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New Super Mario Bros Wii crosses 10 million copies sold
New Super Mario Bros Wii reached 10 million copies sold, Nintendo announced via Twitter. The side-scrolling platformer first launched on Wii in November 2009 and became Japan's fastest-selling game for the console two months later. Nintendo's return to 2D platforming action in the Mario series was popular for its multiplayer offerings; up to four players could traverse the Mushroom Kingdom's environments together, knocking into one another along the way. The publisher has since returned to Mario-leaping action on Wii U with games like 2012's New Super Mario Bros. U and last year's Super Mario 3D World, the latter listed by Joystiq as one of the ten best titles that launched in 2013. Nintendo shipped over two million copies of Super Mario 3D World as of May. [Image: Nintendo]
New Wii bundle includes New Super Mario Bros, loses Gamecube support
It was inevitable. Upon hearing the revelation that Europe would soon receive a new Wii without Gamecube compatibility, it was only a matter of time before the model made the trip across the Atlantic Ocean. Nintendo has now made the supposition a reality, announcing a new bundle for North America which will include a black Wii Remote Plus, a black Nunchuck, a copy of New Super Mario Bros. Wii and, oddly, a Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack CD. What it won't include, however, is any support for GameCube games or accessories. Also, like its European cousin, the "newly configured black Wii console sits horizontally rather than vertically." The bundle will be released on October 23 for $150. The little red flag that just shot up in your brain was probably the realization that $150 is also the asking price for the Mario Kart Wii console bundle, which is available in black and includes nearly the same contents ... and a Wii that still supports GameCube. According to Nintendo, the Mario Kart Wii bundle "will continue to be available" alongside the new bundle. So, unless you really don't want to spend an extra $50 on a copy of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, or you really hate the added value of GameCube support, the new bundle is more than a little baffling.
Kirby Wii preview: King Dedede, you, and me
It's hard to speak about Kirby Wii without a tinge of regret, and harder still to do so after seeing this video of a very similar, cancelled Kirby title for the GameCube. The game was never quite "cancelled" per se, but it was put on hold for quite some time while its developer, HAL Laboratory, pursued other projects -- Picross 3D and Face Raiders, among others. Among a mess of other logos flashed at the end of Nintendo's E3 2011 presser, Kirby Wii prominently stood out, reminding us that the game still exists. And when I spotted the game in Nintendo's press area available at a hands-on kiosk, I jumped at the chance to finally play the six year old game. What I found was a New Super Mario Bros. Wii meets single-player Smash Bros. Brawl mashup, with a hefty dollop of pink fluffy Kirby covering everything. Something not quite as "hardcore" looking as the GC game, but not far off.%Gallery-125891%
New Super Mario Bros. Wii arcade medal game primed for Japan
Before cursing the heavens, realize that the Capcom-developed New Super Mario Bros. Wii arcade machine isn't what you think it is. The Mario Bros. cabinet is actually a "medal game" -- in other words, it's a series of Mario-related mini-games (slot machines and the like) that can earn players more medals (i.e. tokens). According to Siliconera, players that reach Bowser in the up-to-four-player game have a shot at winning a jackpot. Check out a video of the game in action on the official site (click 映像紹介 at the bottom of the page).
Club Nintendo updates with Kirby patches, Mario wrist straps
Club Nintendo has a few new bonuses available in its shop, just in case you happen to have a sudden influx of new Nintendo games, and therefore Club Nintendo Coins, in the next couple of weeks. For 350 Coins, you can get one of two sets of adorable adhesive Kirby's Epic Yarn patches, featuring either Saucer and Off-Roader Kirby, or regular-style Kirby and Prince Fluff. Or, for 450 Coins, you can get a set of four New Super Mario Bros. Wii-themed Wii Remote straps, each one representing one of the four playable characters. In other Club Nintendo news, the fans, messenger bags and tote bags are back in stock. Hurry! %Gallery-111465%
Walmart loses its mind, offers third-party Wii Remote and game for $35
Walmart's apparently spread its retail dominance over so much of the country that it no longer has a need for your usual economic motivators like ... um, profit. The store is offering shoppers a $35 bundle which includes either a Nyko-brand Wii Remote or a Power A Wii Pro Pack (which we demoed earlier this year), and their choice of one out of a list of pre-selected games. At that price, you'd expect the bundled games to be shovelware, but the inclusion of Epic Mickey, New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Super Mario Galaxy 2 might convince you otherwise. We don't know how long this deal will be available, but considering you can purchase a Wii Remote, Nunchuk and a game for less than the standard retail price of a Wii game by its lonesome, we're going to wager that it won't be available for very long at all.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii tops 4M in Japan, says Enterbrain
Japanese publisher Enterbrain has revealed in this week's Famitsu that New Super Mario Bros. Wii has gone quadruple platinum in the region. NSMBW is Nintendo's first game on the console to achieve that status, having sold 4,001,276 copies as of Sunday. The title will celebrate its one-year anniversary on the market on December 3. Nintendo financial documents reveal that NSMBW had reached global sales of 16.7 million units by the end of September. That's like, if you're being strictly mathematical about it, nearly triple-quintuple-plus-double platinum.
