3DS Console Discussion

[Agent Gibbs]

you see i don't know about the sales

 

most people complained the 3DS was too expensive, yet the vita is more expensive still! so i certainly think that could hinder it just as badly, and missing the holiday launch like the 3DS won't help

 

look at the psp, it was similarly priced and it didn't sell well.

 

I'd say the lineup is similar to the 3DS launch, both had some amazing games shown coming to the hand-held, and they haven't all materialised for it yet. the same is likely to occur with the Vita

and who knows how third party support will continue after its launch, it looks like dev's had a wait and see attitude to the 3DS, the announcement of the vita undoubtedly made some dev's hold off on 3DS development. I think the same could happen with the Vita

basically we'll have to wait and see

the current economical climate means people aren't as likely to splash out, poor economies have hurt all console sales, so its likely to affect the vita too (which is probably why sony are selling it at a loss so it actually sells)

 

worst case scenario will be 50/50 market split

 

I'll pick up a vita some time around the holidays 2012 i think, because early adoption with the 3DS reminded me why its a pain, not to mention the extortionate UK price of £230/£280 ($370/$450) i'd really like companies to use proper exchange rates, there isn't that much extra tax (20% =/= that increase)

[Grazza]

Even if the 3DS had the same success as the GameCube, I would be happy with it. It's the best handheld I've ever owned. Mario Kart, Super Mario and perhaps Animal Crossing should give sales a huge boost. If they don't, then it really is in trouble, but look at it this way: the 3DS is Nintendo's handheld for the next six years, however successful it is. OK, 3rd parties may abandon it, but as long as they make a new Zelda for it, I'll be happy.

[Serebii]

Even if the 3DS had the same success as the GameCube, I would be happy with it. It's the best handheld I've ever owned. Mario Kart, Super Mario and perhaps Animal Crossing should give sales a huge boost. If they don't, then it really is in trouble, but look at it this way: the 3DS is Nintendo's handheld for the next six years, however successful it is. OK, 3rd parties may abandon it, but as long as they make a new Zelda for it, I'll be happy.

I just hope they don't abandon top-down Zeldas in favour of 3D ones

[dazzybee]

The sales aren't bad. They're not amazing but they're good and steady.

 

While yes, it took 13 weeks to reach 1m in Japan while the DS took less time, you do need to factor in Japan getting decimated 2 weeks in and the fact Japan is in a massive recession at the moment because of it. In other regions, they're steady.

 

There WERE 3DS games announced, and there are many to come over the coming months.

 

People just expected too much, they expected immediate and complete domination by the 3DS and that wasn't realistic

 

Hasn't it bombed in the UK? Remember seeing something about the DS outselling it insanely! Selling about as much as the PSP.

 

I don't know. I guess I want as much quality software on it as possible. Plus, more people means more streetpass

[Serebii]

Hasn't it bombed in the UK? Remember seeing something about the DS outselling it insanely! Selling about as much as the PSP.

 

I don't know. I guess I want as much quality software on it as possible. Plus, more people means more streetpass

IIRC, the DS was being outsold by the GBA at this part of its life

[dazzybee]

Has there been any comparison between sales etc on devices in all territories?

[Cube]

I just hope they don't abandon top-down Zeldas in favour of 3D ones

 

I'm hoping they do a proper top-down one. While PH and ST were good, there hasn't been a brilliant handheld Zelda since the brilliant Minish Cap.

[S.C.G]

I'm hoping they do a proper top-down one. While PH and ST were good, there hasn't been a brilliant handheld Zelda since the brilliant Minish Cap.

 

This is most true, if I'm completely honest I didn't finish either DS Zelda games and I believe the reason for that is they quite simply aren't in the same league as Minish Cap, Oracle of Ages/Seaons or the fantastic Link's Awakening DX.

[Fused King]

I reckon they'll be trying something new for Zelda 3DS in favour of continuing the Toon Link story.

 

Perhaps semi-top-down....like in Pikmin.

