Nintendo to open New York store

This spring will see the opening of the Nintendo World Store, a two-storey complex in Manhattan's Rockefeller Center that's designed to showcase "the best of Nintendo".

Everything from games and DVDs to merchandise, accessories and trading cars will be available in the store - whose opening follows similar retail efforts from console rival Sony and computer maker Apple.

Visitors will also get the chance to try out new and unreleased games for the GameCube, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS at "high-end sampling bars and interactive stations."

Nintendo World will also house a Pokîmon Center, which will offer exclusive merchandise and host exclusive Pokîmon events.

Nintendo has sold more than 1.9 billion games and 336 million hardware units since its first home entertainment system hit the market in 1983. The company is currently enjoying good sales figures for its new dual screen handheld console, the DS.