Japanese game maker Nintendo is sexing up its U.S. advertising to launch the DS handheld device, promising mature players that the gadget is not their little brother's Game Boy.
The No. 1 maker of handheld game devices is spending $40 million in its largest product launch, bracing for all-out war with Sony, which is expected to debut a portable device soon after the Nintendo DS hits U.S. stores on Nov. 21.
But in an unusual move for Nintendo, known for games featuring animated characters Mario and Pokemon, the new ads aim to titillate with the tagline "Touching is Good."
Teaser spots start on Monday, playing up the dual-screen device's touch controls. A woman's sultry voice invites the viewer to come a little closer and get a feel.
"When you're a kid you're always told you can't touch anything," said Perrin Kaplan, vice president of marketing at Nintendo of America. "Touching is good. You're grown-up now, so read it how you want."
Recommended: Click here to Update all your outdated drivers