Welcome to WonderSwan World: Special Glamour Shots® Edition

Three WonderSwan-focused posts in a row? Seriously?

Yes, seriously.

I guess you could say I have Bandai's Japan-only GameBoy competitor on the brain right now. Don't worry, I'll write about something else in the next few days. (In fact, a couple of half-finished, 3DS-centric posts are staring at me, begging to be wrapped up, as I type this one.)

In the meantime, I hope you'll enjoy ogling the following photos I recently snapped of my WonderSwan Color system and a selection of the WonderSwan games I brought on the road with me this year.



I took these photos in a Palm Springs (California) hotel room, by the way. Its decor didn't exactly lend itself well to such snapshots, so I improvised a light box by going to a nearby Walmart (don't judge), buying a large piece of white poster board and then laying it on a table near our room's main windows.

Granted, that isn't a whole lot different from what I did to nab game and console photos back when I lived in Seattle. There, I placed items on a white, well-lit IKEA table that also effectively replicated a light box.

Anyway, enough about that. I promised WonderSwan Glamour Shots®, so let's focus on them from here on out, shall we?

The first two showcased here are of my translucent black WonderSwan Color system. It's a real beauty, isn't it? Honestly, I'm head-over-heels in love with this handheld's design. Strangely, I think I like the look of the original WonderSwan best (it's a tad sleeker and smidge more minimalist than its two successors), but the Color is pretty sweet, too.

If you'd like to see a few photos of the WonderSwan Color's box, by the way, you can do so by checking out my first "Welcome to WonderSwan World" post or this Flickr photo album. (The latter includes shots of a number of WonderSwan game boxes, cartridges and manuals, too, in case that sort of thing interests you.)

A few more thoughts on the Nintendo Switch now that I've had a couple of days to think about it

If you read my most recent post, you know I was pretty excited by the unveiling of Nintendo's next games console, Switch. I wouldn't say the reveal blew me away, but it definitely interested and intrigued me.

Although I'm still interested and intrigued a few days later, I'm also a bit ... confused? I'm not sure that's the right word, but whatever. Basically, a number of questions have been bouncing around in my brain since Nintendo introduced Switch. Here they are, in case you're curious.

Is Switch really supposed to replace both the Wii U and the 3DS?--That Switch is supposed to replace the DOA Wii U is a given. Hell, Nintendo even chose to promote Switch using bulked-up ports of some of its best Wii U games, like Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon. I'm not entirely sure Switch is supposed to replace the 3DS, though. I assumed that would be the case before the system's reveal on Wednesday morning, but now I've got my doubts. That's mainly because Switch doesn't look like a $200 or even a $250 system at the moment--and, in my opinion, that's the price point Switch is going to need if it's going to take over where the 3DS and even the company's DS and GameBoy lines left off.



Maybe the Switch Nintendo unveiled this week is just the first in a planned line of systems?--What I mean here is, what if what Nintendo showed off in Wednesday's three-minute promo video is the "pro" version of Switch? And what if Nintendo later (six months down the road, maybe a year) releases a "standard" or "lite" version of the system that dumps the dock? In other words, what if Nintendo offers up a package that consists of just the tablet and two Joy-Cons? I'm guessing that would allow the company to sell Switch for a lot less than it's going to sell the docked version it introduced us to a couple of days ago. It also would allow the company to attract more of the mainstream (or maybe I should say family-friendly) audience that has supported its other portable systems over the years. And who knows? Nintendo may also produce a "plus" version down the line that beefs up the abilities of the standard Switch and costs $50 or $100 more.



If Switch isn't supposed to replace the 3DS, why is Nintendo replacing the Wii U first?--There's no question the Wii U bombed--right out of the gate, in fact. If Nintendo intends to stay in the home console space, it needs to be replaced. Most people (including me) would argue, though, that replacing the rapidly aging (and dying) 3DS line is far more important at this time. Nintendo and a few third-party game developers and publishers may continue to support the 3DS with software into 2018, but that isn't going to keep the handheld's sales from falling off a cliff at the end of this year or sometime early in 2017. Given that, why would Nintendo decide to replace the Wii U first? This makes me think either Switch will be cheaper than I'm imagining ($250 or less), or Nintendo is prepping a stripped-down Switch--à la the comment above--that the company hopes will be more appealing to the 3DS audience.



