Nintendo delights a player with a very special service that you might want to take advantage of too.
Imagine you have a device that you’ve owned since childhood. It’s tied to many fond memories and a warm, comforting feeling.
Now imagine that this device breaks down at some point. You can still keep it and look at it, but you can no longer use it to play games.
You’re faced with the choice of leaving it as is or sending the broken device to the manufacturer. Fortunately, they offer a repair service.
However, neither you nor your friends have any experience with the service. Plus, you’re a bit wary of shipping companies—after all, this is nothing less than a piece of your childhood.
Would you send the device in or keep it broken? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
Turning Old into New
Regardless of how you answer, the experience of a gamer from the UK about a year ago might change your perspective on this.
He faced a very similar decision. He had two Nintendo handhelds, a turquoise/petrol 3DS and a blue 3DS XL. He had owned the original 3DS since 2011. At some point, both handhelds stopped working (GamePro reported).
He decided to use Nintendo UK’s repair service. It wasn’t easy for him to part with the devices. Additionally, he wasn’t sure if the company even had the necessary replacement parts in stock.
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Nevertheless, he sent both devices in. What he got back were two new—or at least like-new—3DS units.
He simply got the turquoise/petrol 3DS back, just in new condition. However, Nintendo replaced the blue 3DS XL with a new 3DS XL in the rare Hyrule Edition.
He posted photos of the two new Nintendo handhelds on Reddit. He’s especially happy that he can still play his old Pokémon games on them. He had bought those before the eShop closed.
What it cost
He had to pay the equivalent of just under 95 euros for both devices combined. The Hyrule Edition is now considered a collector’s item and can only be found at specialized retailers or on the international second-hand market.
The Hyrule console alonecosts around 300 to 450 euros used. Cheaper offers around 300 euros often show moderate signs of wear. Used but with the original packaging, this collector’s item in good condition currently costs between 495 and 670 euros.
In new and sealed condition—meaning never unpacked or used—collectors are now asking for prices ranging from 850 to over 1,200 euros. So the gamer definitely scored an incredible bargain.
Don’t worry, Nintendo didn’t just act on its own initiative and send him some random devices. They contacted him first and let him choose which edition he wanted.
The service is also available in Germany
There’s good news for us gamers in Germany: Nintendo also offers a repair service here. On theofficial siteyou can find all the information about this.
The community praisesthe exemplary behavior of Nintendo’s customer service. However, it must be emphasized that this is a single positive experience from the UK. It is difficult to gauge what the situation is like in other regions.
In particular, gamers from the US report rather negative experiences with Nintendo’s repair service.
Now it’s your turn again:Would you send away such old devices, which are tied to childhood memories, to have them repaired, or would you rather keep them? Have you perhaps had similar or completely opposite experiences with such service providers? Please share your experiences with us in the comments.
