I really believe Nintendo and the 3DS have a tough time ahead of it.
The 3DS seems to have been created to grab more hardcore gamers while still grasping onto the casual gamers Nintendo obtained from the DS/Wii. But I just don't see it happening. The 3DS has already failed at getting any REAL major western third-party support, while barely offering any casual experiences for a waning crowd lost to the simpler and more convenient hardware on the streets today (and where in the hell is the casual experiences Nintendo? Have you totally given up on this market?). You have the PS Vita coming in at the SAME EXACT price offering higher technology and strong core-focused titles for the hardcore gamers while the I-Pad and smartphones are taking over any casual gaming money/time that would of usually been spent on the DS.
Then you have the major wtf of Nintendo completely cannibalizing its major handheld this generation. The 3DS is competing/bringing (very) similar software compared to systems that are cheaper and more established (and still-running) like Nintendo's own DS and Wii, along with the upcoming Wii U which will be taking a huge bite into 3DS gaming time at the house. Also it is looking like Nintendo has put its hat in a corner that is falling by the waste-side; 3D (again), which has become nothing more than viewed as a glorified gimmick. And you got Nintendo's online system which is still ancient and cumbersome; sorry, the new E shop is nice... but it doesn't make up for the sub-standard browser and lack-of content.
I honestly wouldn't be surprised if we end up with a Gamecube-like performance for the 3DS at the end of this handheld generation.