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Luigi edition Nintendo 3DS LL gives Mario's brother his due, but only in Japan
There must be some kind of unstated rule that Nintendo can never give the US a special edition handheld without releasing some Japan-focused models. While the company was busy promising Americans an Animal Crossing 3DS XL of their very own, it was also introducing a Luigi edition 3DS LL for its home country as part of its "Year of Luigi" theme -- not fair, Nintendo. The system is decked out in a camouflage-like pattern that pays tribute to Mario's oft-neglected sibling, and it should ship with a preloaded copy of Mario and Luigi: Dream Team just to drive the point home. Local gamers will get the distinctly-patterned 3DS LL on June 18th, but there's no word on an XL equivalent for the US so far. We'll just have to make do with Mario-colored devices instead.
Super Mario Spacetime Organ lets you remix the plumber's world
The game may be pushing 30, but we get the sneaking feeling that the world has only scratched the surface of the original Super Mario Bros' gameplay potential. Chris Novello certainly offers a fairly compelling case for this, in the form of the Super Mario Spacetime organ, a strange and wonderful concoction that utilizes a homebrewed Illucia patchbay and the lovely Madrona Soundplane music controller, which let him play the Mushroom Kingdom like a musical instrument. Watch the video below as he manipulates the RAM to make Mario fly and jumps through the "Super Mario time machine" on the Soundplane's x-axis. It's not the most musical thing in the world, and certainly not for those who are sensitive to flickering chaos, but it does put those old Game Genies to shame. It also serves as a pretty novel use for a couple of rubber band balls.
Nintendo releasing three new 3DS XL bundles in Japan
If you live in Japan and aren't already red-shelling on a Pokémon or risqué edition 3DS XL, maybe one of these three new bundles will inspire you. For the minimalists: the Monster Hunter Tri G bundle complete with all-black 3DS XL (known as the LL in Japan), releasing November 1st for 21,800 yen (approximately $280). Following one week later (on the 8th) is the Animal Crossing: Jump Out bundle with white and pattern handheld, setting you back 22,800 yen (approximately $290). And, for the same price, the pièce de résistance of the trio -- a New Super Mario Bros. 2 bundle with black and embellished red XL, expected November 15th. If you're the importing type, or just want to see how good the Japanese got it, then check out the gallery below and pick your favorite.
Insert Coin: 'Epic Mario' aims to build entire Super Mario Bros. Level 1-1 with Legos (video)
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. What's cooler than Super Mario Bros. and Legos? Why, Super Mario Bros. with Legos, of course. That's the premise behind Lego artist Zachary Pollock's "Epic Mario" project, which aims to recreate the entire Level 1-1 of Super Mario Bros. using one Lego block at a time. At one brick per pixel, Pollock's project is expected to come in at around six feet tall and 90 feet wide once completed. He also estimates that he's going to need "just over 780,000 Lego studs" and some significant coinage -- to the tune of $26,400. Unfortunately, money just doesn't come from punching bricks in real life, and Pollock is turning to Kickstarter to get all the extra coin he needs for the project. This isn't the first time Legos were used to re-imagine a beloved classic -- heck, it isn't even the first Mario level to get the blocky treatment. That doesn't make the concept any less amusing, however, and Pollock promises to hold brick-building parties and take his project on the road to various conventions if it gets funded. Check out the potential project in all its blocky glory in the video after the break, as well as an update on our last Insert Coin project, the Berlin Boombox.
Worlds collide as Super Mario Bros and Portal become Mari0 (video)
Remember when the amalgamation of Super Mario Bros and a Portal gun seemed like the most amazing, yet impossibly lucid pipe dream? As it turns out, the cake named "Mari0" by developer-house Stabyourself actually wasn't a lie. But lest you thought this just a redo of Super Mario Bros with a skosh of Aperture science thrown in, you'd be oh-so-wrong. How's about four-player co-op, in addition to a level editor and a bevy of hilarious modes that'll put a new twist on an old favorite. And could it get any better than available for the sweet sweet price of free? If that's not a ringing endorsement, we don't know what is. If you're still reading this, we're unsure why you're still here -- get your game on at the source link below.
Super Pixel Bros is Super Mario for squares (video)
Is the complexity of regular Super Mario Bros. getting you down? Good news: modder Retro Brad has been putting a lot of time into his own version of the game, recreating levels of the original title on an 8 x 8 LED matrix, with all of its characters represented by a single pixel. Below that screen is an LCD, which lets users keep track of their score, lives and level, while a Monofonic Audio Chip offers sound effects played through a built-in speaker. All of this is housed in a portable eight-button system that, for the record, is decidedly less clunky than Nintendo's new circle-pad add-on for the 3DS. Video of Super Pixel Bros in action after the break.
