Super Mario Bros. (VC) ambassador update

Nintendo has put out some weird updates for eShop titles lately, and many have had trouble identifying what they add to their respective games. That’s not the case with the Super Mario Bros. update for those who downloaded the NES game as part of the 3DS Ambassador program.

The obvious change, as you can see in the image above, is the new menu icon, which replaces the generic box with an NES, a TV, and a shot of the screen. It also adds save states (tap screen) and a digital manual for the game.

Nintendo hasn’t announced this week’s downloadable games yet, but early reports indicate that they will be iSpot Japan on DSiWare (200 Points), Strider on Wii Virtual Console (Genesis, 800 Points), and the Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D demo on eShop (Free).

It’s also likely that Super Mario Bros. will be made available to non-Ambassadors now, making it the first NES game offered for sale on the 3DS Virtual Console in the States. There are reports, too, that Dillon’s Rolling Western releases next week in Europe — maybe we’ll get it in North America at the same time!

Buy: Nintendo 3DS (Flame Red, Pearl Pink, Black, & Blue)
Find: Nintendo DS/3DS release dates, discounts, & more
See also: More eShop news
[Via Pocket Gamer; Image via KingDarian]

tags / gaming / nintendo 3ds / 3ds / eshop / super mario bros / nes / virtual console / ec

Japan’s new Prime Minister announces 3DS Ambassador Famicom games [UPDATE]

Tokyo — As his first act in office, Japan’s newly installed prime minister Yoshihiko Noda selected the Famicom games that will be offered through his country’s 3DS Ambassador program, including his namesake, 8-bit puzzler Yoshi’s Egg (previously unrevealed titles in bold):

• Super Mario Bros.
• Donkey Kong Jr.
• Balloon Fight
• Ice Climber
• The Legend of Zelda
• Wrecking Crew
• Mario Open Golf (or NES Open Tournament Golf in the U.S.)
• Yoshi’s Egg (or Yoshi in the U.S.)
• Metroid
• Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

[Update: After hours of negotiation, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a press briefing this afternoon to confirm that 3DS Ambassadors in North America will receive the same Famicom/NES titles].

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tags / 3ds / ambassador / ambassador program / ec / eshop / famicom / gaming / nes / nintendo 3ds / virtual console / almost completely untrue

Risks & limits of 3DS’s free NES/GBA games

Nintendo’s announcement that it’s giving out 20 free NES and GBA games to early 3DS buyers took the edge off its extreme hardware price cut — it’s hard to stay angry at someone offering you Yoshi’s Island: SMA 3, The Legend of Zelda, and more at no extra charge.

WoSblog’s Stuart Campbell, though, looked back at console makers’ previous attempts to win consumers with a flood of free games. Atari ran similar promotions for the ST many years ago, handing out two free packs of 22 titles, many of which were top-notch releases:

“It’s now conventional wisdom that the two packs gave new owners so many quality games to play that they didn’t buy any more for months (if ever), thereby starving the ST’s software market of sales and driving developers and publishers towards the Amiga and sealing the ST’s fate as the loser of the format war. …

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tags / eshop / nes / gba / nintendo 3ds / gaming / stuart campbell / 3ds / ec

3DS price cut to $169, NES/GBA VC games for early adopters, & more prayers answered

Four months after the 3DS’s launch, the system has sold only 830,000 units, Nintendo posted its first ever quarterly operating loss and cut its full-year profit forecast, and there’s a feeling of dissatisfaction amongst the general public around the DS successor. With PS Vita on the way, it’s time for a competitive 3DS price.

Starting August 12, the 3DS will sell for $169 in the U.S., 32%/$80 less than its launch price. Other markdowns:

• EU/UK - Unspecified price drop from €249/£229
• Australia - From $349 AUD to $249 AUD
• Japan - From ¥25,000 to ¥15,000

Those of you who bought a 3DS need not feel totally screwed, as Nintendo is rolling out early adopter benefits — 20 free NES/GBA games on the 3DS Virtual Console. This is the first time I’ve heard NES/GBA titles formally announced for the eShop!

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tags / nintendo 3ds / 3ds / virtual console / eshop / nes / gba / gaming / ec