Considering buying a 3DS XL and/or a Wii U

Tek7

CGA President, Tribe of Judah Founder & President
Staff member
So Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is getting really good reviews. Like, really good reviews.

And Super Mario 3D World looks amazing.

I have no illusions regarding the Wii U when it comes to third party support (read: it ain't got it). When you buy a Nintendo console, you buy it for first party titles and hope you pick up a decent third party game (or, in the case of Xenoblade, a second party title) or two along the way.

When it comes to Nintendo handhelds, well, you can't really go wrong. I have a GBA SP (the NES Retro style model, which was a Christmas gift from my wife years ago) and a black Nintendo DS Lite that I spent many, many hours playing.

So I knew when the 3DS was originally announced at a $250 price point, I'd wait but would eventually purchase a 3DS after a price drop. I had dismissed the 3DS XL until I saw it live and in person when my family met up with CCGR's family a while back. All of a sudden, my "I'll get it some day but I'm not in any hurry" turned into "DO WANT."

I decided to wait until Black Friday in hopes that there would be a fantastic sale on the 3DS XL or at least a bundle to give me the excuse I (being so frugal that I have my own law of frugality) need to finally take the plunge.

But all the major Black Friday ads have been leaked and the results are disappointing: Only Target has a great sale on the 3DS XL and it's a doorbuster only. I <3 saving money, but I don't think even $50 in savings can convince me to throw elbows at little old ladies at Target at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. I have been passionately vocal about what I think of businesses that interrupt A DAY DEDICATED TO GIVING THANKS to throw people into a rabid (imagine shoppers with frothing mouths) frenzy to save some cash. Yes, there is a conspiracy to prevent thankfulness and contentedness by any means possible in our nation (what is the purpose of nearly all advertising?), even if the retail industry doesn't consciously realize that's what they're doing.

But soapboxes aside, I'd really like to get a 3DS XL and I'd really like to get it at a good price.

I considered pre-ordering the Zelda 3DS XL bundle, but (1) the unit comes with a download code, not a physical copy of the game, (2) the inside of the unit is gold--not a garish gold, but I favor more subtle colors over "STEAL ME NOW, I AM A LIMITED EDITION," attention-drawing hardware, and (3) I can't find a way to buy it without paying tax. And you know I'm not going to support GameStop, but I've already ranted once in this thread, so I'll exercise some discipline on that point.

I don't anticipate a price drop on the 3DS XL any time soon, so my question is this:

How do I get the most bang for my buck? That is, how do I get the best price for the best value? (That's why I was hoping for bundles similar to last year's Mario Kart 7 3DS bundle and was disappointed there were no such offers this year.)

Obviously, I would order from Amazon over Walmart or Toys R Us to avoid paying taxes (it sounds so criminal when I put it that way! :)) and I'd watch for any "reward points" programs from retailers where I might actually have a chance of spending them. Price matching would be super, but I don't think any company is crazy enough to price match doorbusters.

My fellow frugal gamers: I ask for your aid!

Oh, and if anyone can recommend a great deal on a Wii U, whether standalone or a bundle, I'd also appreciate that (but chances are I'm going to hold out on the Wii U until Monolithsoft releases their Wii U game and finally breaks my willpower).

I was going to also share how I'm conflicted about spending money on any new gaming hardware at all when I already own so many consoles and handhelds (not to mention a pretty beefy PC) and have amassed an embarrassingly long backlog, but that seemed like a pretty self-indulgent and almost stereotypical thing for a thirty-something gamer to do. Not saying I won't come back and share what's on my mind, just that I'm holding out hope I can spare you all that wall of text. :)
 
Well... there is one way... have you heard of ocean's eleven? Oh? .....

But in all seriousness, THE DS MAN! Pokemon + new zelda + smash bros + mario + luigi + pretty shnazzy 3rd party titles = pure win.

I have nothing else to contribute. Carry on.
 
Yes yes, I've decided I want a 3DS. Now I just want to figure out how to get the best value for my money.
 
Just found out my local Walmart Supercenter will be selling the Zelda 3DS XL bundle for $200 tonight starting at midnight.

Well, there went MY self-control.
 
Aaand now I find myself considering buying a Wii U bundle instead of a 3DS XL because I really want to play Super Mario 3D World...
 
3DS!! WHAT YOU USE WII U FOR? YOU NO HAZ POKEMANZ! YOU NO HAZ ON THE GO TRIPLE A TITLES!
 
3DS!! WHAT YOU USE WII U FOR? YOU NO HAZ POKEMANZ! YOU NO HAZ ON THE GO TRIPLE A TITLES!
Super Mario 3D World.

