I certainly will be as all nintendo handhelds so far have been able to change the language and have been region free.

I dunno about that. First of all, there's no telling that Nintendo won't bring the hammer of region-lock down on the 3DS, which would make me a very sad man.

I wasn't aware you were able to change the language from Japanese to English, but you can change the language from, say French to English. That's because the games contain data for English language and several other European languages.

But surely this isn't the case for Japanese copies?

the DSi was region locked and I'm fairly sure the 3DS will be to. I don't think its worth getting it less than 1month early.....

More expensive, region locked, no.

Also, the need to searh for an adapter to the american/european electric plug for the japanaese electric plug of the console.

This ^. Also, why?

Um, the Japanese use the same voltage, plugs and sockets as the US so folks in the USA can use Japanese 3DSes just fine.

Europe (and much of the rest of the world too) has very different voltages and socket shapes from the US and Japan. If you plug a US/JP device into a European socket without a transformer, there will be pretty fireworks. (And danger. Don't do it.)

It is more expensive, is going to have region lock, going to be more expensive, and coming out only 1-4 weeks before the other countries. What's the point? unless you really can't wait and have all the money in the world, it is just a stupid move.

Actually, HolyMackerel, Japanese electricity is not exactly the same. i found some good information here regarding the use of Japanese appliances brought back to America. idk what it would mean for a 3DS, though; i'm no expert :3

I'll just wait a month for it to come out here and not pay more or worry about the region lock issue.

As much as I want to, no. I'll wait for my US one.

The majority of consumer appliances use the same or similar voltage and sockets as the US. (The thread you linked says this too.) There are some minor differences, but most products will work just fine. (Though as the thread says, the voltage is 20 V different, so devices which generate heat like hair dryers will run very hot. Consumer electronics should work just fine.) I have a Japanese DS Lite and its charger works without a transformer or adapter in the US, so I expect the 3DS will be the same.

That said, you should always check the device's specifications when importing it from another country to make sure it's compatible with your country's electrical system.

I'm thinking about it but as people said before, if it's region locked then I'm not going to import it.

I'm eager. but I'm not so eager that I need to deal with importing one from Japan. I can wait the extra four to six weeks to get one here. I will pre-order for launch day, though.

I should, Just so I can get stuff from Japan, the US version's expensive enough. I'm not paying $500-$600 for a handheld.

please note that you said the following in the comment i was replying to:

... which is not really true. similar does not equal same, which is what i was pointing out with that link. also, the 3DS comes with an induction charger, correct? those are fairly new technology; no one knows how it'll really react yet while running at a higher voltage.

the bottom line, though, is that one person's experience may not equal everyone's, and if you have any issues with the wiring in your home or sudden power surges, brownouts, etc. and inadvertently make your shiny new Japanese 3DS release the magic blue smoke somehow, hope you're decent enough at Japanese to get in touch with NoJ to have it serviced or replaced. there's more to consider when importing electronic devices from other countries than just having the coolest new thing a month or two before your friends can get their grubby hands on one. :3

The case is that many electronic devices such as the DS Lite are capable of being used within a range of voltages, which the US and Japanese voltages are within. (Your link mentions that too.) The intention of my original post was to point out zoipi's misunderstanding - that European voltages and sockets are very different from the US, while US and Japanese are much closer to one another to the point of being essentially the same. Yes, I could have been clearer but I didn't want to get long-winded about voltages and transformers. I didn't think he would appreciate a wall of text explaining the details of the Japanese and American electrical systems. Oh well, I guess it happened anyway.

As for induction charging: new technology has to be tested under a variety of conditions before being sent out to consumers, so they will know the acceptable voltages it can use. The specifications will be out at release so people interested in importing should check them out for compatibility then.

Agreed. It's the people who are careful about it and know what they're signing up for who are in the best position to make a decision about importing. Contacting NoJ is a hassle, but anyone intending to import would already have accepted the inconveniences of having an overseas warranty. The extra risk goes with the territory of importing.

P.S. Just FYI if you live in a country which doesn't have a Nintendo branch, any Nintendo product you purchase is technically an import. I got my Japanese DS Lite at a local game store, not through the mail. Whether I got a Japanese Lite or American Lite, it didn't make a difference - if anything happened I'd have had to send it overseas anyway. (I guess one difference is that postage to Japan is cheaper than to the US! ) So it was nothing to do with my grubby hands, etc. You can imagine how I felt when it broke (but fortunately the DSi was out by then).

EDIT: Post was way too long.

it's not just the cost of the 3DS but the imported games that will add up as well. i wouldn't want to spend my entire duration of the 3DS's run ordering every game at a premium from playasia. you'd have to be nuts to go through that just to get it a few weeks early.

Im not big on getting something early in exchange for not being able to READ ANYTHING.
Japaneese dont make no sense. :3

But what if the 3DS is region-free like every other major handheld ever made?