Right this very moment, my Wii is sitting in my basement, power on, Super Mario World loaded onto the screen, waiting to be played again whenever I muster the strength to give Forest of Illusion another shot. You see, I’m stuck in the (what I assume to be) infamous area where you cannot go on without uncovering some secret and opening up the next level, crafting your way through the trees and onto the next castle. Please don’t tell me how to do it.

In my break, though, I’ve been pondering quite strongly the differences between this Super Nintendo classic I’m plowing through for the first time and the round of 2D Mario games we’ve seen plop out of Nintendo’s money machine over the last six years. Upon first glance, there’s really not much that stands out as being truly different aside from the graphical downgrade seen in the three entries to the New Super Mario Bros. series that have been released so far, and yet something feels indistinguishably different.

Chalk it up to “atmosphere” if you’d like, chalk it up to music or “heart” or anything else truly intangible– and I’d certainly be hard pressed to disagree with you– but I think the big difference between the two “chunks” of Mario’s 2D history can be boiled down to how memorable it is.

And, well, how memorable it is can be boiled down to how much time you spend with each level.

Team Ninja set to announce new console game at TGS

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 0 comments

Team Ninja will have a new project to announce at this year’s Tokyo Game Show. The studio teased a title reveal on its Twitter account earlier today.

Not much was specifically said about the announcement. Team Ninja was only able to mention that the game will be released for consoles. So no, this isn’t a mobile title!

Source

Nintendo Teams Up with Famous Females for New “Play As You Are” Campaign

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, General Nintendo, News | 0 comments

Olympic Gold Medalist Gabrielle Douglas Kicks Off Star-Studded Campaign Featuring Glee’s Dianna Agron and Modern Family’s Sarah Hyland to Show How You Don’t Have to Be a Gamer to Enjoy Games on Nintendo 3DS Hand-Held
REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Consumers in the United States will soon see some famous faces talking about their love for the wide array of games and entertainment options available on Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL hand-held systems. On Oct. 1, Nintendo of America will launch a new campaign called “Play As You Are,” designed to show how all kinds of women and young girls can explore their interests and express their individuality using the portable Nintendo 3DS – whether they consider themselves gamers or not. TV stars Dianna Agron (of Fox’s Glee), Sarah Hyland (of ABC’s Modern Family) and Olympic medal-winning gymnast Gabrielle Douglas are teaming up with Nintendo to showcase how games for Nintendo 3DS provide female players with fun, creative ways to challenge themselves and share what makes them unique.
Each of the three celebrities participating in the “Play As You Are” campaign will show how games for Nintendo 3DS engage their respective interests and personalities:

PictureBook Games: Pop-Up Pursuit available on Club Nintendo as downloadable reward

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News, Wii | 0 comments

A new downloadable reward is available on Club Nintendo.

Super Smash Bros. has been swapped out for PictureBook Games: Pop-Up Pursuit. The game is available for 150 coins.

You can order PictureBook Games: Pop-Up Pursuit here. It’s available as a WiiWare download until September 30.

Footage of 3D Cartoon Land: Safari

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, General Nintendo, Videos | 0 comments

Yup – I think Super Mario 3D Land is the better of the two games.

Video from the Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses mini-concert at Nintendo World Store

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Videos | 0 comments

Source

This App Store game is definitely a Super Mario 3D Land rip-off

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, General Nintendo, News | 0 comments

Above are some screenshots of the $1 App Store game, 3D Cartoon Land: Safari.

Here’s how the game is described:

“Very simply yet very addicting,this unique game requires you to quickly jump over obstacles and collect coins.But you are not secure in this beautiful cartoon world.An angry tortoise could bite you.An easy and smooth control makes it very funny and to jump or run.”

I don’t think anything else has to be said at this point. Just look at one of the screenshots – it’s a blatant rip-off of Super Mario 3D Land.

