Mark my words; this game is going to be huge. Maybe even the next million-seller for DS. I already know how popular this series is among young girls and how many millions of dollars the arcade version has raked in for SEGA. So for you, dear readers, I swallowed my pride and lined up to play the most girly game ever made.

Love and Berry is a card collecting music game aimed at 5-11 year old girls. At every game center in Japan there are one or more petit Love and berry arcade cabinets. These can also be found at supermarkets and convenience stores that do not normally have games of any sort.

The game is played with collectable cards. Each card has a different clothing item or special skill on it. You first play dress-up with the on-screen girls and then the game begins. It is the simplest music game ever made. There is only one button. Just hit it to the rhythm. The card element is very much like the SEGA-made game for young boys named “Mushi-King” where you use bug themed cards to battle other bugs. And exactly like that game, there is always a forlorn mother standing behind their excited young offspring, holding their card albums open for them so they can quickly access just the card they need.

As for the DS version, it is almost exactly the same. The graphics have been scaled down, but the sound and costumes remain in tact. I was very surprised by the amount of voice-over used in the game. It also comes with a card reader attachment so that the girls can take their cards from the arcade game and play them at home. Honing their skills in the same way DDR players train.

I played around with it for about 15 minutes while a young woman explained it to me. The game will cost 6,090 yen (about $54) and it will come with the card reader and a number of cards. Including one “super-rare” one.

Of course this game is not made for me and likely not for most of you reading this (with the exception of Mitch), but it is a cultural phenomenon that ranks up there with Pokemon right now and if Sega plays it’s cards right (no pun intended) the DS version could be a massive hit. Time will tell, but my money has always been on the buying power of elementary school students.

Official Site (Japanese)