19/11/2009 Jump into New Super Mario Bros. Wii at the official website
This Friday, Mario and Co. leap back into action in a new adventure that combines classic platforming with new ways to play. Go it alone on an epic quest to save Princess Peach, or team up with up to three friends to make the mission a cooperative effort.
With a range of multiplayer modes, new Power-Ups and Wii-specific controls, New Super Mario Bros. Wii mixes old-school gameplay with brand-new ideas. From today, you can learn all you need to know about the game in advance of its release by visiting our official New Super Mario Bros. Wii website.
With videos, game details, downloadable goodies and a whole course to explore, the website is the perfect place to whet your appetite for the adventure that lies in wait.
20/11/2009 The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks multiplayer and Blizzard Temple dungeon revealed
20 November 2009 – A temple of ice ruled by the Master of Icy Fire and six unique multiplayer battle arenas that can be played simultaneously by up to four people are just some of the challenges awaiting you in the latest epic adventure for Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi –The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.
In the treacherous Blizzard Temple, a mysterious musical puzzle is waiting to be solved. You must guide Link through the ice and snow, positioning magical bells in different sequences and hitting them with your sword to produce different melodies.
To cross chilly ponds, freeze your boomerang by throwing it through ice flames and then create ice bridges by drawing a path through the water. Melt snow by tossing your boomerang through flames and drawing a path over the snow-covered floor.
Once you have mastered the puzzles of the Blizzard Temple, you’ll need to fight against the Master of Icy Fire by fighting strategically and using the correct elements of ice and fire to defeat the creature.
If single-player mode isn’t enough for you, invite up to three friends to join in the Battle Mode. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks features six unique battle arenas, each containing different hazards and characteristics. To win the action-packed matches, you will need to hone your skills to collect more Force Gems than your opponents.
Take on the challenges of the Ancient Earth where the changing game environments will keep you on your toes, the lava-ridden Fire Arena where you’ll have to switch sides, when warned, to avoid the molten lava flow, or the even more challenging Icy Plains. Take it even further with the Scorched Battlefield arena or the advanced Shadow Stage – where the arena floor is sensitive to loud footsteps, making it easy for the Phantoms to locate you. There is enough variety to keep you coming back for more!
In Battle Mode, the player can also collect items to gain advantage over opponents - for instance, hit the enemy with lightning bolts, become temporarily invincible, place hidden pitfalls and conjure additional Force Gems.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks launches across Europe on Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi on December 11th. For more information, visit www.spirittracks.co.uk
20/11/2009 In shops now: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Dust down your dungarees and prepare to embark on an incredible new Mario adventure for Wii. In shops across Europe today, New Super Mario Bros. Wii features old-school platform-hopping action blended with a raft of exciting new twists.
For the first time in a Mario adventure, you’ll be able to set out in search of Princess Peach with up to four players. Work together or fend for yourself as you put new Power-Ups to work and leap through colourful worlds, using the motion-sensing abilities of the Wii Remote along the way to perform special actions.
Topped off with further competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes and bucket-loads of Mushroom Kingdom charm, New Super Mario Bros. Wii takes the familiar Mario formula you know and love to another level entirely!
Wii Fit Plus builds on the features of the original Wii Fit with a wide range of new additions that make learning about your personal fitness more fun than ever.
As well as offering detailed workout customisation options, new exercises and handy features like the Calorie Check tool, Wii Fit Plus comes complete with a host of new reasons to gather the whole family around the Wii Balance Board.
Adding to the selection of Balance Games that first appeared in Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus boasts 15 all-new Training Plus games that can turn any gathering into a fun-filled (and sometimes competitive) occasion.
Looking on is almost as much fun as taking part when your mum or dad start flapping like crazy in Bird’s-eye Bull’s-eye or battle to control their coordination in Big Top Juggling. Just remember though, if you greet their efforts with fits of laughter, they might have a thing or two to say in return when your shot rolls around!
Of course, taking turns at the many games in Wii Fit Plus is a laugh a minute when you’ve assembled a crowd in the living room. But if it’s pure competition you crave, there’s an option to satisfy your urges. Wii Fit Plus features a new Multiplayer mode that lets up to eight people compete for top spot on a leaderboard as they clamour to out-perform one another in a selection of games taken from both the Balance Games and Training Plus categories.
