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Rumor pegs Nintendo 3DS for November 11th in Japan
Remember when Nintendo said it'd release its release date for the 3DS autostereoscopic portable game system on the 29th of this month? We may already have the magic number -- depending on how you interpret a few Japanese words. You see, a supposed video game accessory designer by the handle "nocchisan" recently tweeted that eleven Nintendo 3DS accessories will be released on November 11th, and asked his or her followers to kindly buy them up... while purportedly remarking that the 3DS itself will arrive at the same time. While the tweets in question can certainly be read that way, and it makes a certain amount of sense for accessories to appear at launch, our admittedly limited grasp of Japanese suggests an alternative translation: that it's the accessories themselves (and not the 3DS) that will all arrive at the same time. There's also the little matter of nocchisan himself, whose Twitter account has already disappeared -- we have nothing actually connecting him to the accessory company except a link in his tweet.
Puchi Puchi Virus may come out in May
We get a feeling of nostalgia from talking about Puchi Puchi Virus. After all, we first encountered the puzzler two years ago, back when Japanese publisher Jaleco was still around. In November 2007, NIS announced plans to localize it with a fun, pop-culture-laden translation. After a few delays, NIS sent out a press release announcing a May release date! The delays have only served to make us ravenously interested in what was once something we casually appreciated (along with its preorder bonus). We've got tons of new screens and character art in our gallery.You can even try Puchi Puchi Virus right now, and maybe even win something for the privilege. The official website features a downloadable demo, which, if you score highly enough, enters you into a drawing for an Enamel Navy DS Lite.%Gallery-27958%
DS Daily: Case couture
When you're looking for a case for your DS, or another non-gameplay-oriented accessory (strap, screen cleaner, sticker, etc.), do you tend toward mass-produced products, like the generally excellent ones from Hori or Keys Factory, or the bizarre puffy ones from Tomy? Or do you prefer a one-of-a-kind homemade item from Etsy?Or are you like us -- you would prefer a nice handmade one, but for whatever reason you bought a Hori case instead, and now you feel kind of guilty for some unspecified reason? You're probably not like us.
Finally, DS Lite accessories for Gothic Lolitas
If sewing dark lace onto your system cases and painting your handheld supplements black and pink to accompany your GothLoli look sounds too laborsome and time-consuming, Keys Factory has just the solution for your unique needs -- Infem.In, a new and complete accessory line designed to match your dark Victorian livery.Available in Japan starting July 31st, the new DS Lite set features a stylus, a card case (which holds 4 carts), a hard cover, a system pouch, an LCD cleaner with a case, and a pair of screen protectors, almost all of them painted black and pink, decorated with hearts and ornate accents. Each item is sold separately, with prices at import shop Play Asia ranging from $6.90 to $14.90.Interestingly, Keys Factory has set up an official site just for this specific line, offering up a slick Flash presentation for the products, wallpaper downloads, and even a sliding tile puzzle mini-game. The company must have high hopes for this somber set!See also: Fit for a princess: DS plays dress-up%Gallery-28386%
A class in Puchi Puchi Virology
We've been interested in Puchi Puchi Virus for about a year because of its art, but throughout that whole year we've failed to learn one important piece of information about the game: how to play the game. It's something with, like, triangles and stuff, right? GamesRadar has posted a preview of the game that covers, in detail, this vital aspect of the game (the entire game). Basically, you tap three same-colored virii to create a triangle around them. Clicking any of the corners of this triangle causes it, and any virii inside the triangle, to disappear. If a virus stays onscreen too long, it turns to stone and can't be used to form a triangle.It's nice to know that there's an interesting puzzle game to go along with the silly pop-culture references.
Chocolat cases look sweet, but inedible
Keys Factory is preparing a classy new set of DS Lite cases for this April, labeling the luxury line Chocolat. Why Chocolat? Maybe someone at the Japanese accessory manufacturer's office is a big fan of the Johnny Depp film? Really, who isn't?Despite their simple, stylish design, the pouches aren't really noteworthy by themselves, but that's why Keys Factory also plans to offer matching wallets for your DS carts! Though these "MiniChocolat" compacts only hold four games, they also come with a screen wipe and an inside pocket. As with the system cases, the slim folders will be available in three colors -- raspberry, milk, and bitter. Why bitter? Well, it's a cruel world.Preorders for the DS Lite cases are available at Play Asia for $19.90, while the cart wallets, which you can check out after the post break, are priced at $12.90. If that sounds like too much to pay for either kind of Chocolats, just remember that you're paying theatre prices.See also: Show and Tell: Let us show you them
Keep a tight leash on your stylus
They're much less interesting (and much less offensive) than the styli we featured in our anti-gift guide last week, but Keys Factory's colorful Touchpen Leashes have two things going for them: Small grooves near the tip of the stylus for increased gripability An extendable, coiled strap that ties onto your Nintendo DS, ensuring that the stylus is never far from your system If you have a habit of forgetting to slip your stylus back into its slot and losing it shortly afterwards, you might actually find this trinket useful! Otherwise, you could always hang it on your Christmas tree as an ornament and a sign of your supreme tackiness. The Touchpen Leashes sell on Play Asia for about five bucks each and come in five different flavors: Orange, Mint, Brown, Peach, and Melon. Stretch past the break to preview a couple of those other variations.