I'm not the kind of dude to buy a game console for one system (and there are a few other Wii U titles I'm interested in), but if I were to buy a console for one game, I think buying a Wii U to play Super Mario 3D World would be that occasion.

Maybe I can hold out until Monolithsoft releases their Wii U game. Maybe I'll come to my senses and not buy a Zelda 3DS XL bundle at Walmart at 12:01 a.m. tonight.

Time will tell.

EDIT: But you make a good argument regarding the Pokemans. I admit that I am very tempted to pick up X or Y whenever it goes on sale--which brings me to my greatest reservation regarding buying either the Wii U or the 3DS: Lack of sales.

Steam has so spoiled me that I find it exceedingly difficult to spend more than $10 on any game, no matter how amazing, knowing that it will go on sale for less than 10 bucks eventually. I know that doesn't carry over to consoles or handhelds, but Nintendo first party titles are notorious for never going on decent sales. I don't know if my frugal heart can take both dropping ~$216 for a Zelda 3DS XL (including tax) AND spending $30-$40 on handheld titles.
 
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I own the Zelda WiiU, and if you have to buy something always buy into the portables, I would get the Zelda 3DS if I had the cash lying around. Other than that you could by a used one after launch/release with price drops and all.
 
I got the Zelda 3DS XL at Walmart last night!

And I already own 4 games for the 3DS: The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Mario Kart 7, Pokemon X, and Super Mario 3D Land.

SQUEEEEEE~!

Zelda3DSXL+Games.jpg

:D

Pokemon X was a gift from my wonderful wife, who inadvertently discovered that Toys R Us is running a "buy one, get one 40% off" sale on games today and tomorrow (Nov. 23). The surprise made both our days. :)

I had REALLY hoped to buy some Hori 3DS XL screen protectors locally, but no brick and mortar stores carry them. I'll probably order them from Amazon, but I doubt I'll be able to resist opening the box and setting up my 3DS XL (being EXTREMELY careful with the stylus) before the package from Amazon arrives.
 
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I had REALLY hoped to buy some Hori 3DS XL screen protectors locally, but no brick and mortar stores carry them. I'll probably order them from Amazon, but I doubt I'll be able to resist opening the box and setting up my 3DS XL (being EXTREMELY careful with the stylus) before the package from Amazon arrives.
I stand corrected.

My wife and I finally signed up for Amazon Prime last night (after resisting for over a year) and I ordered the Hori 3DS XL screen protectors a few minutes after. The screen protectors are guaranteed to show up on or before (I'm hoping for before!) Tuesday.

I'm going to wait until they come in, then wait until after my daughter goes to bed, then apply the screen protectors (I still have screen protectors on my DS Lite!) and set it up! After I do, I'll probably post a new thread (since I'm no longer "considering" getting a 3DS XL; I got one) with my Nintendo account name.

In other news: I may be late to next week's TF2sday event. :D
 
Crazy talk in this thread, all the excitement over such old technology!
Considering the DS didn't really take off until 2 years after launch, I thought buying a 3DS 2.5 years after launch was an ideal time to pick one up.

Plus dat Zelda limited edition 3DS XL finally broke my resistance. :)
 
Now you went and enticed me to look up the game. It looks crazy fun! Must resist and save for next gen console.
 
Now you went and enticed me to look up the game. It looks crazy fun! Must resist and save for next gen console.
If you already have a rockin' PC, you might want to consider skipping the PS4 and Xbox One (at least for the first year or two) and pick up a Wii U or 3DS instead. Since both the PS4 and XB1 use x64-based processors AND since next-gen development costs are so high, we're likely going to see PC ports for most console multiplatform releases. And if you're into indie games, remember most indie titles coming to PS4 will also be on Steam.

In my estimation, PC + 3DS + Wii U (the Wii U being the weakest link in the chain) covers the widest range of current games.

My opinion may change if and when certain franchises that have historically been exclusive to PlayStation consoles remain exclusive (and new entries actually get localized for US release *coughSEGAcough*), but I'll still want a Wii U to play Super Mario 3D World (since I <3 Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 and SM3W is getting crazy good reviews) and Monolithsoft's Wii U title at some point.
 
What are your opinions of the Nvidia Shield?

I'm not tek, but I think it's a pretty big waste. Last I heard it was still limited to in house streaming PC games, IF you have a nvidia card, and IF you are at home over wifi. Otherwise it's pretty much just another android gaming device.
 
So if someone was to get the WiiU Skylanders SwapForce bundle for their kids, what games are must-haves for the parent?
 
What are your opinions of the Nvidia Shield?

I'm not tek, but I think it's a pretty big waste. Last I heard it was still limited to in house streaming PC games, IF you have a nvidia card, and IF you are at home over wifi. Otherwise it's pretty much just another android gaming device.
As odd as it may sound, I have to disagree.

