UPDATE:
Just a few hours after this article first went live Nintendo of America have let loose Nintendo Badge Arcade on the 3DS eShop!
Nintendo fans who follow the news coming out of Japan will likely know all about Nintendo Badge Arcade already; after all it’s been a part of the Japanese 3DS experience since last December under the name Badge Grab Center.
After almost a full year of waiting, 3DS gamers in Europe will finally be able to try out the free game this upcoming Friday, November 13th. Here’s the announcement trailer:
Nintendo Badge Arcade plays like the classic grabber/UFO catcher machines you see swarming almost every seaside resort, but instead of plush toys you’re trying to get Nintendo-themed badges to customize your 3DS home screen with. These badges are frequently updated to feature new characters and games, from Animal Crossing to Mario Kart.
Unfortunately, just like the real machines, the experience doesn’t come cheap. No local pricing is known just yet, but in the original Japanese version you had to pay 90 yen (almost 50p/73¢) for 5 tries. There may be some differences in the localization however, with the new trailer suggesting one free try per day. Ideally this would mean only hardcore collectors would have to spend money on the title, whereas casual fans could slowly but surely get the badges they want for free.
There is no word on an American release just yet, but considering a Nintendo Direct is happening very soon it wouldn’t be a surprise to see it make an appearance there. Will you be customizing your 3DS even more with these new tools, or are you put off by the pricing? Let us know!
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Written by Tom Brown
Whether it’s an exciting new entry in a series long established or a weird experiment meant only for the dedicated, Tom is eager to report on it. Rest assured, if Nintendo ever announces Elite Beat Agents 2, he’ll be there.