Will Nintendo finally offer up a real account system with Switch?--It's going to be really interesting to see what happens if Switch hits store shelves and doesn't include a modern account system that ties digital game purchases to the buyer rather than a specific piece of hardware. In such a situation, I'd actually expect a sizable portion of the Nintendo faithful to pass on the system. A lot of people are tired of being asked to buy the same games many times over--whether we're talking about retro Virtual Console titles or digital versions of current-gen or last-gen releases. I'm one of them, unsurprisingly. Does that mean I'll pass on Switch if it treats eShop purchases like the 3DS, Wii and Wii U did? I'm not sure. What I can tell you right now, though, is that if such a scenario were to come true, there's no way in hell I'd re-buy any game I already bought via my Wii or 3DS. I'd also continue to do what I've done for some time now, which is buy physical or retail games (rather than digital ones) whenever possible.



How is Nintendo going to handle backward compatibility this time around (if at all)?--Of all the console-makers, Nintendo is at the top of the heap when it comes to consistently producing backward-compatible systems. One of the few times the company didn't produce such a system was when it transitioned from the cartridge-based Nintendo 64 to the disc-based GameCube. With Switch, Nintendo's going the other direction--from a disc-based console (Wii U) to a cart-based one. Given that, it'll be hard to fault the company if Switch doesn't magically allow owners of physical Wii or Wii U discs to play those games on their shiny new systems. But what if it doesn't allow them to play previously purchased digital Wii or Wii U games? That could be as problematic as the possible lack of a real account system, if you ask me. Here's hoping Nintendo comes up with a solution that makes everyone happy.

Do you have any thoughts on the questions above? Share them in the comments section below.

Four reasons I'm planning to nab one of those adorable Nintendo Classic Mini: NES consoles once November rolls around

If you were like most folks in the Western world yesterday, you spent at least a few of its 24 hours staring at your phone while playing Pokémon GO. As a result, you may have missed seeing or hearing a piece of news that pertains to another curious Nintendo product. The product in question: the "Nintendo Classic Mini" NES.

This smaller, sleeker take on the Japanese company's first real games console was revealed early Wednesday and will be released in both Europe and North America on Nov. 11. I'm planning to nab one as soon as possible, and for the following reasons:

It's cute--I mean, come on. It's a tiny NES! What's not to like about that? OK, so I actually understand why some may not like it. After all, I've never been a huge fan of the system's design myself. For some reason, though, seeing it shrunk down as it is here brings a huge, stupid grin to my face.

That said, if Nintendo announces mini Famicom in the coming weeks or months, I may well buy it rather than this similarly petite NES. Or, who knows, maybe I'll pick up both of them.



It's cheap--I've encountered more than a few people on line who think this product's $59.99 price tag is a bit egregious. I think that's ridiculous. Packed inside each beautifully branded box is an adorable miniature NES, a controller that looks like a dead ringer for the original, an HDMI cable, an AC adapter and 30 pre-installed games.

Considering The Legend of Zelda, all three of Nintendo's 8-bit Super Mario Bros. titles, Kirby's Adventure and Kid Icarus are among those pre-installed games, that last bullet point's an especially big deal, if you ask me. Also, think about how much you'd have to plonk down to buy those games via the 3DS, Wii or Wii U Virtual Console. About $4 or $5 a pop, right? To own all of them, you'd have to shell out $120 to $150. With the "Nintendo Classic Mini," you have to hand over just $60 or so.



The included games--It's hard to find fault with the list of 30 titles that Nintendo's going to cram inside each of its tiny NES systems. Sure, I could come up with about 30--or even 60--others at the drop of a hat, but as far as "classics" go, I think the company has done a pretty solid job with this aimed-at-the-masses product.

I was especially happy to see so many third-party efforts appear on the list of included games. Hell, it could be argued titles like Bubble Bobble, Castlevania I and II, Final Fantasy and Ninja Gaiden alone are worth the price of admission.

Could they have given us the original Contra, Double Dragon and Mega Man releases rather than, or along with, their sequels? Of course. Also, I would've full-on swooned if, say, the palm-sized console came with Adventures of Lolo, the first Dragon Quest (Warrior), Duck Tales or Kickle Cubicle installed. I understand why that's not the case, though. And like I said earlier, even without those unquestionably stellar games, this plug-and-play product has my full attention and support.



