Mario Kart Mercedes DLC Spawns This Must See Japanese Commercial

Japanese Mario Kart 8 owners are in for a a little dose of advert-gaming when a free Mercedes GLA DLC drops later this year. Ya know what’s stranger than turning laps in a Mercedes against opponents in go-karts? This car commercial tie-in. Enjoy!

Nintendo Reveals Hot, Nude Wii-U Photos

Here’s a bit of a shocker: Nintendo has shown off some component pics from their upcoming Wii-U video game console! This is quite a change for Nintendo. The playing card company turned gaming giant is usually tight-lipped about technical specifications regarding any of their machines. It is just the latest sign of change in the attitude of the Big N as they move to recapture the ‘core’ game audience lost during the last Console War.

Looking inside the Wii-U shows no trace of magic mushrooms or vacuum tubes full of pony flatulence that were previously believed to power Nintendo consoles. While Nintendo was eager to show pictures and explain things such as heat sinks, we still don’t have much to go on in terms of actual tech specs. We do know that the Wii-U sports a “Multi-core CPU chip and the GPU chip…built into a single component” and that it was a joint venture between IBM (probably CPU), AMD (probably GPU), and Renesas (board manufacture). Internet scuttlebutt has it that the graphics core is most likely AMD’s Radeon 5670, based on the die size and the Wii-U’s estimated power draw of 40-60W.

For a more information about what went into the design, both inside and out, of the Wii-U, check out Nintendo’s own “Iwata Asks” interview with the engineers. The article even features a number of annotations to help out those who may not have all their -PUs in a row. For more guesswork into the potential technical capabilities of Big N’s upcoming console, try ExtremeTech’s discussion.

Nintendo Kisses Up to 3DS Early Adopters: 20 Free, Exclusive Games Including Zelda, Mario, and Metroid

Following news of a $80 price cut on the 3DS coming a mere 6 months after the system’s release early tech adopters and Nintendo’s most loyal fans are bound to be feeling a little peeved. Worry not Nintendudes! The house that Mario build wants you to know that they appreciate your support and plans to make it all good with 20(!) free downloadable games for your little 3D buddy.

Anyone who uses their 3DS to log into Nintendo’s eShop at least once before 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Aug. 11 will be automatically be registered in the “Nintendo 3DS Ambassador program”.

Nintendo of America’s press release details the program as follows:

1. Starting Sept. 1, Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors will be able to download 10 NES™ Virtual Console™ games at no charge and before they are available in the Nintendo eShop to the general public. These games, including Super Mario Bros.™, Donkey Kong Jr.™, Balloon Fight™, Ice Climber™ and The Legend of Zelda™, are slated to become paid downloadable games, but Ambassadors get them early for free. Once the paid versions of the games are posted to the Nintendo eShop later in the year, the updated versions will be available to Ambassadors for download at no cost.
2. By the end of 2011, Nintendo will provide Ambassadors with 10 Game Boy Advance Virtual Console games. These include games like Yoshi's Island™: Super Mario™ Advance 3, Mario Kart™: Super Circuit, Metroid™ Fusion, WarioWare™, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ and Mario vs. Donkey Kong™. These games will be available exclusively to Ambassadors, and Nintendo currently has no plans to make these 10 games available to the general public on the Nintendo 3DS in the future.
3. More details about this program will be announced in the future.

There you have it! With heavy hitters suck as Zelda, Super Mario, Mario Kart, and Metroid on the list Nintendo may have actually made the their system more attractive to their fan base BEFORE the price drop. 20 free games including early releases and ports of GBA titles that will be unavailable any other way. Now how much would you pay? $80?

Nintendo 3DS Price Cuts on the Horizon

Nintendo has just announced that a round of price cuts are incoming for its newly released 3D handheld console. Effective August 12, suggested retail price of the 3DS in North America will be lowered from its launch price of $249.99 to $169.99. The new price will bring the glasses-free handheld more in line with the rest of Nintendo's DS family of handheld systems.

Timing of this announcement couldn't be better. Sales and critical reception of the 3DS has been less than stellar. With the 3DS' first holiday shopping season approaching, as well as the launch of anticipated titles such as Super Mario 3D Land in November, Mario Kart 7 in December, Nintendo stands a very good chance of reinvigorating its flagging handheld.

Nintendo 3DS Video Service Launches With 3D Movie Trailer, Original Content

Nintendo Video is now available via the 3DS’ eShop in The United States. This new video app follows hot on the heels of the 3DS version of Netflix and will allow streaming of 3D video content directly to the big N’s latest handheld. Now you can enjoy such 3D video fare as the Captain America movie trailer in 3D as well as… um, this:

 

 

 

Nintendo states that they have plans to offer more movie trailers, music videos, sports clips, and “exclusive Nintendo content.” Some of the content scheduled for the next few weeks involve videos from OK Go and The Blue Man Group as well as videos from viral video foundry College Humor.

3DS Software Canceled and Delayed : Is the 3DS Nintendo’s Sinking Ship?

It is obvious that the 3DS, Nintendo’s glasses-free 3D follow up to the wildly successful Nintendo DS line of handhelds,  has had a rocky start. Launching at $250 USD, more than double the price of current DS models, the 3DS has been a disappointment at retail since launch. Currently sales remain slow with older DS models outselling it 2 to 1.

Nintendo 3DS Gets Netflix in North America

Just like your consoles, TVs, DVD players, phones, and PCs, Netflix has arrived for your 3DS! Check out the eShop for your copy of the free app and remember to keep that AC adapter handy. Battery life on the 3DS really kinda sucks!

Personally, I’m holding out until Netflix starts streaming to my tea pot!

Despite Fan’s Pleas, Nintendo Refuses to Publish 3 Wii RPGs in North America

From Anime News Network:

“Instead of complaining on message boards, fans mobilized a letter-writing, game-reserving campaign aimed at Nintendo. Their goal: Nintendo releasing Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, and Pandora's Tower on the North American Wii, just as the company did on the Japanese Wii. Their efforts put Xenoblade preorders atop Amazon's best-seller list, and Nintendo promised an announcement about the games. A few days later, Nintendo delivered that announcement: “SUCKERS.”
I guess Nintendo is sick of “putting smiles on faces”. Read more at ANN’s X Button Column.