By now, you've no doubt heard: Nintendo is rolling out Club Nintendo in the U.S. by the end of 2008. Wahey! Yeah, we know that Japan (generally speaking) gets the most excellent items when compared to elsewhere, but listen here, bub: it's free stuff. We're not about to complain, and nor should you (if you want to feel sorry for somebody, Australia's Club Nintendo scheme has gone AWOL, and check out South Africa's piss-poor Stars Catalogue).
Anyway, as these are happy times for North Americans, we thought we'd reflect on some of the bestest Club Nintendo gifts and trinkets from both Japan and Europe to date -- some of which could end up in the U.S.! Hit the gray button to start DS Fanboy's whirlwind Club Nintendo Tour of Wonders!
Well, Nintendo kept this quiet. Amazon has just added a listing for a limited edition Pink Ribbon DS Lite, a Polar White console sporting the pink ribbon logo that has long been associated with breast cancer awareness and research.
According to the blurb, it releases today, and Nintendo plans to donate $5 to cancer charity Susan G. Komen for the Cure for every one of these that gets snapped up, and has promised a guaranteed minimum donation of $100,000. Good on Nintendo, we say, and if you are looking for a new/second Lite, now you really have an excuse to take the plunge.
Gallery: Limited Edition Lites: A History of Sadness
Remember those Club Nintendo "Premium" DS Lites that were revealed back in June? Well, Nintendo has now sent out the limited edition systems to the 3,000 lucky winners, and Japanese blogger Hatimaki decided to torture us by smugly photographing his Premium Silver model, which just so happens to be unbelievably, blindingly shiny. But pfft, like we care! Seriously: just imagining the finger prints on that makes us feel totally okay about not owni -- gaaah, who are we kidding?
If you're feeling flush enough, a selection of these have already appeared on eBay, priced around the $500 mark. It's an investment ... probably.
Gallery: Limited Edition Lites: A History of Sadness
The Lock's Quest website has opened, providing such content as a really cool animated comic, screens, and trailers, as well as a Lock's Quest-themed Flash game that is best described as an isometric take on Defend Your Castle. Basically, you huck stuff at invading soldiers, archers, and others looking to breach your castle; you can upgrade and repair your fortress after each round. You get the option to submit your score after the game ends, and every submission enters you in a sweepstakes. A severely awesome sweepstakes.
What's at, uh, stake? Only a custom, extremely limited-edition (as in, an edition of one) gunmetal grey Lock's Quest DS Lite with translucent, illuminated buttons and a blue flame emblem on the back. And, of course, copies of the game. We'll have to see the real thing to be sure, but based on the concept alone, the Warhammer 40K Squad Command DS just got served in the publisher-made custom DS arena.
It's normally only the biggest names that get splashed across limited edition DS Lites -- the Nintendogs, Zeldas, Pokémons, Guitar Heros, and Final Fantasys of this world. Playlogic clearly feels that Red Bull BC One is ready to join that elite bunch, because it ordered in an unspecified number of Onyx Black DSes and proceeded to uglify them by slapping these forgettable transfers on each.
We don't wish to be mean-spirited, but we're struggling to see who will pick this up. In our experience, limited edition DSes are based on games with either a rabid fanbase, huge brand power, or both. As out of touch with modern culture as we are, we're fairly certain that Red Bull BC One has neither. At least the children of Playlogic CEOs know what they're getting for Christmas.
Gallery: Limited Edition Lites: A History of Sadness
Pokémon Platinum will hopefully be arriving in the States at ... some point later this year, but until then Nintendo needs to get us in the right frame of mind for parting with our monies. To this end, the company is releasing the above limited edition Onyx DS Lite with Dialga and Palkia art, along with a pile of appropriately themed freebies.
Our Pokémon-branded calendar confirms that this is launching tomorrow in the States, so who's picking it up? And has anybody else managed to pick it up early, like jammy DS Fanboy reader Tom?
The Limited Edition Pokémon Pack, containing an Onyx DS Lite with Dialga and Palkia art, a DVD, a case, and a poster, isn't supposed to be in stores until the 17th. However, according to reader Tom, at least one Fred Meyer put it out early. He found it on a shelf next to the other DS Lite systems during yesterday and grabbed it.
"I went in hoping to find out if they'ed be carrying them," he said. "I got my answer. :)" This could be an isolated incident or it could be a case of one retailer not getting proper notification of "street dates" -- or Tom could be messing with us. Tom, if you're out there, your Pokemans DS: show us it! And if you happen to live in the Pacific Northwest or Alaska, pop into your local Fred Meyer and see if you can find a new DS while you buy overpriced groceries.
Posted Aug 11th 2008 12:00PM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: News
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Nintendo sent out a press release confirming the impending American release of the Dialga/Palkia system recently spotted on GameStop signage. The Limited Edition Pokémon Pack comes out on August 17 and includes a bunch of extra things!
