Nintendo 3DS fastest console to five million sales in Japan
The PlayStation Vita might be stealing the limelight these days, but there’s no forgetting the Nintendo 3DS. Following a stuttering post-release period, Nintendo’s handheld console is doing great. It is in fact the fastest ever console to hit 5 million sales in Japan, 52 weeks after its February 26, 2011 launch.
Nintendo’s 3DS console excited many upon its initial unveiling. It’s the first ever glasses-free console, after all. Initial excitement soon turned into concern, when sales started slipping and Nintendo admitted to failings over pricing and design.
The price was soon dropped, and an Ambassador Programme was made available giving early Nintendo 3DS adopters access to free downloadable games. And those design flaws? To counter the lack of a second analogue stick, Nintendo released a Circle Pad Pro attachment that slots onto the console, adding an extra analogue stick and a better grip.
It all seems to be paying off. The previous record holder was the original Nintendo DS, which reached the milestone after 56 weeks (four weeks later) and Game Boy Advance (58 weeks). Those aren’t shipped figures either, these are actual sales. Not bad for a console that has had more than its share of problems.
Most recent estimates put Nintendo 3DS sales at around 15 million. We’re sure some great games will go some way to bumping those figures up. There are some great games on the way including Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D, Luigi’s Mansion 2 and games more popular among casual and Japanese audiences such as Brain Training 3D and Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance.
Do you own a Nintendo 3DS? Are you satisfied with the console and its game selection? Let us know.
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