3DS eShop games to start from $1.99

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So now we know the North American 3DS eShop launch games, it's time to find out a little more about the shop itself. Wired.com got a guided tour of the store from Nintendo's David Wharton, director of eShop operations, a Nintendo group set up in April to handle digital sales.


Wharton states the lowest price any 3DS software will sell for is $1.99, just like the DSiWare 200 Point limit, with Virtual Console games available at a range of prices: Super Mario Land will retail for $3.99, whereas Alleyway and Radar Mission will sell for $2.99. These Game Boy games are simply ROM dumps, without any new additions or tweaks, other than the ability to choose between the classic grey and green or stark black and white colour schemes.


Wharton also revealed you'll be able to add smaller amounts to your eShop eWallet: $5, $10, $15 and $20 amounts can all be added, hopefully avoiding the leftover points syndrome that plagues Nintendo's other systems.


If you plan on adding funds via credit card, however, be aware that you'll need to enter your card details every single time: Nintendo does not save your details. It might be inconvenient, but in the light of the recent PlayStation Network difficulties, it may prove a wise decision.


Nintendo will announce eShop releases on Monday, but these games will not go on sale until Thursday, providing a very small window of promotion for small game developers normally hamstrung by Nintendo's secretive release schedule.