Recently in nintendo Category

I am avid and loyal fan base of Mario games since hey-days of Nintendo 8-bit console system in 1986, and it is nearly impossible for me to get bored with Mario game series in my lifetime. I purchased Super Mario Galaxy for Nintendo Wii on Tuesday, November 13rd.

My comment? What started as a slow and disorientating experience has quickly become one of my highly and favorite game released in more than a decade, or two. I have defeated the last stage of Bowser yesterday, my game play lasted 3 days or total of 15 hours, 40 minutes, from beginning to end with 61 stars.

I feel like a little kid with full of excitement, overload wow-factor and hyper blast-fun playing the game. The colorful artwork is all over Super Mario Bros 3 level atmosphere mixed with Super Mario 64 in 3D environment. The slick level design immediately makes me want to go back again to play. The main story formula is simply same in 20 years: Mario is on the way to rescue same Princess Peach, kidnapped by same evil Bowser in different place: space.

This game possibly become most influential in last 10 years from now, but I strongly believe Super Mario Galaxy to be top contender game of the year, 2007. If Mario is more recognize than President George W. Bush, the game [Galaxy] might be top-seller in seventh generation of video games.

Galaxy always makes me want to play more, to purse the completion of 120 stars. I feel very special myself playing with power.

For the love of Nintendo, I found the awesome picture in Flickr from gaming blog last Friday, and I-not-want-to-miss going Nintendo funhouse in Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), and took some pictures inside and outside of booth includes life sized three Nintendo hardwares: GameBoy, Nintendo Entertainment System, and Zapper gun into my Flickr collection.

This booth was created by Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity to put together to raise money for charity during their CMU Spring Carnival. This booth is overwhelming popular, I spent 15 minutes stand in the line to get into entrance. Being profoundly Deaf, I would not understand frat brothers present their speech about Nintendo chronologies inside the booth and try out some non-Nintendo games programmed in PC, I am going to pass that. Wandering around from entrance to exit inside the booth, it took me least 2 minutes to enjoy.

Sigma Phi Epsilon won Star Wars theme booth in last year's CMU Spring Carnival, I am hoping Sigma Phi Epsilon to win back-to-back award to compete against fraternities, sororities and independents.

We are just surprised and speechless. I got a headache right now. Introducing Nintendo Wii. This is Nintendo's fifth video game system, codenamed Revolution. [Rimshot] Get used to this. Remember DS we don't like the two-letter word when it was announced.

Also remember, nobody liked the controller when it was first unveiled.

Also the interesting part about people's comments on Slashdot and Digg, they are complaining about the name, and the relative lack of power.

But really, Wii is just a name, and the system won't rock any less, or more because of it. It is solely a marketing decision... and will probably play a lot better to non-gamers, just what Nintendo succeed DS.

Imagine with verbal jokes with so many opportunities: Mom! Billy won't let me play with his Wii!

Remember, this is not bleated April Fool's!

Source: Wikipedia - Nintendo Wii

It's funny because it's true.

Nintendo is now the most profitable video game entertainment system over Sony (PS2, PSP) and Microsoft (Xbox, X360) today. Sony and Microsoft are losing their profits from their home system / portable sold in first few years because they were very expensive to produce from the factory and try to meet the customer satisfaction for the price. But in opposite side of Nintendo, they earn profits from selling first few years of Nintendo DS (launched in 2004) and GameCube (2001). Check the numbers of video game sold this year in Japan. Nintendo DS is the winner.

Nintendo next generation system co-named, Revolution, tentative to launch in November 2006, it will be cheaper than next generation (360 and PS3). Retail Price? Sub $200, compare to 360 ($400) and PS3 ($400-$600). Nintendo does not need the raw power like PS3 and Xbox 360 spent the money to build powerful their machine. Nintendo is focusing the game play and innovate over power. Satoru Iwata said that.

Nintendo admitted the Revolution controller is the most expensive to produce because of gyroscope sensors.

It's going to be interesting to see how Nintendo is trying climb back to king of the video game market in next few years since last time Super Nintendo era (1994) if Nintendo and third-party games deliver.

