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Nintendo has just announced a price drop in Australia for both the Nintendo DSi and the DSi XL.
From June 30, the DSi will now retail for $199.95 (previously $249.95) and the XL will retail at $249.95 (previously $299.95).
This is most likely in response to the release of the 3DS, which retails at $349.95. We think it would be difficult for most customers to justify shelling out almost $300 for an XL when the 3DS can be bought in some stores for just a fraction more.
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I’m hoping to pick up a 3DS soon (for Zelda) but I really prefer the matte look of the DSi. Even compared to my DSlite, it’s so much more appealing.
Damn you Nintendo with your minor product revisions!!
From a simple every day purchasers view point it makes the 3DS a even harder sell I’d say.
Why is it $100 more for 3D? Is what they’ll say.
What about the bigger screen and processing power and the better and easier internet connection options?
What about the new Mario Kart?
Most of which many customers won’t even be aware of, and, of those that are, not all will care.
You trollin’, Cracks?
The 3ds screen is small vs the Ds[iXL]’s.
The 3ds software is overpriced vs ds’s (which is also overpriced).
The 3ds has better internet than ds -in what way? Certainly my 3ds didn’t make me ever want to use it for inmternets, and don’t even get me started on the lack of online store.
The 3ds has a single half hearted analogue stick -hardly decent enough for fps’s and the like.
The 3ds games don’t look better, except of course for those who like the psuedo 3D gimick.
Therefore I would agree that many people would see the 3DS as just a more expensive ds.
And since Aussie outlets are still moving units at those prices they continue to sell them. I’m looking elsewhere to get a 3DS and I’m not paying an Australian store $350 to own one.
I got my 3ds for 288 from kmart on launch day. Why does nintendo always rip Aussies OFF, it is absolutely ridiculous!
Australian wages for shop workers , warehouse employess , truck drivers etc is double what it is in the US. Thus it costs a whole lot more to get the item to market here.
The average US employee earns $450 US a week , here in Aus it is around $800US a week. Thus the US price is actually a lot higher in proportion to their wage.
The only reason it looks cheap to us is our extremely high exchange rate at present. 2 years ago when our dollar was 0.65 US buying it from there would be $380 AU without freight. Plus their $249 is pre tax which in some states is 17%.
People need to quit whinging about how we are getting so called “rorted” by companies. We are not. Just by from the states now while the going is good.
I don’t see why you’d upgrade from a DS to a DSi, you wouldn’t be able to play all the new games etc.
Atm I see no reason to buy a 3DS, there’s no decent games atm, most are comparable to mobile phone games in terms of depth and graphics. The best games for it for quite some time are just going to be n64 rehashes, which you’ve played before, or can get on the wii for 10 dollars.
I’ve never owned a DS or DSi and at these prices that doesn’t look like it’s about to change. The 3DS is backwards compatible with DS games, isn’t it?
I think I will just buy a 3DS and play the good games that have been on the DS and wait for good 3DS titles to come out in the future.
Unless there is something I need to know?
I was a bit surprised that this didn’t happen sooner, but at least it has.
I was lucky that I managed to import a 25th Anniversary DSi XL with Mario Kart for a bit over $200, delivered, a few months ago. Sure beats the Aussie prices!
I just bought a brand new Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary edition DSi XL for the equivalent of AUS$140 in Akihabra.
The vanilla versions were going for around $80.
Just in time – one kid with a DS Lite but child no 2 (who frankly plays the DS more than her older brother) would probably like a DSi – as for 3DS – I could maybe justify it at a lower price tag, but at the moment its over priced, under powered (battery wise) and plays games that I still have on my N64 (Ocarina and Starfox 64)
Well, that’s no surprise (not sure if anyone already said this, BUT I AM 😀 ). Many game stores in general probably had a slight oversupply of the DSi (especially the XL version). Most people were satisfied with there Ds Lite (or just a normal DSi). Since nearly all (I think) of the games released (with the exception of those fancy camera games and gyroscope based ones) are backwards compatible for the old DS too, it makes sense that shoppers wouldn’t want the DSi.
With the coming of the 3Ds, Game stores KNOW that no fool would dare buy a DSi for its original price when the 3DS is so high
I would rather get a PSP, as the games (older titles) are cheaper.
In addition to that, I was never a Mario fan, I was an ex-SEGA console supporter.
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