The possibilities--As far as I'm aware, owners of these reduced-fat NESes can't take them on line, nor can they add external storage to them. Both of those aspects likely will make them harder to hack. (Says the guy who knows very little about such things.) Still, I get the feeling someone, somewhere, will find a way to make these things more practical. And by that I mean they'll make it so folks like me can fill out its games library a bit.

Don't worry, I won't whine if that fails to happen. I won't even whine if I drop nearly $60 on one of these suckers and it stops working at some point. I'll still have a lovely, NES-shaped paperweight, after all--and who wouldn't want one of those?

I'm not alone in wanting Nintendo Classic Mini: NES, right? Surely some of you also are chomping at the bit to pre-order one?

Happy (ever-so-slightly belated) 25th anniversary, Super Famicom!

Twenty-five years ago, Nintendo made its second cartridge-based games console, the Super Famicom, available to the Japanese masses.

I breathlessly followed its development in the pages of magazines like Electronic Gaming Monthly, Nintendo Power and Video Games and Computer Entertainment. (Note: I remember reading this article--over and over again--like it was yesterday.) I was especially obsessed with coverage of Super Mario World, of course, although I was nearly as keen on "launch window" titles Pilotwings and F-Zero.

Despite my overwhelming interest in the Super Famicom and its initial releases, though, I didn't buy one on or around its Nov. 21 debut. Granted, I was just about to turn 14 at the time, and buying Japanese consoles (or even games) wasn't really an option--especially since doing so likely would have cost me somewhere in the vicinity of $400.

Instead, I had to wait until shortly after the Super Famicom's North American counterpart, the SNES, launched in my own neck of the woods a year later before I was able to experience Nintendo's brand of 16-bit gaming for myself. 

A couple of years later, I finally got to play my first Super Famicom (as opposed to SNES) game when I imported a used copy of Final Fantasy V--which I still have today, mind you--via one of those companies that advertised in the back of DieHard GameFan and the aforementioned EGM.

Actually, I may have picked up Parodius Da! first, but who really cares this many years later, right?

Strangely--given my current love of imported games--those two Japanese titles, along with Final Fantasy VI, may have been the only ones I ever bought to play on my trusty SNES. (Don't worry, I've bought a few more Super Famicom in the last couple of years, although only a few--so far.) 

Also, I've never owned an actual Super Famicom system. Which is a crying shame, as I've always considered its design to be among the most attractive and appealing of the consoles that have seen the light of day since the early 1980s.

What else did I--and do I--love about the Super Famicom? I've always loved its graphics capabilities, which for me represent the peak of two-dimensional, sprite-based game visuals. I've also always loved its audio components, which allowed the best musicians and composers of the day to produce some absolutely stellar soundtracks. 

And then, of course, there was the system's controller, with its four face and two shoulder buttons, which I've long considered to be as eye-catching as it is comfortable.

How about you? Do you have any particularly fond memories of this superb entry in the fourth generation of game systems? If so, feel free to share them in the comments section below. 

Nice Package! ('Noble Pink' Nintendo DS Lite)

Considering all of the love I've shown for the Nintendo DS over the years (especially this past year, as I've devoted an entire series of posts to it), you might think that I'd have a whole slew of systems that are dedicated to playing its wonderfully diverse catalog of games.

In fact, I've only ever owned or played a single DS system--that being the white DS Lite I semi-begrudgingly bought (I wasn't all that keen on Nintendo's first dual-screened handheld until I finally experienced it for myself) sometime in 2007 so I could play Animal Crossing: Wild World while traveling for work.

Although I've barely put any time into Wild World in the ensuing years, I’ve spent hours upon hours with the aforementioned DS Lite--which continues to chug along like I only pulled it from its box yesterday, I'm proud to say.



Still, as much as I love its sleek design and its diminutive size, I recently came to the conclusion that I’d love it even more if it were a bit more colorful. Specifically, I'd love it even more if it were a pretty shade of pink. Which initially struck me as kind of funny, as my mom has had a pink DS Lite for ages, and I never much cared for the particular hue that Nintendo chose for its casing.

