UPDATE: As of March 26, 2011, the Nintendo 3DS may be sold out for pre-orders in some stores; however, the the Nintendo 3DS is still available for preorder on Amazon.com! Even though the 3DS releases tomorrow, it’s a good idea to preorder on Amazon–because that way, you’ll know the 3DS won’t sell out before you get your order in. I haven’t found a better price for the 3DS than Amazon has–AND ordering on Amazon saves you money because they don’t charge sales tax.

(While supplies last) Pre-order your Cosmo Black Nintendo 3DS or an Aqua Blue Nintendo 3DS on Amazon.com: The only difference between the two models is the color.

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Every time a new video game system is released, it sells out – sometimes for several months. Industry experts expect no less to happen with the upcoming U.S. release of the Nintendo 3DS – Nintendo’s brand new portable gaming system set to release March 27.

Existing pre order stock for the 3DS in Japan has already sold out, according to the popular UK-based gaming site IGN. Nintendo was forced to halt pre orders in Japan shortly after they opened up due to the massive response.

Anyone who wants one of these cool new consoles should pre order before they sell out. One of the best places to pre order is Amazon.com, because:

• Amazon won’t charge your credit card until your 3DS actually ships
• they’ll automatically give you the lowest price if the price of the 3DS drops between now and the release date
• you can always cancel your pre order between it ships – without penalty
• you can make sure you get the color you want
• you can earn rewards if you sign up for their Amazon Rewards VISA card. (Currently, they’re offering triple points on all Amazon orders.)
• you can order easily and conveniently without having to wait in any lines

Here in the U.S., Nintendo is offering a Cosmo Black Nintendo 3DS as well as an aqua blue / black version. The general consensus seems to be that the black console will be more popular with adults and harder-core gamers, while the aqua blue / black console is expected to be most popular with younger players and women.

I made the mistake with the Xbox 360 with Kinect last Christmas when I failed to pre order – and was determined not to make the same mistake again. The Xbox and Kinect were available for pre order on Amazon for a couple of weeks around October 2010. I  fully planned on ordering, but figured I’d wait until after Thanksgiving. But when I went to finally place my order . . . you guessed it. All sold out, except for the Marketplace sellers who were charging hundreds of dollars more for the same system I could have (should have) pre ordered. That’s why, this time around, I went ahead and pre ordered the 3DS. I figure I can always cancel the order, if I decide to hold off on the purchase – but at least with a pre order in place, I have options.

I’m keeping my purchase a secret from my son, for the time being–but I know he’ll be super-excited when he finds out. As a photography enthusiast, I’m most excited to see the 3-D photographs this little baby can take!