Last week Nintendo announced international release dates for its next generation handheld gaming device, the 3DS. PAL regions were confirmed to be receiving the 3DS on 25 March 2011, while the USA will get it a few days later on the 27th.
Today, local Nintendo distributor Core has confirmed that the South African 3DS launch date will coincide with the global PAL release date, and it will hit retail shelves on March 25.
The Nintendo 3DS system will be available in either Cosmos Black or Aqua Blue.
“Nintendo 3DS is not just about being able to watch and play in 3D without glasses – it also offers unique social experiences,” said Laurent Fischer, Nintendo of Europe’s Managing Director of Marketing & PR. “In the way Wii brought families together, Nintendo 3DS will appeal to a broad range of people.”
The Nintendo 3DS includes two screens. The bottom Touch Screen makes use of a telescoping stylus that is stored in the unit itself. The top screen displays 3D visuals to the naked eye. The system also has a 3D depth slider that lets players select the level of 3D they enjoy the most. The 3D effect can be increased up to the highest level, scaled back to a more moderate setting or even turned off completely, depending on the preference of the user.
In addition to the familiar +Control Pad and button controls found on previous Nintendo handhelds, Nintendo 3DS now also includes a Circle Pad, which provides a full 360 degrees of direction.
Pricing
No local pricing has been confirmed. The UK price also remains unconfirmed, but retailers in Britain already have it on pre-order for £229.99 (R2570). Our estimates, taking into account import costs and local mark ups put the 3DS at between R3000 and R3500 at launch. When I previously published this estimate, a source at Core hinted that my predication was too high. Of course, we would love to be proven wrong in this case.
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