3DS will live or die by its store demos

How much is too much for the 3DS?

$300? How about $250? Would the cost of one game make a difference? The cost of a night at the movies?

If it launches here at $300, 3DS will cost the same as a 32GB iPod Touch. But, you know what? Everyone’s seen the iPod Touch. It’s great, but no longer new. Right now, most people have not seen the 3DS in person. It can’t strut its stuff on television or the internet. Most people have never seen a 3D no-glasses-required game machine in action.

That’s why its prospects will become clearer once the general public sees 3DS doing its magic via in-store demos. If we see folks crowding around the thing, Nintendo’s got a hit.

What would make me buy a 3DS at $300? Well, to be honest, a sign saying, “In Stock.” But, what would I consider a great bargain at $300? I don’t care about the charging dock or the SD card (I’ve got SD cards coming out my ears). Here’s what I’d like at that price:

A pack-in game. Paper Mario or Starfox would be awesome.

How To Train Your Dragon. My new favorite movie and the best 3D I’ve ever experienced. If films are part of the plan, and if the 3DS can deliver the image depth I saw in theaters (or even come reasonably close), I’ll be first in line to buy the system. I’ll just pretend I’m sitting waaaaaayyyyy in the back row of the theater”¦.

A $25 credit for the online store.

Voila, now it’s a great deal!

I just won’t eat out for a couple of months. And I sure won’t be buying a case for it.

What would you like to see included at that price?