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Buying Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift when it hits Japan in two weeks might not be economically feasible for you, what with shipping costs and jacked-up import pricing, but that doesn't mean you can't make everyone believe you've purchased and played the game.
Hori'sFFTA2 kit, available for preorder at Play-Asia for an affordable $17.90, includes everything we've come to expect with these supplementarykits -- a themed system case, an extendable stylus, a stylus pen casing, and a screenwipe strap -- enough branded stuff to convince any doubters out there that you're the proud owner of Square Enix's newest SRPG, even if you really aren't.
As for why you'd want to live this double life, pretending you're in possession of a game you've never actually held, we're not sure what your motivation would be; we're just offering advice in case you ever find yourself caught up in the dilemma we've described. Click past the post break for more photos of the set.
Reader Andrew is in love with his new Phantom Hourglass case. You know, the one that Aussie EB Games' were giving to customers who pre-ordered the game? Well, he was kind enough to take some shots of the case for all of us. But, even better, he gave us hope that we may actually be able to purchase it, if we wanted one and live outside of his country.
Turns out, Bigben Interactive GmbH manufactures the case out of Germany. In heading to their website, it looks as if the shop area is still under construction, but the case is definitely listed there. So, here's to hoping we can get one ourselves in the future.
As for the case, Andrew asked that we host the images since his bandwidth isn't as plentiful as he'd like it to be. So, we made a gallery. Be sure to hit it up below.
We like Hori's themed Protect Cases. They're an easy, inexpensive, and impermanent way to give your DS Lite a "limited edition" look. This way, you can deck out your DS like you spent $200 dollars on a bundle, but then if you decide that the game is terrible or something, you can just toss the cover and not have a constant reminder of your own folly on the top of your system.
From the looks of it, Tales of Innocence won't be terrible, and so there will no doubt be an audience for this nice-looking set. It includes a clear Protect Case and a maroon Tales of Innocence extending stylus, for $23. It'll be released on December 6th.
Nintendo really wants to know how you feel about The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. Or, rather, if this survey is anything like the Brain Age 2 survey, they want to know if there are any non-gamers in the house to whom you can evangelize the game. In any case, they're willing to pay handsomely in single pieces of plastic for the information.
Registering your game and filling out the survey will make you eligible for this cute "Feather Pen Stylus." Really, it's a free thing requiring minimal effort, so why not? You can choose whether or not to poke at your DS with it.
Obviously, we're fans of the DS and like to see its sleek self enveloped in a variety of different things. It's just who we are, and we're not ashamed in the least.
So, when we stumbled onto Crafty Crafty's list of their favorite DS cases, we just knew we had to check it out. Heck, even some that we posted here were featured in their article. There's also a few we haven't seen. It's win-win for all.
What kind of case do you have your DS or DS Lite in? What would you rate the top ten cases to be?
The stylus included in the package was released before for purchase, but is also now included in this new accessory bundle. Including another stylus and cartridge cases, as well as a case for the whole package, this new kit from Hori looks like it gets the job done.
Isn't that the pain about cases, though? Once you think you've found your ideal case or organizer, another is released, perhaps looking more tempting or functional than that you already own?
Play-Asia is selling the DS version of Sega's hit arcade game Love and Berry at a special price of $12.90 for this week only. The Oshare Majo Love & Berry Collection includes a game and a card-reading DS peripheral.
For those of you who aren't little Japanese girls, Love and Berryis a rhythm game that also dispenses cards featuring different outfits for the two title characters. The DS version makes use of the same cards that the arcade game spits out. While the series hasn't reached special-edition-DS-Lite popularity in the U.S., much less promotional-sewing-machine popularity, Love and Berry machines can be found in some American arcades, including Sega's own Gameworks. If you can't find the machine, and therefore can't find the cards, then we don't know what to tell you. Some might show up on eBay, or you may be able to find scanned cards. Or you may be able to enjoy the dancing game without new hairstyles!
$12.90 is pretty cheap for a card reader that some genius out there could appropriate for homebrew development. Let's hope someone who likes to work on homebrew DS apps is reading.
GayGamer's Fruit Brute just posted a picture of the styli he picked up in Tokyo while in town for TGS. Of special interest is the promotional Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword stylus, which he received at a Tecmo party. It's a little sword! With a scabbard and everything.
Sure, poking at the touch screen with a plastic finger is okay, but the idea that we could advance through Elite Beat Agents by repeatedly stabbing and slicing at the title characters is disturbingly irresistible. Wait, that came out wrong. We can, and quite frequently do, resist the urge to stab fictional characters.
