Walmart wants your 3DS pre-order so bad it's throwing in this bonus case

Little known fact: 3-Dee is powered by microscopic hamsters on equally microscopic wheels. Not only does the technology's dependency on living organisms jack up the price, it also means that the 3DS will require a constant supply of oxygen. It's a good thing, then, that Walmart's 3DS pre-order freebie, a Power A-designed case (pictured), has plenty of breathing holes. Just remember to take the device out of its cage every once in awhile -- it needs direct sunlight too!

You can see more images of the bonus Power A "Flex Case" (a $10 value, you could brag) in Walmart's product gallery. Actually, no -- wait. These are ... GoldenEye screenshots?

• Source: Walmart

Mama Mia! Majesco cooks up $2.1 million fiscal-year loss

Majesco Entertainment ended its last fiscal year (on October 31, 2010) with a $2.1 million loss -- which is better than the $6.6 million it flambéed the previous fiscal year. The financially troubled publisher is pinning its hopes in the new fiscal year (which began Nov. 1) on Crafting Mama, Babysitting Mama and Zumba Fitness, which has already sold a half-million units since its mid-November release. Majesco has also planted one of those money-growing trees: a Facebook game, Friends Cafe.

With its focus on mass-market appeal, Majesco could well bake up some profits this fiscal year. We'll keep watch over its shoulder, though, mindful to leave a clear path to the fire extinguisher in case the money continues to burn.

Source: Majesco

Retailers: 3DS games priced at $40-50 in US; £33-40 in UK; €50-60 in Europe

Nintendo has refuted our attempts to wrangle 3DS game pricing info so far, but retailer listings may be shedding some light on the subject. We hope you weren't hoping for a standard price point, because it looks like there's some wiggle room. A review of GameStop and Amazon listings reveals 3DS prices of either $39.99 or $49.99 in the US. Meanwhile, Eurogamer reports that UK retailer Game has confirmed the standard software price will be £39.99 in the region, though other UK retailers have prices listed as low as £32.99. Finally, we perused Amazon France and spotted prices of €49.95 and €59.95.

The disparate prices between titles matches up with pricing in Japan, though it is a bit more standardized. We'll keep poking Nintendo for official details.

Source: Eurogamer, GameStop, Amazon France - PilotWings Resort, Amazon France - Nintendogs & Cats, Amazon US - 3DS

Rayman 3D is an 'adaptation' of Rayman 2

Tucked away in Ubisoft's 3DS lineup press release is this golden nugget: Rayman 3D is actually an "adaptation" of the classic Rayman 2 (the Dreamcast version, specifically). Those of you who have experienced the joy of Rayman 2 can probably stop reading now. The rest of you will be glad to hear that the 3DS version will feature "major updates" to certain gameplay elements, including "accessibility, progression and learning curve."

Frankly, we're just glad to have a new excuse to collect Lums again.

Source:Joystiq

Live from Nintendo's 3DS event

9:40AM And that's it – Reggie's off the stage, and we're off to get some gaming on. Thanks for reading!

9:40AM They've got more than 130 gameplay stations for us to get our mitts on behind the curtains on the right side of the room. And that's it. What? Did you want some "unexpected reveals"? Talk to Jonathan Ross, bub. We just work here.

9:39AM "Nintendo 3DS is 3D games plus 3D video plus 3D photography. No special glasses or skills required to enjoy it. And above all, Nintendo 3DS is distinct. It's a breakthrough. There's nothing else like it. It is ... a category of one."

9:38AM And the ship date: "Nintendo 3DS will be on retail shelves in the US on March 27th."

9:37AM "In all, we expect to have more than a million Americans experience 3DS first-hand through our programs this summer." "Now, let's get down to the key news: when and how much?" He said focus groups were consistently saying 3DS was worth between $300 and $400, "but of course we're not going there. The price: $249.99.

9:36AM Here's another big one: GameBoy and GameBoy Color hits will be available on the Virtual Console, in addition to downloadable games (think DSiWare) and 3D game demos. No word about actual DS or 3DS games available on the service, so we're guessing that's a no go. He says the entire shop experience is "smoother, simpler, and more robust." Let's hope we see some of these changes come to other platforms, like the Wii Shop Channel.

