Nintendo offers new DS bundles ahead of holiday
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Nintendo Co Ltd (7974.OS) on Tuesday unveiled two special editions of its DS handheld gaming unit as the video-game maker seeks to keep up fans' enthusiasm for the popular device heading into the holidays.
One version will be colored gold and come with the epic adventure game "The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass" while a metallic pink model will come with puppy training title "Nintendogs", Nintendo said.
The new bundles will go on sale in the United States on November 23, the "Black Friday" after the Thanksgiving holiday that is one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
New DS color schemes are eagerly received by Nintendo fans, who scramble to buy them as collectibles or for bragging rights.
Originally sold only in white when a slimmed-down version debuted in early 2006, Nintendo has slowly rolled out new colors and in the United States the device is now available in black, pink and a crimson-black combination.
With its touch screen and mix of advanced and easy-to-learn games, the DS has been a cash cow for Nintendo, selling 4.5 million units in the United States so far this year at about $130 each.
"We chose a couple of the products (games) we know are so loved ... and picked colors we know appeal to consumers right now," said Perrin Kaplan, director of communications for Nintendo's U.S. operations.
"It's already this incredible cake and we just want to put more icing on it," Perrin said.
A DS and one game normally costs about $160, but Nintendo said it will let retailers set their own prices for the new bundles or offer them with more accessories.
(Reporting by Scott Hillis; Editing by Tiffany Wu)
