Nintendo DS : turning blue in the face of competition

All these cool gadgets are a big strain on the pocket. Not just in terms of cost -- the back pockets of your Levi 501s are going to be stuffed to the brim come Christmas. There's the PSP, the V3, the Ixus 40, and of course the Nintendo's DS, which we break out frequently for manic fruit-chopping sessions in the wonderful Wario Ware.

Why, you say, are we still cluttering our pockets with the Nintendo DS now that the PSP has stolen our hearts? It's true that it's boring silver finish tries to be cool but the plasticky construction makes it feel like something from the Early Learning Centre. However, it's being overhauled in the States as a part of Nintendo's 'Lord help us, the PSP is out' strategy. With a tip of the hat to Apple's 'multicoloured' iPod strategy, the much cooler ‘Electric Blue’ DS launches in June, and is bound to attract both videogame collectors and keen eBay entrepreneurs alike.

It also has great games. 'Nintendogs', the company's latest concept game from Japan, plays like an updated hybrid of old PC desktop favourite ‘Dogz’ and a Tamagotchi. You have to look after your canine chum by petting it via the screen, breaking up the routine by teaching it new tricks through voice commands over the microphone. When we receive our copy, we'll be sending our roving Crave reporter onto a busy London bus, just to let you know how long you can shout ‘Down Boy’ in public before being arrested.

With new editions of the DS now out in both the US and Asia, expect them to be on the UK agenda soon. Import yours now, before Nintendo messes everything up by releasing a gold version, and keep lugging that gear. -GC

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