On the face of it, this seems absurd. The iPhone (and its younger sibling, the iPod Touch) isn’t a game console. How is it beating a game console like the Nintendo 3DS at its own, well, game?
At it turns out, it’s winning the same way it’s beaten the pocketwatch, calculator and MP3 player: By being more convenient to carry around, and just plain better at what it does. Not only that …
It’s cheaper
Well, it isn’t now that Nintendo cut the 3DS’ price to $169. Before that, though, you could buy an iPhone 4 on-contract for $199. And while that includes massive wireless fees and a two-year contract, the iPod Touch was available for only $229 — cheaper if you buy a refurb.
More than that …
The games are cheaper
Let’s use Square-Enix’s games as an example. The erstwhile fantasy role-playing game developer has been writing for Nintendo’s game consoles since the original Final Fantasy came out in 1987. It’s developing a game called Heroes of Ruin, which will be a 3DS exclusive and will cost $39 if it’s priced similarly to other 3DS titles.
In the App Store, meanwhile, SE has another game called Chaos Rings, which is an iPhone / iPod / iPad exclusive and costs $12.99. And that’s the way upper end of the price scale for iPhone games. Most of them cost between $0.99 and $4.99, or are even free with ads or with in-game purchases. How many of those games could you pick up for the same price as a single Nintendo 3DS game?
The games are better
This one’s subjective. But even if you scoffed at that last paragraph, and told yourself “All those $0.99 games are worthless!” you’re ignoring Sturgeon’s Law: 90% of them may be crud, but out of thousands and thousands of games that have been written for the iPhone, how many amazing titles does it have compared to the 3DS?
The iPhone’s games may not be better on average, but it has a larger number of great games than the Nintendo 3DS has. And no, the 3D screen does not save the Nintendo 3DS. In fact …
Glasses-less 3D is a gimmick
Personally, it hurts my eyes to look at a 3DS’ screen. It reminds me of trying to play the Virtual Boy, except without the garish red outlines. Maybe I’m wrong, and the Nintendo 3DS is really the wave of the future and the best thing since the first NES. But the market does not seem to think so, and neither does Nintendo’s stock price.
Apple’s products are futuristic. They push the boundaries with revolutionary technology, like Thunderbolt ports and some of the world’s sharpest displays. But so far Apple’s ignored things like Blu-Ray, and glasses-less 3D. Given how well Apple’s doing, it might behoove Nintendo to ask why … although in this day and age, imitating Apple too closely just might get Nintendo sued.