First Details: Yakuman
This is one Nintendo character-based game you won't see in America.
October 07, 2004 - The good news: Nintendo has an all new NDS game in development featuring its all-star cast of characters getting together for party-based fun. The bad news: it's a mahjong game.
Yakuman is the game in question here. This Nintendo-developed mahjong title follows up on the company's Yakuman Advance, adding DS features like stylus support and wireless play for up to four players. This alone should catch the eye of Mahjong fans.
Nintendo fans will have something to look forward to as well. The mahjong pieces used in the game have Nintendo characters mapped to them. Even better, the players you can choose from as your in-game counterparts are all from the Mario series.
Nintendo is targeting beginner mahjong players with the title. Those with little knowledge of the game will be stepped through the process in typical Nintendo fashion. Advanced players will also find something to like here, with the popular modes of play from Yakuman Advance being preserved for this game.
If you've ever dreamed of putting Koopa, Luigi, Wario and Mario against one another in a game of mahjong, this could be the title you're looking for. A stateside release is doubtful for the game, though, so make it your first NDS import come launch day.
