Idolm@ster DS to use DSi camera

You may have heard that Namco Bandai is bringing its Idolm@ster pop idol sim to DS in Japan, but there are two details most outlets seem to have missed:

1. Idolm@ster: Dearly Stars will use the DSi’s camera to scan QR codes that will unlock in-game items (a DSi camera feature I predicted!).
2. Correct me if I’m wrong, but this could be the first Eastern-developed retail DS title announced with DSi-specific features (the first revealed DSi-targeted title is Ubisoft’s depressing My Cooking Coach, which takes player photos for chef profiles).

Considering the widely held belief that DSi-enhanced carts will be region-locked, I wonder if importers will have trouble playing this game on their U.S. DSis or DSes.

See also: Tactics Idol: Let Us Sing Together

tags / idolm@ster / dearly stars / import / dsi / camera / qr codes / region-locking / ec