Nintendo is giving the 3DS a massive price drop, slashing the console's retail value down to $169.99 starting August 12. Those who purchase a 3DS before that date can be enrolled into Nintendo's Ambassador program for free early access to 20 NES and Game Boy Advance Virtual Console titles. Some of the VC titles Ambassadors get to download early include Super Mario Bros., Ice Climber, The Legend of Zelda, Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Metroid Fusion, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, and WarioWare, Inc: Mega Microgame$. The ten GBA games offered are exclusive to Ambassadors and will not be available to the general public. Ambassadors can download their ten NES games starting September 1 then pick up the GBA titles by the end of 2011. The early access NES games are downgraded from their original version but will be updated with their missing features at no charge when the eShop launches the NES Virtual Console later this year. To be eligible for the Ambassador program, 3DS owners must connect to the eShop by 11:59 PM EST on August 11.
