Nintendo's Fils-Aime: 3DS performance 'very strong'

Brett Molina, USA TODAY | USATODAY

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime says sales of the company's 3DS handheld in the U.S. has been "very strong" despite a rise in the use of smartphones and tablets for mobile gaming.

In an interview, Fils-Aime says Nintendo has sold 8 million 3DS devices in the U.S. since launching in 2011, ahead of the original DS' pace of 7 million during the same period of time.

"That gives us a lot of confidence and a lot of belief that with great content and great experiences, the 3DS is going to be a very healthy platform," says Fils-Aime.

Nintendo unveiled several new experiences for the 3DS on Wednesday, highlighted by a new adventure in The Legend of Zelda series this holiday. The game will be set in the same universe as the 1992 classic The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It will introduce a new mechanic where lead character Link can transform into a drawing to move along walls.

Also launching this year: adventure game Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. Nintendo is also working on games for franchises such as Mario Party -- which will feature 80 mini-games -- Mario Golf, Yoshi's Island and Animal Crossing.

The 3DS struggled upon launching over two years ago, forcing Nintendo to drop its price from $250 to $170. Fils-Aime says 3DS sales started gaining traction in the U.S. during the 2011 holiday season with the launch of a new Mario Kart title -- a popular Nintendo series -- and the arrival of platforming adventure Super Mario 3D Land.

"In the end, it's all about the games and our ability to launch strong software on a regular pace to drive the hardware business," says Fils-Aime.

Sales of physical and digital titles for the 3DS have jumped 55% in 2013, says Fils-Aime.

The 3DS still has a high bar to vault to catch the original DS, which has sold 53 million in the U.S. and more than 150 million globally since 2004. The handheld also faces several competitors, including Sony's PlayStation Vita and a growing selection of smartphones and tablets that feature downloadable titles for lower prices, or even free.

However, Fils-Aime says the 3DS still offers something unique to the handheld video game market. "From a consumer standpoint, it's all about the content."