9:35AM Reggie's quick to point out that other updates will be available via simple software updates. But oh, what's this? "There's an important change in the way that friend codes are implemented. There's only one code necessary and you only need to register it once." Whoa! That sounds more and more like a real online multiplayer system (albeit one obfuscated by codes instead of names ... but we'll take it!). He said the codes are not unique on different software, and Nintendo's making it easier to find your friends in-game.

9:32AM The device comes with some software: An activity tracker that, well, keeps track of your activities. From game playing to your steps, thanks to a built-in pedometer. What do you get? Coins! Also: A Mii Maker, similar to the Wii, but coupled with the 3DS' front-facing camera. Face Raiders, which is some kind of shooting gallery using your own face. Freaky! AR Games uses AR cards (augmented reality for you latecomers out there) – plop down an AR card and games pop right out. An enhanced internet browser, video player, and audio software also come built-in.

9:29AM Also coming: Asphalt 3D and Combat of Giants 3D from Ubisoft, Resident Evil: Mercenaries 3D, Ridge Racer 3D, and Lego Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars. "I need to fill in the blanks on some missing launch details," Reggie said. "We expect consumer to choose from more than 30 Nintendo 3DS games," between launch and E3 in early June.

9:27AM Street Fighter IV 3D producer Yoshinori Ono is etailing the Street Pass system – walking down the street, little virtual people that live in your pocket will fight other little virtual people in other people's pockets and, when you both get home, you can see how many fights they got in and how much money they won. That's really strange, right? Of course, it's one of the 3DS' big features.

9:25AM Reggie promises that Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D and Madden NFL will both benefit from 3D graphics. Peter Moore is on video. "We have optimized this experience for three-dimensional elements." He says they're making it "more simplistic" using GameFlow, just like the latest Madden on the consoles.

9:23AM "We've got representative from seven different publishers" here to show off their games. He's not going to talk about every game, but he's going to go over a couple. Dead or Alive: Dimensions is the first game to get the spotlight. A video from one of the game's devs at Tecmo is talking it up. "You'll feel like the Nintendo 3DS screen is a lot bigger than it really is," he says. Yeah, but guys always say that.

9:21AM Next up: Steel Diver, one of the early DS tech demos, now reborn as an actual 3DS title. "Using the system's built-in gyroscope, you'll tilt your body to aim the periscope and fire." He suggested spinning around in an office chair; as fans of Rage for iOS, we can fully support this style of gameplay. At home. Don't try this on the subway. Also coming from Nintendo: Ocarina of Time and Kid Icarus, but he skimmed over those. He's all about third party now.

9:19AM "PilotWings Resort will have you flying over the same WooHoo Island you know from Wii Fit and Wii Sports Resort." And of course, "what makes all of this new" is 3D. Next up: Nintendogs +Cats, which Reggie calls the most mainstream title. He says that while puppies will crave attention, you'll have to "work a little bit harder" to get love from a cat. It's true! It uses the front-facing camera to do some neat facial recognition – if a stranger plays with your dog and calls him over, he may get scared and bark. Neat!

9:17AM The 3D depth slider "works to adjust 3D to any degree that you like." "And of course, it never requires you to put on a pair of those fashionable 3D glasses." Man, you should've heard the way the announcer said "fashionable." Nintendo's really pushing the 3D photographic capabilities as an "in" to the system for non-gamers. We're not entirely sold on that. But enough about that! Reggie's back up to talk games.

9:14AM We're getting a really remedial walkthrough. It's got a plus-shaped control pad, and A, B, Y, and X buttons! The analog circle pad "opens up new worlds." Inside a built-in motion sensor and accelerometer delivers a lot of that Wii-style gaming. The Home button will "pause all action" even in the middle of games. You'll be able to switch to other features while your game waits, smartphone-style.

9:11AM In North America, the 3DS will be available in two colors: Aqua Blue and Cosmo Black.

9:11AM "Today we'll be announcing price, launch date, titles in the launch window, and other important news." That's the big stuff, folks. He says that about 50% of the people in the audience have never handled the 3DS.

9:10AM "While the Nintendo 3DS video games will be eye-popping all by itself, the system offers more than enough even for people who've never played a video game." It does that by offering 3D video playback and, of course, 3D photography. "Wouldn't it be great to have a 3D picture of your child and play back on the same device for years to come?" Uhh, maybe? I'm not sure breaking out the 10-year-old 3DS to look at baby pictures is the best idea.