For some odd reason, though, I recently had a change of heart that prompted me to see the "coral pink" DS Lite ("noble pink" in Japan) in a far more appealing light.

So, when I came across an eBay auction for a (mostly) complete-in-box "noble pink" DS Lite a month or so ago, I naturally couldn't keep myself from bidding on it.

Anyway, imagine my surprise when I was able to win the auction in question with a bargain-basement bid (in my humble opinion) of $25.



As I alluded to earlier, the Japanese DS Lite I acquired as a result of this online shopping extravaganza can’t really be described as “complete in box.” Oh, a box was included, as you should be able to see in the photos shared throughout this post, and a pretty-in-noble-pink DS Lite system was included, too, but that’s about it. In other words, it didn’t come with an instruction manual or any of the pamphlets and fliers that Nintendo usually stuffed inside this product's packaging.

Of course, who in 2015 really needs an instruction manual for a DS Lite, especially one that’s totally, or at least mostly, in Japanese? Not me.

Even if I were the kind of guy who refused to buy anything but undeniably complete-in-box gaming products, though, I’d have shoved aside those irrational feelings in favor of picking up the lovely DS Lite shown in the snapshot above, as the hardware, in particular, is in pristine condition.



If I were to guess, I'd say the system's never been used. At the very least, its previous owner either has the softest skin ever or wore gloves while playing it, as the outer shell is free of the usual smudges and scuff marks. Also, he or she must've obsessively ignored the lower touch screen, as it has absolutely no scratches on it.

Is this beauty going to be my new go-to system for DS games? Sadly, probably not, but don't take that to mean it's going to sit in a cabinet, forever unused. I'll definitely pull it out and put it through its paces now and then, but for the most part I'll turn to my trusty OG 3DS when I want to play DS carts, as I love the more modern hardware's ability to track playtime.

Are any of you aficionados of the DS Lite's packaging--or, more likely, of the DS Lite itself? If so, let me (and others) know why in the comments section below.

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears ... as well as your Vita game recommendations

If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you've already heard this thrilling piece of news: I recently bought a Vita!

Actually, I bought it quite some time ago, but it took its sweet time getting to me. Plus, after it finally arrived in my neighborhood, it had to sit at the local "carrier annex" for a full week before I was able to come rescue it. (Which is what happens, I guess, when you go from being a full-time freelancer to having a full-time office job and thus no longer have the luxury of pretty much always being home when such packages arrive.)



Sadly, I haven't been able to do much more than charge its battery, start it up, set it up, download a couple of PSP games from my PSN account (Patchwork Heroes being one of them) and connect with a few pals between last weekend and today.

I'm planning to spend a lot more time with it late next week and the following weekend, though--right after I wrap up the class I mentioned in yesterday's post about my Solitiba and Katamari Damacy doodles, basically. 

As for what I'll be playing once I finally give my Vita the attention it deserves: well, I'll probably begin with Danganronpa, although it's possible I'll also download and play a bit of Magical Beat, Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines or Pix the Cat.

Given that my gaming wish list is sorely lacking in Vita titles at the moment (it includes the ones I just mentioned, of course, as well as a handful of others), I thought I'd ask all of you who also have Sony's PSP follow-up to share with me any recommendations you may have for a Vita noob like myself. 

Should any must-play Vita games come to mind in the next few hours, days or even weeks, please share their names in the comments section of this post.

You know you're an odd gamer when it's 2014 and you're seriously considering buying a metallic rose DSi XL rather than something more current

I know I suggested at the tail end of 2013 that I wouldn't be buying any new systems this year, but I'm seriously considering tossing that pseudo-promise into the trash so I can pick up a metallic rose DSi XL.

Granted, the DSi XL isn't really a "new" system like the PS4, Vita and Wii U are, and those are the kinds of systems I was referring to when I made the aforementioned end-of-the-year proclamation, but if I were to be completely honest I'd admit my original plan was to avoid buying any new systems, period, in 2014, so I feel kind of like a putz for even considering picking up a DSi XL sometime within the next 12 months.

All that said, I really want one. Especially one of the metallic rose variety. 

Why? Well, I've always wanted one, for starters. And then there's the fact that I've always preferred playing games on original hardware. (As in, I'd rather play GBA games on an actual GameBoy Advance system than on a DS, just like I'd rather play DS games on an actual DS than on a 3DS.)

