The Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Program: What You Need to Know

The Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Program was cooked up by Nintendo to reward early adopters of the Nintendo 3DS. Nintendo 3DS "Ambassadors" who bought their system before the August 2011 price drop and logged in to the Nintendo eShop at least once are eligible to download twenty free games from the Virtual Console by the end of the year.

"Am I Eligible for the Ambassador Program?"

If you bought your Nintendo 3DS prior to August 12 and logged into the Nintendo eShop at least once before that date, you were automatically registered for the Ambassador Program.

This also applies if you took advantage of the unofficial price cuts that were rolled out by some major retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, and GameStop in the week leading up to August 12.

If you're still unsure whether or not you're an Ambassador, here's how you can confirm your eligibility.

"Why Did Nintendo Start the Ambassador Program?"

When the Nintendo 3DS launched worldwide in March 2011 (except in Japan, where it launched in February 2011), hardware sales were initially sluggish. One of the main sticking points for the system was its $249.99 USD price tag, which Nintendo cut by $80 on July 28, 2011. The price cut officially hit on August 12, 2011, and the Nintendo 3DS can now be bought new for much less.

The Ambassador Program is intended to reward early Nintendo 3DS adopters who paid full price for the system.​​

"What Kind of Games are Available Through the Ambassador Program?"

Ambassadors will be able to download 20 pre-selected Virtual Console games via the Nintendo 3DS eShop, including 10 classic Nintendo (NES) games, and 10 Game Boy Advance games.​​​

"Which NES/Game Boy Advance Games Are Available?"

The Ambassador Program offers ten free NES games, including:

• Super Mario Bros. (Action)
• Balloon Fight (Flight/Battle/Platforming)
• Donkey Kong Jr. (Arcade)
• Ice Climber (Vertical Platformer)
• Wrecking Crew (Action)
• NES Open Tournament Golf (Sports)
• Yoshi (Puzzle)

• Metroid (Adventure/Platforming)
• The Legend of Zelda (Adventure)
• Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (Adventure/Role-Playing)

The available Game Boy Advance games include:

• Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
• Mario Kart Super Circuit
• Metroid Fusion
• WarioWare Inc: Mega Microgames
• Mario vs Donkey Kong
• The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap
• F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
• Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
• Warioland 4
• Kirby and the Amazing Mirror​​​

"When Can I Download My Games?"

The ten NES games became available on September 1. The ten Game Boy Advance games became available on December 17.​

"How Do I Download My Virtual Console Games?"

To download your ten free NES games, do the following:

• Turn on your Nintendo 3DS
• Load the eShop (you'll need to set up a Wi-Fi connection on your Nintendo 3DS)
• Go to the "Settings/Other" option
• Select "Your Downloads"
• You'll see all ten free Ambassador games here (provided you're an Ambassador, of course). Click "Re-Download" on the title of your choice.​

"Can I Earn Club Nintendo Coins on My 20 Free Games?"

Indeed you can! If your Nintendo 3DS is linked to your Club Nintendo Account before you download your games, you are eligible to earn Coins as you would on any other registered Nintendo product or game.