Back in March, when Nintendo released the 3DS system (the successor to its immensely popular DS line of dual screen handhelds) I started thinking that it might be time to give the Big N and their portables another look. I went with the PSP during the last generation of portable consoles, and while I gave it high marks as a piece of hardware, I didn't find myself wanting to play a whole lot of games on it. The way I see it, Sony's strategy with the PSP has more or less been about bringing the console experience to the small screen. It's a noble endeavor (and one that's earned them a great number of fans) but when it comes to portable gaming, I tend to gravitate towards puzzlers, platformers, and other games that can be played in fits and starts. Nintendo always releases loads of these kinds of games for its portable systems, and it was for this reason that the Nintendo DS always appealed to me. In fact, I'm not really sure why I never broke down and bought one....just the right combination of lazy and poor, I suppose!
Anyway, at $250, the initial price of the 3DS seemed a little steep to me. The system's 3D capabilities and scant number of interesting launch titles also did little to motivate me into opening my wallet. Still, I was intrigued by the potential of the unit and I decided to keep an eye out for a price drop and a must-have title. For me, that first must-have game turned out to be Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D. I am OBSESSED with the Mercenaries mode from RE4 and RE5, and the thought of having a portable version seemed pretty slick. Still, The Mercenaries isn't exactly what you'd call a system seller, so I kept waiting.
Then, about three weeks back, amidst lower-than-expected sales numbers and competition coming soon in the form of the PSP Vita, Nintendo suddenly announced an $80 price drop for the 3DS. A price cut of this size so soon after a system launch is generally unheard of and those who bought the system for $250 were understandably irritated by this move. To appease the early adopters, Nintendo decided to offer 20 free downloadable games to those who had bought the system before the price drop. Anyone who used their system to sign into Nintendo's online shop before the August 11 price drop was deemed an 'ambassador' and was entitled to the free games. I thought it was a solid show of good faith on the part of Nintendo and once again I began to consider purchasing a 3DS.
Then something really interesting happened...
Rumors began to circulate that Wal•Mart was planning to drop the price on the 3DS two days early, giving consumers the chance to pay the lower price AND get the 20 free games. This was exactly the motivation I needed! I wasn't able to find any confirmation of this rumor online, and I know better than to actually call a Wal•Mart store, so I decided I would get up a little early on the morning of August 9th and try my luck before work. When the store opened at 8am I headed straight for the electronics department, and to my disappointment, the 3DS was still priced at $250. 'Oh well', I thought, 'it was just a rumor after all'. Once at work I turned to the internet and found, much to my chagrin, that Wal•Mart WAS in fact selling the 3DS at the reduced price... it just so happened that the store I went to hadn't yet changed their stickers. Bastards! After work I made a beeline back to the store only to find that they had completely sold out of systems. I asked to speak to the manager and, after explaining the situation to him, he offered to call a few other stores and see if he could find a system for me. He was actually able to locate an unsold 3DS at a store that was about 10 miles away. He had them set it aside for me so I rolled out, picked it up (along with a copy of The Mercenaries 3D), and I've been enjoying it ever since.
The free games don't become available until later this year, so I haven't downloaded them yet, but I was able to sign in to Ninteno's E-Shop and I have been confirmed as a 3DS ambassador! Booyah!
Big thanks to the assistant manager at Wal•Mart who helped me out. Expect more 3DS coverage here in the future!
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