3DS Head Start Could Be Huge Advantage Over Vita

Chris Buffa (Modojo): With PlayStation Vita's Japanese launch (December 17) less than two months away, Nintendo has to feel good about its chances against Sony's latest machine.

Games like Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 will go a long way to solidifying the handheld's place in the market. Most importantly, 3DS has dominated Japanese sales of late, more recently outselling PSP two to one, as it should, considering that portable is on the way out.

[Misterhbk]

I'm not saying the 3DS isn't going to blow up this holiday because it will but I know there are parents out that that won't buy the 3DS for their kids. I JUST sold my sisters DS Lite over craigslist to a mom looking to get a DS for her son. She asked if it was the newest version and I told her the 3DS was newer. These are her words exactly.

'Oh, I know, but I won't buy that for him because it's not safe for kids under a certain age'

Now, obviously this is false but its clear that with a lot of uninformed consumers they still think the 3DS is unsafe for kids, thanks to that warning that Nintendo is forced to put on the 3DS boxes. Now of course this woman doesn't speak for the masses but you've got to think that there are probably tons of moms out there thinking the exact same thing. I guess only time will tell though.

[DA_SHREDDER]

I think anyone who has a DS doesn't need to buy a 3DS. There really isn't any huge leap in technology, and noone and everyone I know who has tried the 3D in the 3DS has been left unimpressed. As a informed consumer and early adopter, I feel totally ripped off, first I got ripped by the price drop, and then I come to find out the guts of the machine isn't really any different than the DS. Sure its got a few more bells and whistles, but it pales in comparison to the Vita.

And to be honest, I don't really care for the Vita, I think its cool, but it still doesn't replace my cellphone. However, I wonder how it compares to a tab? No wifi hotspot already has left a bitter taste in my mouth, but the 3DS already crapped on me when I found out that the mic and inwards camera isn't being used for any online communications.

The 3DS is a complete failure with no games. Is Mario 3DS out yet? Nope. Ive had the 3DS for almost 6 months and is doing nothing but collecting dust.

[browngamer4]

You're kidding right?That is the stupidest most trollish statement I have ever heard..it is n4g though known for Nintendo hating trolls..I have a feeling you don't even own a 3ds..its sad that some other people might see your assined comment and actually believe that the crap coming out of your keyboard is actually true..have you seen revelations?

[Optical_Matrix]

Vita isn't there to replace your phone or a tablet, what kind of idiotic statement is that? Oh wait, DA_SHREDDER, the new resident troll of N4G. I should have known. The 3DS is far from a failure, nearly 7 million units sold already and Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 aren't even out yet, lest we not forget that the holidays will soon begin.

The 3DS won't fail. And I hope Vita doesn't either. I have a 3DS, have done since day 1 and although it's been a bit disappointing so far, I can wait for the good games to roll in. I did so with the PS3 and now look, got over 40 great games with 20+ more to be released. Incredibly excited for PlayStation Vita as well and I hope it succeeds to prove the haters wrong that in fact, handheld gaming is still alive and kicking. As gamers we should all want both to do well if it means keeping traditional gaming alive and staving off the advance of casual 50p phone games like Angry Birds.

I know for a fact I'm one of the small minority of this site that actually owns half the consoles they talk about and troll about. Doubt you or any of the 3DS haters have a 3DS, let alone played on one.

[AWBrawler]

hey pal if you have a 3DS add me so i can see your mii. what's your FC? if you don't reply i know you were lying

[Squatch83]

I own a 3DS, have done since day one.
I also own a DSLite.

The 3DS is a MASSIVE leap over the DS. And when you look at Mario Kart 7 on 3DS, its clear to see the improvements over Mario Kart DS.

[BrianC6234]

This is nonsense. The 3DS just isn't very good. The Vita is much better and will have lots of great games right away. It shouldn't be hard for the Vita to win that battle.

[-Alpha]

"and will have lots of great games right away"

No it wont. Not right away at least, there is nothing indicating any solid consistent release dates for software at the moment for the PSV. Can you name a list of popular games with release dates that are "right away" to the PSV launch?

