I’ve loved my 3DS from the moment I got my hands on it.  It’s a great portable with a lot of really fun applications, and I had a great time playing through Ocarina of Time again, only this time… in the third dimension! Of course it’s no secret that the initial months of the handheld’s release were pretty lackluster, with not many other must-have games besides Ocarina.  But that all changed over the past few months.

First, Nintendo provided the system with a massive software update, which included, among other things, the ability to record 3D video, along with an impressive amount of new content to the StreetPass games that originally came included with the system. It might not seem like much, but let me tell you, these games are addicting.  There are 7 new Nintendo-themed puzzles in Puzzle Swap, and these are much harder to complete than the original 7.  Then there’s Find Mii II, the sequel to the original Find Mii game, where you have to use Mii’s that you collect from other people to rescue your Mii that has been kidnapped by ghosts.  It may sound like pure lunacy to the uninitiated, but if you’re like me and are obsessed with collecting as many hats as possible for your Mii to wear, this is a huge addition to the system.

But the Big N didn’t stop there – they also released two AAA titles in rapid succession of each other, Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7.  Both of these games are insanely fun, and the fact that they both came out so close to each other means that you can go back and forth between the two games if either one has you stuck on a tough level.  I’d been on a bit of a Mario 3D Land kick lately, and I was finally able to get through the first 8 Worlds, while collecting all of the Star Coins along the way.  Now I just have to tackle the 8 remaining Special worlds. The game has been a total blast to play, as it somehow is able to blend the styles of the New Super Mario Bros. games with that of the Super Mario Galaxy series. The result is straight-forward mechanics, fun power-ups, and levels that are simple to get through, but made more challenging if you want to find every secret as you go. And there was also a brilliantly done psych-out that reminded me of the great ending of SMB3. (Remember when video games had fun screwing with you, before there was an internet full of spoilers?)

There’s never been a bad Mario Kart game, and MK7 continues the tradition of great tracks and fast-paced action.  The game has introduced the ability to drive underwater and to sail through the air with gliders, which are both used to great effect.  There are also plenty of little shortcuts to be found along the way, which harkens back to the old days of the franchise and make things really interesting in close races.  So far I’ve gotten Gold medals in the 50cc and 100cc classes, and am so far struggling with the tougher 150cc races. I’m loving the game so far, but I do wish that there were more characters available from the get go. And why does the Mii character sound like a disfigured Toad-Yoshi hybrid? And this is a more general gripe, but I wish the series would go back to having five tracks in every cup like there were in Super Mario Kart, instead of the now standard four.

But the greatest thing about both of these new games is how well they use the 3D to enhance the gameplay.  Naysayers had cried foul that the 3D effect was just a gimmick that wouldn’t make much of a difference in how the games were played.  And that was true in Ocarina, which was originally a 2D game that had been retrofitted with 3D effects.  The 3D in Ocarina is definitely cool, but it didn’t really “do” anything. That’s less true in Mario Kart 7, where the added depth helps players get a better sense of where things are on the track. But the 3D is used to maximum effect in Super Mario 3D Land, where certain puzzles and levels would be much tougher to get through if you had the 3D turned off.

All in all, I have once again found myself with a Nintendo handheld system that makes my commute infinitely more fun. And while I’m looking forward to the next batch of games for the 3DS, I’m also sure that I’ll be hunting for hats, puzzle pieces, Star Coins, and every last kart unlockable for the foreseeable future. And really, what more could a guy ask for?

Over the past quarter-century, Super Mario has battled many foes: his arch-nemesis Bowser, Daisy-napping alien Tatanga, future frenemy Wario, and a bizarre Shadow Mario that turned out to be Bowser Jr. in disguise.  (Obviously I am excluding Wart, since Mario never actually battled him, what with the whole thing being just a dream and all.)

