The self-styled "musical toy" is scheduled for an early 2006 release in the States...

An official listing on Nintendo.com has illuminated a solid release date for previously Japan-only music-maker Electroplankton. The plankton are now tabbed for a January 6, 2006 release in the US.

Electroplankton, the brainchild of japanese musician and artist Toshio Iwai (who concieved and programmed most of the "game" by himself), allows DS owners to fashion their own sounds and music by interacting with a number of different "plankton" creatures by way of the touch screen and even the DS microphone. Though many fans will remember the plankton's coming-out party at Nintendo's pre-E3 showing this May, actual solid details on the game's western release were non-existent until today.

UPDATE: Additional details have verified that Electroplankton will be available from online retailers only. Perhaps a curious decision on NOA's part, but then again the 'game' is rather highly specialized. Surely anyone who already desires to purchase it will be able to do so easily this way.

A similar date for Europe has yet to be announced, but rest assured R-E will report any new developments.