With increasing competition from Apple, and a customer base that’s more price-conscious than ever, Nintendo has a lot riding on the 3DS.

The new handheld device, which launches Sunday, represents a leap of faith on the publisher’s part. With cheap and free games available on so many other platforms, will eye-popping effects and the lure of the strongest collection of franchises in the video game industry be enough to keep consumers interested?

Read more at CNBC.com