New Super Mario Brothers dated in Japan

Japan's Mainichi Shimbun and other media outlets report that Nintendo has fixed the Japanese release date for the DS game New Super Mario Brothers. The highly anticipated game is set to hit stores May 25 with a sticker price of 4,800 yen (about $40).

US gamers will get a head start when New Super Mario Bros. drops in North America on May 15. It's not clear why Nintendo has chosen to delay the launch in its home market, but it stands to reason that the company simply wants a few more days to build inventory. Demand for the title will no doubt be high, as the DS continues to be a popular seller.