Source, Via

Masuda on the decision to make Black/White 2, why it’s on the DS, fully polygonal Pokemon, MMO, more

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, DS, General Nintendo, News | 0 comments

Game Informer has conducted a very interesting interview with Pokemon Black/White 2 producer Junichi Masuda. The full discussion is made up of topics that Pokemon fans are actually interested in: why GameFreak decided to make the sequel, why it’s on the DS, the possibility of a fully polygonal Pokemon, the possibility of a MMO (doesn’t sound it’ll be happening!), changing battle cries, and Masuda’s thoughts on making the battle system more fast-paced.

Head past and break for Masuda’s comments.

30 minutes of Twelve Tales: Conker 64 footage

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Videos | 0 comments

Twelve Tales: Conker 64 was what Conker’s Bad Fur Day could have been – before it received its mature makeover.

Source

Kirby’s Dream Collection: Special Edition for Wii Celebrates Two Decades of Pink and Powerful Fun

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News, Wii | 0 comments

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Twenty years ago, video game fans were introduced for the first time to Nintendo’s iconic Kirby™ character. Now fans can celebrate the 20th anniversary of the pink and powerful hero with Kirby’s Dream Collection: Special Edition, available exclusively for the Wii™ system. This colorful collection includes six classic Kirby games on one disc, additional Challenge Stages based on 2011’s Kirby’s Return to Dream Land™, an interactive timeline, a CD containing favorite music from the series and a commemorative book that gives new and existing fans a fun inside look at the history of Kirby.
Since his debut in 1992’s Kirby’s Dream Land™ for the portable Game Boy™ system, Kirby has starred in 22 video games that have collectively sold more than 33 million units worldwide. Over the years, players of all kinds have joined him on wild adventures in Dream Land, experiencing the fun of watching Kirby fly, inhale enemies to copy their abilities or spit them out as projectiles. Kirby’s Dream Collection: Special Edition includes an action-packed array of fan-favorite Kirby games, music and commemorative content:
Kirby’s Dream Land (originally released for Game Boy in 1992)
Kirby’s Adventure™ (originally released for NES™ in 1993)
Kirby’s Dream Land™ 2 (originally released for Game Boy in 1995)
Kirby’s Super Star (originally released for Super NES™ in 1996)
Kirby’s Dream Land™ 3 (originally released for Super NES in 1997)
Kirby 64™: The Crystal Shards (originally released for the Nintendo 64™ system in 2000)
“New Challenge Stages,” a new set of Challenge Stages in the style of those found in Kirby’s Return to Dream Land (originally released for the Wii system in 2011)
Kirby’s History, an interactive timeline that players can use to browse classic box art, game footage and milestones from throughout Kirby’s 20-year career — all with the ability to jump straight from the timeline into a game
A special audio CD containing 45 memorable tracks (more than an hour’s worth of music) from across Kirby’s career, including alternate versions of three classic Kirby themes
Kirby’s 20th Anniversary Celebration Book, which contains fascinating character information and illustrations, including early Kirby concept artwork
Kirby’s Dream Collection: Special Edition is available at a suggested retail price of $39.99.
“Kirby is recognized around the world as a character that embodies imaginative family fun,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “This special collection is a fitting way to commemorate his first 20 years as a true gaming hero. With nearly 40 million Wii systems sold in the United States alone, players of all experience levels can join in the celebration by checking out Kirby’s Dream Collection: Special Edition.”
Now through Oct. 31, consumers in the U.S. also can enter for the chance to win a set of collectible Kirby Round Playing Cards that pay tribute to the spherical pink superstar. Information is available at http://kirby.nintendo.com/clubnintendo.
In yet another display of Kirby-themed excitement, Nintendo fans at the annual PAX Prime conference in Seattle recently found an extra-special way to celebrate Kirby’s anniversary by setting a new Guinness World Records® mark for the most people blowing a chewing gum bubble simultaneously. On Sept. 1, Nintendo rallied 536 participants to chew bubblegum and blow bubbles that resembled the round, pink Kirby character, creating an eye-popping spectacle.
Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wii.
For more information about Kirby’s Dream Collection: Special Edition, visit http://kirby.nintendo.com/dreamcollection.

Source: Nintendo PR