Nintendo makes Zelda 3DS bundle official, $199.99

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Summary: This Black Friday, it’s all about nabbing one of these limited edition Nintendo 3DS bundles with either The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, or Super Mario 3D Land.

When images of the originally Europe-only Special Edition Zelda 3DS was revealed in Black Friday flyers last week, it seemed too good a deal to be true. Limited edition hardware just don’t make it to our shores very often.

Thankfully, Nintendo America just confirmed that both the gold-trimmed Zelda 3DS with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, and the Mario bundle with the recently released Super Mario 3D Land will indeed be in America on Thanksgiving (November 26).

Although the suggested retail price for both bundles is $199.99, GameStop is offering quite a discount on the box set if you trade-in your DS Lite (or later device) at the same time — you could pay as little as $99.99 for the bundle if you have a DSi XL. Now, if you have a number of Game Boy Advance titles that you would like to play every so often, then you should probably keep your DS because the 3DS is not backwards compatible with GBA titles.

Best Buy, on the other hand, is offering either box set for just $179.99, which is a great deal given that most 3DS games cost $40 each, and the device usually costs $169.99. Judging by the Black Friday flyers I’ve seen so far, no other retailer beyond GameStop and Best Buy is carrying the Zelda bundle. Most stores are just stocking the Mario bundle due to its festive color and new title, so check the product descriptions carefully before lining up on Friday.

Which gadgets/deals are you eyeing this Black Friday?

[Source: BusinessWire]

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Gloria Sin is a freelance journalist based in New York City.

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Nintendo 3DS Special Edition Zelda bundle available on Black Friday?

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Summary: Leaked Best Buy and GameStop Black Friday ads reveal the previously Euro-only Zelda 3DS bundle may be heading to our shores November 25.

Image from Black Friday 2011's GameStop ad.

I first spotted the Special Edition ‘Zelda’ Nintendo 3DS bundle when I was putting together ZDNet’s Ultimate BlackFriday 2011 Guide to Steals and Deals last week, but I did not want to confirm until I got the official word from Nintendo. Of course, eagle-eyed ToyBox readers already saw this little gem buried in the GameStop and Best Buy flyers I linked to in my post.

Image from Black Friday 2011's Best Buy ad.

It looks like Kotaku’s sources at Best Buy has just confirmed the limited edition box set is coming to America after all. When the gorgeous gold-on-black 3DS was announced for just the European market last week (due for release on November 25 no less), many gamers in the U. S. were miffed that they were being left out of yet another piece of Nintendo history. (Let’s not even get into all the cool prizes Japanese Club Nintendo members get to win over there.)

As part of Nintendo’s year-long celebration of the Zelda franchise’s 25th anniversary, this 3DS bundle features the handheld console decked with the iconic Zelda trimmings, as well as a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the 3DS. (There is also a separate Nintendo Wii bundle featuring a gold Wii-mote for $69.99 that is launching this weekend.)

GameStop is offering the set for $199.99 or a reduced price if you’re willing to trade-in your previous-gen DS (between $99.99 and $129.99), while Best Buy will just charge you a flat rate of $179.99. Considering the stand-alone 3DS is already $169, an extra $10 for a box set that includes a game that is worth $40 is quite a good deal.

At the moment, all signs are pointing to this 3DS bundle debuting in America on Black Friday, which is exactly a week from today. Unless I hear otherwise from Nintendo America, I know where I’ll be lining up to work off my turkey dinner next week. What about you?

[Source: Kotaku via The Verge, Black Friday 2011]

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Gloria Sin is a freelance journalist based in New York City.

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Nintendo Wii launches Zelda bundle with gold controller, $69.99

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Summary: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for the Wii goes on sale today. Will it be on your wish list this year?

Nintendo caps off a year-long Silver Anniversary celebration of the Zelda franchise with the official release of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for the Wii today.

Photo Gallery: 25 years of Zelda and Nintendo systems

Designed to take advantage of the extra precision the Wii MotionPlus attachment and controller affords, Skyward Sword lets you play as Link and engage in one-to-one sword fights using your Wii-Mote. Better yet, you could be waving a Triforce-powered gold Wii MotionPlus controller…um…sword in front of your television — if you manage to grab one of the limited edition bundles before they sell out.

Whether you buy just the game or the box set, the first production run/shipment will include a music CD that features some of the franchise’s most iconic pieces, performed by an orchestral. After all, Zelda’s epic score is as much a part of the cannon’s DNA as its gold game cartridges.

The game plus music CD retails for $49.99 while the box set with the gold Wii-mote with MotionPlus, game and music CD will set you back $69.99. You could try your luck for these items on Black Friday to possibly shave a few dollars off but you would have to fight the crazy crowds for the minimal savings. Or you could already be playing Skyward Sword on Black Friday…

Gloria Sin is a freelance journalist based in New York City.

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