The question is: should I just get over myself and play all of the DS games I recently picked up (and I picked up a bunch--look for posts devoted to them in the coming weeks and months) on one of my 3DSes? Or should I blow $150 just so I can avoid obsessing about the "black bars" and such?  

A few photos of (and thoughts on) my gold Pokémon Center 3DS LL

How did I spend my weekend? Well, besides doing a bit of catch-up work and playing some ping pong with my husband, I spent it setting up my shiny (literally) new 3DS LL.

OK, so I did more than just set it up. I also downloaded a few demos as well as an actual game or two. Oh, and I played a good number of minutes of the game that was included with this sparkly handheld, Pokémon X.

I'll share my initial thoughts on Pokémon X in a couple of days. In this post, though, I want to focus on the hardware and its packaging--both of which can be seen in the following photo.

I have to say, I'm pretty fond of the front of this system's packaging. OK, so it could be more dramatic--you know, covered in gold leaf or something--but it's still very much a looker in its current form (in my opinion, of course).

As for its backside: well, it's, uh, informative? Utilitarian is another word I'd use to describe it. Regardless, it's probably safe to say I'm not going to while away the hours staring at this portion of the handheld's box.

One thing that disappoints me about the Pokémon Center 3DS LL's packaging is that it displays little of the charm that's plastered all over the system itself. For example, why don't the end flaps, one of which can be seen below, feature a few playful silhouettes of frolicking Pokémon?



Thankfully, there are plenty of silhouettes of frolicking Pokémon on the actual hardware--which is far more vibrant (and shiny) than it appears in the following snapshot.



The back of the hardware is nice, too, although it doesn't quite match the splendor of its counterpart around the corner (thanks in large part to the annoying block of text that likely has to be featured on all such devices).



Finally, here's a shot of its interior. Yep, it's black. In fact, this part of the system looks just like every other 3DS LL or XL you've ever laid eyes on--there are no gold accents or trim or even silhouettes of frolicking Pokémon to be found. Damn it.

Actually, I'm completely OK with that, as such accents likely would be a distraction in the end--and, really, who needs that when you've got awesome games like Pokémon X, Sayonara Umihara Kawase and Taiko no Tatsujin: Chibi Dragon to Fushigina Orb to play?

See also: 'Reason #407 I could be considered an 'eccentric' (aka bat-sh*t crazy) gamer: I recently bought a gold Pokémon Center 3DS LL'

All of a sudden, I want one of these suckers

With the "sucker" in question being the golden Pokémon Center-exclusive 3DS LL system that'll see release in Japan later this year. (On Oct. 12, to be exact.)



I don't currently have the dough to buy one, of course, but when has that ever stopped me from pining over a gaming delicacy such as this?

I'm bringing all of this up, by the way, because Internet retailer NCSX started taking pre-orders for these beauties a few days ago.

How much will you have to drop to get your hands on one? Oh, only $399.90--give or take a few pennies.



I know the following thought is a pipe dream, but here's hoping the powers that be at Nintendo find it in their hearts to bring these suckers to other regions at some point.

PlayStation and Nintendo 64 (as well as a pair of Hello Kitty Dreamcast) designs for your Animal Crossing: New Leaf palace

They're baaaaaaaack!

Yep, I made some more Animal Crossing: New Leaf designs over the last few days, three of which make pretty awesome "cushion consoles," if I do say so myself.

Sadly, the other one looks a bit wonky as a cushion, but it looks rather nice as a poster if you're into that sort of thing.

"The other one," by the way, is this Nintendo 64 design:



I should've known it would be tough to translate those circular "feet" that sit at the base of the system to such a design, but unfortunately I didn't realize it until Cyrus had finished applying it to a cushion.

Thankfully, the other designs I conjured up fare much better in the transition from "canvas" to cushion. First up, my PlayStation design:



I actually attempted a PSone design as well, but it didn't look anywhere as nice as the one above, so I ditched it.

Should any of you want to see how it looks after being applied to a cushion (by Re-Tail's Cyrus), here you go:



Shortly after, I decided to alter my previously completed Dreamcast design to make it look like one of the Japan-only (of course), Hello Kitty-branded Dreamcasts I've drooled over for years.

