The 3DS at $250 at launch was one of the biggest ripoffs this industry has ever seen.  That's fine with me, honestly, I can't blame a company for trying, but the margin they were going for with the 3DS was pretty much unheard of.  They were rubbing their hands together, thinking that, after the success of the DS, people would be lining up no matter what was dangled in front of them.  It was one of the single biggest instances of hubris and greed in the modern era of gaming.  It's easily up there with Sony expecting their fans to eat the cost of Blu-Ray so they could win the format war or Microsoft putting access to video services behind a paywall.  They were planning to shove the 3DS in sideways without any lube.

Now, if you want to say, "no, no, they're Nintendo, they wouldn't do that," go ahead.  Hey, maybe they were planning to put some of that money into a trust fund for their customers.  

:) ohhh you're tricky one.

Games, absolutely. I've stopped buying used games and in fact, I'd prefer digital.

Hardware... home consoles yes. portables for my kids who may or may not take care of them... used.

But EA have not been doing it for 25 years and at least they do try something new every now and then.

You are kidding yourself if you think Nintendos IPs are even vaguely different. Get a platformer which isn't and IP that is 25 years old....oh, not possible. They sell more because owners have no choice! If you want a platformer, you better buy Mario or you get nothing.

Isn't the Vita also the biggest ripoff the industry has ever seen? A console at $200 that barely has games? It's more than a ripoff it's a robbery.

Again. Had 3DS launched with actual games, $250 would have been fine. Personally, I would have waited for $200, but $250 would have sold well.

Apple products have far higher margins as do pretty much anything "audio" market related. Just sayin' margins do not prove or disprove the value to price ratio. The perceived value is what is important.

I don't like Apple so I don't perceive their high value. But I happily pay $350 to $400 for out of contract brand new Nexus phones. I happily paid $350 for a Wii U. If I bought a 3DS for myself, I'd happily pay the $200 for a Zelda themed XL. At that point I'm not considering the margin the company is making. I'm only considering what its value is to me.

Yah seriously what's with the tone in the OP?

No that's a horrible idea

+ Memory cards.

I don't let money or ideology control my life. I buy what I want. That's why I will buy a Nintendo console even though they make me pay a lot for a weak system that has nothing to offer but its exclusives.

Yeah because DKC doesn't exist and is as good or better than Mario (and both are better than any other platformer... with Rayman's last two being a close set).

Sure Nintendo doesn't make certain genres like FPS... but they offer continuous quality and new gameplay each and every time.

Just take 2D marios and you'll see that they are completly new games with each iteration. Offering new ways to play a similar core idea. New challenges, new suprises, and new gameplay. Just the core idea of primary characters and platforming is continued.

Its kinda the reason Mario has never died off where Mega Man, Sonic, <insert every other franchise character not made by Nintendo> have gone away.