With the popularity of Wii Fit, Brain Age, and all of the other health-conscious gimmicks Nintendo keeps implementing, it’s hard to tell if they’re simply capitalizing on untapped markets, or if they genuinely care about our wellbeing. 3DS Coins could be considered a step in either direction, but regardless, it’s an ingenious concept.
Much like the Pokéwalker packed in with the latest Pokemon games, the 3DS includes a built-in pedometer that tracks how much you walk, recording the data in its Activity Log program. Of course, Nintendo puts a twist on this stay-fit concept by rewarding pedestrians with “Game Coins”, which are used unlock content in games. Think of it as Achievement Points you earn simply by doing some real-world walking, which can later be spent on new weapons, or items, or anything else you can imagine.
‘Tis a sad day for the sedentary.
While the concept of getting gamers off their stereotypical lazy asses is certainly a noble cause, Nintendo’s true motives are far more devious and brilliant. By offering real content with Game Coins, Nintendo’s not only encouraging you to be more active, but they’re ensuring that you end up taking your 3DS everywhere you go. Couple this concept with their StreetPass tag mode, which actively trades gaming information with any 3DS you walk within range of, and you’ve got one hell of an offline social marketing tool.
via NeoGAF
![[Rumor]: Nintendo 3DS Hitting Shelves November 22nd?](/files/2011/01/150x150xgameStop_thumb-150x150.png.pagespeed.ic.gykcxUyl1r.png "[Rumor]: Nintendo 3DS Hitting Shelves November 22nd?")
Attach it to your forearm, and you’ll get coins while you eat!
Or while you-
I like where your head’s at, sir.
Good try, but the correct format for that joke is: “I like the way you think.”
I personally like the phrase, “I like where your head’s at,” far more.
I think you guys masturbate far too much.
since the gentleman is referencing a joke about masturbation, referencing his head is not only the correct format, it’s also vastly superior to the generally (equally) acceptable phrase “i like the way you think” in that it provides an additional pun.
good try. you’re lame! lol
Yeah Andy You suck.
Power Glove?
so its like achievement points…WITH A PURPOSE! didnt take a genius to figure it out but thank you nintendo!
But don’t they also tell you in the instruction manual that keeping your DS in your pocket is a strict nono?
I imagine some poor child down the road trying to get warranty service, and being declined because of his pedometer history showing how fast he was running with it in his pants pocket.
I wonder if you can shake it like the old digimons with the built in pedometer.
Probably not. The Pokewalker used an accelerometer, and only counted steps if they were real, not rapid vibration. It’s just lenient enough to allow false positives, though. So shake slowly, and it may work.
So how long until you can buy a $15 Brando device that will simulate walking for you?
Ah, a reason to finally take my DS somewhere other than my living room couch.
hell yeah
Maybe I don’t know how pedometers work, or how they measure distance, but what if you take your 3DS on a bus/plane. Couldn’t you earn infinite points without moving a muscle?
They work by using a crude accelerometer. If you’re driving on a very bumpy road, or experiencing dramatic turbulence, it might rack up a few points. But the constant jolting generated by walking would be much more efficient.
I’ll put mine on the washing machine while I fill my mouth with pizza.
It’s more like getting the same achievement over and over again. But, it’s still a great idea.
I’ve been playing around with my 3DS, and decided to take it to school with me for a day, to see how many game coins I would get.
I think 10 coins per day is terrible…. Without the cap, I could earn over 100 coins each day, easily.
Ten minutes after I arrived, I checked my 3DS to see if I had earned any coins. I had 10 coins, and I thought “wow, this it’s going to be too easy to earn coins..” I checked my 3DS again when I got home, 8000 steps got me 10 coins….