Naturally, the first one I worked on was the pink one:



It wasn't long, though, before I went back and tweaked the design a bit to make a blue Hello Kitty Dreamcast as well.



I forgot to grab a screenshot of the blue system in its current resting place (in my guy character's robo-themed bedroom), but here's a shot of the pink one in my girl character's living room.



Is this the last of my New Leaf design posts? Possibly, although I'm considering trying a few (more) handheld designs in the next few days.

Should they turn out less hideous than the Game Gear and Neo Geo Pocket Color ones I came up with yesterday, I'll share them here as well.

See also: Famicom and NES designs, Mega Drive 2 and Saturn designs, Dreamcast (original) and PC Engine designs

Famicom and NES designs for your Animal Crossing: New Leaf flat

Don't worry, those of you who aren't as obsessed with New Leaf as I currently am, this blog isn't transitioning into an Animal Crossing QR code blog, despite these last three posts.

In fact, this will be the last QR code-focused post for a number of days--although I can't promise that another won't be published on, say, Friday or Saturday.

As for this particular QR code-filled post: as I'm sure you surmised from the header above, the focus today is on Famicom and NES designs.

In the screencap below, Aino, the Fabulously Coifed Mayor of Animachi, shows off a couple of cushions that have been affixed with my most recent designs:

I know the NES cushion is a bit wonky, but the actual design is pretty nice (if I do say so myself):



Oh, and here's the Famicom design (and corresponding QR code, for those of you who want to plop a cushy Famicom in front of one of the many TVs that are surely sitting in your New Leaf pad):



You don't have to have these designs etched onto a cushion (by Re-Tail's Cyrus), of course. Another option is to hang them on your walls, like art--and like Bryan demonstrates in the following screenshot.



Or you could sit them out on easels, for an even more artsy interior design element.

Next up: a handful of handheld designs--assuming they look decent enough after being plastered onto cushions.

See also: 'PC Engine and Dreamcast designs for your Animal Crossing: New Leaf pad' and 'Sega Saturn and Mega Drive 2 designs for your Animal Crossing: New Leaf suite'

Sega Saturn and Mega Drive 2 designs for your Animal Crossing: New Leaf suite

You know how at the end of yesterday's post--about the rather rad (if I do say so myself) Dreamcast and PC Engine cushion designs I recently made for Animal Crossing: New Leaf--I asked people to let me know if I should conjure up designs for any other consoles?

Well, a few people actually took me up on that offer--especially on Twitter.

The results of their suggestions can be seen in the Mega Drive 2 and Sega Saturn (the original Japanese version, of course) designs below.

As was also the case last time around, I made "light" and "dark" versions of both of today's designs. I prefer the dark (regular) ones myself, but I thought some folks might like the light ones better so I'm sharing QR codes for them as well.



Above and below: light and dark Sega Saturn designs.





Above and below: dark and light Mega Drive 2 designs, respectively.



Oh, and here's how the "dark" Saturn and Mega Drive 2 designs look when applied (by Re-Tail's Cyrus) to a plain ol' cushion.



Got any other design suggestions for yours truly? Let me know all about them in the comments section below.

See also: 'PC Engine and Dreamcast designs for your Animal Crossing: New Leaf pad'

Who needs a stinkin' Vita when you've got a PSone with a monitor?

OK, so that's kind of a silly question. And, really, I'm not trying to suggest with the header above that I don't want a Vita. On the contrary, I'd very much like to own one someday, despite the fact that I currently find the system overpriced and lacking a bit when it comes to an appealing software catalog (aside from the games I discussed in this recent post).

That said, I can't imagine I'll ever have more fun with my imaginary future Vita than I will with the system seen in the photo below--which is a Japanese PSone with a nifty little Sony monitor strapped onto its back, in case you've never laid eyes on such a thing.



I recently picked up this killer combo via eBay for just $60, by the way. I've been looking to buy a Japanese PSone for ages now, so when this auction popped up I did whatever I could to ensure I won the damn thing.

Anyway, thanks to this awesome acquisition, I'm now experiencing another full-on PlayStation obsession--which of course means I recently snapped up a few Japanese PS games (such as the crazy Shake Kids! that I mentioned during the latest episode of The Nichiest Podcast Ever) to play on my shiny new (not really) PSone.