Super Mario gets a Portal gun, you monster (video)
Before Portal 2 there was Portal, and before Portal there was Super Mario Bros. Bring these together and you get a mushroom-chomping Italian plumber ruling the 2D world -- outside the cold confines of Aperture Science -- with the infamous Portal gun. The next logical step? Turn this into a first-person game. Go on, Reggie, make it happen.
Nintendo rolls out orange and green DSi bundles especially for Black Friday stampedes
Black Friday is one of those new school traditions we can really get behind: the consumer's holiday, where trampling an elderly person is perfectly acceptable as long as you end up with a $40 netbook. Well, Nintendo's getting in the spirit this year with two new orange and green DSi bundles for your shopping pleasure. The bundles serve to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the famous Super Mario Bros. games and come with Mario Party DS. The bundles will be available on November 26th (yes, that's Black Friday) for $149.99. Full press release is below.
Nintendo Wii turns red with glee for Super Mario's 25th anniversarii
First of all, put away those credit cards, American readers, this is so far a Japan-only affair. Nintendo's celebrations of Mario's 25th birthday are extending beyond custom DSi and DSi LL consoles to a repainted Wii machine and a pretty sweet bundle to go with it. The sporty red number above includes one of the newfangled Wii Remote Plus controllers -- which can do MotionPlus tracking without the additional appendage -- along with a similarly rouged-up nunchuck, and, perhaps best of all, a preinstalled copy of Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary Edition. That's still the game you know and love, but it now comes with bricks embellished with the number 25 on the front. You'll catch a screenshot after the break, while the Japanese audience can expect the tasty bundle to drop on November 11 for ¥20,000 ($241). Hey, if you really want it that bad, you've got a whole month to figure out an import strategy.
Nintendo shows off special edition Super Mario Bros. DSi and DSi XL
Yeah, Super Mario Bros. was kind of a big deal, and we can't fault Nintendo for wanting to celebrate: September 13th marked the 25th anniversary of the game's launch, and Nintendo is pushing out special editions of the DSi and DSi XL (pictured) to celebrate, along with some pretty sweet swag. We mentioned the handhelds this morning, but now we've got a couple pictures -- way to play it subdued, Nintendo. Unfortunately, the consoles are for Japan only, but what we're particularly digging is this Super Mario Collection Special Pack that Nintendo will be launching alongside. The pack will include a version of Super Mario All-Stars for the Wii, a soundtrack CD, and a "Super Mario History, 1985 to 2010" booklet with some unreleased materials like initial development planning sheets handwritten by Shigeru Miyamoto himself. Again, announced for Japan only. Sounds like the import industry is going to be hot this October when these things land! %Gallery-103649%
Carnegie Mellon student shows that 64 pixels is enough for Mario (video)
There are 2,073,600 pixels in a 1080p TV, yet Carnegie Mellon student Chloe Fan has blown our minds by showing that you only need 64 of them to have a little fun with Super Mario Bros. She wired an Arduino to an 8 x 8 LED matrix through a breadboard, then scaled the first level of the game down to a resolution that makes the 160 x 144 resolution Game Boy look positively high def. The controls are similarly simplified: one button to move Mario (the slightly more orange dot) right, and a second to jump. She also wired up a separate board to play the game's theme song, as you can see in the embed below, but be aware: the video ends before the theme song does, meaning you'll be humming it to yourself all day long.
NES harmonicas hit eBay, three lucky gamers cheer
Remember the HarmoNESica? A brief refresher, then: it's what happens when you've got a copy of Super Tecmo Bowl, a Pocket Pal harmonica, and the desire to create a unique musical instrument. But if you don't have any of the aforementioned ingredients and just want the end result, eBay's got you covered as usual -- three HarmoNESicas have been gathering bids at the online auction house this week. Whether your pleasure be Dick Tracy, Super Mario Bros. 3 or The Legend of Zelda, there's a harmonica to match; and if (for some reason) you want to actually play one of the games, you'll find the ROM guts tastefully included. But before you make your bid, remember: there's more than one way to skin an NES cartridge.
Super Mario Bros. Wii mod is doing it exactly right
Hey kids, listen up. That guy with the red hat and blue overalls in the fancy new Super Smash Bros. game you just brought home? His name is Mario. He's a neat guy. This Wii mod here features the lovable plumber in his natural habitat, World 1-1. On the other side is a pipe, his favored form of travel, which doubles as a Wiimote charger. Pretty great. OK, that's it for today's lesson, stay safe out there![Via Wii Fanboy]
Mario knockoff is the most evil game ever
Many of us can remember the joy of playing Super Mario Bros. for the first time. Imagine how different that memory would be (something along the lines of pulling out our hair and screaming a lot, we're sure) if the game had been more like the ripoff in the video above. While this hack (which features the cheapest enemies and traps of all time) might be frustrating to play, its epic fail results in nothing but hilarity when watching. We would gush about our favorite parts here, but we don't want to spoil anything (the surprise is half the fun!). Feel free to share your favorite bits in the comments, though.To experience this torture for yourself, you can download the game here (click the first link). Also, if you enjoyed the video, check out levels two, three, and four after the break.
