U.S.-based reader Sandy recently contacted us with a quandary: s/he (sorry, Sandy, we weren't sure!) is desperately attempting to track down a new copy of Billiard Action. Unfortunately, there appears to be one major obstacle: the game is only available in the UK and Europe, and Sandy is struggling to find anywhere that will send European games to the States. Ebay is one obvious answer, we suppose, but it has its downsides. Can any of our fantastically wise readers help out?

Incidentally, we feel Sandy's pain here -- it doesn't happen often, but occasionally a Europe-only release will be cruelly out of our grasp. Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland is one recent example of this, and Cooking Guide: Can't Decide What to Eat? will become another, when it launches tomorrow.

For the rest of you, where do you import your DS gear and games from? We all know about the likes of Play-Asia and NCSX, and as excellent as they are, are there any smaller sites you feel are just as worth buying from?

The DS Life is a weekly feature in which we scour the known world for narrative images of Nintendo's handhelds and handheld gamers. If you have a photo and a story to match it with, send both to thedslife at dsfanboy dot com.

We've already seen cosplay outfits for Nintendo DS figures like Dr. Kawashima, Link, and even K.K. Slider -- it was only a matter of time before a pair of kids decided to dress themselves up as Nintendogs! Chase us past the post break for the canine costumes.

See also: The DS Life: Best Friends Edition

When we saw this yesterday, we couldn't help but feel a stab of jealousy, because there are loads of people out there touching Tingle -- and we're not among them. Tomorrow, loads more will join in the fun. Are you among them? You lucky European gamers (how often do we get to say that? bask in your moment of glory!) out there, are you planning on picking up Weirdly-Titled Tingle's Odd Offering? That is the title, isn't it? As for the rest of you gaming adventurers ... anyone making the leap and importing Tingle's RPG? We must admit that the prospect is tempting ....

This is such a good week for releases that we're not sure if we'd rather be here at home or over in Europe, where DS owners can get a taste of Tingle this week! Not that we're displeased with the array of titles available anywhere, frankly. If only every week could be this week.

Except then we would be poor, and would require a very large cardboard-box-house in which to store our massive DS collection. Every rainstorm would see us huddled under a garbage bag in a futile effort to protect our babies. It's not a pretty picture.

• Drawn to Life
• Jam Sessions
• Spelling Challenges and More!
• Zoey 101: Field Trip Fiasco

Travel past the break to see what's out in the rest of the world this week.

We reported that Tingle's Rosey Rupeeland would be released in Europe on the 19th of September. Apparently, Tingle has drawn a really good map from Japan to Nintendo of Europe, because the game is actually coming out on the 13th. Kooloo-limpah!

Why are we so excited? Well, you see, many people who live in Europe speak and read English natively, much like we do. Therefore, when Japanese video game companies release a game for European audiences, they feel compelled to include English text. Roleplaying games, like this one, have a lot of text. It really works best for us when text is in a language we read.

NCSX is taking preorders for the European release now for $49.90. We'd be breaking pots and cutting grass looking for Rupees, but we remembered that American businesses actually use the dollar, which is acquired through work. Fun fact!

Ever lie about what you're playing? Say, for instance, you're playing Pokemon, which is widely regarded among the non-gaming population (and certain contingents of the gaming population) as for babies, and you, as a non-baby, are asked what's in your DS by a friend.

Do you say something distinctly un-baby-like, like Brain Age or the tough-sounding Tank Beat? Or do you stay true to yourself and happily announce that you're training your new Wurmple? Are there other situations in which you consider lying? If, for example, you are playing Brain Age and you're accosted by a gamer friend who hasn't joined the non-game revolution? Or if some bloggers survey their audience and you're playing something that you don't think is appropriately cool?

With the news -- following long-discussed rumors of a non-Japanese release -- that Freshly Picked: Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland is on its way to a European release, we figured it might be a good time to resurrect discussion of a US release. Of course, that probably hinges on whether or not NoA believes it would sell. So -- would you pick up a copy of Tingle's RPG? It's freshly picked ... how could you ever resist? Frankly, we'd be all over that like flies on things that are smelly.

Everyone's favorite fairy hanger-on (and Balloon Fight remake star) is headed to Europe. Nintendo announced that Freshly Picked: Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland will be released on September 19th. Since they're doing the localization anyway, maybe we can expect a US release for this? We want to visit Rosy Rupeeland too! It's basically a Zelda game. Why wouldn't Nintendo release this worldwide?

