As per the all the new Australian focused Nintendo Direct, Australia will be the only country outside of Japan to be able to purchase the New 3DS in 2014.
The console won’t be sold in Europe or the US until 2015.
The release date is set at November 21, 2014.
I can’t remember Australia ever having exclusive ‘western’ access to a console launch like this, let alone a Nintendo console. Typically Nintendo games and consoles have been slow in coming to our shores. This is a true first for Australia, and almost a historical moment in a sense.
I’m actually a little bit shocked at the news. In a good way.
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104 responses to “Australia Will Be The Only Country Outside Of Japan To Get The New 3DS In 2014”
SPREAD THE NEWS PEOPLE
pretty much me:
http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view5/2483408/kirby-dance-o.gif
Wow!
Actually I remember for a while this was kind of a thing. I think we got the DS Lite after Japan but before America who in turn got it before Europe, and around that era that release timeframe played out a few times here and there. But yeah, still feels like it’s been a good while since it last happened.
I’ve heard a lot that Australia is used as a ‘test’ market for releasing product in the US and UK, given our multiculturalism and decent purchase rates of entertainment products i can see how that could be true in this case as well.
Not to mention our small market which probably means less brand damage if the thing turns out to have major flaws or is a complete dud.
Awesome! Shame it won’t be out before PAX Aus. Guess I’ll be left out of that streetpassathon for the second year running 🙁
Means we might get to try it out at PAX before release though 😛
EB just announced they will be at EB Expo apparently.
The end of the Direct mentions PAX Aus, so I’d expect it there.
Yeah, I just finished watching the direct now (hadn’t had a chance to earlier). Here’s hoping they have both the new 3DS and new XL there – as others have said below, I love the larger screen but those faceplates are certainly fancy…
Awesome I’m heading to the expo so i wanna test it out… I am only interested in this if the resolution of the larger screens are actually increased. I love my 3DS XL but was still disappointed to find the same low resolution just larger.
The resolution is the same.
ugh… fkn lame srsly.
Wow.
I’m so glad the $99 3DS XL from Kmart were all sold out so now I can get one of these!
Now we just have to find out how much one of these cost…
From the video:
New Nintendo 3DS: $219.95
New Nintendo 3DS XL: 249.95
Ah thanks.
I don’t have access to view the video at work and since Mark didn’t mention it in his article I assumed the price wasn’t revealed. 🙂
Also worth mentioning, neither come with AC charger cables (They work with the DSi onwards charger cables) so if you don’t have one, that’s another 15 bucks on the price.
I thought we had a law that required AC plugs with stuff.?
We do. We get it. Overseas is different though.
I actually disagree with this law. I’ve got two perfectly good cables for my DSi, and a new one would just be wasteful. Just sell separately for those who don’t have, and lower the price of standalone unit.
Agree 100%.
Do you think this could lead to trolls who buy all the AC adapters from a store so nobody else can get them?
Really! No charging cable, that’s a bit of a dick move.
Almost as bad as requiring purchase of a dedicated, proprietary memory card…
(Darn you Sony! Heart Vita, hate memory cards.)
Or you know, $2 on the internet
Yeah just bought a USB charger on ebay. It’s more convenient than lugging around their giant charge cable anyway.
In Aus you get the charger but overseas you don’t. We Aussies don’t need to make a separate purchase. Been the same with us getting the power cable with the previous models Nintendo handhelds but overseas not.
The information from the Nintendo Direct (specific to Australia) is that the charger will be available separately and not packed in with the system. Maybe the law’s changed recently?
Maybe so. If Nintendo specifically said it is no longer the case then they’d know.
The current outgoing 3DS and XL in Aus came with the cable even though O/Seas did not.
Maybe there was never a law? lol.
$219 for the regular version, $250 for the XL version. (Pretty cheap actually! I was expecting somewhere around the 350 mark. )
There were actually some exciting announcements in that video. Looking forward to EBX and PAX even more now.
I’M ACTUALLY SO HAPPY! GET REKT AMERICA!
FUCK YES!
Wow! What a shocker! B4 US and Europe?! That’s unheard of!!!
What!? That’s fantastic!
I kinda wish the Black N3DS (non-XL) was coming out then though. That’s the one I was gunning for.
Wait, it’s only the white?
That’s what I’m hearing from Vooks!