UPDATE 4/28/2006: X-Box360 is losing $388 million dollars for their new system sold.

Man, I love this hilarious video clip! He got full of hysterical!

He abuse Nintendo 64 cardboard box like kitten. The pumping the fist in the air with his sister was hilarious. Once he screamed like winning the championship, 'N SIXTY-FOOOOOOOUUUUUUR!' He kept saying 'sixty-four' often. Best part is the tinge of dissapointment in the kid's voice when he unwraps his second gift, "Nintendo Sixty-Fou... Car...". It's a remote car.

I remember my memories back in Nintendo days, I was thrilled and very excited to have my first Nintendo system, Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64.

A eerie feeling between Nintendo and Apple, they seems so closer together... they're both innovate companies. Would you think to agree this?

Also yet again I found the cool blog entry in 4 color rebellion's Seperated at Birth: "Ok, so maybe they don't look like twins, but cousins surely."

You might familiar with the Mario Kart series spanned the four platforms in ten years: Super Nintendo (1993), Nintendo 64 (1997), Gameboy Advance (2001) and GameCube (2003).

Mario Kart DS finally put into Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for first time, and it is easily one of most joyous I ever had. I had a meeting with a friend colleague over RIT, to play against each other in private Wi-Fi network (using Friend mode).

I even tried Regional and Worldwide racers, it has sometimes lack of time for waiting on the list to randomize search other active player into the game. There are limit between 2 and 4 players to play the game over wi-fi. The game set only choose four tracks (out of 36 tracks) to win the overall high points and earn the win/loss point in your record profile on Nintendo DS.

I am not pleased the wi-fi players over the racing, I have easily defeated them in racing because I have yet mastered my controls earlier, and the wi-fi player disconnected during the game then afterwards it does not count & update my win/loss record. What a shame.

Also bad thing about pause issue during gameplay experience over Wi-Fi, I am unable to pause the game. The best advice to yourself: play when you're alone in the room!

Enough with my negative words above. Overall, the game include single, multiplayer and wi-fi player are blast to play from beginning to end. I do believe Mario Kart DS is contender DS game of the year 2005, and this game is one of best Mario Kart game since Super Nintendo in 1993.

"Mario Kart DS is easily the killer app for Nintendo's double-screened portable. Not only is the eight-player battle-racing action as tight as ever, but a host of new gameplay modes -- including online races -- make this the most attractive entry in the series yet." - article from Wired online

UPDATE: 11/22/2005: More than 112,000 copies of Mario Kart DS have been sold in the US for first week and 45% of their game taken online via the free Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service. Comparatively, Microsoft reported last year that after three weeks on store shelves, just 18 percent of Halo 2 owners had played that game on paid Xbox Live service. Source: IGN

UPDATE: 11/22/2005: Looking for trusted friends (strangers) online to play Mario Kart DS via Wi-Fi? Go to 4cr Wiki: WFC Friends Codes, to share your Nintendo Wifi Connection Friends Code.

UPDATE: 11/22/2005: WiTendoFi.com. Will it promise the live hype of analyst of NWC?

The greatest advantage is Nintendo Wi-Fi service is free across the globe for their first-party games only, but Nintendo will not prevent third-party publishers from charging their own fees.

Sweet! Nintendo hasn't given much info about USB Connector, I have some questions in my mind: Will it able to plug into Mac and Linux platforms? How far the signal will it go? What kind of signal and will this connector send wi-fi signals to laptop and/or PSP? Will USB Connector accept DSL and 56K modem?

UPDATE: (10/7/2005): Kotaku got the some screens what DS WiFi Interface look like.

Happy Birthday, Mario as Nintendo's best-known character mascot debuted into United States on October 1, 1985, according to Nintendo of America (NOA).

The Birth of Mario
Back in beginning of 1980s, Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo of Japan employee artist designed a new game based on his own idea: Donkey Kong, starring Jumpman, a portly carpenter clad in red and blue. Jumpman does not have his name, and in early 1980s NOA decided to rename the Jumpman - the name came from New York landlord warehouse, Italian Mario Segali, he looks just much like Jumpman and NOA staff chose to use the new name for Jumpman: "Mario."

