Reggie explains motivation for 3DS 'Play Coins'

by JC Fletcher on Jan 27th 2011 10:00PM

The 3DS's "Activity Log" uses the built-in pedometer to track your steps, awarding players "Play Coins" for certain distances. Those Play Coins can then be used for unspecified unlocks within supported games. According to Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime, this was included for two related reasons.

First, he told MTV Multiplayer, "Nintendo has always been at the forefront of active gaming." He cited the Pokewalker, Personal Trainer: Walking, and, of course, that whole Wii thing. Second, "it's just another reason to encourage people to get up and walk around. Why? Because we want them to be carrying their Nintendo 3DS, going through StreetPass, SpotPass types of activity."

Apple managed to get people to carry their iPhones around everywhere by making the iPhone a phone -- one of the major advantages enjoyed by that platform. Nintendo has chosen to basically bribe users with virtual coins in order to get people into the habit of making the 3DS part of their everyday equipment. Hear Reggie's explanation for yourself in the video after the break.

Source: Multiplayer

Tags: 3ds, ds, game-coins, nintendo, play-coins, reggie-fils-aime

Reader Comments (59)

I like the idea of spotpass. I just wish that they added a GPS like Sony did to the NGP.

@Gun Barrier Just in case you ever get lost while playing

@JnRx

I've totally gotten lost playing on the bus and getting stranded many stops away from my destination. GPS would totally help me out. :p

@Gun Barrier LMAO xD well then 1 point for sony.

@Gun Barrier But my phone has a GPS!

@Fuzunga

Mine doesn't :/

I still have a crappy Envy2 "dumb" phone from Verizon.

I'm planning on getting an iphone when it comes out for the big red.

I would definitely get the NGP instead if there was a phone version though.

@Gun Barrier

I'm pretty sure that the GPS is only something that guys like pedobear want...

@Gun Barrier
you can cheat a pedometer
i cheated by shaking my pikachu trainer all the time back in the day.
it's a bit harder to cheat a gps. i don't dive 5mph/8kph or slower very often.
that and,...if you have good games, you don't need a bribe or gps. you want to play it all the time so it's always on you anyway.

@Gun Barrier I am sure Nintendo will have some kind of GPS app you can download...right...?

@Themariohenri You need the right hardware for stuff like that. Nintendo probably saw the 3 hour battery life of the 3DS and thought... "Ehh... that's kinda low as is. GPS would leave them with nothing."

@Themariohenri

Well, the 3DS doesn't have a GPS antenna built in (yet), but since it has WiFi "sniffing" they could potentially guess where you are, based on what hotspot you are using.

They won't do that though.

@Gun Barrier
Well because this whole GPS thing was brought up, anyone remember the Fat Princess GPS download?
Lazy link: http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/13/castle-crashers-red-princess-now-decreeing-tomtom-directions/

I would so actually PAY to have Nintendo characters as GPS voices.
Pikachu: Talks exactly like on the show.
Peppy: DO A BARREL ROLL LEFT, DO A BARREL ROLL RIGHT, SUMMERSAULT AT THIS INTERSECTION.

@Gun Barrier

Agreed. The GPS is an awesome feature of the ngp. Everything about it is awesome ... so far.

A few months ago I decided that I would only buy one handheld next generation. For a while I thought that it was going to be the 3DS, but after the flood of information that has been coming in for both the 3DS and the new PSP I'm going to have to go with Sony.

Nintendo and I are just going in two completely separate directions.

@Funkmaster General Can we still be friends? o_o

@Funkmaster General

I couldn't agree more, man.

I love that Sony is bringing me a true 'Next Gen Portable.'

Ohhh.. I see what they did there!

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze I've noticed that alot of Sony "enthusiast" then to have An Assassins creed avatar... o__O perhaps Nintendo are templars :O

@JnRx

Hmmm... you might be on to something there....

@JnRx

Oh wouldn't that just fit in a nice little package with a bow for Ezio now, would'nt it?

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze Jinkies :o) Taking the world over one Star at a time >_> {i'm on to you Nintendo}

@Nofriendo hmm Perhaps Ezio's map is really a NGP GPS O_O

Nintendo: We want people to be active and play videogames.
Me: Videogames should not be out and about replacing human interaction and pretending to be bridging the gap.

@SaltCube64 Chipmunk: Nintendo is trying to get you out and about walking so hopefully you will walk into another human who will then engage in social human interaction with you. >_>

@JnRx
Shoujo Manga Debauchery-style!

@JnRx I refuse to consider two people sitting near each other playing videogames a proper interaction. Unless they are texting each other on occasion. I guess that would make it alright.

