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Today, at the 3DS presentation events in Amsterdam and New York City, Nintendo announced the price and launch date of their upcoming 3D-capable handheld.

The Nintendo 3DS will hit European store shelves on March 25, while North American consumers will have to wait until March 27 to get their hands on the little gem. And what a gem it is, costing $249.99 USD. There is no European price yet, but you can bet it will be €249.99 / £229.99. Two models will be available out of the gate: Aqua Blue and Cosmo Black.

Enhancing the software experience greatly is the revamped Friend Code system. Unlike the archaic Friend Codes of the past, for 3DS you only have to register your device once. The Friend Codes aren’t software-specific, so there’s no need to constantly input codes manually. Once you’ve traded codes with a buddy, you’ll be able to see when your friend is online and what they are currently playing.

Several apps and games will come with the device out of the box, and their functionality will continue to improve via updates post-launch. More apps and games can be purchased through the eShop, which will give you access to DSiWare as well as 3DS-specific titles and even a new Virtual Console, which will bring GameBoy and GameBoy Color games to the platform. The eShop will be a cash-based format, which, we think, means the point system has gone the way of the dodo.

In addition to the release date, pricing, and fleshed out platform functionality, we also learned that more than 30 first- and third-party game carts will be available between the device’s launch and E3 2011 (June). These include Pilotwings Resort, nintendogs + cats, and Steel Diver. Shortly after launch, players will be able to pick up other Nintendo-made games, including The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Star Fox 64 3D, Kid Icarus: Uprising, and “new installments in the Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, and Paper Mario series.”

A partial list of third-party software support coming to the Nintendo 3DS includes:

• Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked
  
• Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition
  
• Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D
  
• Madden NFL Football
  
• The Sims 3
  
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D
  
• LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
  
• Ridge Racer 3D
  
• Dual Pen Sports
  
• Super Monkey Ball 3D
  
• Thor: God of Thunder
  
• CRUSH 3D
  
• BUST-A-MOVE UNIVERSE
  
• Samurai Warriors Chronicles
  
• Dead or Alive Dimensions
  
• Asphalt 3D
  
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Shadow Wars
  
• Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D
  
• Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell 3D
  
• Rayman 3D
  
• Rabbids Travel in Time
  

For more details about the system’s functionality, such as StreetPass, SpotPass, Augmented Reality cards, the Mii Maker, Activity Log, motion-sensing capabilities, etc., take a gander at the official press release by clicking on the source text below.

Source: 3DS Press Release.

GD Staff   FollowGameDynamo

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