Check the link for the full list of upcoming Euro DS releases. We regret to inform you that most of them are not Tingle games.

Japanese gamers get all the good stuff!

Courtesy of Club Nintendo in Japan, Siliconera recently got their hands on a copy of Tingle's Balloon Fight. Little more than just a DS version of the NES classic Balloon Fight, the game stretches the action across both screens, which makes the game easier, according to Siliconera. We'd give anything to come to that realization on our own!

The game offers wireless multiplayer for up to four players and also has "Balloon Trip," a side-scrolling gametype that charges players with dodging enemies on-screen and gathering loose rupees. The action stays constant, as the game keeps forcing Tingle to move with the action.

Since last month, we've been waiting for any hint or crumb that the Tingle RPG would be released in the US, and now it seems that we're a few steps closer to an official announcement. Apparently the latest EGM has Tingle listed for a release stateside later this year. However you feel about the tubby fairy, we can probably all agree the game's reception in the US will be interesting.

At least we have one instance where Europeans aren't getting the shaft, having to wait long periods of time for games already released in the US. It would seem that Tingle's upcoming RPG romp is going to be released in Europe sometime in 2007, according to a report from Cubed³. Personally, even not living in Europe ourselves, we're hoping this turns out to be true as it would mean the chances of a US release are greater.

See also:

• Tingle RPG gets "gay"
• Tingle's weird Wired ride
• Tingle in a new trailer

The DS Lite! (deafening applause)

Oh, I couldn't possibly ... take the stage, me? No, no, no ... please ... well, if you insist ....

What can I say to you lovely people that I haven't already said before? But you know, being up on this stage for the thirty-seventh time is really something significant; I mean, I'll remember this one for sure. We here at Nintendo have always pushed the boundaries, daring to do what no one else in the industry would ... we supported the first elvish video game character, you know, and we even backed the gay population with everyone's favorite character, Tingle.

(scattered chuckling)

And of course, I'd like to thank ... what the hell? PSP, get off the stage!

You can't tell me what do to ... I mean ... to dooooo ....

Are you drunk? Heavens, man.

I deserve the award, me! I have the leet warez, and an arrowww ... a green one, you know? Yours is red, they hate you, they hate you ....

Security? Can I get a little help here?

Long live the PSPPPPPPPPP!

Hey! Put some pants on, man!

- DS Lite: 104,487 19,650 (15.83%)
- PS2: 24,727 3,537 (12.51%)
- PSP: 21,603 553 (2.63%)
- GBA SP: 2,299767 (50.07%)
- Xbox 360: 1,743 358 (17.04%)
- Game Boy Micro: 1,714 441 (34.64%)
- Gamecube: 653 165 (33.81%)
- DS Phat: 273 13 (5.00%)
- GBA: 37 25 (208.33%)
- Xbox: 3 5 (62.5%)

[Source: Media Create]

[A special thanks to Zoolander for the inspiration.]

Don't worry, we wouldn't want you to get fired from work, where we're sure you sit at your comfy desk clicking on the refresh button to get all the latest bits of news as they're posted. It's OK, we used to do the same thing before we became indentured servants worked here. And while we can say that Tingle himself performs no gay acts in the embedded video, we cannot say as much for the NPCs he surrounds himself with. Don't worry though, it's definitely safe to view while at work.

Let's face it, Tingle isn't exactly a normal guy. So when he gets his very own game, it's only fitting that someone step up with a review to match the man-fairy. Wired's Chris Kohler took up the challenge with his recent impressions of Tingle's Freshly-Picked Rose-Colored Rupee Land -- or is it Freshly-Pickled -- whatever, that Tingle RPG.

The thrust of which is that you, as brightly-colored Tingle, need to collect a veritable peck of rupees in order to climb that stairway to Rupee Land, a heaven filled with good food, good times, and good women.

Yeah, Tingle. With the women.

But all questions of beards aside (though Tingle's is mighty fine), Kohler offers a nice breakdown of the game and a lot of jokes at our sassily dressed hero's expense. But beware of spoilers, as he's pretty blunt about how things go in the first dungeon.

Mogitate Tingle no Barairo Rupee Land is now out in Japan. We wonder if importing it would make the game any more or less strange.

In the latest snippet of footage for Tingle's upcoming DS game, it's evident just how obsessed with rupees the little guy is. The trailer shows Tingle gallivanting around various environments, chatting it up with some of the game's NPCs, and almost having a seizure when given a large stack of rupees.