How Much Did the Nintendo 3DS Cost at Launch?
By the Price Time Machine team · Updated
The Nintendo 3DS launch price was $249.99 when it launched in North America on March 27, 2011. Adjusted for inflation, that is about $376.93 in September 2026 money, roughly 1.5 times the original price.
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Nintendo 3DS at a glance
- US launch price
- $249.99
- In today’s money
- ≈ $376.93March 2011 to September 2026 (CPI-U, BLS)
- US release date
- March 27, 2011
- Where it was designed
- Kyoto, JapanDesigned by Nintendo in Kyoto, Japan.
- Category
- Gaming & tech
- Price source
- en.wikipedia.org
Today’s price is the US launch price adjusted for US inflation with the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, comparing the launch month with the latest published month. It updates automatically as new figures come out.
A record price for a Nintendo handheld
At $249.99 the 3DS was the most expensive Nintendo handheld ever. Its headline feature was a screen that showed 3D pictures without special glasses. The original Nintendo DS had launched at $150 in 2004, and many buyers were put off by the higher price.
Sales were so disappointing that on July 28, 2011, less than six months after launch, Nintendo cut the price by nearly a third to $169.99. To thank early buyers, its Ambassador Program gave 20 free classic games to people who logged on to the eShop before August 21.
The Nintendo 3DS launch price in today’s money
Inflation means a dollar buys less today than it did in 2011. Using the US Consumer Price Index, the original Nintendo 3DS launch price of $249.99 works out at about $376.93 in September 2026 money, around 1.5 times the original figure. That is what the same amount of spending power would cost now, not what the Nintendo 3DS sells for second-hand.
When was the Nintendo 3DS released?
- Announced: March 23, 2010, and fully revealed at E3 on June 15, 2010
- Japan: February 26, 2011 (¥25,000)
- Europe: March 25, 2011
- North America: March 27, 2011
- Australia: March 31, 2011
Where was the Nintendo 3DS developed?
Nintendo designed the 3DS at its headquarters in Kyoto, Japan. It kept the folding clamshell shape of the Nintendo DS and could still play DS games.
Nintendo 3DS facts you might not know
- It was not Nintendo’s first try at 3D. The Virtual Boy of 1995 sold fewer than a million units, and the Famicom 3D System glasses came even earlier.
- The 3D effect came with a warning that it should not be used by children under six.
- The cheaper Nintendo 2DS, with no 3D screen and no hinge, followed in October 2013.
- The 3DS family sold 75.94 million consoles before Nintendo discontinued it on September 16, 2020.
Frequently asked questions
How much was the Nintendo 3DS when it came out?
The Nintendo 3DS cost $249.99 in North America when it launched on March 27, 2011.
How much is $249.99 from 2011 worth today?
Adjusted for US inflation, the 3DS launch price is about $376.93 in September 2026 money.
Why did the 3DS price drop so quickly?
Sales were disappointing, so Nintendo cut the price to $169.99 on July 28, 2011, less than six months after launch.
Want to compare the Nintendo 3DS launch price with other launch prices? See what the Xbox One launch cost, browse more famous launch prices, or play this question in Price Time Machine.
Sources
Launch prices and dates are checked against the sources below. Today’s price is calculated from official US inflation data and updates automatically when new figures are published.
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