So if you want to see your Mii sitting triumphantly at the top of the scoreboard, prepare to block out the heckles of your competitors and show your all-round Wii Fit Plus prowess. Just don’t be surprised if nobody’s talking to you after you put them in their place!
With Mario returning to his 2D platform roots in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata spoke to Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto for the latest interview in the Iwata Asks series.
The pair look back at the early days of Mario, revealing some new insights in the creation of the iconic plumber. Shigeru Miyamoto expands on the design choices made in the early days of video gaming, including how the original Super Mario Bros. prevented players from dodging their first Super Mushroom.
01/12/2009 Burn rubber beneath the scorching sun in a new Mario Kart Wii competition
Mario Kart Wii lets you match up in 12-player races against drivers the world over. Now, you can show off your racing skills in a Nintendo-sponsored worldwide competition!
Our newest contest runs from 1 December until 10 December. Now’s the time to get online and show you’re the best!
Here are the details for the contest: Visit DS Desert Hills and take out the pesky Pokeys as fast as you can! There's no lap limit, so keep going around the course as many times as you like!
So turn on your Wii and go to the Mario Kart Channel to get in on this contest. For more information about Mario Kart Wii’s many online options, visit the game’s official site.
01/12/2009 Find the perfect present with our new Gift Finder
If you know someone who loves playing Nintendo DS or Wii, but wouldn’t know where to start when it comes to buying them a gift, help is at hand!
Launched today here at the Nintendo of Europe website, our new Gift Finder is designed to assist you as you search for games or systems that are ideally suited to your nearest and dearest. You can opt to look for presents in two ways using the Gift Finder; answering Mario’s questions to narrow down your search or defining your own set of preferences and browsing through all the available options.
To make sure you don’t forget the gift ideas you find, there’s also the option of compiling a wishlist and printing it out at any point – which could act as a handy reminder when you trek to the shops to purchase your presents!
02/12/2009 Celebrate one year of Animal Crossing: Let's Go to the City
On 5 December it will be exactly one year ago when Animal Crossing: Let's Go to the City launched in Europe. To celebrate this special day there’s a new downloadable item for you to get your hands on.
From December 5th – December 21st you will be able to download an anniversary cake looking so delicious you might be tempted to lick your TV screen - although we definitely must advise against that! So come and have your limited edition anniversary cake - but don't eat it!
If you have your Wii connected to the Internet, you’re well on your way to receiving your anniversary cake. Read the tutorial below to find out how you can ensure this exclusive gift makes it to your mailbox.
03/12/2009 Watch exclusive interviews with Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto
If you want to learn more about the background to some of Nintendo’s biggest titles of 2009, who better to speak to than Shigeru Miyamoto?
You can now watch two exclusive interviews with the legendary game designer in which he talks about fulfilling some long-time ambitions for a multiplayer Mario game with New Super Mario Bros. Wii., and gives the lowdown on how Wii Fit Plus makes it more convenient than ever to enjoy exercising at home.
The full interviews can only be seen by accessing the free Nintendo Channel from your Wii Menu, but you can enjoy a taster of them right here by watching the videos below.
03/12/2009 Try more demo puzzles from Professor Layton!
Have you met Professor Layton? This clever gentleman has been making quite a name for himself on the Nintendo DS. With a little help from his trusty assistant Luke he lends a hand wherever there are puzzles to be solved!
As a player of one of the professor’s wonderful adventures you get to solve brainteasers both baffling and bewildering - but never less than satisfying – all with your stylus on the DS Touch Screen. Tap the right answer, write down the resolution or trace the correct path – the controls are simplicity itself, but figuring out the problem at hand can be a mighty challenge!
If you’re curious, why not try your hand at some of the puzzles from the latest game in the Layton series right now? At the official website we have just added two more puzzles for your enjoyment (in addition to the ones that were already available).
These are the new puzzles:
Piles of Pancakes 1: See if you can move a stack of pancakes from one plate to another without breaking the rules!
Trees in the Forest: Splitting up a forest may not seem like much of a task, but can you do it so that each neck of the woods has just one of each type of tree?
At the website, you can also read a new interview with Professor Layton creator Akihiro Hino as as he discusses the series in great detail. At the above link, click on “Developer’s Interview” in the bottom right to get the full scoop.
