Topic: Anyone getting the Japanese 3DS

What if you can change the menu to English like you can with the DS?

*except the DSi

with how much nintendo is tightening security on the 3DS, who's to say that they won't region lock it as well? i admit that i don't know the specifics about their handheld policies over the last few years, but either way i wouldn't take the chance.

besides, i'm holding out hope that NA will get a red one (not happening)

The DSi isn't region-locked, only DSi-Only games, of which there are only, like, 3.

There are also DS games that have region lock, like Sonic Colletion and Pokemon Black and White. So, there are about six games.

DSi only games are region locked, DSiWare games are region locked but "DSi enhanced" games are also region locked. Sonic Collection is one of them and on the back it says "This title is only compatible with European/Australian region Nintendo DSi units". I can play it on any DS or DS lite (I don't even own a DSi) but I can't play it on an American or Japanese DSi, DSiXL and probably 3DS.

... and even if only two or three DSi games were region locked ATM my point would still hold true. The DSi is region locked and there is a very good chance (almost a certainty) that the 3DS will also be region locked. If you got a Japanesse 3DS you would only be able to play Japanesse 3DS games on it.... you would be able to play non-"DSi enhanced" DS games from any region but you can already do that on an ordinary DS! I doubt this is the reason why you would be wanting a 3DS.

for the tl;dr: Importing a Japanese 3DS is bloody stupid.

http://www.jbox.com/SEARCH/icharge_ <- worth getting?

I still see no point in getting a Japanese one

The menus are in Japanese as are the games, the release dates for the regions are only weeks apart, and the Japanese 3DS is probably gonna be more expensive

Japanese release is about a month before the US release, with shipping time that would mean that by importing it, i would be able to expect to get the system about two weeks early, tops. Even assuming that the system is region free, which I'm not willing to gamble on, it's not worth the premium I'd pay to do it. I'll wait for the US release.

Game freak has already announced that Pokemon B&W will have extra features on the DSi/3DS and the game will be region locked on those systems. Given the price will be higher in than in the US plus shipping cost/time, it's not really worth it unless you really want to play Japanese games that won't get localized (or you live somewhere where you'd basically have to import anyway).

If you are worried about power supply, the easiest/cheapest thing to do would be to order a replacement adapter from your local Nintendo branch. You could also get third party adapters pretty easily once the 3DS releases in your area. Just get a local power supply and you'll definitely be fine.

Edit: I personally won't be importing. Given how weak the dollar is to the yen right now, it will probably be significantly cheaper to wait a month and buy the US version even before you factor in shipping costs.

I rather wait for it to come to the US. I'm not going to die because its going to take along time for it to arrive in the US. And I sure don't want to buy the 3DS from Japan cuz if something happens or I can't read the darn thing in english I will totally be MAD! So I can really wait.

True...but don't forget I have not seen a difference between the Japanese price and the ones everywhere else but the U.S., So far?

pritty dumb to buy it from there actually.
there is no way nintendo is gona release it earlyer in japan without making it regio locked, or els all those devices are going to be shipped. Same the language.
its easy for them to leave those languages out of there and regio lock the devices for the 3DS, while they release after 1-2 months a firmware update ( automatic update ) that applyes those languages and removes the regio lock. So that everybody can buy stuff from everywhere.

would be pritty smart tho.

If you wanna take a risk to order a 3DS, ship it towards the us / eu. end up with having a 3DS with no language changes + regio locked. and wasting 300 euro / dollar? hf. Even if it gets removed throught a firmware update, they can still release that update like 2-3 months after the japanees release. so that people that got it from japan are just screwed. While everybody els is playing there games 2 weeks later on a 100% working 3DS .

Didn't realize this thread was here, sorry TBD for the duplicate.

Anyway, I'll be buying from Japan if it happens to be released there first. The language isn't an issue to me, and if anything, the console will be better supported in terms of download content etc than it ever would be here in Australia.

Nope.

Dude the Japanese 3DS release and overseas 3DS release's are only 1 month apart......

Maybe they're in a rush?

Region locking, people. Don't do it.

If my suspicions are correct, you'll have to import every single one of your games from Japan because any other region's game cards won't run on a Japanese 3DS. If you're really worried about EU/AU having a bad service, get a NA 3DS instead because you'll have the best of both worlds - English language games and proper online support.

It's actually easier for me to buy stuff in Japan than America, as I don't have an American credit card....

Japan gets every single game the US/ Aus/ EU gets that I would be intereted in, and a whole host of Japan-only games. Region locking is a very good argument for buying a Japanese 3DS, to be honest (assuming you don't have much of a language barrier)

I don't have an American credit card either, but I partake of the Wii and DSi shops often. Also you don't need an American credit card to shop online for retail NA games.

I don't believe the Japanese releases of US/EU/AU games will be in English, and 99% of the time they won't have language selection. The only JP games I own with an English language option are the first three Phoenix Wright games, but they were advertised in Japan as having that feature.

Downloadable games will definitely have Japanese text only. Text-heavy Japan-only games (and there are many of them) will not be playable for you either. Then you have extra expenses per game due to importing - shipping, customs, censorship. (Though that applies to any non-AU games for you anyway.) Overall I'd say it isn't worth it.

If you speak fluent Japanese then go for it.

If anything, region locking is a good argument for getting a NA 3DS over any other. Well for me anyway - thankfully here in Asia we have access to hardware and games of every region.