Topic: Breaking Down the 3DS Ambassador Program

[NWR_Neal]

At the end of it all, you paid $80 more for 20 free games. Is it worth it?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/27291

I'm sure a lot of us are still just looking at the computer screen confused as the 3DS is dropping in price from $250, a price known to be high, to $170, which is likely lower than anyone would think it would've been at launch. But let's look at the value of the 20 free games available for those who bought the system and took it online before August 11.

On September 1, 10 NES games will be available for Ambassadors. If we say the going rate for NES games is $5 (the price of them on the Wii Shop Channel), then that is a $50 value. We're already more than halfway to the $80 drop.

Later in the year, 10 Game Boy Advance games will be available for Ambassadors. We have no precedent set for GBA games on downloadable stores, but let's, for the sake of argument, say they will be $8 each. That's an $80 value.

So, you 3DS Ambassadors will receive approximately $130 in games for free for buying the system early and for $80 more than other people. Boo-yah.

Though, some of those games might not be worth it, so let's look at the games that are confirmed to be a part of this program:

NES/Famicom Virtual Console titles will include:
- Super Mario Bros. - A classic
- Donkey Kong Jr. - Decent, worth getting for free
- Balloon Fight - Joust but by Iwata, so cool I guess.
- Ice Climber - They're in Smash Bros., so I'd say it's worth getting for free for the hell of it.
- The Legend of Zelda - Excellent!

Game Boy Advance Virtual Console titles will include:
- Yoshi's Island:Super Mario Advance 3 - One of the greatest SNES games
- Mario Kart: Super Circuit - An underrated entry in the Mario Kart series
- Metroid Fusion - A great Metroid game
- WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! - One of the premier GBA games
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong - The sequel to the lovely DK '94

Now, I'll be blunt here: I can't wait to get my free stuff. As a fan/consumer, this is the greatest news ever. Almost makes me forget that the Wii is basically dead, we're missing out on three Japanese RPGs, and most non-Nintendo-made 3DS games are getting delayed until 2012. Almost.

[Chocobo_Rider]

Yep. It's worth it.

And one of the few real examples of a company looking out for its early adopters.

[ShyGuy]

Neal is getting a little snarky for being the staff apologist.

[Tanookisuit]

I'm into this.  I can't wait.  And now finally some of my friends might get a 3DS and we can play!

[BlackNMild2k1]

NES/Famicom Virtual Console titles will include:
- Super Mario Bros. - A classic (played to death... would play again. briefly.)
- Donkey Kong Jr. - Decent, worth getting for free
- Balloon Fight - Joust but by Iwata, so cool I guess.
- Ice Climber - They're in Smash Bros., so I'd say it's worth getting for free for the hell of it.
- The Legend of Zelda - Excellent! (great game, would play again)

Game Boy Advance Virtual Console titles will include:
- Yoshi's Island:Super Mario Advance 3 - One of the greatest SNES games (never played but always wanted to)
- Mario Kart: Super Circuit - An underrated entry in the Mario Kart series (good game)
- Metroid Fusion - A great Metroid game (never played but always wanted to)
- WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! - One of the premier GBA games (only had the demo, it was fun)
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong - The sequel to the lovely DK '94 (Never played but always wanted to)

5 out of 10 I would play and not even knowing what the other 10 are yet makes me want to go get my 3DS today... but I think I'll wait till next week.

Is SSFIV discounted new yet?

[Pale]

I have all 5 of those NES games on Wii VC and all 5 of those GBA games on cart.


Could I have been more unlucky? All I want is Zero Mission.

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

Assuming the Ambassador Program works the same on the side of the pond, it'll be an even better deal. Obviously, prices vary from retailer to retailer over here, but early reports say that it will likely be dropped to around £160. That's only £20 less than what I paid for mine back in March. And with 3DS Virtual Console titles more expensive on the conversion rate, when you add up the value of all these free games, it's totally worth it.

[Fatty The Hutt]

The best deal in town will be at Canadian WalMarts, this weekend only.
 
For some reason, WalMart Canada will be selling the 3DS for $198, this weekend only. Sure, it's not the $170 that will drop August 12 but if you buy now, you can get in on the very valuable Ambassador Program.
 
I already have a 3DS ... but none of my 3 kids do...yet
 
...hmmmm...

[ThomasO]

Some of those games, like Yoshi's Island, could be re-released as 3D Classics, so I'll wait before immediately buying some of them.

[Journeys]

Kind of odd that you are trying to compensate (very nice of them indeed) for being an early adopter but why are the games for the Wii and not the 3DS?  Guess the assumption is everyone owns a Wii but I would think they would want to push people using the 3DS. 

Or did I miss something and these are all coming to the 3ds?  I mean I already bought the legend of zelda VC for the 3ds.  Kind of confused as to where some of these games are going. 

[Bboy]

Unlike Pale, I've only played 3 of those games, and DK Jr. only through the stupid e-reader, so I'm psyched, especially for Fusion.