9:08AM "This is a different kind of 3D. Not in theaters. Not at trade shows." Look ma, no glasses. He's talking about how players adjust the 3D to themselves, but says that "since the adjustment is so simple," the payoff is immediate.

9:07AM "Let me begin by putting the 3DS in perspective." (Get it?!) He's giving us a history lesson – this generation of gaming began at LA's Biltmore Hotel in 1996 when Mario 64 was shown at E3. Then again when the DS came out and again when the Wii was shown at E3. Notice a trend here? Hey, those are all made by Nintendo!

9:06AM Reggie's taken the stage, and ... uh oh. "The TVs are up here don't seem to be on." Uh oh, he's winging it! Wait, not so fast, they're back on. He's saying we'll get to experience the "opening of a vast new world of 3D entertainment." Some of the names may be familiar (see below) but he promises the experiences will be all new (read: in 3D).

9:04AM We're kicking things off with a hype reel of E3 coverage. Lots of mainstream media calling it "stunning" "amazing" etc.

9:03AM Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime just pulled up a spot next to Nilay. We hope he's just getting ready to take the stage and not looking to bust some blogger heads. The lights are dimming big time.

8:57AM "Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. The presentation will begin in five minutes," the disembodied voice on the loudspeaker declared. Get your stopwatches out, this ish is about to get real. We're not sure what that exactly means, but we're certain it's true.

8:55AM Only because they threw the first punch, I should point out that both Andrew and I are sitting next to Engadget's Nilay Patel and Ross Miller who've declared a liveblog war. This should be easy – they think we're here for the groundbreaking unveil of a new Bluetooth headset.

8:52AM Nintendo's got some private demo rooms outside the presentation area. You'll notice familiar names like PilotWings Resort, Steel Diver, Super Street Fighter IV, Resident Evil Mercenaries, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and others.

8:43AM Nintendo's got a small army of 3DS-equipped handlers, walking around the small venue. As for now, there's no sign of any of those "unexpected reveals" - it's all stuff we've seen before.

8:33AM We've taken our seats, we're rocking out to some tunes, and patiently waiting for Reggie Fils-Aime to take the stage. Head past the break for all the liveblog fun!

This is where you'll want to point your browsers on Wednesday morning. We already know a lot about the no-glasses-needed 3D handheld, but we've got just as many blanks that need filling in ... like the price, or the North American release date. And perhaps there may be a couple "unexpected revivals" in store as well. And it all goes down on Wednesday, January 19th at the times below. In the meantime, why don't you catch up on all things 3DS.

04:00AM - Hawaii
06:00AM - Pacific
07:00AM - Mountain
08:00AM - Central
09:00AM - Eastern
02:00PM - London
03:00PM - Paris
05:00PM - Moscow
10:00PM - Perth
10:00PM - Shenzhen
11:00PM - Tokyo
01:00AM - Sydney (January 20th)

Via:Joystiq

3DS price compared to other portable launches

We know, it's painful thinking about trading 250 of your hard-earned bucks away to Uncle Reggie to get three-dimensional gaming on the go. But it could be worse! Just to prove our point, we've collected some of the major portable releases, adjusted their prices for inflation and listed them after the break.

As you'll see, while the 3DS is on the high side of Nintendo portables with its $250 asking price, it's not outlandish when compared with the Atari Lynx, N-Gage or NEC's TurboExpress.

... Okay, so maybe it's not the greatest company to be in.

YEAR	SYSTEM NAME	PRICE	*ADJ. PRICE
(1989)	Game Boy (Nintendo)	$90	$153
(1989)	Atari Lynx	$190	$324
(1990)	TurboExpress (NEC)	$250	$405
(1991)	Game Gear (Sega)	$150	$233
(1995)	Virtual Boy (Nintendo)	$180	$250
(1998)	Game Boy Color	$80	$105
(2001)	Game Boy Advance	$100	$121
(2003)	N-Gage (Nokia)	$300	$350
(2004)	Nintendo DS	$130	$146
(2005)	PSP (Sony)	$250	$272
(2009)	Nintendo DSi	$170	N/A
(2009)	PSP Go	$250	N/A
(2011)	Nintendo 3DS	$250	N/A