New Wii Taiko Drum Master features New Super Mario Bros. theme
Previous Taiko no Tatsujin -- or Taiko Drum Master -- games for Wii and DS have featured playable medleys of Super Mario Bros. music, accompanied by 8-bit dancing Mario and friends. The latest Wii release in the adorable drumming series, Taiko no Tatsujin Wii Everybody Party 3rd, builds on the formula by featuring the theme from New Super Mario Bros. Wii, along with polygonal Mario, Luigi and Toad dancers. Andriasang notes that in addition to the NSMB Wii track, the new Taiko Drum Master features musical renditions from other notable games including Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, God Eater, Ridge Racer Type 4, and ... Muscle March. The game also includes minigames with pirate, alien, fairytale and Gator Panic themes. In general, there's a ton of great-looking content, making the fact that no Taiko game has been localized for release outside of Japan since 2004 that much more crushing.
Red Wii and DSi XL bundles, Wii Remote Plus, and FlingSmash in North America Nov. 7
After keeping us in suspense for a couple of weeks, Nintendo of America has finally announced the Super Mario Bros. 25th anniversary hardware bundles for North America. Both the red Wii and DSi XL systems will arrive on November 7. The $200 Wii bundle includes New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Wii Sports, and a red Wii Remote Plus. Neither the package nor the press release mentions anything about the special versions of the NES Super Mario Bros. or Donkey Kong included in other regions. The $180 DSi XL bundle includes Mario Kart DS, and comes pre-loaded with two Brain Age Express games and Photo Clock. The Wii Remote Plus, combining a Wiimote and a MotionPlus, will be released the same day for $40, in white, black, pink, and blue. It will be the standard Wii controller from now on, included in hardware bundles. FlingSmash will also come packed in with a Wii Remote Plus -- it's out the same day for $50.%Gallery-105664%%Gallery-105665%
Super Mario Wii and DSi XL systems coming to Europe
First, the Super Mario Collection Special Pack was confirmed for Europe after being announced for Japan. Today, the special edition Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary DSi XL and Wii systems have been announced for the region as well, with each red system bundled with a Mario game. The red Wii set, in stores October 29, includes Wii Sports and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. However, instead of the special version of Super Mario Bros. packed with the Japanese system, the European version includes the "original" Donkey Kong. This is probably just the NES game on Virtual Console, but the "original" terminology suggests it could be the arcade game. The red DSi XL bundle includes a copy of New Super Mario Bros. and will be out October 22. None of this has been announced in North America. Happy birthday, Mario!
2010 halftime report on bestselling US console games
NPD has revealed the bestselling games for consoles from January through June of 2010. IGN notes that Nintendo dominates sales by individual platform, with six of the top ten titles created for its hardware; and five of them developed by the money-printing publisher itself. In combined platform sales, runaway hit Red Dead Redemption rides high. 2010 Top Five Combined Platform Sales from January–June: 1. Red Dead Redemption (PS3, Xbox 360) 2. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii) 3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3, Xbox 360) 4. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PS3, Xbox 360) 5. Wii Fit Plus (Wii) Check out the top ten individual platform sales leaders after the break.
