am going to rebuy a 3DS closer to Aug 12 to get the free games then get a price adjustment. This will give me the 20 free VC games and since these are the games that I acutally like from Nintendo I will be happy.

I only hope they release more VC games in the future.
 
[quote name='Jasonlydon']I was worried about the 3ds' future when the Vita price was announced, this mitigates some of that worry [although I still can't wait to get my Vita].

20 free games is a nice gesture, although I'm guessing I already own at least 18 of them.

I got my 3ds for $10 [B&N Groupon fiasco], so I'm not in a position to complain.

Nice work to recognize a mistake and fix it, Nintendo![/QUOTE]

How did you get a 3DS for 10?
 
The Best Buy PM is a no-brainer for anyone on the fence. I love my Mario DsiXL and have absolutely no use for a 3DS, but I'm a sucker for those old GBA games so I might just have to think about picking up one this weekend at Best Buy since I just realized it's tax-free weekend in Virginia.
 
For a guy that has always waited for decent software past N64 console I consider myself the ultimate sucker for being an 3ds early adopter, lesson learned.
 
[quote name='madara']For a guy that has always waited for decent software past N64 console I consider myself the ultimate sucker for being an 3ds early adopter, lesson learned.[/QUOTE]

At least you've finally accepted it.

The skeptics win again, HUZZAH!
 
Oh wow... it the system selling that poorly? I'd be pretty pissed about that if I bought the system at $250 as I already own the games listed.

But $170 is a much nicer pill to swallow once SM3D and Kid Icarus come out, which will probably boost sales greatly. I wonder what they would have done had Sony not released the Vita at the same price?
 
Wooooooow. I picked one up when Target had the $25 gift card deal, +5% off with the target credit card. Yeah, it felt like a lot, but the timing was right, and Zelda was just coming out and there was that soundtrack deal. But the list of free games announced so far sounds pretty awesome. I'd love to get more clarification of what exactly counts as "accessing the store", I mean, I got my free copies of Pokedex 3D and Excitebike, so I assume that means I'm ready to go?
 
Well, count me in. I'll be getting one from Best Buy today -- I was considering it yesterday ($199 on sale here in Canada) and pricematch for the difference next month.
 
holy shit.

i'm down for 20 free games. hopefully this moves some more units and makes companies like capcom rethink their decisions about game development
 
Free games or not, I'm not happy about this. I just bought mine in mid June, so I wasn't exactly that "early". I knew they would need a price drop to compete with Vita, but not this rediculously early. Nintendo is hardly "thanking" anybody with a bunch of cheapo VC games that we have been able to play for years. How about rewarding your customers who put faith in your hardware with a free actual... I don't know... 3DS game?! Seriously, just give us a voucher for a free 1st party game when they release.

I'm ready to hear it... "Can't please everyone", "that's what early adopters get", blah blah blah, but this is different. I've been an early adopter for a lot of things and I've never regretted it. I know full well that I'm getting something cool before most other people and that the price will go down eventually. But when you launch a brand new console with numerous hardware problems (crooked screens, bad hinges) which isn't like Nintendo, don't launch your eShop until months later, have the most pathetic game lineup in recent history that rivals the PS3 launch, and drop the price so quickly before most of these issues are resolved, early adopters have officially gotten the shaft. Like I said, thank us with a free copy of Mario or Starfox, not a bunch of old games most of us have played before and can easily play for cheap on their original console.
 
Nice. I am going to buy this like new from a guy that just got it a week ago. He is selling it for 180 to me now with zelda and RE 3DS. Everything complete. He didn't log into the e-shop so there should be any problems with me downloading the free games!
 
The only thing holding me back from pulling the trigger at $250 and then getting the difference back a week later are my concerns about the inevitable 3DS Lite and if I'll be able to migrate my VC games to the new, better 3DS once it comes out and I decide I need one. I'd hate to be stuck with the initial hardware incarnation simply because there's no way to migrate games from the old to the new.
 
I bought a 3DS on day 1 and have not regretted it. Now I get 20 free games!?!?!?!??! I LOVE YOU NINTENDO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I feel a bit ripped off, but 20 free games makes up for that. Especially since they're awesome titles, and most of them are exclusive to early adopters.
 
[quote name='JSiggy']I bought a 3DS on day 1 and have not regretted it. Now I get 20 free games!?!?!?!??! I LOVE YOU NINTENDO!!!!!!!!!!!!![/QUOTE]

Same here. I traded in my DSi XL to Best Buy for $100 too. Wario Ware and Yoshi on the list of downloadables (source: Kotaku) made me smile since I was already looking for a GBA to play some of those old ones.

Now, if they could include Rhythm Tengoku...
 
[quote name='chickenbutt']Unrelated but I have a feeling Megaman Legends 3 is going to come back after this.[/QUOTE]

I just registered my launch 3ds on club nintendo (so the coins would count towards this year) and there is a survey question about what games you bought the 3ds for. I wrote in Megaman Legends 3.

So i bought my 3DS at launch with some giftcards I won, so I only spent like $50 out of pocket. no regrets. I got free 3D excitebike!!!
 
[quote name='Tsnake617']It's not fake, it's on Nintendo's Facebook page.[/QUOTE]
In his defense, when this was first posted it was just a link to a .pdf memo on the Japanese site that did indeed look pretty fake. I didn't believe it until I saw the official announcement.
 
[quote name='ssjmichael']holy shit that's a HUGE drop considering it came out less than 6 months ago. has any other system dropped this much this fast?[/QUOTE]

Virtual Boy and 32x spring to mind.

Uh-oh....
 
[quote name='BobbyTastic']Don't you mean August 11th? ;)[/QUOTE]

Yeah exactly. Unless you have a ton of Amazon credit or a GC somewhere that doesn't have a price match guarantee (Best Buy - 30 days, K-Mart - 7 days, etc.), you'd be foolish not to double-dip and get the free games.
 
LOL A Cag was selling a 3ds here not very long ago. I offered him $180, he said that was too low and would wait for more money. Now its $170 NEW......
myers-channels-dr-evil-for-austin-4.jpg
 
[quote name='irishsoccermbw']Is it easy to price match at Best Buy (with one of their own price drops)?[/QUOTE]

It's cake, after the price drop take the receipt to customer service, walk out with cash in hand or credit returned. Only time wasted will depend on how many people are in line. :)
 
[quote name='irishsoccermbw']Is it easy to price match at Best Buy (with one of their own price drops)?[/QUOTE]

If you have your receipt or use your Reward Zone card to where they can look up the transaction, nothing's easier.
 
Hell its easy to Price Match at Amazon too. I've ordered numerous things that have dropped in price within a couple weeks of receiving them and they made a "one-time exception" (about 8 times so far) and matched it.

Now the real question, is it dropping because:
A. Not selling as well as they thought
B. They've got a new version coming out soon (3DSiXL...)
C. Get a head start in fighting the Vita's 250 price point.
 
[quote name='cancerman1120']Why not today? 30 day price match guarantee at Best Buy?[/QUOTE]

I mentioned it briefly earlier, but at least in Virginia this upcoming weekend is "tax-free", so if I decide to do this I will definitely be doing it then. Any other states do this?
 
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