I was Recently looking into buying some DS Systems/Games from Japan but have a few questions before I invest.
First off is the Enamel Blue DS Lite which is absolutely gorgeous, and it will replace my fugly Polar White DS Lite (I hate White Consoles). I am kind of skeptical though about buying this due to compatibility. Obviosly the charger won't be any good without some kind of step-down convertor which I don't want to shell out the money for. I can use the American DS charger though right, or will I have to use a convertor of some sort?
Secondly will a Japanese DS connect to a American Wii? I know I don't want to miss out on the DS Dowloads via Nintendo Channel or DS compatible games so if this is the case I might not get one.
Then there is the issue with language barriers. I hate most RPG's and know there text heavy so I don't plan to buy any but I do have concern for the game I do plan to get. Which are...
Jump Ultimate Stars
Daigasso! Band Brothers DX
Ouendan
Rhythm Tengoku Gold
and few others that don't come to mind.
If these are very text heavy please warn me before I dish out $50 for a game I can't play.
Lastly is compatibility with GBA games. I know the DS has no region protection but I'm unsure of the GBA. I would like to play my American GBA games along with imports like Rhythm Tengoku.
Thanks in advance.
~Kevman
A friend of mine has a Japanese DS charger (I think it's Japanese, it says 100V AC input) and he uses it with a common 220 to 110V stepdown transformer, so if you live in the US you should have no problems at all.
I thought that Japan DS games worked on American DS. :|
I do not know, though.
Quote from: nurd on July 21, 2008, 07:48:31 pm
I thought that Japan DS games worked on American DS. :|
I do not know, though.
They do, but the Enamel Blue DS is Japan Only.
Oh.
Before doing anything like that, can you buy JUST an enamel blue shell?
Quote from: nurd on July 21, 2008, 08:40:17 pm
Oh.
Before doing anything like that, can you buy JUST an enamel blue shell?
You don't realize how much I hate white consoles.
I for one love white consoles. :D Tastes are different I guess.
I'm not 100% sure, but you should be able to use an American charger without any problems. I used a third party charger from Germany on my Japanese DS and had no problems.
You could watch some youtube videos for the games you want. Maybe you can find out how much text they have that way.
The enamel blue DS is one BEAUTIFUL piece of hardware. My wife plans t buy one, too this week.
@Kevman: If you buy new Japanese stuff and can't use the Club Nintendo codes, I would be happy to receive them.
BTW, does anybody want a 5$ (valid for purchase over 50$) play-asia coupon? If so, pm me.
KEVMAN569, do you live in the US? If so, there is already a colbalt blue DS released in America (not enamel but still blue). If you got that, you would still be able to play Japanese DS games because the DS is region free. The same goes for GBA games by the way.
As for the dialogue in those games, I only have played Jump Ultimate Stars. I can tell you that JUS is not text heavy, considering it plays out like an anime version of Super Smash Bros. Although there is some japanese script displayed on menus and the bottom screen when fighting.
Lots of questions deserve lots of answers!
Q: Can I use the American DS charger though a Japanese DS Lite, or will I have to use a converter of some sort?
A: The difference between 100v and 120v is nagilable. You'll get a Japanese DS charger when you buy your DS, so you might as well use that. It'll work fine with american outlits.
Q: Will a Japanese DS connect to a American Wii?
A: Yes. The DS firmware is identical worldwide, which is also what makes it region-free.
Q: Are there anguage barriers in the following games?
A:
Jump Ultimate Stars - Somewhat, there are various menus and as much as some people go on about this, I never really got into it at all. I can understand and read some Japanese but the barrier was too highh to keep my interist personally.
Daigasso! Band Brothers DX - Yes, avoid unless you want to use a guide.
Ouendan - Not really. If you've played EBA then there's really nothing different here except for better songs and an overall better game. I also highly recommend Ouendan 2.
Rhythm Tengoku Gold - Not really, but this game is so Japanesey its hard to get into.
and few others that don't come to mind. If you want to list them, I can probably let you know.
Q: Are Japanese DS lites compatible with American GBA games?
A: Like the DS, GBA systems are region free. This means that a Japanese Gameboy Advance, Gameboy Micro, Gameboy Player, DS or DSL all play every GBA game made no matter where its region says it is.
So, in conclusion, a Japanese DS Lite = an American DS Lite. There is no difference.
Note: I have a copy of Daigasso Band Brothers as well as a few other DS games for sale if your interested.
Ahh I thought Daigasso! Band Brothers DX was more like Parappa the Rapper but I see it requires singing.
Obviously there will be no language barrier with Ouendan. Please let me know how Rhythm Tengoku Gold is! I bought an import of the first Rhythm Heaven for GBA and totally loved it.
Also, I wouldn't worry at all about GBA compatibility across regions. It's all compatible.