It’s like the Wii all over again!
Not sure which I want though. For some of the covers the white looks better because it doesn’t stand out as much, but on the other hand black is objectively superior.
Yes black is superior but the cool face plates are even more superior therefor the white is the better forced choice. Or some self servicing logic crap…
The best kind of logic!
The other choice of course is to just wait it out. Especially seeing as there’s no N3DS-exclusive games even coming out for it yet.
That’s a good point. The extra nub will work for games that have support for the 2nd stick attachment but that is what? Res Evil..
I doubt many games will use the two extra shoulder buttons considering slow support but eh.
Yeah, but you can buy all those customisable faceplates!
I just wish the XL had the coloured buttons of the regular one.
Not going to lie. The coloured buttons are a lot of the reason why I’m going for the normal 😛
Not sure if personal preference or old man, but I want the bigger screen 😛
I want the bigger screen, but I also want the coloured buttons. Man this is gonna be a tough choice.
It’s a devious plot by Big N. They want you to get both.
Coloured Buttons or Death, imo.
Same here, so conflicted, I want the big screen, but how can i go bust those buttons and faceplates.
I hadn’t noticed that they’re bottom loading. Or is there a top port for New 3DS only carts?
There is no top port for carts. They added a ZL and ZR trigger on the top edge. so 4 shoulder buttons like the Wii U pad.
Wow, this is like a double whammy. Not only do we get it before the US, but we also get something months before the EU territories. I guess Nintendo forgives us for that little grey importing incident.
I’m of the opionion that since both Europe and North America had people leak Pokemon X/Y ahead of the worldwide launch, we’ve simply made it back to the top of the good books.
IIRC, the last incident that put us in the bad books was not the grey importing but rather the chap who leaked Mario Galaxy 2 when we got it ahead of other regions.
price?
They have just made a sale.
Didn’t they say New Zealand was getting it at the same time? Last I heard, New Zealand wasn’t part of Australia. 😛
That’s a lie and you know it.
It is sad that New Zealand is ruining Australia’s “historic moment” and chance for a “true first” isn’t it. 😛
So hard to choose between swappable faceplates or the larger screens! Aaargh!
My first world problems are the firstiest.
I don’t know what to do, the face-plate thing is pretty awesome. But I love big screens. GAHH
Did you see those suede pokemon plates? A fucking suede 3ds!!
I might have to compromise on the screens…
I didnt realise the faceplates werent swappable on the XL D:
This is like winning the lottery, what do I do?
Do I run off to other forums and mock everyone who isn’t in Australia, like a sore winner?
To me, this is JUSTICE, we finally get something BEFORE the others do! Since the beginning, we’ve had games and consoles where we’ve had to wait 1- 2 years for the Australian version to come out.
Now all that’s next is a reasonable price. This great news would turn into crap news as soon as I find out it’s $80 dollars more expensive here because Straya.
Don’t forget the region locking to boot :/
I wanted to get Rune Factory 4, but it’s only sold in the US and JP
In a perfect world, I could be playing it right now instead of CONSIDERING PIRACY *cough*
I’ll never understand why they go out of their way to prevent people from giving them money.
Well apparently it takes a lot of time and money to change US english into Australian English…
Translating color, flavor, harbor, honor, humor, labor, neighbor, and rumor, into colour, flavour, harbour, honour, humour, labour, neighbour, rumour.
Especially in TV shows, where they have to redub all those too.
$219.95 for the New 3DS and $249.95 for the New 3DS XL. Neither come with an adapter ($14.95) but they do come with a 4gb micro SD card so it saves you from having to purchase that.
Crap… 4gb, I’ve got an 16gb in my 3DS XL, full of nintendo eshop games…
Actually, I wonder if they do the whole 3DS data migration thingy, cause that would make my now-old 3DS useless.
Guys as at 4:51pm the pre-orders in the process of going up on ebgames.com.au, GET ON IT RIGHT NOW.
Now I have the choice of grabbing an XL when Smash Bros comes out, or waiting almost 2 months to get Smash Bros with a New 3DS :/
I know it would be tough, but I think it would be best to wait, unless you’re willing to forgo an extra $100+.
Why not buy a used regular 3DS on Gumtree and then sell it on afterwards? They’re not expensive and you wouldn’t lose money unless you broke it.