[Ceric]

Unlike Pale, I've only played 3 of those games, and DK Jr. only through the stupid e-reader, so I'm psyched, especially for Fusion.

I actually own Fusion and I'm psyched to get Fusion.  Especially if they allow saved state on GBA games.

[TJ Spyke]

Some of those games, like Yoshi's Island, could be re-released as 3D Classics, so I'll wait before immediately buying some of them.

Considering the 3D Classics program was for NES games, that was not gonna happen. Not to mention that Nintendo said they have no plans to sell the GBA games to the general public, they will be exclusive to the early adopters.

[MegaByte]

Considering the 3D Classics program was for NES games, that was not gonna happen. Not to mention that Nintendo said they have no plans to sell the GBA games to the general public, they will be exclusive to the early adopters.

Actually, the E3 3D Classics Collection demo included some SNES games, including Yoshi's Island.

[Ceric]

I'd love to see Yoshi's Island as a 3DS Classic in 3D some of that little video screamed cool in 3D to me.

Oh, Great Idea on adding the little Video.  I'm sure people on YouTube will enjoy it and I hadn't actually seen all the games.

[broodwars]

Looking over this list, I'm a little annoyed that 3DS "Ambassadors" will get Yoshi's Island via the GBA Port, but we still don't have the original game on the Wii Virtual Console...and probably won't ever because Nintendo will want people to buy the 3DS version.

As for this list of free games, just based on the 10 listed here it's not enough to get me to buy a $250 3DS.  The only game in that stack I have interest in as a handheld game is Metroid Fusion.  The rest are generally considered good games, but just aren't my thing or I already own some form of them elsewhere.

[gbuell]

Kind of odd that you are trying to compensate (very nice of them indeed) for being an early adopter but why are the games for the Wii and not the 3DS?  Guess the assumption is everyone owns a Wii but I would think they would want to push people using the 3DS. 

Or did I miss something and these are all coming to the 3ds?  I mean I already bought the legend of zelda VC for the 3ds.  Kind of confused as to where some of these games are going. 

They're all for 3DS... the only Legend of Zelda game that's currently out for the 3DS Virtual Console is Link's Awakening, not the original NES game.

[MegaByte]

Looking over this list, I'm a little annoyed that 3DS "Ambassadors" will get Yoshi's Island via the GBA Port, but we still don't have the original game on the Wii Virtual Console...and probably won't ever because Nintendo will want people to buy the 3DS version.

I don't think it's specifically that reason. No Super FX games have appeared on the Wii Virtual Console. I don't know why that is though, considering homebrew emulators have done it for over a decade.

[Monteblanco]

Considering my 3DS is about one month old, I am not totally happy with this. Still, it is not a bad offer and I am very pleased there are many games I would be willing to buy in the list. Hopefully, the new price list will warm the sales and more games will be available to the 3DS.

[Dannymcl]

The titles lisyed don't seem to shabby, I hope there is a bit of list you can choose from. So glad I have got my 3DS already. I got mine for a good price but I'm waiting for Zelda OoT to come down. This will hopefully keep me going untill then.

[Mop it up]

Of the ten titles listed here, I own all but two of them, and there's a reason I don't own those other two. The ten yet to be revealed are likely to be mostly games I own as well, since I'm a Nintendo fan and therefore I own most of their games. I'd much rather have gotten some eShop credit, and not $80 but rather even $40 would have been much better for me than what they are offering.

No Super FX games have appeared on the Wii Virtual Console. I don't know why that is though, considering homebrew emulators have done it for over a decade.

I imagine it is because it would take a little extra work to emulate the Super FX chip, and we all know how Nintendo is when it comes to extra work. They will either wait until they have nothing else to release before they put in the effort, or they figure that the amount of work isn't worth it just to put up a handful of titles.

[Shaymin]

The best deal in town will be at Canadian WalMarts, this weekend only.
 
For some reason, WalMart Canada will be selling the 3DS for $198, this weekend only. Sure, it's not the $170 that will drop August 12 but if you buy now, you can get in on the very valuable Ambassador Program.
 
I already have a 3DS ... but none of my 3 kids do...yet
 
...hmmmm...

This is how I'm rolling, especially since Walmart's is actually until August 4.

Though Best Buy/FutureShop are matching through Sunday, and they have 30-day price protection.

[frostybro24]

will these games always be free for ambassadors or is there a deadline? anyone know?

[TJ Spyke]

The press release doesn't say, but it does mention that more details about he Ambassador program will be coming soon.

[Chocobo_Rider]

Now, as I'm thinking about it, this "Ambassador Program" could be an absolute sea change in the gaming industry.

Imagine what it would do for the peace of mind of early adopters if this was a policy Nintendo planned to keep going forward?

Buy our product early? Get a digital bonus when the price drops.

Obviously it wouldn't make sense to announce the contents of any future Ambassador Program (Wii U, 4DS, Wii U Tu, 5DSiXL) before said price drop (as in this current case), but, if consumers knew such a program would go into effect I know I would personally be a lot more comfortable abandoning my typical "wait and see" approach.