I'm not sure how this came about, but celebrity Sean Astin is now narrating a web series all about gaming history. In a recent episode, Astin goes over the history of Mario and how the character came to be. I wonder if Astin is a Nintendo fan in real life!
Take a look back on the event that crowned our Grand Champion of the Community Competition during the finals on the Ubi Stage at Gamescom 2019!
Behold the Piranha Plant! This carnivorous plant and prominent nemesis of the mushroom kingdom is usually found hiding in pipes, but thanks to Mario and his friends, a few have been captured and modified into poseable lamps, perfect for your games room, living room or castle tower!Each plant is USB powered and can be fully posed into your preferred shape (with its ability to snap firmly removed) these fierce flora now spend their days lighting up your desired location, rather than shooting fireballs and trying to eat everyone’s favourite plumber.
[Store] A new Pack is now available in the Store: Dr. Bowser Jr.. It includes the following: Gem x260, Dr. Bowser Jr. (available until January 23rd)
[Events] The 5th Clinic Event is now live, and it features Piranha Plant. Clear stages in all three phases in order to earn various rewards (available until January 23rd) [NB: was listed for a few minutes, then disappeared. Current status of event unclear]
First look at New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Chinese package.https://t.co/lZzYBKsiVC pic.twitter.com/2mobIfX44f
— Chinese Nintendo (@chinesenintendo) January 15, 2020
We've seen snippets of this cover art before, but now we have a look at the full box, front and back. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is available for the Switch in China as of today, so copies are out and about at retailers. It'll be interesting to see how many people hop in on the retail option over digital.
Still haven't gotten enough coverage of the Super Nintendo World event that Universal Studios Japan and Nintendo held? Well you're in luck, as Famitsu put together a video recapping the whole event. Check out action from the presentation itself, as well as some off-stage demo time.
SEGA has announced that they'll be bringing a playable demo of Mario & Sonic at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to the World Hobby Fair Winter 2020 event. Those who stop by SEGA's booth to play the game will get a free ticket holder and neck strap. If you play the demo that's in the Competition Corner, you'll get a set of puku puku stickers. Finally, you'll be able to take your picture with Mario and Sonic statues at the booth as well. You can check out the goodies below.
According to the wiki page, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort cost Universal around 256 million to put together. While that might seem like a crazy amount, that's just a drop in the bucket compared to what Universal spent on Super Nintendo World.
Japanese publication Sankei has published an article about the recently-revealed details for Super Nintendo World, but they go over one aspect that we haven't seen covered anywhere else. According to their info, Universal has spent around 545 million dollars on Super Nintendo World. This would make it the highest price Universal has ever spent on a new park.
Nintendo and Universal shared a ton of information about the upcoming Super Nintendo World park last night, and that includes a special music video. The video is a collaboration between Galantis and Charlie XCX, and Universal talked to the artists to see what it was like working on the special feature. You can check out comments from the gang below.
Galantis
Hello everyone in Japan. We are Galantis.
I think Japan has always been on the forefront of all types of culture, and I think it’s been a huge influence on us since we were really young, young days. Technology, food, movies, cartoons, Design.
Our experience performing in Japan has been amazing from the first show we’ve ever done in Japan It’s probably the place in the world where the crowd is singing back our songs in perfect pitch. Yeah, like in a huge choir, 10,000 people with one voice.
Mario Kart is the number one game of all games that I have played the most. I played it since the first day it came out on every console up to today on Nintendo Switch. So the process of re-working the Super Mario theme song — Well first of all, I’ve got to say it was so much fun, but it was a big challenge, because those melodies are so amazing and so important, and it’s like our childhood, so we didn’t want to leave any of that out, and still we wanted to put Galantis in it, Yeah, it’s been such a great honor, working with Nintendo and with Super Mario. No but really, I think this is like a dream.
And I’ve had this as a childhood dream to actually have the part —it’s just an amazing feeling to feel like now we are actually a part of the whole thing —I think Super Nintendo World is going to be absolutely amazing.
I think it’s something that we always wanted to do — like actually live the games that we grew up with and that we are still playing every day. There’s so much I want to know and try — it’s kind of mind-blowing thinking about it. People are going to naturally come together, travel around from all over the places of the world and just have a place to unite.
First time seeing the trailer and hearing our music — full body chills. It looks amazing. Pretty unreal that we got to work on it.
Yeah, I would say so. Amazing. Let’s go, let’s do it. Here we go!
Charli XCX
Hello everyone in Japan. I am Charli XCX. I was approached few months ago, about SNW opening at USJ, and this told that a song was needed for the launch and GALANTIS who I know I’ve collaborated with members of GALANTIS before. The idea was about to put together this really like a FUN and SUPER song that would go alongside the theme park that represents all the “SUPER NINTENDO WORLD” is about. So there are lots of mentions of SUPER, SUPER STARS, JUMPING and the main tagline is that “we are born to play” which is what everyone is going to play in the park.
“We are born to play” is really a fun line, and I guess everybody wants to have a good time and wants to feel free, and wants to rest upon their lives and enjoy themselves. So it’s cute super fun tagline that draws the whole song together.
When I was younger, I had a Game Boy. Growing up I was constantly playing Super Mario. There were three kinds of games I repeatedly played, and one of them was definitely Super Mario. I think it was kind of a big part of my childhood. Well, it was just so fun. I think that’s what’s cool about video games where players can be in a world of fantasy.
I really love Japan and Japanese culture and I am extremely inspired by J-POP music. I’ve always thought not only the music but the visuals and MV that go alongside the music have been elevated and really creative and mind-blowing in Japan. It’s just so inspiring and I feel like I could learn from J-POP culture’s visuals and MVs. I just think it’s wonderful and extra loud about the bright colorful pallets that are really exciting to me. I’ve been to Tokyo quite a few times, and I actually shot two music videos in Tokyo. One I made was a Japanese version of my song “Boom Clap” and was shot in Tokyo.
It’s so crazy to be here with Nintendo bringing this game to life. Because when I play games on the monitor I feel like I'm really good, but in reality it's not. But I'm really into the game right now and really enjoying it.
Something really unique and cool about “SUPER NINTENDO WORLD” is the idea of constant games, meaning you can constantly play and interact with people. To create an experience that is sensualized around the idea of connection and communication between people is really cool and really fun. I think it would be a great experience for the people who go to the park.
We had a ton of details about Universal's Super Nintendo World park come in last night, but there's still some more tidbits to go over. A bit more on the park's Power Up Bands has trickled out, and it details just how interactive an experience you can expect from the park.
Park visitors will get to use special Power Up Bands that will allow them to interact with the park in multiple ways, including the ability to collect goodies. When paired with the smartphone app, those in the park can collect coins and character stamps as they travel throughout the land.
On top of that, the Power Up Band can be used to complete key challenges, which eventually lead to working together with other people in the park to take on boss battles. Sadly, more specifics on these challenges and boss battles weren't shared.
