Nintendo 3DS unboxing

We admit it: we're complete and utter hypocrites. Only a few days ago we warned of the foolishness of importing a Japanese Nintendo 3DS, yet we've ignored our sagely advice entirely and gone ahead and purchased one anyway. Tsk.

The upshot of this outright idiocy is that we can bring you the official Pocket Gamer 3DS unboxing, a photographic journey of unbridled excitement, epic discovery, and confused glances when you realise that you can't read a word of Japanese.

Are you sitting comfortably? Then let's begin.

What's this suspicious-looking package we have here? Pocket Gamer's weekly shipment of mind-altering drugs? No. That comes on Fridays.

I really hope there's nothing alive in there.

It's nothing creepy or life-threatening - it's just Nintendo's swanky new portable console, plus the only two launch games worth bothering with if you can't speak Japanese.

Opening up the box reveals the instruction manual, as well as the super-cool Augmented Reality card games (more on those in the upcoming hardware review).

No.

Now this is more like it - clothed in protective sheeting, the 3DS awaits our tender, loving touch.

And here she is, in all her fingerprint-attracting glory.

Another image of the machine lying dormant. You want us to turn it on, don't you?

Before we get to that, let's see what this dock thing looks like. Looks very much like a dock - handy.

The first boot-up leads to several screens of incomprehensible Japanese text as you attempt to configure the machine, as well as much head-scratching and random button-pressing.

Enough of this! Let's pop a game in there. Anyone up for Street Fighter IV? Winner stays on?

In she goes! 3DS carts are around the same size as DS carts, save for a little tab that prevents you foolishly stuffing them into the older machine.

Look at all that 3D! It's amazing, though it's given me a headache. I think I'm going to be sick. Only kidding - the 3D effect is actually very impressive indeed.

Charging up your imported 3DS is tricky as you don't get a UK charger, but you can use your old DSi charger or multi-USB lead (like ours shown here) instead. Hurrah!