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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - Favourite Nintendo hardware revision (so far)

AngryLittleAlchemist said:
Cerebralbore101 said:
3DS XL

Without it 3DS would have tanked in sales.

Explain. 

Regular 3DS was tiny and $250. 3DS XL was $200 and bigger. 

The OG Gameboy launched for $89 back in 89. Factoring in inflation that would be $186 in today's money.

The GBA launched for $99, which is $144 in today's money.

DS Launched for $149, which is $202 in today's money. 

3DS's $249 is $284 in today's money. 

Anyway, the original 3DS model was not priced to be successful. There's a long history of expensive handhelds failing. Even after the XL model launched, the 3DS still only managed to get PSP level sales due to its price. Had Nintendo just launched with the 2DS XL at $180, and a better launch title than OoT Remake it would have done at least PS4 lifetime sales. 



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Cerebralbore101 said:
AngryLittleAlchemist said:

Explain. 

Regular 3DS was tiny and $250. 3DS XL was $200 and bigger. 

The OG Gameboy launched for $89 back in 89. Factoring in inflation that would be $186 in today's money.

The GBA launched for $99, which is $144 in today's money.

DS Launched for $149, which is $202 in today's money. 

3DS's $249 is $284 in today's money. 

Anyway, the original 3DS model was not priced to be successful. There's a long history of expensive handhelds failing. Even after the XL model launched, the 3DS still only managed to get PSP level sales due to its price. Had Nintendo just launched with the 2DS XL at $180, and a better launch title than OoT Remake it would have done at least PS4 lifetime sales. 

In fairness, you also have to take into account that the 3DS and PSP launched at significantly different eras. True, the launch price of the 3DS was high, but so was the PSP in 2005. The PSP also didn't have to compete with tablets or smartphones either

At $180, the 3DS would've definitely done better but not by too much I think. And it came out in 2011 when smartphones and tablets were already surging their way through in the technology space and eating into the handheld arena. So it was a struggle but still impressive to reach nearly 80 million despite that.



The DS Lite would be first for its sleek design and beautiful bright screen, with the GBA SP being a respectable second.

The worst is definitely the Wii revision for its Gamecube/online omissions and its ugly design.



curl-6 said:
V-r0cK said:
There should be a poll. Either way, its the Gameboy Advance SP.

I was going to, but unfortunately there are a lot more Nintendo hardware revisions than the 10 poll options VGC caps out at. 3DS alone has what, 4 revisions?

Very true.  I actually didn't realize how many revisions Nintendo did til reading your comment made me actually pause and count them all lol



AHYL88 said:
Cerebralbore101 said:

Regular 3DS was tiny and $250. 3DS XL was $200 and bigger. 

The OG Gameboy launched for $89 back in 89. Factoring in inflation that would be $186 in today's money.

The GBA launched for $99, which is $144 in today's money.

DS Launched for $149, which is $202 in today's money. 

3DS's $249 is $284 in today's money. 

Anyway, the original 3DS model was not priced to be successful. There's a long history of expensive handhelds failing. Even after the XL model launched, the 3DS still only managed to get PSP level sales due to its price. Had Nintendo just launched with the 2DS XL at $180, and a better launch title than OoT Remake it would have done at least PS4 lifetime sales. 

In fairness, you also have to take into account that the 3DS and PSP launched at significantly different eras. True, the launch price of the 3DS was high, but so was the PSP in 2005. The PSP also didn't have to compete with tablets or smartphones either

At $180, the 3DS would've definitely done better but not by too much I think. And it came out in 2011 when smartphones and tablets were already surging their way through in the technology space and eating into the handheld arena. So it was a struggle but still impressive to reach nearly 80 million despite that.

Well, remember that $180 would have been the price for the premium model. A smaller foldable 2DS launching at say $150 would have made a huge difference too. Also, let's not forget that the DS really was a monster in sales. The Gameboy, and GBA only did around 110 (GB) and 80 (GBA) million units each. That includes sales of all Gameboy models including the Gameboy Color. Anywhere from 90 to 120 million units sold would have been par for the course for a Nintendo handheld. Everyone just assumes that because the 3DS failed to sell 150 million, and the Vita just failed, that they were victims of the rise of Smartphones. But they forget that the DS was just a sales monster, that no handheld would ever have caught, smartphones or not. They also forget the myriad of problems that the Vita and 3DS both had. Chief among them both was price. 

Last edited by Cerebralbore101 - on 26 August 2019

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Gameboy Colour



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KungKras said:
Gameboy Colour

You misspelled Gameboy Color. ;)



V-r0cK said:
curl-6 said:

I was going to, but unfortunately there are a lot more Nintendo hardware revisions than the 10 poll options VGC caps out at. 3DS alone has what, 4 revisions?

Very true.  I actually didn't realize how many revisions Nintendo did til reading your comment made me actually pause and count them all lol

I know right haha. I count 16, but the 3DS really muddies the waters, like are the New 3DS and the New 3DS XL two different revisions, or one revision of the existing 3DS/3DS XL lines?

And some people thought they'd never do a Switch revision...

Cerebralbore101 said:
KungKras said:
Gameboy Colour

You misspelled Gameboy Color. ;)

Not all of us live in America. :P

Cerebralbore101 said:
AngryLittleAlchemist said:

Explain. 

Regular 3DS was tiny and $250. 3DS XL was $200 and bigger. 

The OG Gameboy launched for $89 back in 89. Factoring in inflation that would be $186 in today's money.

The GBA launched for $99, which is $144 in today's money.

DS Launched for $149, which is $202 in today's money. 

3DS's $249 is $284 in today's money. 

Anyway, the original 3DS model was not priced to be successful. There's a long history of expensive handhelds failing. Even after the XL model launched, the 3DS still only managed to get PSP level sales due to its price. Had Nintendo just launched with the 2DS XL at $180, and a better launch title than OoT Remake it would have done at least PS4 lifetime sales. 

I can't see any scenario where 3DS sells on par with PS4 tbh. For all its blunders, I think the simple fact of the matter is no dedicated portable could've topped 100 million in a post-smartphone/tablet world.

3DS is going to end up selling less than the PSP lifetime, so less than the loser of last gen's portable war. 

Last edited by curl-6 - on 26 August 2019

Though I never owned one myself, I have a real soft spot for the SNES Jr, it's curvy, miniaturized design is just so cute.

I also feel like I'm the only person who likes the design of the Wii Mini, in spite of its shortcomings in terms of features.



Cerebralbore101 said:
KungKras said:
Gameboy Colour

You misspelled Gameboy Color. ;)

British English is the true English ;)



I LOVE ICELAND!