The Nintendo 3DS has set a first-day sales record, according to Nintendo. The famed handheld creators said that “U.S. day-one sales numbers for Nintendo 3DS were the highest of any Nintendo hand-held system in our history,” outselling the DS, DSi, DS Lite, and classic Gameboy systems. The 3DS also fared well in preorders, with the device tallying double that of the Wii on Amazon.com at the same point approaching its launch.
Though no specific number was revealed, Nintendo said that more statistics will be made available on April 14 through the NPD Group’s monthly report. When the DS Lite launched in the U.S., Nintendo announced that 136,500 units were sold in its first two days.
Nintendo’s 3DS hit shelves this past Sunday, celebrated with many launch events including the company’s own in New York, which didn’t go very well according to multiple reports. Other setbacks with the new console include a “black screen of death,” though Nintendo quickly dismissed the supposed mass problem with a hard-hitting fact: “The number of calls and emails received by our customer support center is well below the rate experienced during past hardware launches, and there are no widespread issues.”
Following shortage issues with the Wii, Nintendo “worked hard” to ensure that stores were well stocked for the launch of their mega-hyped product. The 3DS will set you back $250, which is an excellent price for 3D tech that doesn’t require $90 glasses to use.
GameZone has a buyer’s guide for those in possession of a freshly purchased 3DS, but you should still read it even if you don’t own one. We’re giving away a brand new Cosmo Black 3DS through the guide, and there’s four more to be won, as well.