The package will contain not only the swank Onyx DS with the Diamond and Pearl cover Pokemans, but also a DVD of an original animated feature based on Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Darkness. To top it off (or, more accurately, to cover the top of it), there's a Dialga and Palkia DS case and a mini-poster.
How much extra do you have to pay for this package? How about none extra? The Limited Edition Pokémon Pack will retail for $130, just like every other DS Lite.
Talk about a blast from the past -- this Palkia/Dialga-branded Pokémon DS Lite appeared in Japan almost two years ago, to coincide with the release of Pearl and Diamond. But it will soon be making a comeback, and at a GameStop near you, North Americans -- Go Nintendo reader Spindash snapped this promotional display at his local store. We've no date yet, but further shots reveal a price tag of $129.99, with the final package including a matching case, a 22-minute PokémonDungeon DVD, a Grovyle poster, and a T-shirt. Noice!
Yesterday, we talked a bit about limited edition DS Lites. Sure, most of them are only available in Japan, but that doesn't keep us from drooling all over them anyway. Did you check them out? What do you think?
When looking them over, it's hard for us to choose a favorite. With so many great handhelds in one place, you can understand the difficulty we're having in choosing one. So, why don't you? What's your favorite limited edition DS Lite? Fan of the Zelda-themed handheld, or more for the simple style of the metallic blends? Which is your favorite?
Here in the U.S., we're finally seeing a few more colors, though nothing to compare with the rest of the world. That's not the only area in which the DS is lacking, either; we've missed out on some truly spectacular limited edition systems. While we get the somewhat lackluster Guitar Hero DS, Japanese DS owners are rolling around with eye-searing yellow Pikachu Lites, plain-Jane Final Fantasy Lites, the gorgeous silver Lite for It's a Wonderful World, and even a Bathing Ape DS.
If you happen to be sitting on a mountain of cash, you might have one of these, or another example of a fantastic Japan-exclusive. It's more likely, however, that you're like us when one of these babies debuts; you sit at your desk, tears slipping down your cheeks, as you press one forlorn hand against the screen. Since it's Monday, let's get all this week's wallowing and depression out of the way right now with a little journey through some of the special editions the world has seen -- from the ones you could get to the ones that were a little out of reach.
Members of Japan's Pokémon Daisuki Club will soon be able to (enter a raffle to potentially) buy a Giratina edition Nintendo DS Lite bundle, consisting of Pokémon Platinum and a swoon-worthy Lite that has been subtly branded with the Platinumcover star.
Like many limited edition DSes, supply is expected to be short, so hopeful owners will have to submit an entry form to enter the draw, where they could win the right to give Nintendo money -- ¥21,600 ($203), to be precise. The raffle ends on July 14th (and is for Japanese residents only), and 1,000 of the names drawn will be eligible for an even rarer metallic Giratina figurine. Remind us again, please: why are we still living in not-Japan?
Your DS just got less cool. Sorry! We're suffering from the effects as well. What has de-awesomogrified the world's supply of DS Lites? Club Nintendo. From July 1 to August 31, Nintendo of Japan will give away 1,000 Premium Silver, 1,000 Premium Platinum, and 1,000 Premium Rose DS Lites to Club Nintendo members who register two new games in that period, with winners determined by random selection.
We don't even have the regular silver DS Lite, and Japan gets a super shiny version for free. Wiping off fingerprints every time you look at the thing is really the only downside.
Could this mean that Nintendo won't be announcing new hardware at E3 (since they'll be giving away Lites in that period)? We think it may mean just the opposite: Nintendo is clearing out some of their existing DS Lites by throwing shiny parts on the outside and making prizes out of them.
While Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja Returns comes with a spiffy reversible boxart feature, that's not the only bonus male Atlus fans can expect this July. There will actually be another mini-poster included with the game -- a much more risqué poster, at that. Here's the catch: in order to get one with your copy of Izuna 2, you have to order it from Amazon.com (which means the promotion is only available for folks in the U.S.). Atlus tells us that there are only a "limited" number of these special edition copies available, so take that as you will.
Atlus is also holding a voting contest to see which one of two posters (shown in full after the break) will be included with the software. When we last checked, the two options were almost neck and neck, with the first one taking a slight lead.
If your lecherous curious eyes want to see the uncropped posters featuring Izuna and Shino's scantily clad figures, just click past the break.
While Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja Returns comes with a spiffy reversible boxart feature, that's not the only bonus male Atlus fans can expect this July. There will actually be another mini-poster included with the game -- a much more risqué poster, at that. Here's the catch: in order to get one with your copy of Izuna 2, you have to order it from Amazon.com (which means the promotion is only available for folks in the U.S.). Atlus tells us that there are only a "limited" number of these special edition copies available, so take that as you will.
