Kids key to 3DS comeback

The studio behind the hit Cooking Mama series says 3DS will pick up momentum now kids games are coming.

The firm blames the portable’s early struggles on a lack of software for the younger demographic. But now it says the games are coming – including its own title Cooking Mama 4.

There hasn’t been many kids games on 3DS as such,” president and CEO of Cooking Mama Limited Takeshi Nagashima told MCV. In Japan there are more adult games than kids’ ones. The hardware price was also horrendously expensive. But the software was not built for the kids market.

However, the prices have come down, and Nintendo is coming up with the software as well. We expect 3DS’ market share will start to expand accordingly.”

Nagashima’s comments came as 3DS sales have started to spike on the back of Super Mario 3D Land. The Nintendo game’s release caused a surge in sales in Japan and the US. 3DS console sales rose 49 per cent in the US following the release of Mario 3D Land and spiked again over Black Friday.

There’s still another blockbuster to come for 3DS, in the form of Mario Kart 7, which reaches UK shelves today (December 2nd).