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Adorable Mashimaro case now available stateside
You can dress up your DS Lite in frilly bows and baby outfits all you want, but it'll never reach its full cuteness potential without this Mashimaro case. Accessory distributor Nuri Tech has brought the Korean character to the states, offering the protective, decorated shell for $19.99. To promote the new product, Nuri Tech is throwing in a DS Lite Strap Touchpen and a set of screen protectors with each order starting today until April 1st. This is in addition to the stylus pen that comes with every Mashimaro case!Unfamiliar with the chubby, expressionless bunny? He has a few Flash animations floating around, but here's a quick description: "In a quiet, small, and peaceful town in the forest, our Mashimaro is always causing trouble here and there in the forest with his little pot belly full of guts, witty spontaneous responses, and playful manner. He may seem a little prankish at times, but he adds a bit of flavor and puts smiles and cries into a boring life in the forest."Yes, this is just the accessory you need to put "smiles and cries" into your boring life. Peek past the break for more photos of the DS Lite case and bonus stylus pen.
Snug systems and clean screens
Similar to the Touchpen Leashes we featured last month, Freedom's drawstring pouch ties onto the back of your Nintendo DS, tagging along with your handheld until you undo the convenient clasp. The case's thin fabric -- available in black, red, blue, and white -- doesn't look like it'll protect your DS from anything more serious than a few scratches, but it also serves as a screen and system wipe. Double your features, double your fun! Check out more photos of the case and its color variations after the jump.Freedom's Cleaner x Pouch sells for 680 yen (approximately $6.20), but we haven't seen the product listed at any non-Japanese retailers yet. We'll keep an eye on the usual import shops, and we'll let you know if we see these pop up!
Doraemon returns from the future to make your DS cute again
The world's favorite blue robot cat from the future is back with more stuff to put on your DS. The Doraemon Waku Waku DS Accessory Set includes a system shell, a card case, an extending stylus, and a screen-cleaning strap all bearing the adorable visage of Doraemon. The DS case has a repeating light blue Doraemon pattern that we think is pretty nice, and the card case features three Doraemons (Doraemen? Doraemans?) in cute poses.NCSX is taking preorders for this $23 accessory kit from Hori, to be sent out when it releases on March 6th. If you're looking to protect, clean, write on, and carry games with your DS, it seems like a good option.
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.
I am an awesome guitar strap
I am 8-bit, the neato game-art exhibit, has collaborated with Couch Guitar Straps to make some awesome straps designed for Guitar Hero and Rock Band guitar controllers. The straps come in blue or black and feature a neat cascading Space Invader graphic. Since the company makes real guitar straps, and since holding up a fake guitar relies on the same principles as holding up a real one, there's probably no reason you couldn't use one of these for the real thing, so you can look like a huge nerd onstage*. And then you'd at least be getting your $32.95 out of it. If it's even possible to get $33 worth of value from a guitar strap. But quibbling over the price does little to obscure the simple fact that these look cool, and we Wii owners, who are extra-sensitive about controller straps, can appreciate them.*The Couch website warns that the end tabs are not as heavy-duty as those designed for real guitars, and "may not last as long."[Via Joystiq]
When free wrist straps aren't enough
The new Wii bag from Atlantic is pretty nice. We like the stripe, and the messenger bag design. We have no objection to this product. Were we the type to travel with consoles, we would seek out something like this. But the other new addition to their Gamekeeper line ... okay. Forget that every single Wiimote includes a wrist strap. Forget that these straps are constantly improved upon and sent out at no charge. If you were going to design a Wii wrist strap, what would it look like? Here, we'll make it multiple choice: A) a strap, or B) an improvised carpal-tunnel wrist brace made out of bowling shoes. If you answered B, you work for Atlantic. But you knew that! We're being hard on Atlantic, but the truth is we respect any company that sees an opportunity to capture a market that, at the moment, doesn't seem to exist. And that's not sarcasm. Maybe the thing really helps! Maybe this removes that last .05% possibility of Wiimote slippage among people who already wear wrist straps. Or maybe Atlantic just had a surplus of hot pink nylon.[Via GoNintendo]
Nintendo adding locking clasp to Wiimote wrist straps?
