Who really got the raw deal with the Ambassador New 3DS consoles?
Just over a week ago, Nintendo of Europe decided to send out emails to lucky Club Nintendo members and offer them a chance to buy the limited edition Ambassador New 3DS before anyone else. This exclusive New 3DS was priced at £179.99/€199.99 and included exclusive Ambassador cover plates, a set of Super Smash Bros cover plates, and a charging cradle. Nintendo sent out two waves of emails and it really didn’t take long for many people to see an opportunity for a profit and sell them at inflated prices on eBay.
At the time, the word “unfair” seemed to be used a lot. People claiming it was unfair that Nintendo only allowed certain people to buy it, that it was unfair it wouldn’t be available anywhere else or in other countries, and so on and so forth. Nintendo deciding to offer exclusive items or content to random Club Nintendo members is not a new practice, the company has done this for as long as I can remember using Club Nintendo. It continues to do this even now, most recently with the Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate demo that was sent to random fortunate Club Nintendo members.
I have to admit that at the time - even I thought it was unfair. It’s never nice to see people who really want the console feeling the need to pay out ridiculous prices just to get one. There are two main types of people who bought/wanted the console; collectors, and those seeking to turn a profit. Now I don’t really care much for those selling for their own gain, it’s annoying, but it’s just part and parcel of life. So back to the collectors, the type of Nintendo fan who loves limited edition consoles, those who would jump at the chance to get an exclusive console. The same type of fan that would love a limited edition Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate or The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D New 3DS XL console, don’t you think?
Now don’t get me wrong, I know there are probably plenty of fans that are still perfectly happy with their Ambassador New 3DS console. However, I also know that there are definitely those out there who with hindsight, would not have bought the Ambassador console. So in retrospect, who can really complain about the whole situation being “unfair”? Sure, Nintendo didn’t force fans to buy the Ambassador console, but it seems a bit cheeky to unveil two limited edition consoles just a week later that offer much better value.
Let’s face it, for £30 difference you can get the New 3DS XL version, which is still a limited edition console, and it comes pre-installed with its respective game. So a bigger console and a game included for £30? It seems like a pretty sweet deal to me. If you buy the Majora’s Mask New 3DS XL from the Nintendo store, you even get a charger and a Skull Kid figure included in that price also. I realise the American Majora’s Mask console does not come with the game pre-installed, however, the Ambassador console was only offered in Europe so I’m only considering the difference in these two versions.
Originally, I was conflicted over the Ambassador console as although I loved the customisation of the face plates on the standard New 3DS, I have grown accustomed to an XL size. I wasn’t lucky enough to receive an email, however, more than one of my friends did and one of them offered to allow me to buy one through their account. Ultimately, I decided not to although I was unsure whether I would regret that decision. When the Majora’s Mask console was announced, I realised how glad I was that I had not bought the Ambassador console. Not only does it seem like better value to me, I was still walking away with a limited edition console that is a great collectible, (although granted, it’s not as limited as the Ambassador one), and it was the XL size that I prefer to boot. Of course, I don’t get the console early as I would have done via Club Nintendo, but I’m more than happy to wait.
In comparison to the standard New 3DS that will be available at retail stores for £149.99, the Ambassador console still seems like good value to me. It’s a limited edition after all, and you got it a month early. However, I still think that compared to the limited edition New 3DS XL consoles, the Ambassador version falls a bit short.
What do you think? Did you buy, or want to buy, an Ambassador New 3DS console and how do you feel about it now that the other editions have been released? With hindsight, are Ambassador console owners still happy with their choice? Let us know in the comments below.
