Mike Bantick
Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:09
Opinion and Analysis
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The Nintendo 3DS is building plenty of hype prior to launch and much of the talk - along with the amazing glasses-free 3D technology - has been about price. Whether it is the price of the hardware or how it compares overseas or not it is certainly one of the pivotal points of interest with Nintendo's next hardware release. Today Nintendo released more information about the games arriving for the shiny new hand-held.
For a company that is now seeing a
decline in its domination of the gaming hardware market, the 3DS could not come at a better time. Whilst Nintendo still shifts more Wii's than its competitor home consoles, and the DS hand-held sells phenomenally well, it is undeniable that both market saturation, and other glitzier gadgets are causing the sales numbers to drop.
Enter the
3DS and its glasses-free 3D gaming gimmick, as well as the backing of plenty of game developers and publishers. There will be plenty of folks lining up on March 31st to grab the latest Nintendo offering.
At $AU350, the 3DS doesn't come real cheap, and doing straight comparisons with the parity U.S dollar, where the console will sell for US$250 starts many a
grumbling about being gouged by the big 'N'.
Fair enough, though the average wage in the US is just over two thirds of that in Australia, plus the AU$350 includes GST whereas the US$250 doesn't, as well as the general market forces that combine to lower prices in larger populace sales regions, and the extra $100 could almost be justified.
Nintendo today announced launch titles, as well as greater detail on the games to follow and importantly, just how much parents, relatives and kids will be shelling out for the fun of 3D hand-held gaming:
Nintendo announces the Nintendo 3DSâ„¢ software line up that will be available on 31 March 2011, when Nintendo 3DS will be available to purchase for the first time in Australia and New Zealand. CONTINUED on PAGE 2