Professor Layton and Pandora’s Box is in shops now for Nintendo DS
04/12/2009 Go behind the scenes of The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks in an all-new Iwata Asks
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata recently sat together with game director Daiki Iwamoto and Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma to talk about the creative process behind The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, coming to European shops on 11 December.
The trio discuss parallels between the development of Majora’s Mask and Spirit Tracks, the virtues of Princess Zelda over Tetra, as well as the Zelda-like qualities of exploring unknown territory by train.
04/12/2009 Final Aardman ‘Flipnote’ launched today
4 December 2009 – Ever get the feeling that the bad winter weather is following you everywhere? Then you might feel some sympathy for the poor fellow in The Weatherman, the final animation created by Aardman for Flipnote Studio on Nintendo DSi.
Top animator Tim Ruffle, from the Oscar®-winning studio, created 12 short and comical animations to demonstrate how much fun Flipnote Studio can be. The Weatherman can be downloaded and shared from the Flipnote Hatena website today. It is the final one in the series, which has received well over one million combined views and two and a half million star ratings.
The series has featured some memorable and hilarious characters: twins that are sandwiches, pitiful melting heroes, noisy sleepers, knights on bouncy castles, hungry fish, compulsive liars, a Bigfoot and someone with an explosive moustache…
04/12/2009 Enjoy Christmas karaoke and much more with seven new titles to download
Get the most out of your Wii or Nintendo DSi by downloading new software directly from the Wii Shop Channel or Nintendo DSi Shop in exchange for Nintendo Points. More information on WiiWare and Nintendo DSiWare can be found at the bottom of this article. This week, the following new releases are now available to download:
WiiWare New, original games offering something for everyone!
Happy Holidays Christmas Make fun Christmas-themed e-cards and send them straight to friends' Wii consoles!
Mahjong Relax your mind with the ancient game of tiles featuring 30 layouts of the traditional game in 3D.
Virtual Console Enjoy classic games from yesteryear on your Wii console!
Earthworm Jim 2 – SEGA MEGA DRIVE Earthworm Jim is back with his new sidekick, Snott, for the off-the-wall sequel to Earthworm Jim!
Nintendo DSiWare The following new Nintendo DSiWare releases are now available:
A Little Bit of… Magic Made Fun: Matchmaker Impress your friends with mesmerising magic using A Little Bit of... Magic Made Fun!
Foto Face: The Face Stealer Strikes Using the camera and microphone, you can become the hero in your own game!
Just SING! Christmas Songs Get ready for Christmas karaoke - with you as the star!
myNotebook: Red myNotebook allows you to take notes on your Nintendo DSi wherever you are!
07/12/2009 A new adventure begins at the official website for The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
When you think of The Legend of Zelda series, what’s the first thing that springs to mind? Is it the nerve-jangling boss battles, the puzzles that preoccupy your thoughts long after you’ve switched a game off or simply the thrill of knowing there’s a vast world out there just waiting to be explored?
Whatever the case, the time to awaken your heroic side once more is almost upon us, with a brand new instalment in the legendary series due to wind its way onto Nintendo DS on 11 December.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks once again casts you as the indomitable Link as he embarks on a quest to conquer evil and save the land. This time around, however, you’ll experience a whole new world as you get your hands on new items, work alongside Princess Zelda and tear through expansive landscapes aboard your own locomotive.
Launched today, the official website for the upcoming title provides the perfect place to watch videos of the game in action, read more about the story framing Link’s latest quest and learn about the new characters and items you can expect to come across. If you have a keen eye, you might even manage to collect all the hidden Rupees scattered around the site and exchange them for some downloadable goodies in the Bonus Shop!
03/12/2009 Wii sales in UK top six million in less than three years
3rd December 2009 – Figures released today courtesy of the UK’s leading independent music, video and software performance and sales tracking company, Chart Track-GfK, show Nintendo’s home console, Wii, has now sold more than six million units in the UK alone since launch.
The landmark figure, achieved in less than three years on sale, makes Wii the fastest selling video game console in UK history and the quickest ever to reach six million units sold. Wii was originally launched in the UK on 8th December 2006 and officially passed six million UK sales week ending 28th November 2009.