Even if you don't preorder the game from Wal-Mart (in the U.S.) or EBGames (in Australia), Nintendo-- or whichever unidentified accessory maker this is-- still wants your DS to look all Zelda-y. The latest option for giving your DS an air of high-seas adventure requires no preorder at all, and is (in our opinion) the nicest one yet. The Zelda Phantom Hourglass Kit includes a DS skin, a "modified Zelda pocket" which appears to be a DS case, two silicone game sleeves made to be attached to the system, and three styli.
All of this is emblazoned with the vivid, colorful art that so many people hated about Wind Waker, and which we happen to enjoy. The skin has a bit of a black/red scheme going, which would go well with the new DS Lite color scheme.
We haven't seen this for sale anywhere but Canadian retailer Future Shop, which is a bit inconvenient for us. Canadian gamers can Link up their DS Lites for CAD$18, while all we can do is dream.
Knockoffelectronics are always good for an easy laugh, and this AC adapter is no exception to that rule. Cory Doctorow (of Boing Boing fame) recently spotted the above "Ninetudo DS" charger at a Buy Now shop in Beijing, China. The product's packaging brings up a few questions:
What happened to the upper half of the DS logo's S?
Why is there a photo of a butterfly on the handheld's top screen? And why isn't there anything pictured on the bottom touchscreen?
With this product being manufactured and sold in China, shouldn't there be some sort of iQue branding?
Was "Ninetudo" seriously the best they could come up with?
Shouhou's Enamel Card Case is a very wallet-like way to carry around your DS games. We can imagine feeling like our DS games are tiny, tiny credit cards when using this thing. And, for some reason, that appeals to us.
The case has four pockets for DS games, a space for a stylus, and an extra pocket for a GBA cartridge or whatever else will fit. It comes in pink, blue, and black, all of which are shiny.
This appears to be Shouhou's first product, so we're a little more impressed with its aesthetics and design. Not every DS accessory is this nice.
The little hole in the side of the DS is nominally designed for the wrist strap, to keep your DS safe from slippery-hand syndrome. In addition, for the original DS, it provides access to the thumb-stick thing for Super Mario 64 DS.
However, that little indentation also provides another outlet for self-expression. There's no end to the junk you can dangle from your DS: cell phone charms, screen cleaners, extra styli, preorder-bonusstuff, homemade beadwork-- whatever you can imagine, you can tether it to the side of your console. Are you rocking any charms?
We post a lot about cases. We can't seem to help it; the DS is like a paper doll to us, and it needs an array of clothing. Also, we like to avoid scratching it when it's bouncing around in a backpack or purse. But not all cases work as advertised; there's nothing like unzipping your backpack only to find your games and system scattered around, lying in the layer of dust and debris that accumulates in the shadowed recess at the bottom of your bag. Others are just a pain; stretchy system "suspenders" are too tight or too loose, or snaps won't quite snap. Others seem to be dirt magnets and change color within hours of purchase, moving from cute light blue to nondescript brown. Tells us your bad case stories, so we know what to avoid.
On that note, are we the only ones not terribly pleased with the case included in the Brain Age 2 bundle? The pockets for the carts are almost too tight, and the clasp doesn't lie flush with the case, which means it's more likely to pop open just when you don't want it to pop open. As cases go, it's okay -- and it looks great -- but we've seen better.
If you ever wanted your DS case to look like a purse, than you've come to exactly the right place. And, like a designer purse, they're going to cost you. Going on sale next month in Japan, each case will require 6720 Yen (or about $58). While we find the cases to be particularly stylish, we don't think they're worth that much money.
Inappropriately-named accessory manufacturer Thrustmaster has revealed a new line of DS Lite pouches that the company promises will "electrify the catwalks during the next fashion shows."
Too young to carry around a man-purse, but still in need of a tote for all of your gadgets? The "T-Pack Only for Boys" comes with pockets and compartments for games, mobile phones, and even a DS Lite! A pair of earphones and a USB recharging cable come packed with the set, as well as a "Thrustmaster Elite Member" badge. You know, so you can let everyone know how much of a Thrustmaster you are.
For the Thrustmaster ladies out there, you'll have two options -- Pink/Denim and Purple/Denim -- both equally repelling. The purple "fashion pack" comes with eight heat transfers, giving creative girl gamers a chance to personalize their bags with hearts, butterflies, and, yes, dolphins. Head past the post break for photos of the "T-Jean Bag 2 DS Lite Girl" and the "T-Pack 2 DS Lite Girl Pink."
Buying Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift when it hits Japan in two weeks might not be economically feasible for you, what with shipping costs and jacked-up import pricing, but that doesn't mean you can't make everyone believe you've purchased and played the game.
