If I buy a Japanese Nintendo DS, could I still play American games with it?

The Nintendo DS is classified as a "Region Free" system... so you can play Japanese or European games on an US system & vice versa.

In the case of the Chinese version, it's unlikely to work due to extra hardware / firmware required to make them work. No guarantees here, but considering the Chinese Government adverse to video games in general... it's likely unlikely to have the same region-free support.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be aware that the DSi & 3DS are regionally locked for non-DS games (DSiWare, 3DSWare & 3DS)... While you can still play DS games from any region on those systems, you may not be able to utilize any of the DSi or 3DS-enhancements built into those games because of the region locks.

Hope this helps!

Any DS from any region can play any Game from any region.

There is one exception: ONLY Chinese DS's can play Chinese games,

The Nintendo DS is region free in the sense that any console will run a Nintendo DS game purchased anywhere in the world; it is the same system everywhere. However, the Chinese version games can only be played on the Chinese iQue DS, whose larger firmware chip contains the required Chinese character glyph images

No. You need a Japanese game for the Japanese DS.

A DS. NOT a DSl, DSi or 3DS. Definately the ordinary DS. Yes. You can play american DS games on any DS, DSl and 3DS. You will have to buy an american DSi to play american DS games on it. Obviously you can't play 3DS games on anything else but the 3DS, but you would have to buy an american 3DS to play american 3DS games on it.

yeah purchase one and take a look at it out, if it does not paintings then to promote it on ebay.. however expectantly it will have to paintings, nintendo aren't as grasping as sony or microsoft.. with the Pal or NTSC ....BullS**t