$2.3m in missing DS Lites!!!

According to Joystiq.com through PlayGadgets.com, a large shipment of black DS Lites bound for Europe, along with a stockpile of DS games, has gone missing in Hong Kong. The estimated value of the merchandise, which was sealed in a cargo container, is 18,000,000 Hong Kong dollars (roughly $2.3 million).

Some reports suggest that black DS Lites have recently entered Hong Kong's 'black' market, prompting police to suspect that the missing cargo container has indeed been stolen. Police are offering a 1,000,000 HKD (almost $129,000) reward for information about the lost goods. Joystiq

The DS Lite hits the States!!!

Yes! Thats rignht, finally the DS Lite has it America.

Retro GameBoy Micro is comeing to the West!!!

To celebrate 20 years of unprecedented success in the video game industry, Nintendo is making its newest game system look exactly like its first one – only much smaller.

A retro version of its Game Boy® Micro comes to the Western Hemisphere on Nov. 28, honoring the 20th anniversary of the Nintendo Entertainment System® home console. The new Game Boy Micro base unit will be maroon with a gold NES-inspired faceplate, and will sell at an MSRP of $99.99. It also will come packed with a $10 coupon that can be used toward the purchase of select Nintendo-published Game Boy Advance games.

"The Special 20th Anniversary Edition Game Boy Micro is an anniversary present to millions of Nintendo fans, who 20 years ago single-handedly built this entire industry," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications.

Game Boy Micro represents the coolest piece of hardware in Game Boy® history. It's small enough to slip into the tightest pair of jeans, and at 2.4 ounces, light enough to carry anywhere.

The worldwide leader and innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its popular home and portable video game systems. Each year, hundreds of all-new titles for the best-selling Game Boy® Advance SP, Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems extend Nintendo's vast game library and continue the tradition of delivering a rich, diverse mix of quality video games for players of all ages. Since the release of its first home video game system in 1983, Nintendo has sold more than 2 billion video games and more than 353 million hardware units globally, creating enduring industry icons such as Mario™ and Donkey Kong® and launching popular culture franchise phenomena such as Metroid®, Zelda™ and Pokémon®. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere. Nintendo Press

US Date for Harvest Moon DS!!!

Until now, it wasn't clear to Harvest Moon fans whether the Nintendo DS version of Natsume's strangely addictive farming game would make it to North America. Today, however, the company announced that Harvest Moon DS will indeed arrive on these shores -- in spring of 2006.
Harvest Moon DS features characters from both Harvest Moon: Wonderful Life on the GameCube and the GBA's Friends of Mineral Town. The DS version, of course, takes advantage of the system's IGN

Nintendo's Q1 Software Lineup!!!

Even after the holidays are over, Nintendo will give you something to celebrate. The first quarter of 2006 will see the arrival of much-anticipated games like Metroid® Prime Hunters, as well as only-from-Nintendo experiences like Electroplankton™ and Odama™. Everyone should find something on the list below to help them chase away the winter blues.

Nintendo DS™
Jan. 9: Electroplankton – Make beautiful music with this artistic tune generator. Ten different modes keep the music humming in endless combinations.

Jan. 23: True Swing Golf – Players swipe the touch screen to stroke the most realistic golf swings ever possible. Just like out on the links, if their swing is off, they're in the rough.

Feb. 27: Super Princess Peach™ – After kidnapping Peach for years and years, Bowser finally wised up and kidnapped Mario instead. Now it's Peach to the rescue, pink parasol and all.

March 20: Metroid Prime Hunters® – This Wi-Fi-enabled adventure will have friends near and far blasting away for hours on end.

Nintendo GameCube™
Feb. 6: Chibi-Robo™ – The hero is a 3-inch-tall robot who desires only to bring happiness to his human family. Players explore a huge house and help Chibi-Robo complete chores and fend off enemies while maintaining his energy level.

March 6: Odama™ – This wild game wowed crowds at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. It's the best microphone-controlled Japanese feudal warrior pinball game you'll ever play.

Game Boy® Advance SP/Game Boy® Micro
Feb. 6: Drill Dozer™ – Pilot a destructive Drill Dozer robot to recover a stolen red diamond. Players demolish everything in their path. What could be more fun?

March 6: Tales of Phantasia® - In this classic RPG with a real-time battle system, players take on the role of Cress, a young swordsman who must set out on a fantastic quest when his village is destroyed in mysterious circumstances. Nintendo Press

Animal Crossing Wild World's Japanese site is up!!!

That's right! The Japanese site is up. This game hits Japan on November 23 2005 and on December 5 2005 in the US.

Halloween Treats for Nintendos at GameStop!!!

As if Halloween weekend didn't offer enough things to scream about, Nintendo and GameStop will offer owners of the wildly popular Nintendogs™ puppy communication program a free virtual gift. More than 3,600 GameStops across the country will play host to the Nintendogs Tricks and Treats Weekend event, which runs Oct. 28 through Oct. 30.

People who bring a Nintendo DS™ and a copy of Nintendogs to a GameStop location during the weekend can receive a virtual pair of star-shaped sunglasses for their puppies to wear in the game, along with a voice greeting from Napoleon Dynamite star Haylie Duff. The exclusive sunglasses will be delivered using Nintendogs' Bark Mode, and cannot be accessed in the game any other way.

