The pre-order has been placed. Thank you once again, puddingm. I never would have thought to order from New Zealand, considering the high shipping prices, but it wound up being cheaper in the long run.
Wouldn't be an issue if Nintendo didn't act like a bunch of asshats and be the last of the "big three" clinging to region locking your games. I've imported copies of games like Infamous First Light and Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty from the UK and China because the US releases were digital-only. They work like a charm.
Don't I know it. Fatal Frame IV was a beast to get running even with the mod. I remember it blew my mind when I heard the PS3 was going region-free back in ye olde 2007. ("You mean I
don't need to jerry-rig my console or import a whole new set of power adapters just to get my games to play? Golly! Next you'll be telling me The Last Guardian will see an actual release date. Hardee har.") Now it just seems like Nintendo is stuck in another time. With their IPs, I guess they can afford to be.