*Price adjusted for inflation (in 2009); via Westegg

Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition confirmed for 3DS launch

Shortly after Nintendo's 3DS event, Capcom released an English version of the Nintendo World 2011 Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition trailer, along with new gameplay footage -- both of which you can see after the break. More importantly, however, is the assertion that it will be "available as a launch title for the Nintendo 3DS." That makes Super Street Fighter IV the first known launch title in North America! We'd like to pretend it's the only launch title, which would make it really easy for us to find other SSF4 owners to play it with.

Capcom also says that the online features will be available from launch, making it "the only title to utilize the full capabilities of Nintendo's online network at launch." Said features include online multiplayer and a Spectator Mode that allows users to watch other online fights. Other new features include a 3D display mode, "Simple Controls" that use the touchscreen to launch combos, and StreetPass-based multiplayer that uses virtual figurines, which automatically fight other figurines they encounter via local wireless connections.

• Source: Capcom-Unity
• Via:Joystiq

3DS pre-orders available at Amazon

Do you want to secure a launch 3DS for yourself? Do you want to do so without risking the dangers of the world beyond your house? Amazon has opened pre-orders for the device, in both Aqua Blue and Cosmo Black. The price is the regular MSRP of $249.99.

Sure, you don't get to wait in a line at midnight if you do this but, on the other hand, you don't have to wait in a line at midnight.

• Source: Amazon - Cosmo Black, Amazon - Aqua Blue
• Via:Joystiq

Red Dead and Limbo lead nominees for 2011 GDC Awards

It's almost time once again for the industry's premier awards show that doesn't feature regular appearances by Jersey Shore cast members: the 11th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards. The event's organizers have released the mercifully Mountain Dew-based-category-free list of nominees, which includes a number of potential merits for Limbo, Red Dead Redemption, Mass Effect 2 and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.

Check out the full list of nominees after the jump and discuss your favorites in the comments! (Oh, that's your pick for Best Visual Arts? Well, we can't say we agree with you, there.)

2011 GDCA Nominees

Best Game Design

• Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Nintendo)
• Mass Effect 2 (BioWare)
• Limbo (Playdead)
• Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar San Diego)
• God of War III (SCE Santa Monica)

Innovation

• Heavy Rain (Quantic Dream)
• Kirby's Epic Yarn (Good-Feel & HAL Laboratory)
• Minecraft (Mojang)
• Limbo (Playdead)
• Dance Central (Harmonix)

Best Technology

• Starcraft II (Blizzard)
• Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar San Diego)
• Heavy Rain (Quantic Dream)
• Mass Effect 2 (BioWare)
• God of War III (SCE Santa Monica)

Best Handheld Game

• God of War: Ghost of Sparta (Ready At Dawn/SCE Santa Monica)
• Cut the Rope (ZeptoLab)
• Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (Kojima Productions)
• Game Dev Story (Kairosoft)
• Dragon Quest IX (Level 5)

Best Audio

• Limbo (Playdead)
• Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar San Diego)
• Halo: Reach (Bungie)
• Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (DICE)
• Mass Effect 2 (BioWare)

Best Downloadable Game

• Costume Quest (Double Fine)
• Limbo (Playdead)
• Super Meat Boy (Team Meat)
• Minecraft (Mojang)
• Monday Night Combat (Uber Entertainment)

Best Writing

• Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar San Diego)
• Heavy Rain (Quantic Dream)
• Mass Effect 2 (BioWare)
• Costume Quest (Double Fine)
• Fallout: New Vegas (Obsidian)

Best Debut Game

• Limbo (Playdead)
• Darksiders (Vigil Games)
• Minecraft (Mojang)
• Monday Night Combat (Uber Entertainment)
• Super Meat Boy (Team Meat)

Best Visual Arts

• God of War III (SCE Santa Monica)
• Limbo (Playdead)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops (Treyarch)
• Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (Ubisoft Montreal)
• Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar San Diego)

Game of the Year

• Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar San Diego)
• Mass Effect 2 (BioWare)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops (Treyarch)
• Limbo (Playdead)
• Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (Ubisoft Montreal)

Pokemon Black and White reach five million sales in Japan

The two latest additions to the neverending Pokémon franchise managed to move an incredible 2.6 million units during their first two days on Japanese store shelves -- but how have Black and White fared since then? Unsurprisingly, they've done just fine; according to sales statistics from Enterbrain, this week saw the pair's combined sales reach 5,036,724 units.