And to demonstrate that virtual dogs can help out real-life ones, Nintendo and GameStop will donate $50,000 to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

"Nintendogs represents just one of the many ways that we're building communities and bringing people together through video games," said George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "Through our partnership with GameStop, we can reward our countless fans for their loyalty and enthusiasm, which have made Nintendogs such a phenomenon."

"We are very excited about the promotion with Nintendogs, the ASPCA and GameStop," says Jack Beuttell, GameStop's senior vice president of marketing. "When Nintendo launched Nintendogs, the product was an immediate hit, as it appealed to a broad audience. Now we have an opportunity to give back to our animal friends to help make sure they are well cared for. We are delighted we can give something extra to our consumers in our stores."

"Animal shelters around the country are full of dogs of all shapes and sizes, and the process of adopting a dog is a tremendous decision that should not be taken lightly," said Matthew Bershadker, vice president of development for the ASPCA. "Nintendogs is a great way for people to test whether they are ready to handle the real thing. The ASPCA is grateful for the generous donation by Nintendo and GameStop."

The Nintendogs events takes place just after the Oct. 24 launch of the "Best Friends" Nintendogs bundle, which sells at an MSRP of $149.99. The special bundle comes with a new Teal or Pearl Pink DS and lets owners start with the six most popular breeds chosen from the three Nintendogs editions: Labrador retriever, golden retriever, German shepherd, beagle, Yorkshire terrier and miniature dachshund. As with the other editions, all 18 breeds are unlockable as owners progress. The bundle also includes a Nintendogs-branded Nintendo DS skin and a bone-shaped screen cleaner.

Nintendogs, Rated E for Everyone, launched in the United States on Aug. 22 and has sold more than 1.5 million units worldwide. Made exclusively for Nintendo DS, it lets owners train, care for and play with lifelike puppies. For downloads, images, video diaries and more information about Nintendogs, please visit www.nintendogs.com.

About GameStop
GameStop is the largest Video game specialty retailer in the world with over 4300 stores and more than 3600 in the US. GameStop specializes in video games and accessories and as the most friendly, experienced and dedicated sales staff to help with selection of all your video game needs, whether for you or for a gift The broad product selection appeals to gamers and gift givers of all age levels and abilities from the novice to the expert.

About Nintendo
The worldwide leader and innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its popular home and portable video game systems. Each year, hundreds of all-new titles for the best-selling Game Boy® Advance SP, Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems extend Nintendo's vast game library and continue the tradition of delivering a rich, diverse mix of quality video games for players of all ages. Since the release of its first home video game system in 1983, Nintendo has sold more than 2 billion video games and more than 353 million hardware units globally, creating enduring industry icons such as Mario™ and Donkey Kong® and launching popular culture franchise phenomena such as Metroid®, Zelda™ and Pokémon®. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere.

For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site at www.nintendo.com.

Info From:Nintendo Press

Write with your DS!!!

Owners of PDAs have known the convenience of handwriting recognition for a while now: rather than tapping in letters on a virtual keyboard, or worse, attaching a clunky portable keyboard, users can simply use their stylus as a pen to write, letting software decode typed letters.

Anyone who's tried sending more than a quick note using PictoChat on the Nintendo DS knows how useful such a feature would be. It looks like easy DS writing is coming, just in time for wireless play: Zi Corporation announced today it has licensed Decuma, its handwriting recognition technology, for use on the Nintendo DS.

Zi says that Decuma provides "fast and natural handwriting input," with words and letters "interpreted in a natural flow." Certainly you want your quick messages of ownage to flow fast and freely in a brutal multiplayer game, for instance.

"As the leading provider of handheld video game systems in the world, Nintendo has a reputation for adopting innovative technologies that improve the user's experience with its products," said Zi Corporation's Milos Djokovic. "With Decuma, Nintendo DS users will experience natural handwriting recognition previously only available to PDA and smartphone users. Zi continues to bring its multi-modal input products to leading mobile phones, gaming platforms and smartphones across the globe."

No word yet from Nintendo on just how the handwriting recognition will be used, or which titles will be the first to feature it. IGN

Electroplankton Coming Jan 9, 06!!!

The artistic musical experience Electroplankton™ will begin making beautiful music in the United States on Jan. 9. This should come as welcome news to gamers and music fans who have longed for the hit Japanese music-making title to arrive overseas.

Electroplankton, made exclusively for Nintendo DS™, doesn't fit the traditional definition of a video game. It features 10 different musical modes that let the user create melodies using the microphone and touch screen. Electroplankton is something that could only be played on Nintendo DS. Its dual screens, touch screen and microphone provide the perfect palette for artistic creation.

Created by renowned artist Toshio Iwai, Electroplankton presents a beautiful combination of art and music that unfolds in a different way with every touch of the screen. Players might find themselves getting lost in the melodies they create before they share their masterpieces with friends.

"Electroplankton represents just one of the many ways that Nintendo is developing new kinds of software to reach new audiences," said George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "Even if you have never played a video game, you can pick it up and start making amazing musical combinations with no instruction."

Electroplankton, Rated E for Everyone, will make a public debut befitting its creative, quirky nature. Electroplankton will be sold exclusively online and at the Nintendo World Store in New York. It will be carried by all major online retailers and at Nintendo.com.

Info From:Nintendo Press