Every now and then, someone produces a product that just makes sense, and the Jimi Game Shell is a great example. We already know that DS games are incredibly tiny; in fact, so much of our media these days comes, like dynamite, in small packages. SD cards, memory sticks for the other guys, and our own games, and we're always looking for great new storage solutions. So when the folks behind the Jimi Game Shells offered to send us a couple of samples for a test drive, we jumped on it.
The idea of a small, separate case designed just for our DS games is nothing new; some cases include storage space for games, and there are a variety of retail solutions. They're also great fodder for preorder swag, and there's always the DIYroute. But what makes the Jimi shells so interesting is that they're designed to hold a variety of media ... and they're made from eco-friendly (well, friendlier) recycled polypropylene.
NeoGAFfer Stumpokapow compiled this chart of Japanese Mario sales throughout the series, and two things are immediately obvious from looking at it:
Mario sprites still look great! Seriously, yay Mario.
New Super Mario Bros. is huge.
We knew that NSMB was riding the combined influence of Nintendo nostalgia and Being On The Nintendo DS into sales Valhalla, but we didn't realize just how successful it was. If Nintendo ever gets enough DS Lites into Japanese stores, we can almost guarantee that two-million copy gap between it and the original Super Mario Bros. will disappear.
In other good news (in one blogger's opinion and pretty much no one else's), Super Mario 64 is near the bottom of the list, providing evidence that 3D Mario was a failed experiment. This in no way means that Super Mario RPG's position on the list is indicative of the quality of that game. That's, uh, completely different. Check after the break to see the full chart and to register your disgust about our treatment of Mario 64.
If you're planning to drink some of Suntory's execrable Final Fantasy Potion, you may as well do it in style, by pouring it into an adorable Chocobo-head mug. Or you could skip the Potion and fill the mug with something that you may actually enjoy. It really depends on what's more important to you: flavor or Square Enix product synergy.
Now when you sit down on your Chocobo cushion to play some Chocobo Tales, you can have up to 15 ounces of, uh ... if not Potion, how about "choco-late" milk? It's less thematically appropriate, but it's phonetically appropriate, and has the added benefit of being delicious.
NCSX is taking preorders for this $18 mug, to ship in July. While you're shopping, check out the other Square Enix preorder of the day: cool Dragon Quest Monsters toys.
For us, it's hard to not surround ourselves in everything gaming. Posters, figurines and, well ... games. It just comes with the territory, much to the dismay of everyone in our life who isn't appreciative of the art (these people exist, we assure you), so receiving such a gift that pays homage to one of our most favorite games would be excellent on a gift-receiving occasion.
For a look at this bad boy in action, head past the break where we've embedded some video.
According to the readers of HEXUS gaming, the top titles on the DS aren't exactly what you're thinking. Of course, some obvious choices are there, including New Super Mario Bros., but we want to know why some of our favorites aren't included. What are the readers over there thinking?
Check past the break for the full list and let us know what you agree/disagree with.
Joystiq recently got their hands on the upcoming U.S. localization of SimCityDS and they seemed to enjoy it quite a bit. They talk a lot about the transition from SimCity 3000 to the DS and what kind of changes, for the better and worse, the game has undergone. They even talk over a minigame involving Santa Claus, where he flies over the city and the player must tap the screen to make him drop presents. These presents allow for improvements to the city or turn into new buildings.
SimCity DS even features a landmark trading mode, not unlike the Nintendogs Bark Mode. Sadly, this doesn't work online, so you're going to need to find someone out in the real world (GASP!) in order to take advantage of the feature. The game is currently slated for a June release in the United States.
Up for grabs on eBay is a DS Fanboy's dream: a DS signed by not only Shigeru Miyamoto, but also Satoru Iwata and the voice of Mario, Charles Martinet. Why would anyone want to get rid of such a priceless beauty? Turns out, school loans. But all of the money won't be going to school loans, as the seller will be setting aside 25% of the profit to go to Child's Play.
At the time we were writing this piece up, the current bid was $330.00. We have a feeling that'll be going much higher before the end of the auction on the 19th.
Looking for a decent case to clothe your DS Lite with, but not willing to spend more than a few bucks? Even if you lack the craftskills to create one from scratch, there's still hope for you frugal folks.
Circuit City has thrown Intec's DS Lite Ultimate Leather cases into the bargain bin, selling the magnetic clasping cover for $2.99. You could probably buy one with just the change you'd find on the electronics retailer's parking lot or in its pay phone coin returns. Try not to be too obvious about it though. You'll look like a homeless vagrant foraging for pennies, and the store manager might call the cops to escort you off the property.