[Adthegreat]

Perhaps semi-top-down

 

Couldn't you classify the 2 DS Zelda games as semi-top-down already? I would prefer either a full 2D sprited game that makes clever use of the 3D, or another fully 3D game like OoT. A Wind Waker style 3DS game would be pretty amazing for instance.

[Ganepark32]

This is most true, if I'm completely honest I didn't finish either DS Zelda games and I believe the reason for that is they quite simply aren't in the same league as Minish Cap, Oracle of Ages/Seaons or the fantastic Link's Awakening DX.

 

Think I finished Phantom Hourglass but couldn't bring myself to finish Spirit Tracks. Just didn't care for it at all and even finishing Phantom Hourglass felt like a bit of a chore.

 

Nintendo need to have a solid think about where they're gonna go with Zelda on the 3DS. No doubt they'll try and go along the same pathway as PH and ST but I think that'd be a poor idea. They need to look back at the earlier handheld Zeldas and look at what made them so good. They all had a gimmick of sorts (the exception kind of being Link's Awakening) that was implemented better into the gameplay than the ones used in PH and ST and they were just much more enjoyable.

 

Sometimes less is more. Perhaps they should drop 3D visuals and go back to the 2D style of things used in Minish Cap and make it layered as I think the graphics in PH and ST were part of the reason they didn't quite work out as they were in this no-man's land between the previous handheld games and the console games.

[Fused King]

Couldn't you classify the 2 DS Zelda games as semi-top-down already? I would prefer either a full 2D sprited game that makes clever use of the 3D, or another fully 3D game like OoT. A Wind Waker style 3DS game would be pretty amazing for instance.

 

Well, I meant more like in Pikmin when the camera is way more zoomed out.

 

The camera has always been quite close to Link, so maybe it'd be nice to see more of the environment and less of Link's sexy behind.

[Adthegreat]

I see, that could be a lot of fun. In fact, thinking of that reminds me of Minish Cap. A 3DS version of that kind of game would be very nice

[Burny]

Nintendo need to have a solid think about where they're gonna go with Zelda on the 3DS. No doubt they'll try and go along the same pathway as PH and ST but I think that'd be a poor idea.

 

Why "no doubt"? Didn't Phantom Hourglass even start out as a Four Swords kind of game? They think all the time what they'll do with Zelda and their franchises.

Heck, they even said the visual style of Skyward Sword was changed to what it is now during the development. And going by Iwata Asks, Motion+ integration wasn't a no brainer either.

 

I'm not sure they'll just continue with the templates for Phantom Hourgalss and Spirit Tracks. Those games were showcases for the DS' features. If anything, they'll want to show off the 3D as a feature and the slider now.

[david.dakota]

Nintendo's handheld strategy needs some re-evaluation in my eyes.

 

The DS line needs to be rebranded. Eurogamer raises some interesting points here which suggests that the close branding of the DS and 3DS is causing some confusion and ultimately affecting sales (a problem the Wii and Wii U may be about to face...).

 

- Rebrand the DS line as DS Classic and DS Classic XL.

- Rebrand the 3DS with a new logo and new, lenticular box/sleeve. I would argue that dropping that 'D' could help too - Nintendo 3D.

 

The 3DS needs a considerable price drop, its simply not a family friendly price. It needs to be around the £129.99 mark by the Vita launch. No gimmicks, no bundles, a just a clear, understandable price.

 

The games also need some reduction. Its really interesting to see that some high profile 3DS games have dropped to sub-£20.00 already - Nintendogs, Street Fighter IV, PilotWings. OK, so its retailer led at the moment, but Nintendo could co-market such price drops with retailers.

 

Nintendo need to get this thing going - and fast iOS (and to a lesser extent Android) are tearing the handheld market apart. Nintendo need to re-evaluate their digital download strategy - £5.00 for a GB game is taking the piss (those single screen games like Tennis could - and should - be Nintendo's answer to 99p games on iOS).

 

Nintendo have an awful lot of work to do this year to ensure the 3DS is a sustainable proposition.

[darksnowman]

IIRC, the DS was being outsold by the GBA at this part of its life

 

But... but... but... third pillar!

