January 10th, 2011

The Nintendo 3DS features a “Game Coins” system that ties in with the pedometer

64 Comments

Your Nintendo 3DS is not only a gaming device, it’s also a pedometer. It can track your steps and collect this data within the Activity Log application. But it seems like Nintendo are actively encouraging you to walk around with your 3DS. There’s a “Game Coins” feature built-in to the device that gives you “coins” based on how many steps you take. These coins can then be used to unlock new content in games. You may be thinking “this is stupid!” and yes, you can often trick pedometers without much hassle. But I like that Nintendo is increasing the usefulness of StreetPass mode. If everyone ends up walking around with their 3DS we all get to benefit from its more unique features.

  • Psikorps

    “If everyone ends up walking around with their 3DS we all get to benefit from its more unique features.”

    Agreed.

  • Superdk35

    Well I want to unlock stuff in the games but at the same time I don’t want my 3ds to fall out my pocket and break :(

    • Gil Ferraz

      You can take your 3DS in your backpack

    • james braselton

      hi there looky me i hope i can mutate in to a unaversal star ship space vampier were the nintendo 3ds be beamed inside traveling the infint unaverses and infint diminsons should fill your unaverse game coins

    • jannnnay

      bag.

  • antiform47

    im marking home customization as confirmed in my head :P reason: so far ive seen three views of it (in a video, and two pics on here) and they all have differences.

  • Gil Ferraz

    That’s cool! I’m very happy that Nintendo is supporting “Street Pass” and online interactions.

    “If everyone ends up walking around with their 3DS we all get to benefit from its more unique features.”

    I would love if everybody ended up walking with their 3DS’s. That would be amazing!

  • Dillon_68

    GENIUS. I hope Americans start to walk with their 3DS.

    • supercam11

      us Americans will just be lazy and trick the pedometer

  • drwill439

    offensive bt true. I wanna unlock extra karts in mario kart 3ds. If i have to get off my ass to do it, then so be it.

    • james_bond0014

      ….why is it offencive? lol

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  • Atomsk

    This reminds me of Personal Trainer: Walking.
    My theory is that the previously mentioned game is actually a prototype of the 3DS’ pedometer.
    My opinion towards ‘Game Coins’ is that this type of system could be used in an ARG style of game.
    Think about it, you are walking with your 3DS in the street and suddenly you detect another individual of your same team in the game, you interchange data and info, and then use it to progress in the game. However, if you encounter a rival in your way, you have to evade it or fight it in an Street Fighter Figure Battle, where you buy the figurines and enhance them using your Game Coins.
    Also, it would be splendid to buy Game Boy games with these, not gonna happen, though.

  • Nickno

    but your battery wouldn’t last on a long walk. XD

    • http://aldowynsmusings.tk abujaffer

      It’ll stay on at least a few days. The DSi can keep charge for weeks, and Nintendo has its battery listed as 5-9 hours. The 3DS is 5-8 with DS games, so it’ll probably last for weeks as well. Plus 3-5 hours is very very conservative, as seen above Nintendo says the DSi is “5-9″ when it’s actually 12-15. So on those terms a 3DS would be 6-9 hours.

    • Lewis

      don’t they usually base the the battery life on the highest brightness setting?

    • Jonathan

      Don’t forget that the 3DS will probably be closed as you walk, so that really saves battery power to go for long walks.

  • james_bond0014

    bravo nintendo…bravo..saving the world one step at a time lol i wonder if the prices/unlockables are worth the walking?

  • Joseph

    Will is work if i jog on the spot?

    • David Turnbull

      It’d be easier to just shake the 3DS.

    • Knuckles

      ^hahahahha but if you want to burn the cals go for it XD! Pika pet/pok’e walker #2 here we come!!! another brilliant feature!

    • Phen0m

      “It’d be easier to just shake the 3DS.” > Do you think it could really work? It’s money after all…

  • Lily

    I’m actually pretty excited about this feature, depending on what you can buy with the coins. I can see it making me want to get off the couch to unlock new guns in games.

    • vanderson

      kkkk …. unlock AK 47 in call of duty games…

  • vanderson

    “These coins can then be used to unlock new content in games” …new costumes in SSF4 is possible ??

  • Red Deer01

    Sounds like a great idea. Nice replacement for a Trophy/achievement style system. The 3DS is set to brin great things into my life if this is correct.

    • http://aldowynsmusings.tk abujaffer

      That’s a great idea…. maybe a sort of achievement system with coins? I can already see, 10 minutes, half an hour, one hour, 10 hours, one day, one week, a month. Oh, and on three consecutive days and stuff like that. Plus, the sensors are about motion+ level, so unless you can shake a 3DS really widely for 10 minutes or something like that then it’s a lot easier to simply walk. Although a simpler pedometer like the Pokewalker’s can be tricked easily, I still walk with it. It’s for your benefit, not Nintendo’s.

