• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, March 24, 2011

With the much-ballyhooed launch of the Nintendo 3DS just days away, Best Buy, Target and GameStop are gearing up to make the most of the new game, which lets users see in 3D ... without putting on the goofy glasses.

Best Buy says it will celebrate the launch with a midnight party at its Union Square store in New York City on Saturday, March 26, as well as hosting early openings at select locations around the U.S.

And Target Corp. says is plans to feature Nintendo 3DS trial stations in 1,200 of its stores, offering a chance to experience the new technology, and receive on-site support from Target's electronics and gaming specialists. It has also expanded its Electronics Trade-In service to include the Nintendo DS, to encourage shoppers to trade in their old Nintendo DS for a $50 credit, which they can use for the new device, or any other purchase. (Its trade-in program already covers iPhones, iPods, cell phones and video games, as does the one at Best Buy.)

A spokesperson for GameStop say it is also hosting an instore demo event, scheduled for April 2, and will offer gamers $100 off the new Nintendo when they trade in an older model.