And the point is that by the time the PSV hits, the 3DS will have a good selection of exclusives under its belt for a much lower price (which is obvious rendering the article pretty pointless) You are also forgetting that Nintendo exclusives far outsell franchises like LittleBigPlanet, Mod Nation Racers, Uncharted, Stardust, etc.

People here instantly assume that since PSV is a better piece of hardware that it will sell better. That is a very simplified outlook that completely ignores and assumes too much.

[fear88]

Really don't care which one is better in the end. All I care about is both going toe to toe and giving consumers more of what they want. Great games.

Sales mean nothing to me and I feel that price is negligible as long as the base model is under $300.

I want compelling games and plenty of variety.

That's it.

I want Nintendo to be far more developer friendly and open in their game distribution.

I want Sony to continue making the progress it currently has by continuing to expand PSN in content and service and bring more devs (indie and AAA)to make content for the platform.

When they compete and then games get better, we as consumers, whether Nintendo fans, Sony fans, or Gaming Fans, can all agree that WE WIN!!!

[ronin4life]

Once the vita launches in Japan, the only must have game will be uncharted which requires an expensive memory card to play, increasing the price to nearly 26000 27000 yen without a game for the wifi.
Or you could get a 3ds with monster hunter plus an (optional) slide pad for about 22300 yen.
Buying an additional game would bring it to just above a gameless vita, with far more than 26~28 games to choose from.

[nondecaf]

You forgot psvita easy dev cycle and that it's back up by psn so getting ports and download should not be a problem and uncharted,resistace supposedly have a release date with in the first yeat of psvita launch,I forgot to mention it powerful enough to run the same code as console so while 3ds may have a head start,psvita has performance to compensate for it.

[AWBrawler]

I can promise you that if that mattered at all, PSP would have murdered DS, XBox and Gamecube would have raped PS2, and PS1 would have been left in the dirt by Saturn and N64

[Khordchange]

169.99 or 249.99
Nintendo First Party or Sony first Party

I think sony's got somewhat of a shot but I think nintendo's first party and price point is just going to be to much to handle. I mean imagine when super smash brothers and pokemon come out, :/ I doubt the vita will be able to match that

[HardCover]

People with jobs will probably prefer the Vita because it's new and shiny and fun to show off.

People without jobs will have trouble convincing their parents to buy ANOTHER Nintendo DS iteration.

[yabhero]

So you're saying if i have a job i wont get 3ds? basically what you sad was kids will get 3ds adults will get vita. I certainly hope what you said it wrong because gamers under 18 outnumber other gamers 2:1 and gamer age 13-18 probably outnumber 21 and up 1.5:1
P.S about your stupid 3ds same as DS is a PS3 just a PS2 iteration? No? so obviously hugely upgraded graphics and 3d are a big diff...

[HardCover]

You took my comment way too seriously.

I'm not about to write an essay to express my opinion, so you get two lines to get a general point across.

And I'm speaking from MY perspective anyway; I'm not trying to appeal to every sensitive Nintendo fan just because it's nice to do. I'm not interested in it so 'm not going to praise it for your sake.

[JoeReno]

"Nintendo first party or sony first party

I think Sony's got somewhat of a shot but I think nintendo's first part and price point is going to be too much to handle"

That's really a matter of taste. I have never cared for Nintendo's first party games, and that dates back to the NES. I don't like Mario, Donkey Kong, or Kirby, never have and never will. I know I fall into a very very small minority but there are some like me that just don't care for it.

I already own a DS and I don't feel the need to up grade it to a 3D version. I own a PSP also but look at Vita differently than a PSP upgrade, so count me in.

[GirlyGamer]

I don't see it as an advantage but it is what it is; A HEAD START. Whether or not it could be an advantage is yet to be seen. We will know a couple months into the year or even Christmas time and then... the true victor will shine!!! Mwwhahaha!!!
No seriously nothing's set in stone so lets hope they both strive.

[clrlite]

I don't see why we have to turn this into a competition though. The true victors are us the gamers and the losers are all those jack@$$es who were making articles trying to say dedicated portables weren't here to stay. I'm going to celebrate the success of Vita and 3DS personally.