  • http://twitter.com/yoshicus86 BJ Wanlund

    Hmm… I wonder if those “Game Coins” will be used to unlock DLC content if necessary. That might be cool.

    And @Superdk35, you might want to invest in a ScotteVest (http://www.scottevest.com/), because it has numerous pockets for a 3DS-type device, LOL.

    BJ

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  • Foobrew

    Geeze Nintendo, why to have something awesome then ruin it at the same time.

  • Rei

    Haha, I really like this idea. Just more motivation to carry it around with me.

  • Me

    Makes me wonder… If they’re adding so many extra futures, I think it’s very likely that they have already included the standard awesome stuff. Good online mode with online in game voice communication and achievements come to mind. Especially achievements seem logic since it would be a bit annoying to only be able to unlock coins by walking and it would also seem a bit weird. But I’m probably wrong.

  • lord karnage

    the more you have it on you, the more likely you’ll get jacked

  • Zarb

    Wow, I’m totally going to use this feature! I bet that this could be linked into future Pokemon 3DS like the pedometer in Soul Silver/ Heart Gold.

  • Zarb

    I bet that you could use the coins to get costumes for your Miis!!

  • James Fox

    a good idea in theory
    but keep in mind we’re living in a crap economy thanks to left wing bozos and a certain president of ours
    which means possiblity of your 3DS will be stolen will be rampant thus making the StreetPass and Game Coin system pointless here in the US

    • http://gravatar.com/kevinskye Kevinskye

      No this means that US will have an extra feature of self defense on your 3ds! The more suckers u take down trying to steal your 3ds, the more the rewards xD

    • Tails the Foxhound

      @James Fox
      Lol, stupid people not paying attention to the 8 years prior to these two.

      Lol, stupider people not knowing we were in a surplus for the 4 years prior to the fore mentioned 8 years.

      Left wing bozos, indeed.

    • jannnnay

      go australia
      where we dont have presidents :D

  • jgn

    Nice feature.We will be able to train and gain points for that and then use it in the game!! nintendo is smart

  • Niko

    Wont this decrease the battery life even more? If i walk around an hour or two with it, then ill only have less than 2 hours to play it :-(

    • Bananaoomarang

      Nintendo’s battery life claims are for playing an actual game, not walking around with your 3DS in sleep mode. So this shouldn’t really suck much battery at all.

  • DryYoshi

    Pretty cool, this way my games will ‘level up’ when I go to school.
    BTW, pedo means pedophile lol :P.

  • Ahmed360

    Great idea, sadly many people will cheat :(

    For me, I love the idea, cant wait to utilize it

    Man, every day, My love for the 3DS increases more and more

  • http://www.facebook.com/fakkershuga Shuga

    i live in mexico i dont think streetpass will be much succesfull here, unless i go to some show, or mall with gamer people xD

    otherwise i could get assaulted by some bandit and say goodbye to my 3DS… r.r

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  • Retro

    My 3DS:
    November 21. 2011: 9 Game Coins (steps)

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  • http://youtube.com/catsslashgnats gadget593

    At first I thought, “This is stupid!” But then I thought, “This is smart!”

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  • james braselton

    hi there wow i have played mario kart on wii and i only need too unlock baby luigi if i get a nintendo 3ds i would have too walk around my apartment even just too the kitchin or tv too unlock baby luigi

  • james braselton

    hi there superdk guss what nintendo will have a 3ds travel bag carryies your nintendo 3ds 21 games batteriies chargers and you have a walet size version nintendo 3ds 3 games soo i will get the travel bag and the walet size version soo i can carry every thing 3DS

  • james braselton

    hi there what about if 3D king koopa becomes nintendo 3DS anti-thieft device when non otherization code is not corect 3D king koopa jumps out of the 3D screen and frys the crimanals that what E3 demo showed

  • james braselton

    hi there will here is a good anti-theft device called 3D king kooop wrong password 3D king koopa jumps out of 3DS 3D screen and frys the criminals or at least nintendo demo at E3 showed 3D king koopa jumping out and frying the nintendo worker its on youtube

  • Kait Takes Pics

    I don’t know if I want one or not…

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  • james braselton

    hi there kait i did not mean owners that payed for there nintendos 3ds sence its goneing cost lots of money you probaly have the code but if a bad persion takes your 3DS then they would worry about 3D king koppa would fry them hope this clears that up

  • james braselton

    hi there i would walk 500 miles or more just collecting game coins

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  • james braselton

    hi there some saying we neeed too walk around with 3ds i agree do now nintendo has a 10 coin cap becuase laxy people cheating system soo 3ds has anti-cheating coins soo nintendo will make us walk a month too earn coins for any content becuase few poeple are lazy soo if we convince nintendo were walking 3ds instead of loop holes around the anti-cheating device i hope enough of us can get nintendo too release coin cap soo we can earn coins as fast as possibale