[ssj]

Does anyone know if there are there any games coming out on the E-Shop tomorrrow?

[ReZourceman]

We had a couple last week, so probably no more for a year or two. (lololol)

[Serebii]

I thought eShop updates were Thursdays

[Burny]

Nintendo's handheld strategy needs some re-evaluation in my eyes.

 

The DS line needs to be rebranded. Eurogamer raises some interesting points here which suggests that the close branding of the DS and 3DS is causing some confusion and ultimately affecting sales (a problem the Wii and Wii U may be about to face...).

 

- Rebrand the DS line as DS Classic and DS Classic XL.

- Rebrand the 3DS with a new logo and new, lenticular box/sleeve. I would argue that dropping that 'D' could help too - Nintendo 3D.

 

The 3DS needs a considerable price drop, its simply not a family friendly price. It needs to be around the £129.99 mark by the Vita launch. No gimmicks, no bundles, a just a clear, understandable price.

 

The games also need some reduction. Its really interesting to see that some high profile 3DS games have dropped to sub-£20.00 already - Nintendogs, Street Fighter IV, PilotWings. OK, so its retailer led at the moment, but Nintendo could co-market such price drops with retailers.

 

Or instead, they might start to bring out the games.

 

Rebranding isn't an option at this point imo. Rebranding the DS line is wasted money - it's too late for that. Rebranding the 3DS is even more wasted money - the required effort would be colossal after 3DS has been mostly established as a brand - weak as it is atm - and would only confuse uninformed consumers more than they are now. That money should be put towards making games.

 

A "rebranding" of sorts might occur however: When the first revision is introduced. If they've build a library of games until then, some 3DSXL or whatever they come up with could reinvigorate the market somewhat, if only by getting them into the media a bit more.

 

Without system selling games however, none of the things you suggest would help the 3DS as a brand with its current problems.

[khilafah]

I dont think ninty should drop the price of 3DS. That shows no confidence in your product and no longer makes it premium.

 

No doubt the causal consumer doesn't see it as a completely new machine and instead see it as another DS with 3D attached. Nintendo have to change that view!

 

What needs to come is damn software, the launch and last few months have been very weak. Software sells machines and the 3DS does not have it. If the machine does not sell once the big nintendo games come along then maybe price drop but not before then.

 

One thing I dont get is the launch and no big IP's. Did nintendo think 3D was enough? How did they come to this conclusion as the market has shown that most consumers do not give a damn about 3D. Ninty must have seen all the stats before they released the 3DS.

Edited June 14, 2011 by khilafah

[Magnus]

One thing I dont get is the launch and no big IP's. Did nintendo think 3D was enough? How did they come to this conclusion as the market has shown that most consumers do not give a damn about 3D. Ninty must have seen all the stats before they released the 3DS.

Wasn't the launch of the DS equally bad? I remember people getting excited about the awful Yoshi Touch and Go because there was nothing else to get excited about.

 

I mean, I guess it had Super Mario 64 DS, but that was another port/lazy remake.

[Cube]

I dont think ninty should drop the price of 3DS. That shows no confidence in your product and no longer makes it premium.

 

Retailers have already dropped it to £150-£160.

[Serebii]

Retailers have already dropped it to £150-£160.

Which is a decent price and around where it should have been from the get-go.

 

Nintendo artificially inflating the price based upon reaction at E3 last year was frankly, the dumbest thing they have ever done

[killer kirby]

I always thought that 3DS would get a rocky start, but I never had fears, in fact, it's great that 3DS has had an almost 1 year head start to the Sony Vista (No that ain't a typo) The moment, Mario 3DS and Kart comes out, it will push a bit further, I am sure Nintendo have something up their sleeves, the next 'Big' killer for the casuals that will take full advantage of the 3D like how the brain training did with the touch screen.

 

Although biggest shock for me was no New Super Mario Bros announced at E3 for the 3DS, perhaps next year? Since obviously that series will explode for the 3DS. And I don't think a main pokemon game will be out for a very long time.