here in italy, there's virtually ZERO stands to try the 3ds, no "normal" people care for it and the effort from shops seems toward selling DSes no 3ds. Also the price is out of reach of 90% of the fans. what is the state of the launch in your contry? here is as weak as the dreamcast one! and it doesn't bode well!
Mexico - It launched within two weeks of the American launch, at around 6000 pesos - which is around 500 dollars. Nobody fucking bought it, obviously. Little by little, the price has come down to non-ridiculous levels, and it's now at 3500 pesos at the cheapest, though I've seen places that have it for a bit less. Some places still ask 4000 or 5000 pesos. The launch games sit untouched at game stores, at walmart and best buy, and at Blockbuster, which still has the system for 5999 pesos. There are large ads and billboards in some important avenues (I've seen two), and I've seen a TV commercial. Oddly enough, the billboards that I've seen announce Pro Evolution 2011, with Messi's ugly fucking face as large as it is. I did see a used copy of Pilotwings Resort for 599 pesos the other day. New games are either 599, 699, 799 in more expensive venues. (50-65 dollars)
I live in USA and played on it at Gamestop a few days after it released. I only played Street Fighter which was lame. The employee said you aren't allowed to go to the main menu for some reason when I asked so I just left. Not interested at all.
Was going to post the same thing as Xerdo. What a mess. Nintendo and their stupid policy of pricing things more expensive outside the USA just because they can. (Except in Europe where they got busted big time for that) The two big game retail chains in Mexico are very unhappy with the price point, and have found ways to lower it somewhat, but will never be enough. Have seen some stores trying to sell it for more than 500, and a few who added to the price tag "Special Offer: 500 dollars, used to cost 600" There was a big controversy on Twitter. One of the chains, Gameplanet, pre-sold it at 430 dollars, and because of the complains ended up honoring the price for those customers. They had a press release blaming Nintendo for the price. It's dumb that a 3DS costs the same as a brand new PS3 and more than a 360. And don't get me started on the games, or the fact that Wii has yet to follow a proportional price cut to match the US cut. Fuck those guys, seriously. Last time I visited Texas there were 3DS kiosks on 2 Gamestop and Wal-Mart. There was almost always someone playing SSFIV for a few minutes, but no one seemed impressed as I expected. I feel the 3DS launched without a first party killer app, and the price point did not help.
I didn't notice anything, only a couple of TV spots. There are no demo stations in my area and consoles are displayed next to DS Lites as if it wasn't a novelty at all, just another update of the DS. I played a couple of games on a friends' 3DS and I don't think it's worth owning so far. The DS launch was a lot bigger and while most titles were rather bland, it had some interesting ideas like Polarium, Project Rub or Wario Ware.
They had a outdoor demo area of 4 units right smack downtown here when it launched or very to close to that time. Haven`t seen any TV spots and I don`t think my local indie game store even carries them. Quite a few of us lost interest once region locking came into play with the DSi
I haven't been on the lookout for 3DS stuff so far, but besides TV spots and magazine ads, I have seen demo stations and the like over here. I've been to two stores of two electronics/multimedia chains, Media Markt and Saturn, and while the former only had two 3DS hung up on a wall next to some DSi (and without any games in the slot, just the preinstalled software), the latter had three on-the-counter-ish 3DS demo stations, with demos of Pilotwings Resort and nintendogs + cats, and one running the System Menu with Mii Maker and all. I played some Pilotwings Resort there and did like what I was seeing, the 3D effect is something I can imagine becoming an important part in 3DS games. It wasn't the way I was expecting it to be - that the 3D pops out at you - but that's a good thing in my opinion, popping-out 3D might be a bit too distracting. Also, while Pilotwings might be a nice tech demo or good as a preinstalled game, I probably wouldn't actually buy it. Also, while the two GameStop here don't have demo stations, I'm getting the feeling that they are at least trying to make a big deal out of the 3DS, with their in-store advertising and such, I believe trade-in offers (DSi + X games for 3DS + 1 game or so), etc.
I've not seen any demo units or kiosks in my part of the UK but the prices have come crashing down after just a couple of months. Advertised as launching at £219, buyer apathy and low pre-orders saw it being sold for £194 in some shops on launch day and can now be picked up new from just £149 (Grainger Games, instore) with most other major chains retailing it at between £157 and £159. Also supposed top software titles like SSFIV 3D, Pilotwings Resort, Ridge Racer 3DS, the Nintendogs titles plus a few more have already been discounted down to £20 - some even less - , that's half of what they launched at less than 3 months ago which is unprecedented for a Nintendo handheld. Too many lookalike consoles in too short a period of time is the problem. To your average Joe they all look and do the same and with the recent price cuts on the DSi and DSi XL there's even less of an incentive to shell out for the machine.
Before it launched, I went on the train to play in my orchestra and at the train station they had a bunch nintendo people at this big 3DS kiosk showcasing all of the launch titles and there was no one playing any of the games there just a bunch of people walking by not paying any attention at all to the huge stand
I was waiting for those XL ones to drop in price actually, but things never seem to do in Greece. How much are they going for now mate?
They've not come down massively, just to £120, but a saving is a saving after all. Amazon have them at that price as do GAME, while places like HMV still have them at £140.
In evry games shops , there are stands which you can play 3DS games like street fighter , pilotwings , nintendogs !
There are no demo stands in my area in the UK. I tried one out when I asked the guy behind the counter in GAME though.
could be... in my city there's zero kiosks in all the commercial centers. the city's 200000, and the surrounding worth at least the same...
There were never any Kiosks down here. First time I ever saw a 3DS working was when I started up mine, and even that one was brought from the States.
A store near me one on display, so they are around. Until the better games arrive there's going to be little demand, anyway. Not surprising.