You don't have to be playing.

I respect Nintendo for what they are doing...trying to get gamers off their bums it's smart if you ask me.

Great, now I'm gonna have to stand in a line at the hardware store while kids use the paint shaker to cheat on the pedometer to unlock the new pokemon.

@Zombie Jesus When are kids ever in a hardware store o_O?

@Zombie Jesus

At least that kid's doing something semi-constructive. The bastards in my area just shake up beer cans to prank their dads.

3DS ($250):
- always-connected Wi-Fi (SpotPass)
- social interaction (StreetPass)
- 3D visuals (no glasses!)
- Wii-quality graphics
- one analog nub (Circle Pad)
- touchscreen

PSP2/NGP ($300+ ?):
- always-connected 3G (free or subscription?)
- social interaction (GPS)
- PS3-quality graphics
- 2 analog sticks
- capacative touchscreen
- rear touch pad
- uses game cards like DS/3DS

Which one sounds better on paper?

@tendoboy1984
I don't care about the tech, it's all about the games for me.
The PSP2 sounds better but I prefer the 3DS' games.

@tendoboy1984
I don't know about those PS3 graphics. It could just be some nicely placed 3d model textures.

@tendoboy1984 Is it supposed to be obvious? because it isn't too me... until I actually see the 3DS working in person, with a decent game (maybe not the best like Resident Evil, but not some bargain title), I really can't judge what it offers...

the technophile in me lusts after the NGPs specs, but that was the same when the psp came out, and I hardly played it... I had more fantastic moments with my ds on games that could have practically been made on the GBA but had a level of charm and polish that made them a joy to play (like mario and luigi)...

That being said, as before I will likely buy both, and barely play either... oh well!

@tendoboy1984

Well, be more accurate if you're gonna put it on paper. I'm trying to figure out where people (sorry, people on Joystiq) are getting that the 3DS has only wii-like graphics. According to it specs it has more capabilities than the Wii.

@The Only Girl
the resolution of the NGP (900*544)is 4x that of the psp, but about half the pixels of a 720p tv (1280*720). fewer pixels means less processor work nessasary to make the same image from the same source. with a 4 core processor vs the ps3 usable 6-7 core, and twice the combined cpu/gpu ram (1gb, vs 512mb) it makes sense. that's not the end all beat all of the argument, but a decent part of how it happens.

@tendoboy1984
The difference between the 3DS and the NGP is pretty clear to me, and the 3DS comes out as an obvious winner. Here's why:

The NGP is, essentially, a portable PS3. It's through and through a portable console, the touch mechanisms hardly change that, and a lot of the games and genres that can be expected are the same ones as those for the ps3. Sounds great? Well lets look at the 3DS.

3DS. Does something consoles can't do. Namely, it adds glasses-free 3D. And has a second screen. And incorporates said screen! This being a Nintendo portable, you can expect motion controls and such to play a large part, much more than with the NGP. So with the 3DS we are getting an entirely different kind of experience. It lets consoles and portables live in harmony, where the NGP can be seen as a replacement.

3DS, I choose you!

@alienclay3

I really hate when people who obviously know nothing about a subject try to wax intellectual about said subject. If you think that the mobile processor and graphics card in the NGP are even comparable to a home console then I feel sorry for you. The screen is not HD by any stretch of the imagination and it will not look as good as the PS3 because it has fewer than half the pixels available as that of a 1080p TV. People need to really get their heads around the fact that while the NGP is a powerful portable system, it is not a PS3 in your pocket.

@Greippi
Wait - 'actually incorporates said screen'? Have you played any DS games lately?

:)

OK some of them use it significantly but there are an awful lot of games where one or other screen is just a map.

I preordered 3DS from an online store yesterday (along with the pilotwings tech demo, er, wait, sorry, I mean 'game' - I spent bloody hours playing that mode in Wii Sports Resort, so I'm totally up for doing what appears to be the exact same thing again).

To be honest I'm mainly just getting it because it's a Nintendo system and eventually there will be a Zelda game on it (not Ocarina, a new one) so I'm going to buy it anyhow, and why not now. Plus, Resident Evil game that might not suck. I can't even see 3D, so I might have hesitated, but they've got that slider...

I'm not going to bother carrying the system around with me to get 'coins', though.

As for NGP, it looks pretty great technically, but then I never got around to buying PS3, so there's a pretty good chance I might never get around to buying this either. But not saying never. None of the games they showed really interested me, but there could be something later...