But now, Mario is squaring off against his most unusual enemy yet: the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Here’s the long story short: In Mario’s latest adventure, Super Mario 3D Land (IwantitIwantitIwantit), Mario can use the Tanooki power-up, an item that hasn’t been seen since Super Mario Bros. 3.  When Mario gets this power-up, he grows a Tanooki tail, which he can use to hover over short distances.  Totally awesome, right?

Well, not according to PETA.  Because “Tanooki” isn’t just a made-up funny sounding word – it’s actually the name of a real animal in Japan.  PETA calls the tanuki a “raccoon dog,” that is often skinned alive for its fur.  Obviously, that is a horrible thing, and no animal should ever be made to suffer in such a horrible way; PETA is certainly justified in it’s outrage there.

But they made a pretty big leap in logic after that.  Their website makes the bold (and ludicrous) statement that: “By wearing Tanooki, Mario is sending the message that it’s OK to wear fur.”

Um… what?

They know Mario is a cartoon video game character, right?

I mean, he wore a frog suit in SMB3 – does that promote people killing frogs and wearing their skins to swim faster?  Do his adventures in Super Mario Galaxy encourage players to go into space without a space helmet and adequate oxygen supply? Does his riding Yoshi constitute dino-abuse?

And let’s not just focus on Mario.  Link has been wailing on chickens for his perverse amusement for years.  What about those Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – do they promote the youth of the world to soak their pet turtles in mutagenic ooze and then train them to fight?  Let’s not forget Sonic, and the hedgehog abuse implied there.  And despite what happens in the Raving Rabbids series, not all rabbits enjoy playing unending wacky mini-games.

Not surprisingly, PETA faced the wrath of the nerds after news of their Mario-bashing went viral.  Now, they’re telling fans of the iconic character to “Relax!”  They’re saying that their crusade against the moustachioed plumber was a humorous way to call attention to a serious problem.  They said they were shocked by the backlash.  All they were doing was trying to protect the poor little raccoon dogs of Japan.

Yeah.  Well.  The thing is, they really did it ass backwards. A smarter, alternative strategy would have been for the organization to write an open letter to Nintendo.  In it, they could have said that Mario’s use of the Tanooki power-up is a fun element of a storied franchise, but that there is a serious problem with real-world tanuki being killed for their skins.  Then, they could have set-up a specific fund to collect money to help and protect the tanuki, and ask Nintendo to make a portion of the proceeds from Super Mario 3D Land go to that cause. The odds of the Big N going along with it would have been slim, but at least that strategy would have pressured a big company to help your cause or ignore you at their own peril. Instead, the PETA people have (once again) just made themselves look like nutjobs.

But hey, in the end, this is small potatoes for Mario. He’s the savior of the Mushroom Kingdom, the owner of a lucrative go-kart racing industry, a licensed physician, and the host of countless parties for his friends. If a handful of wackos don’t like all of his outfits, so be it. He can always just grab a vegan-friendly fire flower and just torch ‘em, after all.

OMG

OMG

OMG

OK, I’ve calmed down a bit, sorry about that.

But you can understand why I’m so excited – Nintendo just had their E3 press conference, where they announced their next home console, the Wii U.

I instantly want/need/have to have it.

The system will feature HD graphics, but its most newsworthy feature (like the Wii before it) is its controller, which incorporates a 6.2 inch touch screen, that will be used for gaming in some unbelievable ways.  Like what?  Like for continuing a game on the screen when someone else is using the TV.  For aiming and controlling things in new ways.  For storing/accessing your inventory (like in a Zelda game, as in the above picture).  For drawing pictures on the tablet and then using them in the game.

The system will also be backwards compatible with the Wii, the Wii-motes, and other accessories that have sold millions.

So yeah, it’s pretty amazing.

And just look at how cool an HD Zelda will be:

So what of my prediction of an announcement of a new New Super Mario Bros. game at launch on the new system?  Sadly, no such announcement was made.  Though Nintendo did show off some screen shots of a new twist on the game, titled New Super Mario Bros. Mii, where you can have your own Mii avatar play alongside Mario in the game.  He made it clear that he was not announcing it as an in-development game, but I’m going to remain optimistic about it.

