3DS reaches 4.5 million unit sales

After a very slow start, Nintendo’s 3DS is now gaining significant traction.

In fact, the system reached the 4 million unit sales milestone faster than the Wii did, and ahead of its one-year anniversary later this month Nintendo says it has climbed up to 4.5 million.

This comes after the 3DS had a very poor launch, with a staggering $250 price point and for many, not a single launch title worth buying. The system was also essentially released as an incomplete device, as key features that had been touted from the outset were rolled out via downloadable software updates instead of being available on day one.

Fortunately for Nintendo, it did manage to turn that around and make the 3DS a much more viable system and worthy of all the clout that a Nintendo handheld should have.

At the forefront of the push were stellar titles like Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7, along with that much needed price cut. It was this perfect cavalcade of efforts that allowed the 3DS to get a nice jump.

“Nintendo 3DS closes its first year with a lengthy list of accomplishments, but we’re still just scratching the surface. With a massive lineup of first- and third-party games and more on the way, a budding library of entertainment options and an engaged and growing installed base, Nintendo 3DS has an incredibly bright future. We’re just getting started but this platform is built for the long haul,” said Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime in a statement.