Nintendo 3DS Passes 4 Million Units Sold in Japan

A report from Famitsu has revealed that the 3DS reached another important sales milestone just in time for the new year, as the handheld has now moved a total of 4 million units in Japan.

With such impressive numbers, it's easy to forget that the 3DS was once perceived to be struggling, so much so that Nintendo slashed the price of the system by nearly 30% last August. That price cut, combined with an increasingly popular software lineup that now includes titles like Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, and Monster Hunter Tri-G, have helped to turn the handheld's fortunes around.

The increased buzz actually helped make the week preceeding Christmas the single most successful period in the system's history, with nearly 500,000 units sold in those seven days alone.

That same week brought disappointing numbers for the 3DS's biggest competitor, Sony's PlayStation Vita. In its second week on the market, the Vita's sales dropped a whopping 78%, managing to only shift 72,000 units.