We interrupt this program to inform you that Tomodachi Collection: New Life is almost assuredly heading West

Astute readers will recall that Nintendo bigwig Satoru Iwata recently revealed--during an out-of-the-blue interview with the Wall Street Journal--that the Japanese giant was busy prepping an overseas release for Tomodachi Collection: New Life.

Sadly, neither Iwata nor anyone else related to Nintendo has followed up that stealth announcement with an actual announcement, so all of us Westerners who desperately want to experience some Tomodachi Collection action in our native languages have been left to wonder if Nintendo's head honcho was just pulling our legs during that late-January tête-à-tête.

Based on a bit of information that came to light yesterday, it appears he wasn't being a troll.

What information, you ask? Oh, just a slew of reports from folks in Europe who've received an online survey from Nintendo of Europe that said Tomodachi Collection: New Life is being localized for that region and asked for some input on the title.

Embedded within said survey were a slew of screenshots--one of which can be seen to the right (click on the survey link above or the Tiny Cartridge one below to see more)--and even a video of a (presumably early) English build of the game.

Although I'd like to say that all of this means an honest-to-goodness announcement regarding Tomodachi Collection's Australian, European and North American releases is just around the corner, I have a sinking feeling we're going to have to wait until E3 2014 for that to happen.

(Via tinycartridge.com)

'Don't get yr hopes up'

I know I tend to present myself as a rather peppy and positive person on line, but believe me when I tell you I have a cynical side. (Just ask my husband if you want confirmation.)

I share that to explain both why I like the painting below--the title of which serves as this post's header, by the way--as well as why I've liked pretty much every piece of art New Zealand-based deviantart user melonjaywalk has produced.



It also should help explain why I got such a kick out of a note melonjaywalk published along with the painting, which was inspired by a scene in Sonic the Hedgehog 3: "Was originally just a landscape before I decided that I just needed to ruin it somehow. So, text."

To see more of melonjaywalk's stuff, go to melonjaywalk.deviantart.com or melonjaywalk.tumblr.com.

I've never been much of a Sonic fan, but ...

... that isn't keeping me from coveting the custom-painted Dreamcast controller seen in the photo below.

Of course, I'm a fan of pretty much everything artist OSKUNK creates, so what else is new, right?



I wonder if he also made a Dreamcast system that continues the theme? If so, he isn't yet willing to show it off.

In the meantime, let's ogle OSKUNK's controller (I mean that literally, not figuratively)--and afterward maybe go play a Dreamcast game or two.

Photographic proof that my love of the DS has been rekindled, too

I know I've been going on and on and on about the GameBoy as of late, but the ol' brick, as I like to call it, isn't the only system currently pinging my gaming radar. Obviously there's the 3DS, as evidenced by the last few "Shall We Do It?" posts I've published, but there's also the DS.

How else can you explain all of the DS games I've picked up in the last three months, a number of which can be seen in the photos below?



The games included in the photo above, by the way, are (clockwise from the upper-left) Dun-Dam: Dungeons & Dam, Awatama (aka Soul Bubbles), 7th Dragon, Zombie Daisuki, Tomodachi Collection and Tetris DS.

Now, before any of you jump to the conclusion that I'm completely bonkers, most of these DS games were picked up on the cheap. I nabbed Tomodachi Collection, for example, for all of three bucks.



The copy of Noora and the Time Studio (aka Nora to Toki no Kōbō: Kiri no Mori no Majo) seen above and below was a steal, too, at just $12.

Sadly, I haven't played any of these games yet due to the fact that Bravely Default has me by the short and curlies at the moment. I'll start playing at least a couple of them once the above-mentioned RPG releases me from its grasp, though, I swear. But which should I play first?

See also: photos of other recent pick-ups