@tendoboy1984
You make it sound like one is supposed to be better than the other, and whilst I'm a non-fanboy gamer (unlike you, it seems) I buy and enjoy all machines. On paper the PSP2 sounds great, however this is Sony;

It'll cost more, have features removed before launch, have problems with the initial revision. Can't trust them with their history of pre-rendered footage and purposely built demos and lies. Oh and the PSN is a terrible system in Europe - games are often 2-3 times the cost of a store game. On paper that's a huge strike against the PSP. After all it's a games console... if I can't get the games I want then I don't want the machine.

Also you missed out backwards compatibility - which to me is a huge feature. That is a major plus to the DS and it's huge library of brilliant games.

For now I'll go back to my PSP. Jeanne D'Arc and Persona 3 are eating all my free time D: (shame that Sony would have me not play those games since they were never released in Europe (Sony published J D'A)).

@Greippi

eh, i never really understood the draw of having a second screen. all the best games ever made only used one screen.

Shouldn't be hard. I usually carry my DSi wherever I go.

Besides...maybe I can speed up the process on my Harley? :3

I'm going to examine the whole idea of getting up and walking around while gaming. Firstly, If I were to play a game with engaging 3d visuals while actively moving along the sidewalk then there is a huge chance of me running into things such as phone poles with nails sticking out of them, fire hydrants or some kind of open pit. Not to mention the excellent possibility of me idiotically walking into the street only to be hit by a car and killed. Even worse though is the possibility of me dropping my 3DS in the gutter and having to spend $250 for another one. Actually it makes sense that they'd want you to be out walking since your chance of breaking it is much greater than if you play solely indoors while sitting down.

@Uracat
I could be totally wrong but I hght these features are always on when the DS is in sleep mode?

@Uracat

Wow, you completely missed the point of this entire topic. Nintendo is not saying that you get coins by walking while you are actively playing. They are saying you get coins by walking with the 3DS in your pocket in hibernate/sleep mode.

@theBrayn Actually I don't think I missed anything based on what I read in the article and saw in the video. If that's how it actually works then fine, but from what I read it sounded like you needed to be actively playing it in order for this to work. Everyone is capable of making mistakes. ;)

The pedometer's definitely a Japan-oriented addition. People with handheld electronic devices there are much more likely to be in close proximity to each other, and having some kind of reward system for taking your 3DS with you even if you don't end up encountering another unit is a good way to encourage more trips and encounters. It probably won't be of much help for the rest of the world, though.

Looks like I need to invest in a little bit of K'nex to make a "3DS Walker".

Damn...safe to say this ihe year of portable systems.

The success of this will depend on what kind of stuffs you unlock and if it balances well. If I have to walk 30 miles to unlock a shirt in Animal Crossing, no thanks.

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Reggie explains motivation for 3DS 'Play Coins'

Reader Comments (59)

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:07PM Gun Barrier said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:11PM JnRx said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:16PM Gun Barrier said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:18PM JnRx said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:25PM Fuzunga said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:32PM Gun Barrier said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:33PM A Sandwich said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:41PM alienclay3 said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 11:24PM Themariohenri said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 11:45PM MowDownJoe said

Posted: Jan 28th 2011 12:55AM Gun Barrier said

Posted: Jan 28th 2011 10:03AM mcnichoj said

Posted: Jan 28th 2011 1:15PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:11PM Funkmaster General said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:12PM JnRx said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:17PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:19PM JnRx said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:25PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:37PM Nofriendo said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:41PM JnRx said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:53PM JnRx said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:12PM SaltCube64 said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:16PM JnRx said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:30PM The Only Girl said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:42PM SaltCube64 said

Posted: Jan 28th 2011 3:22AM KaBob799 said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:14PM JnRx said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:14PM Zombie Jesus said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:17PM JnRx said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:19PM DBuckEye said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:24PM tendoboy1984 said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:26PM Zacxx201 said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:31PM The Only Girl said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:33PM benjaminhc said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:42PM Nofriendo said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:57PM alienclay3 said

Posted: Jan 28th 2011 8:04AM Greippi said

Posted: Jan 28th 2011 12:47PM theBrayn said

Posted: Jan 28th 2011 4:19PM xxxsam said

Posted: Jan 28th 2011 4:20PM VeeDeeVee said

Posted: Jan 28th 2011 11:11PM maveric101 said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:32PM religiousjedi said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:51PM Uracat said

Posted: Jan 28th 2011 12:40AM Xiegfried said

Posted: Jan 28th 2011 12:59PM theBrayn said

Posted: Jan 28th 2011 3:27PM Uracat said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 10:55PM Mr Fister said

Posted: Jan 28th 2011 3:54AM Cube said

Posted: Jan 27th 2011 11:13PM ShadowXIII said

Posted: Jan 28th 2011 1:09AM billysea said

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