Commenting on the six million sales figure, David Yarnton, General Manager, Nintendo UK added: “With its inclusive, family friendly and fun nature, we’re very pleased Wii seems to have captured the imagination of over six million families across the UK and reached such a landmark sales figure in such a short space of time. We'll work even harder to ensure that the interest in Wii stretches over months and years, appealing to people of all ages and gaming experience.”
07/12/2009 Mario take a bow - you are Europe's best-loved video game character
7th December 2009 – After 28 years, over 100 games and sales of over 222 million, new research today reveals Mario as the best-loved video game character of all time. Independent research carried out by YouGov across Europe places the Italian dynamo ahead of such gaming luminaries as Lara Croft, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-Man and the Master Chief from Halo.
And when it comes to game soundtracks, the majority of Europeans surveyed instantly recognised Mario’s catchy soundtrack. The Mario soundtrack was created by composer and sound director Koji Kondo for the Super Mario Bros game launch in 1985.
His first major game score, the classic Mario theme successfully managed the feat of creating memorable and fun music that could be repeated frequently in gameplay without causing boredom. Mr Kondo, who has also composed the soundtracks for the Legend of Zelda series and Star Fox, amongst others, claims diverse musical influences from Latin and jazz to rock. Sometimes it can take a month or more to create a video game soundtrack.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii brings the classic Mario platform game to Wii and while all the music and sounds were created newly for the game, some of them are based upon Koji Kondo's original tunes, rearranged by Nintendo's music team specifically for the game.
And for the first time in the history of the Mario series, up to four players can experience the action at the same time, playing as Mario, Luigi, Yellow Toad or Blue Toad. Work with or against your fellow players to race to the end of each level, overcoming obstacles, using power-ups, defeating enemies and having a lot of fun along the way.
Play the story mode on your own or with friends, aiming to complete all levels co-operatively, following a classic Mario plot of rescuing Princess Peach from the clutches of Bowser. In Free Mode and Coin Battle Mode, on the other hand, you leave the friendliness behind and compete with each other either to reach the goal at the end of the stage or reach this goal with the most coins.
10/12/2009 Beat Bowser from the inside out with our belly-busting tips!
Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story has garnered rave reviews across the games industry. There are many reasons for that – the inspired graphics, the laugh-out-loud humour - not to mention the tricky gameplay. While you sit back and enjoy the first two, there’s every chance the latter will trip you up now and again when you least expect it. Worry no more, intrepid adventurer – we‘ve laid on all sorts of tips and tricks that will help you on your way to a successful outcome in this unusual and hilarious RPG adventure.
11/12/2009 Six new downloadable titles offer something for everyone on Wii and Nintendo DSi
Get the most out of your Wii or Nintendo DSi by downloading new software directly from the Wii Shop Channel or Nintendo DSi Shop in exchange for Nintendo Points. More information on WiiWare and Nintendo DSiWare can be found at the bottom of this article. This week, the following new releases are now available to download:
WiiWare New, original games offering something for everyone!
Pallurikio Make Pallurikio jump and roll, and help him find his way through more than 50 enticing levels with all kinds of pitfalls and trickeries!
Rubik's Puzzle Galaxy: RUSH Using the Wii Remote’s intuitive controls, players herd the coloured cubes through 3D puzzles using conveyor belts, warps and more!
Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 4 Conspiracies, betrayal and shocking revelations as the Tales of Monkey Island intensity builds!
Virtual Console Enjoy classic games from yesteryear on your Wii console!
Alex Kidd in Shinobi World – SEGA MASTER SYSTEM Run, jump, swim and slash your way through twelve stages, teeming with monstrous foes from the world of Shinobi and Alex Kidd!
Nintendo DSiWare The following new Nintendo DSiWare releases are now available:
Hell's Kitchen Vs. Hell’s Kitchen Vs. recreates the show’s pressure-cooker atmosphere as two players battle head-to-head in an arcade-style kitchen challenge.
PictureBook Games: The Royal Bluff Engage in an aristocratic battle of wits in PictureBook Games: The Royal Bluff, a classic-style game of strategy and deception.
About WiiWare (Wii Shop Channel) To discover more about WiiWare and read about the other WiiWare games currently available, visit the WiiWare home page.
About Virtual Console (Wii Shop Channel) The Virtual Console is a treasure trove of classic games from past consoles like N64, NES, SNES, SEGA Mega Drive, SEGA MASTER SYSTEM, NEOGEO, Commodore 64 and TurboGrafx (PC Engine) and even the arcade era! Find your favourite games from yesteryear! Click here to read more about all Virtual Console games available.