It depends on how much trouble it would be moving user data is over to the new ones.
Shouldn’t really be any trouble at all. In the settings there is a ‘System Transfer’ option that will transfer all of your data from one 3DS to another, you need to have both systems with you and they both need to be connected to the internet. instructions say that eShop purchases will have to be redownloaded on the new system, but you don’t have to repurchase them or anything like that. You can swap the SD card from on system to the other afterwards, not sure if that is a required part of the process.
I haven’t really looked into it myself, reason being I never intend to buy more than one of a thing, but I was just going off my experiences with Wii and how you couldn’t transfer purchases and often even save game data.
Thanks for the advice though, I’ll definitely look into it now.
Okay, but what about about if i was trading my old in towards a new one?
My understanding is that you wouldn’t be able to do it without both system in your possession at the same time. So you would have to trade the old system towards games or something instead, but you’re probably better off selling it on gumtree or ebay anyway.
You do need to swap the SD card over, or copy the contents from one to the other using a computer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTufj1zC5vA
Just pre-ordered mine 10 seconds after it went up on EB 😛
This ALMOST makes up for the fact that Shovel Knight STILL hasn’t come out here yet… Almost…
I don’t think I’m desperately in need of an upgrade, so I might wait & see. My XL’s still going strong.
Meanwhile, do we know if it’s still 100% compatible with the DS library? Seems like a pretty Nintendo-ish thing to do, to leave that out for the newest model…
Oo so pretty. The white one’s buttons bring back memories of the Dreamcast days.
So much yes, I will giving Nintendo soooooooooooo much money next month.
Wow, people actually care about Australia ^_^
The AC adapter is sold separately at EB for $14.95…But you can use an old 3DS or 3DS XL adapter.
I’ll still wait for a Zelda or equally awesome special edition haha. But this is great news!
The beautiful big screen of the XL or the awesome buttons and swappable faceplates of the standard size…
WHY DOES THIS HAVE TO BE SUCH A HARD DECISION?! :<
I think I’m just going to have to buy both.
I picked up a 3DS XL (limited Red Pokemon edition) last year but looks as though I’ll have to get a new one.
For the exclusive games but also because of an annoying dead pixel right in the middle of the top screen.
But was very surprised at the Australian exclusivity of the unit. I personally think it’s a god thing for Aussie consumers, a good position to released just before Xmas & a handful of exclusive titles will help boast eventual sales. Not sure how well it will do though but might be a way to step up brand awareness.
I wasn’t originally going to get a “new” 3DS XL on release until I saw an exclusive worth buying it for, or if a limited edition I really wanted was announced. But now I’ve already gone and put a $50 deposit down with EB Games. Why? Because this is a great thing that Nintendo has done and I’m willing to show my gratitude with my wallet. 🙂
I’m assuming this must have something to do with Tony Abbott signing on to the TPP.
“If we give them early access to the 3DS, do you think they’ll stop protesting every weekend?” Haha.
Hhhhhnnnnnngggg, pre-ordered!
woot
Yep, I’m like all of you. Absolutely stoked! Definitely gonna pre-order this next week. I wonder if that anything to do with Mario Kart 8 doing well here – I know about 15 people who got a Wii U straight after Mario Kart 8 came out.
I feel for those 15 people – i too made the same mistake, unfortunately.
They’re all loving it.
Damn, just fell off my chair.
Region free or GTFO.
word.
+1
Yay for region locking! We get the thing earlier for no reason and there is no benefit to us outside of bragging rights! Yay!
personally I am so happy about a console company not putting us last on the list, that I am going to buy one for each of my kids and my nephews/nieces. Anyone know where I can preorder 8 of these guys? 🙂
This is great news as we are usually seen as some backwater country, but I just bought a XL and feel a bit jipped that i didn’t know about this earlier.
This is good news, but y’all need to calm down a tad…..it’s just a 3DS with a second thumbstick and a marginally better processor after all. Cool? Yes. Lose-your-shit-and-go-into-preorder-frenzy? No.
Also New Zealand, this Headline isn’t quite accurate.
Not going to lie, I’m kind of keen for the new 3DS. Had so many doubts but I see it’s more than a cynical cash grab, and I missed Xenoblade the first time around. Pair that with an early launch and a good price, Nintendo may just have earned a sale!