We've already seen the Wiimote straps survive one revision, but now it seems that the oft criticized bands that keep your Wiimote from delving into your television screen (or window) could be seeing yet another improvement. Judging by an image showcasing what appears to be a brand new Wiimote wrist strap, Nintendo has added locking clasps in order to keep the controller snug around your wrist. Currently, there's been no word on whether existing Wii owners will be receiving any free upgrades, but considering how few Wiinjury reports we've seen of late, hopefully this precaution is at least somewhat unwarranted.P.S. -Any new Wii owners out there seeing this same surprise upon unboxing?[Via Joystiq]
Wii strap now with locking clip
Images are starting to surface that Nintendo has replaced the Wiimote strap again. Having reinforced the part of the Wii strap which caused mayhem back in the more innocent time of '06, Nintendo has apparently now fixed the part which wraps around our wrist by adding a locking clip. Now you can get that extra snug fit and lock it in.Although this redesign might make you think it's time to go back to flailing about with Wiimote in hand using all the force one can muster, we continue to urge restraint and caution. We'd love to confirm this new strap information, but Nintendo's PR team was not in the office today. Hopefully we'll get better images next week.[Via WiiFanboy]
Super bio-tech "mobile phone plant strap" peeped
We've all seen the standard teddy bear, Pikachu, and flashlight fobs, but they're all dead boring compared to this little life in vitro idea. Strapya-World, purveyors of all manner of straps and charms sell these small plants-in-a-jar in either pink or blue "bio-tech fertilizer" for just $9. The vial is sealed up tight so there is really nothing to do to take care of it, but hang it off your mobile and watch the natural magic happen. Of course, you know somebody will crack it open and plant something else in there, we'll be waiting to post that up in the coming weeks or months.[Via GearFuse]
Far Infrared HandStrap: Mysteries of the Unknown
This exotic wrist strap claims to make use of bio-ceramics, a composite of lead-free minerals, to douse your arm with far infrared rays and help with blood circulation. Though "far infrared rays" might sound sinister if you're not familiar with them and their uses, they are supposedly quite healthy.You can't see far infrared rays in the sun's light, but you can feel their warmth absorbed into your skin. In addition to their blood circulation benefits, these miracle beams are also said to naturally reduce inflammation, decrease pain, and revitalize skin cells. All that for only 780 yen (approximately $6.33)!
Three-year-old's Tennis tantrum
Brian McConnell left his son, Adam, alone with a game of Wii Sports: Tennis for only a few moments to fetch a drink, but that was all the time the little demon needed. Not even a Wii remote strap could've saved Brian's plasma TV once the three-year-old set his mind on avenging a lost match. Brian came back to the living room to find his £1,000 television ruined, its 42-inch screen bashed by his Wiimote-wielding progeny. Queue up the darth_vader_nooo.jpg images. The forgiving father let Adam off the hook with only a light lecture and a two-week Wii ban. That's a lot more lenient than the hanging, drawing, and quartering punishment one of our NintenDadz would've sought. [Via Engadget]
The witch hunt goes international
SNK's Doki Doki Majo Shinpan has been doing great business in preorder, and seems to be getting a lot of attention. Now it looks like SNK is responding to this success by marketing the game in ... China! A new translated version of the website has appeared, offering the same content in Chinese. No, it doesn't help us any, but at least they're thinking about some international marketing. That's one baby step closer to an English localization, right? The Japanese page has been updated too, with the screen cleaner shown above (which some Japan-based reader should really think about securing for us) and new screens of the first-person Magic Battle Mode. Apparently, somehow, you can do something to upset the girls. Just touch the "Read" button to determine if it's a witch check out the screens.[Via Canned Dogs]
Retractable Wii Sports Cuff enables flinging action
We shouldn't have to remind you just how hazardous free-hanging Wiimotes can be to the health and safety of those around you, but if you or your loved ones have suffered from an unfortunate Wiinjury, a solution has finally arrived. For those of you with the stronger, beefier Wiimote straps, keeping the controller gripped around your wrist can indeed become boring, which is where the Retractable Wii Sports Cuff enters to inject a bit of remote slinging excitement into the equation. The wrist-worn cuff allows your attached Wiimote to be flung "up to 13-inches," and it automatically brings it back to safety before (literally) getting too out of hand. The neoprene cuff looks to be a one size fits all edition, and while we've no idea if you can hack this bad boy to add a bit more length (you know, for real life Wii Rodeos), you can snap up the original right now for just $5.99.[Via GearLog]
Retractable Wii Sports Cuff fails to reel us in
The Retractable Wii Sports Cuff replaces the subtlety and elegance of the Wii remote's wrist strap with a bulky band that we wouldn't be caught dead wearing. We don't doubt that the adjustable neoprene cuff has an agreeable fit, but did anyone ever find the original straps uncomfortable, if even noticeable at all?And what sort of human does the retractable thirteen inches of slack benefit? Are there people whose hands extend that far away from their wrist? Or are these cuffs marketed towards some sort of video-game-playing race of long-fingered mutants? Creepy!You would think that the shop would take advantage of all the "faulty Wii Strap" controversy and emphasize the durability of the cuff's cord, but the product description makes no mention of any improved toughness. What's there to reassure us that we won't end up with a Wii remote sticking out of our television after a heated game of Wii Tennis? Even at a sale price of $5.99, you'll probably want to stay clear from this accessory.[Via CAG]
Wii wrist weights? Why?