[smashcrashbash]

Whatever.All I care about is if the VITA is a good, solid system.Whether it can compete with the 3DS remains to be seen but it has to be able to compete first.Besides, it doesn't look like price or competition is stopping the VITA and its memory cards from being sold out online. Everyone seems to forget the PSP had a very strong following. Even if it doesn't beat the 3DS I am sure Sony would be very happy if it did its numbers in sales.

[jacksonmichael]

I say this as a day one 3DS buyer... Not really.

[MasterCornholio]

The 3DS will have a head start but in no way does it mean that the Vita will be a failure as some fanboys are claiming. Both will do well in the market and both will have fantastic exclusives to play. Anyone who says otherwise is just going.g to a phase of denial. Caused by their extreme loyalty to either Sony or Nintendo.

Take that fanboys you suck.

XperiaRay

[Protagonist]

Could be ! but "The Times They Are a-Changin"

Get ready to be surprised by the power of PSVITA.

[TheFirstClassic]

It's hard to say, but they really haven't taken as much of an advantage by this head start as they could have. 3ds didn't do so well at first though it is picking up some steam. I do think the Vita will have a better launch though.

[supremacy]

All I know is judging from all these sold out pre orders steaming from online pre sales and retail pre sales; I say nothing will stop the vita from having a successful launch.

What follows after that will be a slew of first party and third party software.

The games we know about are coming thats for sure, some might dismiss this over 3 Nintendo ips ofcourse.

But, when Sony keeps saying that there are over 100 games in development for release in year one? That means that the vita isnt in this to get swept or stepped on. I can almost guarantee you this will be a fight rather than what some are thinking.

Sure resident evil, metal gear solid 3D, mario kart and monster hunter, street fighter 4.

But what about metal gear solid collection for the vita, final fantasy x, resistance burning skies, lumines, street fighterx tekken, marvel vs capcom 3, uncharted golden abyss, gravity daze, smart as(brain age on roids)call of duty, assasins creed vita,ridge racer, syphon filter, and many more?

A hundred games to be ready by year one's end, thats no joke considering we only know of the few games we know about.

The states is where the vita needs to prove itself, elsewhere I am sure the thing will be fine. But a few key social features like xchat,facebook,twitter,skype and dual analog sticks should help, provided there's an aggressive ad campaign for it.

Not trying to knock the 3DS, its a good gaming handheld device. But the vita is on another level, its full psn integration which pretty much topples ps3's version with cross chat and so forth alone dictates this statement.

The games are cooking and the devs are happy with it, so it can only mean good things. Cant knock on it.

[AWBrawler]

3DS other main appeal, is that it appeals to children and people who don't even play games.

How many nongamers even know who Nathan Drake is? Now how many of them can easily recognize Mario? Donkey Kong? Pikachu?
In situations like these it doesn't matter what gets better reviews, it's what the customers know, and what they think is a safe bet investing their money in.

[jack_burt0n]

the DS was popular with three types of people castlevania fans, women and kids.

all three could not give a flying crap about dodgy 3D that gives most people terrible eye strain.

not rocket science to see why the machine has been a disaster.

[yabhero]

you know it doesn't actually give you that kind or eye strain... as i 3ds owner my eye strain was gone by day 3

[danny818]

idk but marios is getting abit old >.<
im stoked for the vita... games im going to buy day 1?
uncharted, fifa, and modnation racers.

[danny818]

idk but mario is getting abit old >.<
im stoked for the vita... games im going to buy day 1?
uncharted, fifa, and modnation racers.

[Sithlord-Gamble]

Correct me if im wrong, but is it just me or does this author always come across as a huge nintendo fanboy? That's all I ever see him write is pro nintendo/3ds articles ... and then his other articles r always about why vita will fail. I thought a journalists job is to b as UNBIASED as possible. I guess the author missed that class in college.

[LeBronista]

The only advantage the 3DS have over the Vita is the gap between their release.

[ozstar]

and 3D graphics and price and Monster Hunter 4 and Resident Evil Revelations

[LeBronista]

HD > 3D
3DS = MH4
Vita = Lord of Apocalypse and Ragnarok
3DS = RE Revelations
Vita = Uncharted

MH4 maybe is bigger than LoA and Ragnarok, but I'm not a fan of the genre, but when I saw Ragnarok it got me interested.