Pokémon Black and White aren't the first games to reach this impressive mark -- in fact, four other DS games have managed to reach five million sales in the past. However, no other DS title has managed to reach five million quite as quickly as Black and White, which have only been available for 17 weeks. We guess that just goes to prove that, for some people "Gotta Catch 'Em All" isn't just a catchphrase, it's a way of life.
Source: Andriasang

Alleged 3DS, PlayStation Phone disassembled

Not one but two ritualistic device dismantlings have been exacted in recent days, an alleged 3DS and PlayStation Phone the sacrificial lambs. Spilled across a TVGZone forum thread are the guts of an apparent 3DS, posted by a Taiwanese tinkerer who claims to have obtained the stolen unit (not unlike the one supposedly lifted from an assembly line earlier this month) and promptly taken the tools to it. The de-casing has revealed only a typical arrangement of circuitry and plastic bits, leaving us to wonder if the plundering of this poor portable was in vain.

As it we hadn't seen enough already, TGbus, which had apparently tired of displaying its alleged "Xperia Play" PlayStation phone alongside its comprehensive collection of the world's handheld devices, broke out a set of Torx bits and proceeded to tear the thing down. The meticulous disassembly, however, failed to uncover what some might have hoped would be an intact, teensy-weensy PlayStation system -- just more circuitry (including what's suspected to be a Qualcomm MSM7x30 chipset) and plastic bits, it seems.

Are you finished yet, you monsters?

UK retailers list 3DS for March 18, £249

Listings for the Nintendo 3DS have popped up on UK retailers, including The Hut, Best Buy, Woolworths and WHSmith, offering "pre-order deposits" with a March 18 date. According to these sites, the handheld will be available in blue, black and red. As MCV points out, however, all these sites pull their listings from The Hut's database, so they're essentially all from the same source. (Duplicate 3DS listings on all the sites, featuring a March 25 release date, have been removed since we first looked at these retailer sites.)

Earlier this morning, the sites had listed a placeholder price of £299 (about $466) for the 3DS, but as of publishing, the RRP has changed to £249 ($388). For comparison, the DSi XL is priced at £159.99, roughly $250 by today's currency exchange rate. In the US, the XL's MSRP is $169.99, suggesting that, if Nintendo uses the same strategy of using roughly the same numerical price in pounds and dollars, the 3DS price could be set around the $250 mark, when it's expected to be announced by Nintendo next week. That is, if the UK price here is accurate.

MCV notes that it has been "lead to believe" that the once listed March 25 release date is going to be the real one, and that the 3DS price will be somewhere between £200–230 ($312–359). We hope that turns out to be closer to the truth, for our UK readers' sake. Nintendo will hold a European 3DS event in Amsterdam next Wednesday, at which point we should find out.

Is The Nintendo DSi Dead?

First released in Japan in Fall 2008, the Nintendo DSi brought a new era to Nintendo's handheld gaming with a low-res camera. That era, it seems, is apparently finished.

According to a Japanese retail source, the Nintendo DSi seems to be out of production. The available DSi consoles are apparently only those currently in inventory, and there are supposedly areas where it is sold out.

However, the DSiXL (or DSiLL as it's called in Japan) still seems to be in production.

With the Nintendo 3DS coming out shortly, Nintendo might want to avoid consumer confusion between the similarly-sized 3DS and the DSi.

If this is true, don't look for Nintendo to cease support for DSiXL just yet. The console still fills a gap by offering the DSi experience, but on larger scale.

Kotaku is following up with Nintendo and will update this post should the company comment.

ニンテンドーＤＳｉ生産終了。 そして３ＤＳ予約の問い合わせがはいってきています。 [ゲーム屋さんのお店だより]

Send an email to the author of this post at bashcraft@kotaku.com.

