We’re in an age when most videogame publishers are doing everything they can to deter used sales, but Nintendo has apparently decided that if you can’t beat them, you might as well join them: the company announced this weekend that they are now selling refurbished 3DS’s and DSi’s via their online shop.
According to Nintendo, the used systems sold by them are “the only refurbished products in the market that have been cleaned, tested, and inspected to meet Nintendo’s high standards.” Like Nintendo’s new systems, the used 3DS’s and DSi’s come with a full year warranty. Nintendo says the refurbished systems are “fully functional,” but may have minor cosmetic damage. The used systems come with all the accessories that new systems come with: user manuals, charger, a stylus, and an SD card for the 3DS.
Refurbished DSi XL’s will cost you $99 if you order directly from Nintendo, and you can have them bundle in a new copy of Mario Kart DS for an additional $30. Used 3DS’s will cost you $130, while 3DS/Ocarina of Time bundles cost $170. The refurbished 3DS units available from Nintendo’s site are the original, smaller 3DS models, not the bigger (and in my opinion, much improved) 3DS XL models.
Nintendo’s used 3DS units are a fair bit cheaper than the refurbished units that Gamestop sells (at least at current prices,) so ordering direct from Nintendo might your best option if you’re in the market for one of their systems: in addition to the cost, you get a warranty and some sort of guarantee that the system aren’t completely beaten up.
