Without much doubt, the release of the
Japanese Nintendo DS™ console has been in the spotlight of the first December week. After the US launch supply shortage from last week, we have finally been able to clear a very large amount of pending Nintendo DS™ preorders. Around 75% of all customers who have preordered a Japanese DS model (or chosen the Japanese model as alternative option) have received a shipping confirmation by now. More supply of consoles as well as DS software is guaranteed to arrive almost daily.
This news post is intended to give a final summary of all Nintendo DS™ related products released in this week as well as advice for new customers considering to purchase a Nintendo DS™ as christmas present (yes, it's not too late yet).
Shipping schedule - Supply coming in almost daily and what to look after
Despite the US Nintendo DS™ shortage, our preorders of Japanese
Nintendo DS™ consoles have not been cut down. Supply is arriving daily to meet the current demand.
If you still have a pending Nintendo DS™ preorder that has yet to be processed, you are welcome to review your order details in your customer account. Some common items blocking your order from being shipped right away include a few US version games (such as
Super Mario 64 DS and
Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits) plus a variety of accessories.
We either suggest to keep patience for a few more days until your order has been cleared or to contact our customer service with your preferred order changes.
If you are considering to place a new order - and receive your DS console on time before Christmas - we would like to remind you to watch out for the listed shipping indicators on each designated product page. If you choose items that are available to ship within 24 hours or within usually 1 to 5 days, your order is expected to be shipped within this listed period. However we recommend you to avoid products that are listed as "backordered" if you wish to receive your goods in a hurry.
Major differences between US version and Japanese version DS consoles
Technically, the Japanese & US Nintendo DS™ models are 100% identical. Both units can be switched to 6 languages (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish and Japanese), play Nintendo DS™ and Gameboy™ games from any region, support the same accessories and are even able to link up using the wireless communication mode.
The major differences between both models are:
Packing: The Japanese model ships in a very plain designed box compared to the rather colorful US box.
Manual: The Japanese model includes a Japanese manual compared to the English/French/Spanish manual included with the US model.
Box content: The Japanese model does not contain the Metroid Prime demo that is included with the US model.
A more detailed comparison overview can be found in our previous news post here.
Japanese software launch lineup
Compared to the rather tiny US software launch lineup, a total of 12 DS titles were published in Japan at release. The lineup includes titles that have also been published in the US (such as Super Mario 64 DS and Feel The Magic: XY/XX), along with a variety of other so far Japan only releases.
Especially well selling and to be considered by anyone already owning or considering to purchase a DS has been Touch! Made in Wario. The game features a total of more than 180 mini games, each one of them easy to understand and to pick up after a short period of time. The game is played with the Stylus via touchscreen and we did not notice any disappointments even without knowledge of Kanji.
Officially licensed Japanese accessories
Apart from the software lineup, various Japanese accessory manufacturers have launched a small amount of licensed accessories. We have stocked up an excerpt of what we considered being most interesting, including a good variety of pouches and screen protectors. Please note that some items were sold out quickly but more stock is confirmed to arrive in the next week.
Image gallery - Shots directly from the streets of Tokyo
Bringing you the Japanese Nintendo DS™ launch a little bit closer to your living room, our team in Japan got up early today to take a few shots from the streets of Tokyo. Click on each individual thumbnail for a larger shot.