Wii summer competition launches in July
Are you ready to totally destroy some people on vacation who felt like trying out a Wii game? Get to your local mall or Six Flags next month! This summer, Nintendo is holding a Wii Games: Summer 2010 competition, with initial matches held throughout the country, culminating in a final showdown in Los Angeles. The five events to get way too serious about include Wii Sports Resort's Basketball and Bowling, Wii Fit Plus's Hula Hoop Challenge, New Super Mario Bros. Wii's Coin Battle, and Mario Kart Wii's Time Trial. The schedule and locations can be found at the competition's official site. Not anywhere near one of those locations? A "home version" will soon be available on the site, so you can try out your inappropriately intense game and trash talk on your own family.
April NPD: Sam Fisher's grim month
Apparently everybody was paying taxes last month instead of buying games, because despite analysts' expectations, sales for April were way down. As you can see below, sales dropped out on every single console that NPD tracked during April, with the Wii taking the biggest hit, down 50 percent from March. Hardware sales overall fell by 37 percent. Software sales didn't do any better -- Splinter Cell Conviction was a bright spot and Super Street Fighter IV just barely made the list (which you can find after the break), but otherwise it was all leftovers from March and previous months. NPD reports that last month's 11 percent industry drop-off was the "worst year-over-year decline...since July '09, and the fourth largest year-over-year percentage decline ever." The industry got rained on -- here's hoping April showers bring some May flowers. -DS: 441K260K (-37%) -Wii: 277K 281K (-50%) -360: 185K 153K (-45%) -PS3: 181K 133K (-42%) -PSP: 66K 54K (-44%) -PS2 sales are no longer being tracked by NPD -- goodbye, old friend. See the top 10 games after the break. (Note: Sales figures for the games ranked six through ten were withheld by NPD for unstated reasons.)
Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver reaches 8.4m sold; other Nintendo million-sellers revealed from last fiscal year
As an addition to its overall earnings report, Nintendo has released a list of first-party million-sellers from its last fiscal year (ending March 31). Many of these games, including Wii Sports and Wii Fit, have been out for years, but still managed to sell more than a million units over the last four quarters! On DS, Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver have sold an astonishing 8.4 million copies -- 3.78 million in Japan, where the game's been out since September, and 4.62 million outside of Japan in just a few short weeks of availability before the close of the fiscal year. Nintendo's Japan-only Tomodachi Collection sold 3.2 million copies, and Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box moved a respectable 2.43 million copies outside of Japan. Even Style Savvy, which has a somewhat low profile in North America and Europe, sold 1.21 million copies in those territories. As for two perennial bestsellers, Mario Kart DS and New Super Mario Bros. each sold over three million copies outside of Japan in the last fiscal year. Nintendo's marquee 2009 Wii titles, Wii Sports Resort, Wii Fit Plus and New Super Mario Bros. Wii, sold more than 10 million units each in North America and Europe alone; and worldwide, those titles sold 16.14 million, 12.65 million, and 14.7 million copies, respectively, through the fiscal year. But if you think those are big numbers, think again. Thanks to Wii Sports being bundled with the Wii system outside of Japan, the game now totals 63.46 million units sold. Heck, even Link's Crossbow Training (bundled with the Wii Zapper) broke a million sold in the last fiscal year. Head past the break for the complete list of million-sellers from Nintendo's fiscal year ending March 31, 2010. Source [PDF] - Supplementary information about earnings release [Nintendo]
Nintendo profits down in last fiscal year, but not out
As expected, Nintendo recorded an annual decline in profits in its last fiscal year (ending March 31), depositing a paltry ¥230 billion (about $2.45 billion) into its bank account. This is the company's first year-over-year profit lapse in six years, and Nintendo expects further decline in the current fiscal year, forecasting a measly ¥200 billion ($2.13 billion) in profits over the next four quarters. If only Nintendo could summon consumers to drive another year in profits like the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009, when the company made ¥279.1 billion ($2.95 billion). It's all so tragic. To combat making only slightly less obscene amounts of money this fiscal year (April 2010 – March 2011), Nintendo will release its 3DS handheld, Pokémon Black and White, Metroid: Other M and Super Mario Galaxy 2. The company's new strategy: "to achieve the ultimate worldwide objective of 'must-have for everyone' rather than 'must-have for every family.'" Conveniently, this strategy suggests that the Wii Vitality Sensor, which is also scheduled for release in the coming months, need only be supported by a single, heartfelt purchase to be successful. (Oh, who are we kidding -- how many units has Wii Fit sold?) Summing up Nintendo's fiscal year ending March 31, 2010, the DS sold 27.1 million units, bringing its global sales total to 128.9 million units. (The company has high hopes for continued sales of DS models, including the 3DS, as it forecasts general platform sales of around 30 million units this fiscal year.) Additionally, the Wii moved 20.53 million units, bringing its lifetime sales total to 70.93 million units through the last fiscal year. (Nintendo expects to sell around 18 million Wii units this fiscal year.) Finally, software sales were highlighted by New Super Mario Bros. Wii, which sold 14.7 million units worldwide last fiscal year, following its launch in November. Source [PDF] -- Earnings Release: Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2010 [Nintendo]
April Fools: Nintendo games coming to iPad June 15
Nintendo has recognized how big this App Store thing has become, and, as such, has decided to just play nice and offer its games to iPad users starting June 15. PlaySwitch broke the news earlier today and, as you can see above, the games barely skip a beat in the graphics department from Wii to iPad -- DS games will also be made available. What? Oh, it's April Fools, so you think this is all a joke? Look, we understand your skepticism, but guys, this can't be a lie. It's too good to not be true, right? RIGHT?!
