A few reasons for Australians to look forward to the rest of the year.

Nintendo Australia recently sent out a newsletter to their club members. As well as some information about "Zelda Month", which is now in full swing, they've included a list of upcoming titles for Australian gamers to look forward to. Here's what you can expect to arrive in Australia through the coming months -- remember though, as ususal, all dates are subject to change without notice:

NINTENDO DS

Yoshi Touch & Go – May 26th

Pac-Pix – June 9th

To celebrate our excellent new browser-based chat client, we're giving away two Nintendo DS T-Shirts tonight. If you know your trivia, one of them could be yours!

Once upon a time Planet GameCube had a web-based IRC chat client anyone could use from their web browser window. PGC has finally brought this convenient feature back with the excellent PJIRC client. Now you can talk in the PGC chatroom and personal message your buddies from any web browser supporting Java applets! No need to bother with extra software, just visit the chat page and accept the security authentication.

Nintendo DS may be selling strong, but Nintendo is still looking for ways to increase public awareness in Japan.

Yesterday Nintendo announced it has passed the 5-million mark for worldwide DS shipments after overwhelming acceptance in PAL regions. Today GameSpot reports that the company will be selling the DS in less traditional Japanese stores.

In an interview with Zaikai Magazine, Satoru Iwata revealed that Nintendo will be selling Nintendo DS products in retail stores that currently do not carry video games.

This goes along with the company's new focus on "non-game" games, which Satoru Iwata discussed in his GDC 2005 keynote presentation. After all, non-game gamers need to know about "non-game" games! He also commented on the ineffectiveness of current marketing strategies for the video game industry in Japan, but provided no glimpse of Nintendo's response to the problem.

Interact with Utada's pooch via Japan's DS Download service, and browse other puppies' profiles online.

With the recent release of Nintendogs, there's a lot of puppy business going on in Japan.

First off, is a bonus from pop singer Utada, who has been featured in most of Japan's DS commercials with her song, "Easy Breezy." You can now interact with Utada's puppy, Shin, through the Nintendo DS download kiosks. Other new downloads include demos of Cauduceus, Ganbare Goemon, and one Nintendo's bizarre educational games.

The opera sequence from Final Fantasy VI makes its North American live debut.

Square Enix Reveals Special Guest Performances For "More Friends - Music From Final Fantasy®" Concert In Los Angeles

Gibson Amphitheater at Universal Citywalk Plays Host to Unique Videogame Music Performances on May 16th

Soundtrack to Concert Series Available For First Time in North America

LONDON, UK (April 28, 2005) - Square Enix today revealed the appearance of the top Japanese vocalists Emiko Shiratori and RIKKI and the return of MC James Arnold Taylor at the highly anticipated concert, "More Friends - Music From FINAL FANTASY®". The two original vocalists from the theme songs of FINAL FANTASY IX and X and the voice of FINAL FANTASY X character Tidus will add a truly authentic experience to this one-of-a-kind musical event featuring music from the internationally acclaimed video game series, created by composer Nobuo Uematsu. The concert starts at 8PM on Monday, May 16th at Gibson Amphitheater. In time for this concert, the soundtrack from the concert series will be available for the first time in the U.S.

It's official. Nintendogs is a huge hit in Japan.

Japanese Judges Rate Nintendo's Puppies 'Perfect' as DS Sales Increase Fivefold

Animal lovers and Nintendo fans in Japan are proving that it's almost impossible to say no to a puppy. Nintendogs(TM), the new puppy simulator for Nintendo DS(TM), hit Japanese stores April 21. In its first week, it boosted daily sales of hand-held Nintendo DS systems more than five times the average daily sales rate of the previous seven weeks. It has become the fastest-selling DS game ever for Nintendo while receiving top marks from critics.

The former president of Nintendo will be leaving his chair on the board of directors for his official retirement.

Between 1949 and 2002, Hiroshi Yamauchi was the iron-fisted president of Nintendo. The gaming community was shocked when he stepped down from the top after his 53-year reign, and even more shocked to hear that Satoru Iwata, former president of HAL and only a recent addition to NCL's stable of executives, would be his replacement. Yamauchi stayed with Nintendo as a prominent member of the company's board of directors.

After three years on the board, Yamauchi has decided that enough is enough, and will be leaving Nintendo for good. At the next shareholders meeting on June 29, the announcment that Yamauchi will be retiring from the company will be made. For the first time in 56 years, he will no longer have any direct input in the actions Nintendo as a company takes, although he will still own 10% of Nintendo stock and stay connected with Nintendo's dealings as a consultant.

EA teams up with USC to give away scholarships to summer camp game development.

EA and USC Team Up to Offer First Female Scholarship to USC Interactive Entertainment Summer Camp;Scholarship Designed to Build Female Profile in Growing Entertainment Industry

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 27, 2005--Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS) and The University of Southern California (USC) Viterbi School of Engineering today announced that they are partnering to co-sponsor the first-ever scholarship opportunity to the USC Interactive Entertainment Summer Camp. Open to any female high school junior or senior, the scholarship will assure an aspiring female game designer a coveted spot in the unique summer program.

It's almost impossible to not give the game perfect scores when it gives you that "sad puppy eyes" look.

Weekly Famitsu, Japan's most popular game magazine, recently reviewed Nintendo's puppy simulator, Nintendogs. The magazine's review section is notorious for being tough, as four reviewers with different tastes each look at a game, then give a score out of 10.

Well, the four reviewers looked at the game, and each of them gave it a 10, earning it a perfect 40/40 score. Getting a 40 from Famitsu is extremely rare, making it a score that only extremely good games get. Apparently, this makes Nintendogs a must-own title in the eyes of Famitsu.

In anticipation for Pokemon Emerald, fourteen finalists will compete for supremacy.

Top Pokemon Trainers Take over Seattle's Space Needle: the Emerald City Battle Tower

14 Competitors Battle to Win Trip to Japan

REDMOND, Wash.--April 26, 2005--Fourteen finalist Pokemon(R) masters will meet on April 30 at Seattle's famous Space Needle to determine who will be crowned the "Pokemon(R) Emerald" Ultimate Frontier Battle Brain.

The United States and Canada have been divided into seven competitive Battle Frontiers for a monthlong series of knowledge tests of Pokemon characters and their abilities. Two finalists from each Battle Frontier bested more than 36,000 contest registrants during the "Pokemon Emerald" Frontier Battle Brain competition online. Entertainment industry veteran and Emerald City ambassador Grant Goodeve will host the final battle as the finalists compete to win a trip for two to the new Pokemon Park in Nagoya, Japan.