The VC Advantage: A Very Special Anniversary Edition
The internet has made it easy to find cheats for games, but we miss the tips pages from game magazines, when the discovery of a new code could inspire you to go back to an old game. These codes aren't exactly new, but oldness is the essence of the Virtual Console! We're bringing back the classic codes every week on The VC Advantage.It's another special celebration this week at Wii Fanboy, and we thought that we would do something special in this week's VC Advantage, involving one of the most iconic Virtual Console games -- in fact, one of the most iconic video games of all time. Even though Super Mario Bros. didn't come out in the U.S. until Christmas, it's the canonical Nintendo game and thus seems like a perfect candidate for the Wii anniversary week VCA.Two (more) caveats before we delve into our subject matter: first, we'd like to bring up the point that not all secrets are cheats, and not all are intentional. Some of the most interesting discoveries in video games were put in there totally by accident, or are the result of someone's imagination. Second, the images and subject matter of today's VCA are as not safe for work as unaltered Super Mario Bros. footage can be.
VC Monday Madness video wrap-up 10/1/07
Today is a very special day for the Virtual Console. Not only does it mark the occasion where those of us in the states received our first import titles, but also it marks a new age for VC Monday Madness coverage from here on out. Hopefully, the new set we're recording gameplay from will enhance the overall quality of our coverage. Better coverage equals more happy readers (er, viewers, we suppose), correct? And, a happy reader makes for a happy blogger.
Sin and Punishment and Super Mario Bros.: Lost Levels on Virtual Console
Wow, after a couple of weak weeks (we're not sure if that was a pun either) the Virtual Console has come back in a huge way this week with Sin and Punishment and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. Though Sin and Punishment has never been formally released in North America, you probably recognize the name as the one that slips through the lips of shooter fans as they say their evening prayers every night. Sin and Punishment (Nintendo 64, 1-2 players, 1,200 Wii Points) -- You're not hallucinating with that price. Not only have you had to wait seven years for it, you're also going to have to pony up a couple of extra bucks. Of course, there is some extra translation here, so you can probably justify it to yourself, especially if you're dying to experience Treasure's classic shooter. Besides, it's really good. We'd rather pay $12 for this than $10 for Yoshi's Story any day of the week. Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (NES®, 1 player, rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points) -- This remake of the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. 2 is being released on its own for the first time in the U.S., and you're paying an extra buck for the privilege. Of course, you're also getting it with the original NES graphics, so maybe that's worth it to you if you're the curious sort. But please, do yourself a favor and buy Sin and Punishment first.
Take time out from studying to bust some blocks
West Virginia college Marshall University had a small section of its outdoor area converted into an homage to Super Mario Bros. recently, receiving a multitude of upward-pointing thumbs from the Joystiq staff. Of course, we think it's the tops, as well. Aside from the pipes you see above, there was also blocks hanging all about and a "chain chomp was tethered securely to a tree,"Sounds like the kind of outside world we wouldn't mind traversing.[Via Joystiq]
Marshall University converts to Mushroom Kingdom
Marshall University in West Virginia currently has an outdoor art installation showcasing various replicas of items from the Super Mario Bros. series. As reported by Marshall Univ. student, Griffin McElroy, there are green pipes around campus, a "chain chomp was tethered securely to a tree," and question blocks were hanging around campus. You can see some of his pictures in the gallery below.Thankfully this story doesn't end badly like the last time we reported on Super Mario boxes being publicly displayed. Last year the small town of Ravenna, Ohio called in the bomb squad after 17 "suspicious packages" which looked like the iconic Super Mario Bros. power-up cubes were found throughout the town.Full disclosure: Griffin McElroy is brother of Joystiq writer Justin McElroy. Trust us, that didn't earn him any points in us running this story.%Gallery-7569%
Popular Virtual Console games, according to the Wii Shop Channel
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo_wii/Top_20_Most_Popular_Virtual_Console_Titles'; One of the most interesting new features of the newly-updated Wii firmware is the ability to see a list of popular Virtual Console games for your region. Now that there's a decent number of Virtual Console games, we can imagine having a hard time making a selection. Siliconera's Spencer Yip has provided both the Japanese top 20 (left) and the US top 20 (right) for comparison.We don't know exactly how the popularity of these games is determined. As Spencer mused, "It's not clear if these games are popular because they are the top selling Virtual Console games, most browsed games this month or most loved by the Nintendo staff (unlikely!)" What is clear is that the list is frequently updated. We found that some of the games had shifted around from their positions on Siliconera's list. Star Fox 64 and Shining Force, for example, swapped places, and Wave Race 64 and Zelda II have replaced Kirby's Dream Course and Excitebike.We couldn't be more excited about daily Virtual Console charts! Even if they show a disappointing lack of Devil's Crush on both sides.
