Nintendo, one of the most powerful and innovative video game companies in the world, was forced to release a formal apology on January 5th, 2006. This came after the video game giant's newest hand-held game console, the Nintendo DS, had completely sold out in Japan. It was a quite a landmark for the company: In their 31-year history dealing with video games, Nintendo had never sold out a video game console before!

Even better for the company, just 13 months after its release, the Nintendo DS had sold 15 million units, making it the fastest-ever selling video game system in Japanese history. And still the Japanese public hungers for more! Moreover this demand for the DS could well herald a new cultural movement in Japan, as the game console is finding its way into the hands of those who have never considered playing video games before.

The Nintendo DS has made the world of gaming more accessible to those who had never dared to enter this realm. The flip-up hand held game console features 2 color LCD screens each with 256 x 192 pixel resolution (the bottom LCD also has touch screen capabilities), wireless Internet access, and other various new innovations. Although the Nintendo DS boasts technological features that would satisfy the most demanding video game enthusiast, this is not what makes the DS the most popular system amongst the masses in Japan.

	"Nintendogs DS"		"Oideyo Doubutsu No Mori"

So what makes the DS more favorable than the other game consoles? According to a sales representative of a large electronics department store in Tokyo, the popularity of the DS amongst a wide demographic of people could be attributed to content, i.e. its original, "non-gamer friendly" library of software, and the touch screen capabilities.

Women in their 20s and over have been drawn to DS titles such as "Nintendogs", where a player can raise a virtual puppy in a virtual world. While "Animal Crossing / Oideyo Doubutsu No Mori" offers a virtual life where the player can own a home, work, and make friends - both virtual reality friends and real friends, the latter via an Wi-Fi Internet connection!

	"Shaberu! DS Ryori Navi"

"Shaberu! DS Ryori Navi" (a voice activated instructional cooking software with over 200 recipes) has also captured the fancy of many women ranging from their early 20s to their late 30s due to their cute design and easy "game play". Indeed, "Ryori Navi" cannot be classified as a game in the traditional sense - it is essentially a voice activated recipe book...

"Otona No DS Golf"

Golf games such as "Otona No DS Golf" have been very popular with men in their 30s and above. This is mainly because the game allows players to take swings and make putts by moving the touch pen over the screen. Typically in other golf games, swings and putts are successfully made by carefully pushing buttons, while the DS's touch screen to gives a more realistic, analogue feel of golf.

	"Tabi No Yubisashi Kaiwacho DS"

The Nintendo DS also offers a large selection education/entertainment titles that appeal to people young and old seeking to study a new language or strengthen their brainpower. In the process, the Nintendo DS has changed the image of video games from being a sophomoric hobby into a productive activity. Now, a 50-year old Japanese businessman seen working on his DS could be learning Korean on "Tabi No Yubisashi Kaiwacho DS" a language education software which focuses on language skills for traveling. This is quite a shift from the traditional image of the young gamer...

"Motto Nou Wo Kitaeru Otona No DS Training"

Similarly, the 27 year-old career woman with her pink DS could be raising her puppy on "Nintendogs", all the while relieving the stress of her hectic work schedule. Even the 70 year old grandmother who has never touched a control pad in her life could be sharpening up her memory on "Brainage: Train Your Brain in Minutes A Day / Motto Nou Wo Kitaeru Otona No DS Training", a software with activities designed to give various parts of your brain a workout!

So as Nintendo enjoys the benefits of record sales, the real question is: are we seeing the first steps towards a new world of virtual reality entertainment, education and companionship? ... One that encompasses all demographic groups, by addressing their respective needs. Only time will tell. But in the meanwhile, keep tuned in to this nation of technophiles as it goes crazy over the latest unexpected mega-hit!