Awesome posts on Kotaku about the Japanese launch of the Nintendo DS Lite. No exactly on par with the Vegas-y Xbox 360 roll-out:
“The kid waiting in line is no longer waiting in line, but playing in the middle of the street, jumping up and down. A pigeon nearly shits on him. His mother hollers at him when a car approaches. It’s an armored truck.
“The vehicle parks directly in front of the line and guys in helmets and flak jackets get out. Carrying sacks, they go inside.
“Minutes pass. The men in helmets and flak jackets return. One patrols the crowd with a nightstick. The Rotund Gentleman is discussing the socio-political meaning of the original Gundam series. The men in helmets and flak jackets get into the truck. Engine turns over and the armored truck pulls away. The guy in Converse sneakers to my left is asleep. Good for him.”