The nVIDIA Shield recently added "Console Mode," where a user can connect the Shield to a TV and connect a Bluetooth controller to the Shield. I'd imagine there are at least a few Android games that would be a lot of fun with a controller on a big screen.

More importantly, don't underestimate the appeal of in-house streaming. There are a number of games (Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes immediately comes to mind) that would be excellent for the handheld.

And to quote a comment from the Joystiq article linked above:

As a side note, from a Shield owner. Don't be put off by the low amount of "50 of the best PC Games". They are just the ones that launch directly from the Shield. The Shield can also launch into Steam Big Picture mode and play almost ANY PC game launched from that (including non steam games that you have added to Steam).

I have tested a TON of games and so far only find one that wouldn't work (Gone Home).

I've often thought it'd be great to play games like FEZ, Waves, Rochard, and Chime on a portable device. (Oh wow, Chime on a portable device; I don't think I'd get anything done.) Right now, the Shield is the only way to do that.

If you're like me and have to share the TV with family members, a portable gaming device that lets you play high-res PC AND Android games on a nice screen at least warrants further investigation. I personally chose the 3DS XL over the Shield because I really enjoyed my DS Lite and Nintendo and Atlus have released and are developing some fantastic games for the 3DS, but if you're not attached to console-exclusive franchises, then I think it might be worth your time to take a closer look at the Shield.

On a related note, I'm really looking forward to the Steam in-home streaming beta and REALLY hoping I make it in.

[toj.cc]phantom;481486 said:
Tek gimme your friend code when you get it.
But of course! :) I'll be posting my friend code in ToJ's Nintendo Forum when I get it.

So if someone was to get the WiiU Skylanders SwapForce bundle for their kids, what games are must-haves for the parent?
I plan on eventually picking up a Wii U at some point. When I do, I plan on buying Super Mario 3D World and Rayman Legends the same day.

Side note: I removed Rayman Legends from my Steam wishlist when I discovered that it requires installing Uplay, which I refuse to do. Otherwise, I would have gladly bought it when it was on a Steam daily deal sale recently. I thought about picking up the PS3 version since it runs in 1080p, but I figure I'll hold out until I get a Wii U as the Wii U version doesn't have Uplay integration tacked on.

Barring cataclysmic reviews, I plan on picking up Monolithsoft's Wii U game when it releases (and after/if I get a Wii U, of course).

Other games I'd strongly consider buying if I owned a Wii U:

  • Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD. I never played the original, but I'd very much like to.
  • Pikmin 3. I'm usually not one for strategy games, but Pikmin 3 has an 87 on Metacritic and does look like a lot of fun.
  • New Super Mario Bros. Wii U. I know the NSMB series catches flak for refusing to innovate, but I still think the NSMB games I've played are a blast.
  • Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. Maybe. The series is crazy popular and I'd like to find out why firsthand. I had thought about getting the 3DS version until I read it doesn't have online multiplayer.
  • Mighty Switch Force! Hyper Drive Edition. WayForward rarely fails to deliver.

I'd probably take a closer look at The Wonderful 101, too.

I know I just listed several great-looking games, but I'm still resisting buying a Wii U until the list of "must-have" games is a little longer (even though a proper successor to Super Mario Galaxy 2 in Super Mario 3D World had me looking at Black Friday Wii U bundles).

I maintain that it takes at least 1-2 years for any console or handheld to build up a library that makes the initial investment of buying a new system worth it. My wife and I bought DS Lites a few years after the DS launched.

We were seriously considering buying a PS3 (after previously considering buying a Xbox 360 before the RROD debacle scared us off) when we received one as a very generous gift from Keero, Gator, and Grey in 2010, four years after its launch.

In both cases, we landed in the "sweet spot" of a product lifecycle, where there's enough fantastic content to pick up but still a lot of life left in the system and the chance to get excited about new game announcements (though the most exciting [to me] PS3 game reveal I've read about was announced today, a week after the PS4 launch).

I'm a frugal dude, so I'm planning on waiting at least 1 more year, if not 2 years, before picking up a Wii U. Yes, there are several great Wii U games out already, but it's not yet at the "I MUST OWN THIS SYSTEM, IT HAS SO MANY AMAZING GAMES I WANT TO PLAY" level of the DS Lite (when I bought mine) yet.

Then again, if you're into Skylanders, then maybe now IS the time to buy in. Just be forewarned that the Wii U included in the holiday bundle is a basic, not a deluxe, system. I don't know the differences, but it's worth looking into as it may affect your purchasing decision.

EDIT: Also, some good news: My 3DS XL screen protectors and hard case are on track to arrive TOMORROW. YAY! :D
 
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