Mario in 1981 or 1985?
Mario first appeared in 1981 Donkey Kong as Jumpman, but it wasn't official character until the true name of Mario debut in the game: Mario Bros in 1983. Mario Bros wasn't hugely popular as Donkey Kong, so Shigeru Miyamoto decided put Mario in bigger starring role in the revolutionary Super Mario Bros (SMB) game which was released on Nintendo Entertainment System in October 1st 1985 in United States (September 13, 1985 in Japan). SMB universally considered a classic of the medium, it was one of the first side-scrolling platform games of its kind and recovered the video game crash dated back in 1980s (hey-hey days of Atari).

NOA released Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island in October 1, 1995 for Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and claimed that the day of release date is Mario's birthday in United States. Japan claimed Mario's Happy 20th anniversary in the same year with different date (Sept. 13).

Mario Mania
Since SMB launched in 1985 and afterwards, it has grown popularity across the globalization and Mario has become an official mascot - an international icon, instant celebrity and yet almost synonymous with the Nintendo brand. Guinness Book of World Records claimed SMB is the best-selling single cartridge game of all the time and still stand today. In Japan, SMB, 6.28 million units sold is the second-best selling game, behind Pocket Monster (in U.S. Pokemon), 8 million units sold. Mario has sparked as leading character span over 120 games in different platforms (arcade, NES to today's Nintendo DS). Mario revealed yet another revolutionary game, Super Mario 64 on Nintendo 64, it was the one of the first game to feature an established 2D video game character in a 3D environment. Several critics declared this game is the greatest video game of all time during that time in 1996.

You might understand clearly why Shigeru Miyamoto, the father of videogames made Mario, the ex-Jumpman.

Jumpman is the 1981's most immature graphics technology with his style: cap, moustache and overalls to make these look limited character sprites.

Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins hockey player argued that he hate to hear the name of Mario in Nintendo games (see pictured), because the name has goofy looking red-cap and mustache to embarrass him.

Mario is staying strong after 20 years, and I am hoping that there will be new Mario game at Nintendo Revolution launch. Happy birthday, Mario!

Source:
Mario official website - under Nintendo's website.
MagicBox - List of Japan Platinum Game Chart
The Mushroom Kingdom - Everything resource about Mario
Wikipedia - Useful information about Mario
Wikipedia - List of Mario games.
Mario's adventures - picture of Mario beanie in my Flickr set.
Mario costume - Dress as adult Mario. Perfect for this month, Halloween!

I remember reading Sock Master's Game Console Controller Family Tree how the video game controller evolved through the generations and today, Nintendo broke more than 20 years of video game history by abandoning the traditional controller held with two hands and introducing an all-new freehand-style unit held with one hand.

Also, one week before new Nintendo controller announced, 1up.com wrote the article about Controller's History Dynamite, a history of gaming input devices, from stolen switches to analog. There is short summary how Nintendo influenced the controller for gameplay-style through years:

• Nintendo Enternatiment System (NES) pad was the biggest influence with D-Pad (up, down, left and right.) Sega Master System and TruboGrafx-16 followed.


• Super Nintendo (SNES) introuced a new L and R shoulder buttons, a first. Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn followed also.


• Then, Nintendo 64 pushed the new innovate - analog stick which you can move freely with analog pad in 3-D enivornment and rumble pak. Again, PlayStation and Saturn followed with internal rumble.


• If Nintendo succeed with one-handed remote control gyroscope in market, then it will be obiviously easy for Sony and Microsoft to follow.

I shall never forget that Nintendo is one of the greatest influence video system/game ever.

Read the more information and pictures of Nintendo Revolution-ary controller:
Nintendo Press Release

Next Generation: Iwata Shares Vision

And lastly, I discussed about secret Revolution Controller back in May 30 in my blog.

UPDATE: 6:51pm: Prank flash site. Very humorous..

UPDATE: 9/26/2005: Excellent article about Nintendo's one hand gaming.