Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo 3DS: Nintendo 3DS retail price, come on down, you're the next contestant on "the price wasn't right, so we'reslashing it." Yep, Nintendo's marking the 3DS down an astonishing $80—from $250 to $170—not six months after the "no-glasses 3D" handheld launched in the U.S. on March 27th. The new price goes into effect August 12th, which I'd wager makes the 3DS a contender for "fastest post-launch price drop (by one-third) ever."Nintendo's calling the 830,000 in the U.S. who've snapped up a 3DS since it launched potential "Nintendo Ambassadors" (don't you feel regal?) and here's how your bid for accredited representation works: Anyone with a 3DS who uses its wireless feature to connect to the Nintendo eShop "at least once" before 11:59 p.m. ET on August 11th will "automatically be registered in the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador program."

The Nintendo 3DS launch was kind of a mess. Battery life quibbles aside, the hardware was fairly interesting, but most of the games were mediocre (as well, the handful of games we've seen since). The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's more or less singlehandedly carrying the system right now.
Nintendo needs to recognize that while a price drop might lure new buyers short-term, the only way they're competing with Sony's PlayStation Vita (launching this holiday) is with a stronger catalogue. Some of their first party games should help this fall, including stuff like Kid Icarus: Uprising, Star Fox 3D, Mario Kart and a new Super Mario game. But right now, the only third-party major on the radar is Metal Gear Solid 3D Snake Eater—another port, and even that might slip to 2012.

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