Nintendo is giving three thousand UK gamers the chance to own a Nintendo DS and games over a month before the official UK launch date.

From today, VIPs with one thousand stars or more will have the opportunity to cash in their stars and, for �129.99 (�190), get their hands on a Nintendo DS VIP Stars Pak. The Pak contains a Nintendo DS console with the Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt demo, Super Mario 64DS game, a special Wario Ware: Touched! game demo and a premium Nintendo DS t-shirt � but they'll have to be quick as the paks are strictly limited to only three thousand.

When they redeem their stars, VIPs will be told to contact the Nintendo customer service centre 24 hours after redemption where they will be able to complete their purchase.

James Honeywell, Product Manager for Handheld Consoles, Nintendo UK, said: "We are very pleased to be able to reward our VIPs with this fantastic offer. It gives our most dedicated and committed fans the chance to experience the Nintendo DS and games well in advance of the official UK launch � it also means we'll have three thousand people spreading the word about Nintendo DS and its great features in the run up to the 11 March."