About Nintendo DSiWare (Nintendo DSi Shop) Nintendo DSiWare offers an ever-expanding collection of games and applications exclusive to Nintendo DSi. From useful applications like the Nintendo DSi Browser to bite-sized versions of your favourite games, there's always something new in store! Click here to read more about all Nintendo DSiWare games available.
About Nintendo Points With your Nintendo DSi or Wii wirelessly connected to the Internet you can access the Nintendo DSi Shop or Wii Shop Channel and start browsing. In the Nintendo DSi Shop, you can turn Nintendo Points into Nintendo DSi Points and redeem them for Nintendo DSiWare games and applications. In the Wii Shop Channel, you can turn Nintendo Points into Wii Points and redeem them for Virtual Console games, Wii Channels or WiiWare games. Nintendo Points can be purchased at retail outlets. They can also be bought directly as Nintendo DSi Points in the Nintendo DSi Shop, or as Wii Points in the Wii Shop Channel. Click here to read more about Nintendo Points for the Nintendo DSi.
11/12/2009 Learn more about the past and present of Mario in a new Iwata Asks interview
Continue your education in all things Mario by reading the latest interview in our Iwata Asks series. In the second volume of Iwata Asks: New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the Nintendo President sits down with two more of the key players involved in shaping Mario and his world for the last quarter of a century.
In the interview with Toshihiko Nakago and Takashi Tezuka, Mr. Iwata learns about the painstaking efforts involved in creating a level in the early years of game development, and explores the curious connection between Yoshi and country and western music!
11/12/2009 In shops now: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
It’s time to strap your sword to your back and climb onboard the Spirit Train as you ride out to save Hyrule from the threat of the evil Demon King. Link is back and this time he has Princess Zelda for company, albeit in spirit form. Teamwork is imperative in order to succeed and Zelda’s spirit has plenty of tricks up her ghostly sleeve to help you out, including taking control of an old enemy – the Phantom!
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks follows on from the acclaimed The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, but adds many new features. For the first time, Link will travel the land by train, exploring the far reaches of Hyrule, taking on monsters and obstacles as he goes. Brand new items are introduced in the game, including the Spirit Pipes – a crucial instrument for saving the kingdom – and a revamped multiplayer mode that pits you against your friends in a frantic race for Force Gems!
The Nintendo DSi XL is the brand new handheld system from Nintendo arriving in Europe on March 5. The system has all the features of the Nintendo DSi system, but sports the largest screens of any Nintendo DS at a massive 4.2 inches each, making for a more comfortable play and breathing new life into existing games.
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata sat down with the development team behind the creation of this latest handheld to get an insight into the design process. Learn how development of the console was inspired by a never-released extra-large version of the Nintendo DS Lite, the dilemmas of choosing a console colour and how, even with the availability of modern technology, sometimes a simple drawing with pen and paper is the best way to realise a concept.
25/01/2010 It's Burns Night in Animal Crossing - time to dress up!
Burns Night is a special night in Scotland that celebrates the birth of its most famous poet - Robert Burns. While you might be hard pushed to understand one of his poems, you can join in the fun in Animal Crossing by downloading a special tam o'shanter, complete with authentic Scottish hair!
The tam o'shanter is named for one of Burns' best known poems and will really give your Animal Crossing: Let's Go to the City character a Scottish makeover. You can download the hat from January 25th to February 1st - don't miss out!
If you have your Wii connected to the Internet, you’re well on your way to receiving your tam o 'shanter. Read the tutorial below to find out how you can ensure this exclusive gift makes it to your mailbox.
26/01/2010 Iwata Asks: The History of Handheld The Legend of Zelda Games
The Legend of Zelda series is one that is revered by fans the world over and Toshihiko Nagako, Takashi Tezuka and Eiji Aonuma are collectively responsible for making the magical land of Hyrule a reality on many of Nintendo’s portable game consoles over the years.
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata brought them together to gain a little insight into how the world of Zelda was created, from The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening back in the early 90s through to the latest iteration in the series, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. Discover how a surreal American drama series played a role in inspiring the series and investigate the untold story of the “Second Quest”!
Posted: 11/19/2009 2:58pm 
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