First One's Free: Game On!!!

I find it interesting how much the Nintendo DS has been rising in popularity in Korea. Several years ago it made a mild debut, but interest has picked up and I think it's for 4 reasons.

One. Many shops that carry the DS have playable handhelds for people to try. At the mall there are even whole stores devoted to the product with rows of seats for shopper to come in, pick up a DS, and get their game on. They even have stations where you can clean and tend to your game system.

Two. While there is a huge range of people who enjoy the DS (toddlers and businessmen alike), the real target seems to be girls. The sheer quantity of accessories being sold for the DS is insane. The system already comes in a handful of colors, but you got enough additional options to pimp out your DS to satisfy the wackiest customization junkie. Koreans love to bedazzle their cellphones, so I suppose their games should be no different.

Three. Another huge reason for the success of the system is the education angle. I think advertisements and promotions have proven to parents that the DS will boost their child's IQ and teach them English. The system has a considerable collection of language and brain testing titles, so those have been the perfect selling point for this academically obsessed country.

Four. The biggest driving factor for the success of the DS is drugs. Yes, you heard me, drugs. It's obvious that the handhelds that anyone can play at the stores are coated in a chemicals, then absorbed though the hands and tongue (depending on your intimacy level with the game). Those chemicals immediately attack the brain and cause the player to become addicted. If you think the general public can contend with 14 separate games about ponies having birthdays without being high on something, think again.