I'll do my best to write about as many of them as possible in the coming weeks and months, of course. At the very least, though, you can expect me to write about the most interesting ones.



Do any of you own one of these wonderful contraptions, by the way?

I know some will say they're kind of pointless in this day and age, when many PlayStation titles can be played on PSPs and Vitas, but I've always been a sucker for playing games as originally intended. Plus, the PSone is so adorable it's kind of hard to resist--which may explain why I now have two (the one shown above and here is of the North American variety).

See also: additional photos of (some of) my PlayStation 'collection'

One import system I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now

OK, so I did tell you a bit about it--in this post. But I didn't tell you much about it, did I?

What more do I have to say about it, you ask? Well, how about this: I wasn't planning on picking up a "misty pink" Japanese 3DS until sometime later this year. Until I came across an auction for the one you see in the photos below.

As for what prompted me to place a bid on said auction: I can't remember what the starting bid was, but it was quite a bit less than what Japanese 3DSes tend to sell for in the States.

What I do remember is what I ended up paying for it--a smidge less than $150. Even after shipping was factored in I paid less than I would have for a North American version of the same system.



I know, I don't know what prompted the folks at PlayAsia to offer up such a deal either, but I gladly took advantage of it.

Sadly, all I've done with it so far is downloaded a bunch of Japanese demos. I'm planning to buy a few Japan-only eShop games in the coming weeks, though, so once I do that I'll write about them here.

I'm also hoping to purchase my first Japanese 3DS retail game sooner rather that later. I haven't yet done so because I'm still unsure as to which one I want.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Chibi Dragon to Fushigina Orb is the frontrunner right now, although Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku (a puzzler based on the characters of the Touch Detective series) and even Zoo Keeper 3D are distinct possibilities, too.

See also: '12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now'

It's not a ChuChu Rocket-branded Dreamcast, but I guess it'll do

French artist Oskunk (or, OSKUNK!, to be completely accurate) has conjured up a number of fabulous, custom-painted consoles over the years.

Surprisingly, most of my personal favorites have been Sega-centric, such as the Dreamcasts he's covered in Jet Set Radio, REZ, Samba de Amigo, Shenmue and Space Channel 5 designs.

The artist's latest (below) creation calls to mind yet another Sega classic: 1995's Virtual On.



I really like how this illustration complements, rather than attempts to cover up, the curves and grooves of the Dreamcast's top lid.

Where will Oskunk's imagination take him next? I'm hoping it'll take him to wherever he needs to go to produce a ChuChu Rocket-branded Dreamcast, or maybe a Magical Puzzle Popils-branded Game Gear.

See also: 'I will obtain one of these if it's the last thing I do'

Please tell me this George Foreman Grill look-alike isn't the new PS3

I don't know how many of you are aware of this, but it's been rumored for a while now that the folks at Sony are working on yet another redesign of the PS3--presumably so they can sell the system for less money (while still making some sort of profit, of course) and rope in a few million more gamers between now and whenever they finally release its successor.

I've been paying close attention to those rumors due to the fact that I'm still "sans PS3," as my French friends say. (OK, so I only have one French friend, and he never says "sans PS3." Or at least I don't remember him ever saying that particular phrase.)

So, how did I react after seeing the photos below, which spread across the Internet like a swarm of Smorgs yesterday (starting with this blog post) and which show what appears to be the aforementioned redesign in the flesh, so to speak?

Honestly, my first thought was: Damn, that thing is ugly. And then I thought: Wait, that's not really the new PS3, is it? Please don't let that be the new PS3.

Now that I've had a few hours to digest this shocking bit of news, do I feel any differently? Not really. Before anyone rakes me over the coals, though, I'd like to say that I realize these photos are rather terrible (to put it lightly) and that the final product probably will look at least a smidge better than the one depicted above.

Also, I'd like to say that all will be forgiven by moi (yep, another French reference) should this third PS3 system hit store shelves in my neck of the woods for less than $200 (which is what it'll take for me to jump back aboard the PlayStation train).

How about all of you? What do you think of this redesign--should it be shown to be the real deal, of course? Are you delighted? Disgusted? Disinterested? Some other word beginning with "d"?