If you’re wondering what to expect from the Australian launch of the Nintendo 3DS, Mark from Kotaku was up at 2:30am translating the European and US launch announcements for the local audience. Here’s what he reckons you can expect:
But what about the price? Well, that’s a little more difficult. The Nintendo Wii was launched at $250US, and sold here in Australia for $399.95 so based on that logic the 3DS will retail at a similar cost.
But…
Nintendo do have a stronger Australian dollar to contend with, and the spectre of increased importing by an infinitely more savvy consumer base. As a safe bet we’re going to say that the price will be no more than $400, but most likely no less than $350.
Apparently Nintendo have confirmed a March launch for Australia, so Serrels thinks a March 27th launch is when we can expect.
My guess is $350… I just can’t see Nintendo getting away with a $100 premium over the Wii for a handheld, especially given the strength of the Aussie dollar at the moment. What do you think?
UPDATE: Nintendo have just announced they’ll be holding an event on February 8 to announce Australian 3DS release details. Stay tuned for more!
[Kotaku]
Dan
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 10:43 AMSony and Nintendo should just give up, develop an iPad App and sell the games that way. Sure the 3Ds seems like a good idea but it seems like the 3D gimmick, like movies, will only last a short time.
Disco_box
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 10:46 AMI disagree. If the device required 3D Glasses, you’d have a point. However, as the 3D is done without the need i forsee this being a stayer and a success.
BTW they have the Nintendo Store & PSP Mini’s so they do have a way to compete with Apple.
Spaceorb
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 10:58 AMHow can you say that? The ipad may be a casual games console, but only that. the true portable gaming experience is the ds/psp.
There are only a few full scale games for the ipad or iphone, most of which, with the exception of world of goo, are ports of ten year old titles. On top of that, the ios platform relies upon downloading into a hard drive, so those who would purchase a lot of games would run out of space, and use up their Internet. that’s one of the reasons why the psp go isn’t selling.
Anyway, the ipad has no buttons, which are the most important part of gaming.
blueevo
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 11:35 AMPlay Sonic on iPad then go play a sonic game on DS or PSP.
Surely that answers your question.
Steve
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:28 PMThe people who think a touchscreen slate device is a good gaming console, never turn out to be gamers themselves.
Mark Giles
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:30 PMI do really hope for Nintendo’s sake that these prices are incorrect. Because if they are right, they’ll likely sell a grand total of 2 units in all of Australia.
GG, Nintendo. This is on par with the PSP pricing, which didn’t do so great here either.
Sigh...
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 3:05 PMEarly adopters and Nintendo fanatics, which there are plenty of in Australia, would pay whatever price Nintendo sets in Australia. I don’t know why people complain all the time about the cost of handhelds, especially brand new tech. Look at the cost of buying a freakin’ iPhone outright, about $850. Sure, most people get their phones on a plan, but apart from the phone bit, its a comparable device. Maybe comparing it to an iPod touch would be more appropriate, and they start at about $260 and IMO, don’t have “real” games, ie games that take hours to complete opposed to 5 minute distractions we call “apps”.
My guess, is that it will go on sale for $349 and maybe we might get lucky and score a $299 price point but I doubt it.
Mark Giles
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 4:03 PMHow are kids gonna buy this? (mostly the target market tbh, most older people don’t do handheld games)?
What idiotic parent is going to shell out $400 bucks for a handheld console that a kid could lose, or someone might steal? It’s hard to argue that this is a logical price for some mid-range electronic equipment, which they will then charge a stupid amount for some gimmicky games.
Likening it to an iPhone isn’t quite correct. They are two different things, marketed at different areas. Yes, consumer electronics is expensive. But this is over the top. It’s basically a single minded device, built for gaming on the go.
The PSP was priced roughly the same (IIRC, it’s been a while since I cared). Look how well that did here. It barely made a ripple in the market, despite being pushed as a media device instead of just a portable console.
Damo
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:35 PMTwo comments – firstly the Au$ is around 1/2 cent less than the US$. The difference in shipping to the two countries is very minor and even GST will add less than 10% (less than because in non GST/VAT countries there is still sales tax). The price difference con is unfair.
Secondly 3D as a passive viewing format is almost invariably lame. 3D using the device’s sensors or camera’s to alter the rendered graphics so they move in accordance with the viewer’s perspective or with gravity is WICKED. Being able to look around an object or tilt the device to see more OR just using depth perception to play a game does actually adda new dimension.
I can’t wait to be flicking my head out of the way to dodge a perceived bullet or playing Zenbound by tilting the device or peering around the side of it. I used to play Mario Kart leaning and craning all over the place to see the next virtual bend or downhill slope better (I was a kid!!).
3D as a way to better films? No thanks.
3D as a whole new level of gaming? Make it so!
Rizlad
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 1:28 PMi just dont see the reasoning behind why we pay such a huge premium over the US… sure i understand shipping and import and so on and so forth but as far as im concerned its absolute bullshit if they can sell it in the US for $250 then they can damn well sell it for about $300 in Aus especially with the strength of the aussie dollar at the moment and proximity to Asia. its just nor reasonable nor fair. as for you who say that the real portable gaming experience is on DS/PSP well… i work distributing PSP and SCEA products and the handheld market has been killed by the iPod/iPhone revolution, those who say otherwise just dont know shit and thats all there is. i have seen sales drop by up to %45 since AppStore and Andriod Store have been around. Not to mention that there isnt necessarily “full Length” games on the iPad/iPod/iPhone but the cost of the games (from $1.19 -> $10) it makes it easily more prefferable to buy a number of games over the course of a month than have one game you pay $30 for and then get bored of after about a week… (unless its something like poke`mon which is just downright freaking badass)
i just seems to me that yet again Aussies get the rough end of the stick
Bob
Sunday, January 23, 2011 at 2:53 PMI’ll Buy one. But not if its $20 difference between Aus and US. I too am sick of the price of gaming in Australia. They used to have the exchange rate as an excuse. Now the dollar is at parity if you ask why gaming is so expensive all you’ll get is a “No comment”.