Nintendo 3DS handheld video game console with gamer playing "Den Store Danske." (Photo : Kim Bach)
After what seems like forever, Nintendo has finally brought its 3DS "Badge Arcade" game to the United States. The game is simple to play, and it is available for the Nintendo 3DS.
Nintendo "Badge Arcade" is seen as a test subject for the Japanese company's long-awaited push into the mobile phone space. The game is very similar to how many mobile phones are designed, and Nintendo has gone to great length to explain this to players.
For those unaware, the game is free-to-play and was first released in Japan under the name, "Collectible Badge Center." The game is designed to allow players to earn stickers or badges for their Nintendo 3DS system, but it is not exactly 100 percent free to play.
For just a $1, folks who are playing this game will get 5 chances to acquire the badge they need. Clearly this is Nintendo dabbling in microtransactions, but in the company's defense, there is one main difference when compared to how it is done by other game developers.
We like the fact that Nintendo has not gone the route of asking players to pay $1 every time they want to get their hands on some cool badges. The idea that $1 allows gamers to try for up to 5 times is great, something other game developers need to practice. Badges earned during this period can be used to outfit the Nintendo 3DS home screen.
There's one interesting thing to how Nintendo has implemented microtransaction in the "Badge Arcade" game. A character in the game actually explains how it works and why Nintendo has to charge a small fee every time players want to get a new badge.
