Click the pictures above for their respective product pages and more pictures.

These chocolate-themed Nintendo DS cases came out this week, and it makes me want a Nintendo DS. Like a lot. But I can’t justify spending money on a gaming apparatus and accessories when I have no time to devote to playing said gaming apparatus. But were I to have disposal income and time, I would totes pick up one of these cases.

The cases come in “chocolate flavors”–Raspberry, Milk, and Bitter–and from what I could tell on the site, the material seems to made out of a puffy plastic to help protect your precious games. I think the designs are pretty elegant, maybe even adds some class to the sweaty palms of gamers out there (kidding!) My favorite is Raspberry, because the color just looks appetizing. I would probably get the Raspberry DS case with the Milk card case. Also, Bitter would be an ugly color if I didn’t associate it with chocolate. Is anybody else craving chocolate?

You can buy these delicious cases at Play Asia for about $20 for the DS cases, and $13 for card cases.

- If Only My 5th Grade Teacher Was This Cool
- Font Conference
- Fashion: Manga T-Shirts at Uniqlo for Men
- Disney to Work with Japanese Animation Companies Madhouse, Jinni's Animation
- Fashion: tokidoki for Hello Kitty

What better way to introduce a new blog than to link to an article that I find might be useful for readers of this?  I am currently working on a new video game oriented blog, headed by none other than my favorite guy, R.  He starts off with a pretty informative post on how to approach buying video games.  I especially like his thoughts on buying what he calls “small name games,” basically the gaming world’s equivalent to an indie film:

Generally released in low numbers, and the bigger guys sometimes don’t even bother until a week or so after the game has been officially released. Also, many of these kind of games come with an incentive to reserve, like an OST, art book, or stuffed animal. In some cases, a limited edition is released as well, which usually goes fast since for an extra $10, you can get a lot more.

The site is going pretty steady despite having just been started.  Feel free to check out the rest of the blog, entitled Kotowari, for more gaming news.

- Design: Chocolate Themed Nintendo DS Cases
- Technology: Electronic Dictionary
- Design: Wii Fit

Even though I have spent a great deal of my life bopping back and forth between America and Japan, I had never gone past paperback dictionaries to help me in tough conversations. Little did I know that electronic dictionaries existed! Until I discovered their existence at the beginning of fall semester, I was looking things up like a sucker. With an electronic dictionary, I just type the words in and get the definitions by magic.

Unfortunately it is hard to obtain one of these in the states–I heard they only sell them in Asian markets/towns, so they are hard to come by. But for anybody who is in the market, one equaling to about $200~$250 will get you a really decent model, that will most likely include a touch pad plus speaking capability. (Mine is a Casio ExWord brand.) They also come with little ear buds and a cable so that you can download dictionaries from online. For those learning another language, I highly suggest checking into see if there is an electronic dictionary for your language.

(For those who are interested in Japanese but don’t want to shell out that much money, consider purchasing a game for your DS that will help you learn kanji. It is not as comprehensive but it will help your writing and recognition abilities, and there are a ton of games out there for it.)

- Design: Chocolate Themed Nintendo DS Cases
- Design: Design and the Elastic Mind
- Shout Out: How to Buy Video Games
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- Design: Wii Fit

It’s hard not to get too into it…

Watch out for the pandas!

Above are two commercial ads I’ve seen for the newest addition to the Wii family, the Wii Fit scale. It registers your balance and movement and encourages you to become more active in your gaming. I think it is a really clever design, and I love that Nintendo has been really pushing the innovation when it comes to making new products for the Wii. The games are simple and cute, and obviously fun to watch. I wonder if there will be a multi-player version?

- If Only My 5th Grade Teacher Was This Cool
- Font Conference
- Design: Chocolate Themed Nintendo DS Cases
- Fashion: Manga T-Shirts at Uniqlo for Men
- Disney to Work with Japanese Animation Companies Madhouse, Jinni's Animation

Game: Pokemon Diamond
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: Apr. 22, 2007
Genre: RPG
Rating: 4/5

This article was written by my boyfriend, an avid Pokemon fan.
Read the rest of this entry »

- Design: Chocolate Themed Nintendo DS Cases
- Shout Out: How to Buy Video Games
- Reviews: Books: Gold Rush by Miri Yu
- Technology: Electronic Dictionary
- Design: Wii Fit