OK, we know the whole Wii as window to weight loss fad is big right now, but we can't for the life of us figure out what would inspire someone to create these prototype Wii-branded exercise weights and then shop them around to investors for mass production. For one thing, similar wrist weights are already available in practically any sporting goods store for just a few bucks. You can even get them in a stylish white to match your Wii and remote. For another thing, we're pretty sure using the Wii logo like this on a marketed product without the explicit approval of Nintendo is just asking for a world of legal trouble. Still, the idea of using wrist weights while working out with your Wii isn't a bad one. Reminds us of those Dragon Ball characters who used weighted clothing to lower their power level as they took on their friends in Wii Sports boxing. Or something.
Why your Wii is glowing
You could simply turn on the unit and check for yourself, but that would mean depriving yourself of that hypnotic glow that fills your soul with abject bliss. No, come to us instead! We will keep you well-informed.It's nothing earth-shattering, alas. Nintendo simply sent out a responsible message to all Wii-owners about the original pack-in wrist straps, still the subject of much debate. Along with a friendly reminder not to be a retard, the message also directs gamers to a website at which they can exchange their puny straps for the beefy, meaty kind. We love when companies take responsibility for their mistakes, but sometimes, they take too much responsibility ... damn friend codes.
Wii email informs consumers of strap replacement
This evening Nintendo sent strap replacement information directly to Wii owners who have an internet connection. Using the Wii's mail function, Nintendo sent an email to Wii owners regarding replacement straps: "Nintendo has received some reports that when consumers swing the Wii Remote with the original version of the wrist-strap using excessive force and accidentally let go, the cord connecting the controller to the wrist strap can break."The wrist strap replacement program has been in place since December. The interesting thing here is that Nintendo sent the information directly to consumers, albeit a little late, instead of solely depending on the press to disseminate the information. When Microsoft extended the warranty on the Xbox 360, we don't recall if any post was made on the Xbox Live network informing consumers. We appreciate that Nintendo sent this email out to consumers. Next time though, it might help to do it during the scandal, rather than three months later.
Nintendo shipping ghettostrap replacements to Wii latecomers?
Looks like Nintendo got tired of slapping its own branding onto every one of the bazillions of beefed-up replacement straps it's been sending out to butter-fingered Wii owners the world over. Reports are coming in of some sort of ghettostrap, possibly built by a third party, being sent out instead of the fancy Nintendo version, leaving fanboys crestfallen at their newfound lack of total Wii branding. Not exactly the conspiracy of the century, but we want answers, and we want them now![Via Joystiq]
Wiimote deadly projectile in cute online game
In a nice little online game called Wiivenge, folks must toss Wiimotes like so many shuriken into their personal property, scoring more based on the amount of damage they inflict to their domicile's precious material possessions. Obviously, the game takes its inspiration from the numerous stories on the 'net where folks document their overzealous play turned into destroyed property. Of course, Nintendo wised up and offered replacement straps.Have an opinion on the whole wrist strap thing? Weigh in on the topic in our new feature Wii Warm Up![Thanks Quentin!]
Unpacking the Wii replacement straps
After ordering for new Wiimote strap the day Nintendo announced its replacement program, our sister site Engadget finally got a little manila envelope that is sure to safeguard their television screens. Those who also ordered straps shortly after the program was announced should have them shortly (or may already have them).If your Nintendo love, or love for unpacking, runs deep, then we recommend you check out Engadget's gallery for the unpacking and side-by-side comparisons between the old straps and the new, beefier upgrades. For more on the Wii injuries situation, we suggest you hit up CNN's video report.