Intec's cases come in white, pink, black, blue, blue, and camo, some of these colors having "Crocco" variations or only being available with the crocodile texture. The sale is available both in-store and online, but much like Nerf's DS Lite Armor, the styles are shipped randomly. Even the vagabonds will point and laugh if you come around with the pink, crocodile-leather case that you'll inevitably get after ordering from Circuit City's site.
There's a party going on tomorrow and the Tanooki got a sneak preview of the decor. It's a full-on Super Mario themed bash, complete with all the stuff you'd expect to find in a Mario game. This fantastic Chain Chomp piñata is just waiting to be smashed, hopefully by a jumping kid in a Mario costume. Seriously, if there's an invite going free, we'd love it.
Head past the break for the giant Pirahna Plants and chocolate coins!
Mentioning Kanji Ken earlier this afternoon prompted us to make a beeline for the Japanese game's official site, scrounging its pages for any new developments on the kanji trainer/brawler. Amidst a pile of nonsensical videos, we were able to unearth a pair of magnificent downloadable wallpapers of incalculable value. Just seeing them will blow your mind right out your ass.
Keeping with the game's kung-fu theatre theme, the desktop decorations parody martial arts movie posters with cliches like city skylines in the background and uh... a man screaming for no visible reason. Needless to say, they're every bit as zany as Kanji Ken's cover art! Sweep kick right through the post break for the new trailers and previews of the wallpapers.
Okay, here's where we admit to watching rather a lot of the Pokemon cartoon in college. It was a fun social thing to do after class, and somewhere along the way, our ironic enjoyment evolved into actual enjoyment. Then, right after the movie came out, our enjoyment devolved into complete disinterest.
Looking at this Meowth hot-air-balloon papercraft makes us nostalgic for the days of rooting for incompetent homeless child Ash and his friends to capture and train all the Pokemans they could while avoiding Team Rocket's premeditated child abuse.
While we find our alliances align themselves toward a different baseball team, it's always nice to see our obsessions getting along. Celebrating the release of Pokemon Diamond & Pearl at Yankee Stadium yesterday, fans under the age of 14 received a free Pokemon t-shirt. Usually, freebies at baseball games are sponsored, with that sponsor's logo all over what it is (free hats are often ruined that way), but with Nintendo sponsoring their own product here, we're sure those shirts are probably pretty sweet.
Did you get one? Take a picture and send it in to us!
This question mark block has extended its form into the fabled third dimension! This mysterious realm of depth is unexplored by either 8-bit explorers or Perler bead artists. This bold scientific discovery promises to usher a new age for Super Mario Bros.crafts!
Shown above, an artifact from the third dimension, looking very much like one of our own question mark blocks, but somehow composed of many two-dimensional blocks working in tandem to form a strange array of squares. These squares exist simultaneously in the normal two dimensions and in the newly-discovered third! This is a hypersquare.
What is your poor couch to do when it wants to look jaunty for a night on the town? Nothing. That's why your couch doesn't go out. It's ashamed.
If you care about your couch at all, you'll buy one of these Mario or Luigi hat cushions from NCSX. It's the least you can do, considering what you do to it all day. You know, the sitting.
Alternately, you could buy one of these plush toys for decoration. That would be pretty weird, though, right?
Also in today's NCSX update: awesome Bomberman t-shirts and cell phone straps, Chocobo cushions, and even moreAnimal Crossing toys.
Gariz's stickers won't upstage mods like yesterday's Zelda-themed DS Lite, but they're an easy way to personalize your handheld with an attractive design. The metal decals emphasize the embossed logo on the system' s lid, surrounding it with either a deco pattern or a miniaturized DS. Both styles come in silver and gold.
Selling for approximately $29 at its Korean shop, the're no doubt that the Gariz skins are overpriced, especially when you consider that the rest of the included stickers -- matching borders for your screens, three alphabet sets, and accents for your D-pad/buttons -- are nothing to write home about. We're sure that there'll be people who won't mind paying the premium price though, as there aren't many other options for subtle customizations like these. Jump past the break for more photos.
If you're planning to drink some of Suntory's execrable Final Fantasy Potion, you may as well do it in style, by pouring it into an adorable 
According to the readers of HEXUS gaming, the top titles on the DS aren't exactly what you're thinking. Of course, some obvious choices are there, including 
Joystiq recently got their hands on the upcoming U.S. localization of 
Mentioning 
What is your poor couch to do when it wants to look jaunty for a night on the town? Nothing. That's why your couch doesn't go out. It's ashamed.