Pachter: Xbox 360 outsold PS3 two-to-one in December; Nintendo reveals numbers

Wedbush Securities games industry analyst Michael Pachter's magic crystal ball predicts another month of Xbox 360 dominance in the NPD charts. His latest report to IndustryGamers says to expect sales of Microsoft's console to be more than double that of its biggest competitor, the PS3, for December. Prognosticating that the Xbox 360 sold 2.5 million units last month, he's betting on a 91 percent boost in sales over November for Microsoft. As for the PS3, Pachter figures it sold 1.2 million units in December, a 12 percent dip compared to its performance in November.

As for actual real numbers, Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata revealed in an interview with Nikkei (via Andriasang) that the Wii sold over two million units in December. The DS reportedly performed on par with the same period in 2009, which would be somewhere around three million units.

Black Ops led 2010 UK game sales, Just Dance top of the pops on Wii

Although it comes as little surprise, Call of Duty: Black Ops was the best-selling game in the UK last year. The UK Interactive Entertainment Association's 2010 bestsellers list features the usual suspects, with Black Ops, FIFA 11 and Just Dance occupying the top three spots, respectively, across all platform sales.

Breaking it down by format, Blops landed in the top sales spot for Xbox 360 and PS3 games, while Just Dance and its sequel filled the first and third positions among Wii releases, naturally. Professor Layton And The Lost Future took the golden picarat for DS and FIFA 11 charged to the top of the charts on PSP.

Although one could speculate as to why Black Ops wasn't at the front line of PC sales in the UK, it's just as fitting that Football Manager 2011 and 2010 occupied the forward spots in the region. Check out the complete breakdown by format after the jump.

UK Bestsellers of 2010 (via UKIE)

All Formats

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops
2. FIFA 11
3. Just Dance
4. Red Dead Redemption
5. Wii Fit Plus
6. Just Dance 2
7. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
8. Wii Sports Resort
9. Halo: Reach
10. Battlefield: Bad Company

Wii

1. Just Dance
2. Wii Fit Plus
3. Just Dance 2
4. Wii Sports Resort
5. New Super Mario Bros Wii

PS3

1. Call Of Duty: Black Ops
2. FIFA 11
3. Gran Turismo 5
4. Red Dead Redemption
5. Assassins Creed: Brotherhood

Xbox 360

1. Call Of Duty: Black Ops
2. FIFA 11
3. Halo: Reach
4. Red Dead Redemption
5. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

DS

1. Professor Layton And The Lost Future
2. New Super Mario Bros
3. Art Academy
4. Pokemon Soulsilver
5. Mario Kart DS

PSP

1. FIFA 11
2. LittleBigPlanet
3. Gran Turismo
4. Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines
5. FIFA 10

PC

1. Football Manager 2011
2. Football Manager 2010
3. The Sims 3
4. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
5. Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty

Nintendo tried 3D on GameCube and GBA

In a new Nintendo-organized roundtable discussion with the excitable Earthbound writer and all-around Japanese celebrity Shigesato Itoi, company president Satoru Iwata and Shigeru Miyamoto discuss how the 3DS came about, revealing Nintendo's long history with 3D experimentation. In fact, the company had 3D running on both the GameCube and the Game Boy Advance SP, which was also used as a test platform for the DS's touchscreen technology.

"Making three-dimensional images that can be seen by the naked eye requires a special liquid crystal, so we tested it out by putting it in the Game Boy Advance SP," Iwata reveals. "But the resolution of LCD was low then, so it didn't look that great and it never made it to being a product."

Of course, Nintendo's most famous dalliance with three-dimensional technology, the Virtual Boy (pictured), actually made it into stores, where it ... didn't do much. Miyamoto attempts to cast the odd goggle thing as a toy, like the Ultra Hand or the Love Tester, rather than what was intended to be the next step in the company's game console line. "I imagined it as something that people who were on the lookout for new entertainment or who could afford to spend a bit of money could buy and enjoy, even if the price was a little expensive," he offers. "But the world treated it like a successor to the Game Boy system."

"That was also true within Nintendo," Miyamoto adds. "Our sales department treated the Virtual Boy as an extension of our licensing business." In hindsight, it does make sense for Nintendo to file away the Virtual Boy, along with its low sales and small game library, as a weird, one-off toy, instead of a true platform iteration. Of course, all the headaches it caused are probably best forgotten.