Australian NSMB Wii pirate to gamers: 'Don't do what I did'
"For James Burt, it's game over." Faced with paying a $1.5 million ($1.3 million USD) fine to Nintendo -- along with additional court costs -- the 24-year-old Australian man who illegally uploaded New Super Mario Bros. Wii to the internet now has to endure the trite (see: "game over" line) and unsympathetic reporting of a local TV show called "A Current Affair." Here's question one: "You do admit that what you did was quite stupid?" BAM. Nintendo Australia's Rose Lappin claims the pirated plumber code was downloaded approximately 50,000 times after Burt bought a copy from a retailer that failed to adhere to the street date. "It's no different to stealing anything else," she concluded, reflecting Nintendo's unflinching legal stance in the matter. As for Burt's considerable debt, he said, "It's something I'm going to have to work through for the rest of my life." It's a clear example and a harsh punishment -- especially when so many pirates escape without repercussion -- that Burt has warned his fellow gamers against. Seriously, guys, do not duplicate that disc. [Via GamePolitics]
Nintendo Australia fines NSMB Wii uploader $1.5 million
Finally, Nintendo has been able to make a little money from New Super Mario Bros. Wii, a sequel to one of its old franchises, released this November. Nintendo of Australia announced that as the result of a federal court settlement, one Australian will be required to pay $1.5 million ($1.3 million USD) to Nintendo for loss of revenue due. This person was allegedly the first to upload New Super Mario Bros. Wii to the internet, doing so on November 6, one week before the game was released (an act that facilitated creative works in addition to piracy). Not only is this bad news for this one guy, it should also serve as a warning to other would-be pirates. "Upon the game being uploaded to the Internet, Nintendo was able to employ the use of sophisticated technological forensics to identify the individual responsible for illegally copying the file and making it available for further distribution," Nintendo said in a press release. "On 23 November, 2009, Nintendo obtained a Federal Court search order in respect of the individual's residential premises. This led to the seizure of property from those premises in order to gain further evidence against the individual." If you upload Nintendo games, the company will come to your house and take your stuff. Chilling. [Thanks, Foetoid]
This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Nintendo Week rips the lid off of it
We usually don't buy into Nintendo Week's particular brand of family-friendly hype generation -- after all, this is a Nintendo-funded program and we'll be damned if we're going to let The Man tell us what we're going to like. But this week's update on the Nintendo Channel is pretty amusing, especially if you enjoy fake mustaches, fourth wall destruction and tips on playing New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Or, you know, ripping the lids off various things. Head past the break for this week's content.
This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Faux-fighting
We usually write off Nintendo Week as nothing more than the usual PR flim-flam, but this week's episode on the Nintendo Channel is one to watch. The segments on Muscle March, Super Mario RPG and Little King's Story are nice, but there's an important lesson to be learned here: New Super Mario Bros. Wii ruins friendships. If you plan on partaking in Mario and Co.'s latest outing on the Wii, make sure those bonds are krazy glue strong; otherwise, you'll do something cliched ... like divide the room in half with tape. Head past the break for this week's Nintendo Channel content and be sure to check out the new Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth demo!
