Nintendo launched into a new generation of handhelds on Saturday with the official release of the 3DS in its backyard of Japan. The launch this morning saw lineups to match that of iPhone launch or U2 ticket sale. Yodobashi Camera, one of the best-known stores in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, had about 600 people in line by the store opening and had completely sold out of its 2,000 3DS units by 9:30AM, less than an hour and a half after the first sales.
Nintendo ran out of its entire 400,000-unit 3DS supply for day one for it’s home nation launch.
Many of those in line were buying Nintendogs + Cats. Other games in the initial launch wave included mostly core video games adapted to the platform, such as Ridge Racer 3D and Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition. Most of these will cost $40 each in the US.
The 3DS is Nintendo’s most expensive handheld in recent memory, costing the equivalent of $300 in Japan and $250 for its March 27 release date in the US, but its design is counting on features unique to Nintendo as well as catching up on a few weak points. The glasses-free 3D screen is the main feature, but its use of automatic, device-to-device Wi-Fi should also gain it fans. Two 3DS users can automatically, passively share game data between each other just by being close, and many games will have the option of auto-updating with new content even while the 3DS isn’t fully active.
