Nintendo 3DS has midnight launch as gamers queue

Thousands of people have queued overnight so they could be among the first to get their hands on two new gadgets.

Nintendo's 3DS and Apple's iPad 2 are expected to be two of the biggest gadget launches this year.

With millions spent on development and advertising the pressure is on both companies to get off to a good start.

But despite the hype, it'll be at least a couple of months before it's known if either product has been a success.

There's also some serious competition for both devices with the Xbox Kinect, Playstation Move and dozens of other tablet PCs already out.

'Bigger than movies'

At HMV Oxford Circus in London, Nintendo staged a massive launch for the 3DS, with Plan B performing live - while 1200 stores in total opened at midnight on Thursday.

James Honeywell of Nintendo UK told Newsbeat that putting on a large event was important to show that video games are now the biggest entertainment product there is.

"This is our biggest ever launch - this is much bigger than anything else that's out there," he said.

"When you consider the numbers of units we're going to sell at that price, we'll be putting hundreds of millions of pounds through UK tills.

"It's bigger than blockbuster movies and it's bigger than albums," he added.

Maxime Savard who works at HMV said the Oxford Circus store had tried to make the event like a film premiere.

"It's really incredible, I haven't seen this in any launch in the past.

"This is way bigger than film, it's way bigger than music, it's one of the biggest moments we've had at HMV," he went on.

"Nintendo's taken the store over, we've got red carpet, spotlights, a massive queue of people, it's really wild out here.

"We've got a live band and DJs, everything is ready, it's really hyped for tonight.

"It's a momentous occasion because Nintendo are showing that they have a huge fan base here," he added.

Newsbeat also caught up with some of the people who queued at HMV to be the first to get their hands on the 3DS, and find out if they thought all the fuss was worth it.

Luke Sanderson, 17

"They are making a lot more from it.

"But for people like me who have been playing their games for a long time since 10 years ago, I would rather they stick with making more games."

Steph Wayne, 22

"Without marketing nothing is going to sell.

"If you're bombarded with something enough you will eventually buy it.

"But it's up to you if you go and buy it or not, they're not taking the money out of your purse."

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