Better late than never.

In January, Nintendo did something unusual: it accidentally released a video game. A small number of copies of DS football RPG Inazuma Eleven from Level-5 deftly dodged the tackles of Nintendo's distribution system and scored a few goals with customers before Nintendo blew the half-time whistle and the error was corrected. Now the game of two halves is properly coming to the UK, with a 26th August release date confirmed by Nintendo.

The accompanying anime series just started on Disney XD, so Nintendo will be hoping for a winning line-up of cartoons, football and the talent behind Professor Layton to bring the game to the top of the DS charts.

You can read our Inazuma Eleven review if you want to know more about Level-5's upcoming footie fest.

BUILD THE ULTIMATE FOOTBALL TEAM & STAND UNITED AGAINST CHALLENGES THAT AWAIT ON AND OFF THE PITCH!

Football & RPG meet to provide the perfect combination of action & strategy as Nintendo announces Inazuma Eleven launch details for UK and Ireland

26th July 2011 – Get your Nintendo DS stylus ready and be prepared as football is about to enter a whole new dimension both on and off the pitch! Flying fireballs, power spins, sky kicks, teleporting strikers and over 1,000 different characters are all available in the palm of your hand – to help you build your ultimate football team. Inazuma Eleven, the “football meets action role-play” game, has already gained acclaim from players in Europe and is now making its way to UK and Ireland on 26th August 2011.

Inazuma Eleven has already been turned into a popular manga series that has broadcast on TV in Asia, parts of Europe and Monday 25th July 2011 saw the series premiere in the UK on Disney XD at 8.30am. The game coming exclusively to the Nintendo DS™ family of consoles follows the journey of teenage goalkeeper Mark Evans as he tries to recruit the best players possible for his school football team so that they can try to win the prestigious Football Frontier tournament. He will meet characters such as Axel Blaze, an extremely talented striker with a secret, and pit his skills against players like Jude Sharp, a playmaker for the rival Royal Academy team.

Captivating anime sequences enrich the storyline in this adventure and players are able to explore the town in the game to hunt for potential team mates. There are over 1000 in-game characters which you can scout, each one with their own statistics, unique skills and special abilities. In addition if you connect to Nintendo Wi-Fi connection there are over 50 additional characters that can be recruited to your team. It is up to you to craft a team from your players with the abilities that support your strategic approach to the game.

Once the football matches begin – the action kicks in. There are two types of matches to play in the game: either full eleven player teams battling on a standard sized pitch, or 4-on-4 challenges which pit the player against specific tasks such as scoring or gaining possession of the ball. During the match your Nintendo DS stylus will come into its own when you control your hand-picked team. You will challenge your reaction and dexterity as you determine the strategy that your team takes to press opponents, cut passes, perform slippery sliding tackles and of course score goals.

Your players can even utilise multiple fantasy moves to turn the tide of a game! From special dribbles and water waves, to flying ice kicks and shooting a football fireball! They can however only possess one skill during the match, so choose wisely to drive your team to victory!

If you want another challenge, Inazuma Eleven features a local wireless multiplayer mode where up to four users can challenge each other with their hand-picked teams. Users can also trade players using local wireless communications.

If you love RPG or sports action with a strong blend of strategy and character collection to tax your mind, this is one game you must tackle. Inazuma Eleven launches across the UK and Ireland on 26th August 2011 exclusively for the Nintendo DS family of handheld consoles.