Wii U didn’t get a launch date beyond the vague “2012,” nor did it get a price or an official announcement of any first-party games.  Still, I am foaming at the mouth.

Other big news from the conference: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will come out for Wii this year, and the 3DS is getting a slew of awesome looking new games, including Luigi’s Mansion 2, Super Mario 3DS, and a new Mario Kart, with karts that can drive underwater and even fly!!

YAY!  Nintendo Forever!!!

I’ve already written about how excited I am for Nintendo’s next console.  And it’s a safe bet that I’ll be writing about it again in more detail after the E3 press conference where it will be unveiled. (That will be June 7 at 12pm Eastern, for those of you who are interested.)

But I have a prediction about what Nintendo will reveal at E3, and specifically how it will affect the next Nick’s Marathon. And since I absolutely LOVE being right, it’s worth it to make this proclamation now.

(If I’m wrong, I’ll never bring it up again. Obviously. I HATE being wrong.)

PREDICTION:
The next Nintendo home console will be launched with a new New Super Mario Bros. game.

Therefore, Nick’s Marathon 2012 will be scheduled around the release of not only a new NSMB game (as it was in 2009), but also around a whole new video game system!

Now let’s not get too excited about this prediction, as I could of course be totally wrong. Or worse, this exact announcement could be made in June 2011, only to be derailed by a later postponement. (It’s happened before.)

So is it likely? You never know what surprises Nintendo has in store. But it seems like it would be a smart move for the company to release their next system with a sequel to one of the most successful video games ever made. The next console Zelda game is (as of now) coming to the Wii this year, so it seems unlikely we’ll get a new Zelda for a while on the new system. And Team Mario is hard at work cranking out Super Mario 3DS, also meaning that a 3D console game could be down the road a bit. But a 2D Mario? I say it’s a sure thing! (The 2D Mario games are developed by a different team than the 3D games, which is how NSMBWii and Super Mario Galaxy 2 were able to be released only six months apart.)

The strongest argument against my bold prediction is that all signs seem to point towards the next system courting the “hardcore” gamer, while Super Mario games tend to appeal more to the “family friendly” sector. But Nintendo would be wise to cater to both demographics; while they want to lure new customers in, they don’t want to alienate the people who bought the Wii – and NSMBWii specifically – en masse. So give the hardcore gamers some stunning graphics games where you shoot Nazi alien zombies in shockingly graphic detail. And then give the rest of us a new 2D Super Mario Bros. game!

NSMBWii was the perfect game for Nick’s Marathon – 4 player co-op that you can drop in and drop out of easily. It was not super easy, but it was challenging enough to take the better part of the weekend to beat the game. And having a brand new game helped us get some exposure (and donations from strangers!) online.

I’m also hoping that the system will launch in the spring of 2012 instead of before the holidays, since scheduling NM at the end of the year is extra tricky. But that is not part of my prediction, as I have a gut feeling (not really based on anything) that the system will launch in the late fall like the Wii did.

So yeah, there’s definitely some wishful thinking here on my part, and I can’t deny that. But I stand by my prediction!

Still, I have been reading all kinds of glowing reviews about the 3DS online.  They say its awesome.  They say the 3D has to be seen to be believed.  They say the battery life sucks and will probably be improved by a later model, but that model will undoubtedly come out long after the handheld’s “must-have” games are released.  And there is no way I’ll be able to resist a new 3D Super Mario game.

AND there are super cool (depending on your definition) midnight launches going on – a big one at the Union Square Best Buy, and even a smaller one at the BB in Westbury.

So will I cave and get a 3DS right away?  Will I head into the city to join Meh on line to get one just after midnight?  (You still do that sort of thing?  Hey, I held your spot on line last time!)  Will I at least go to the Long Island store and try to snag a freebie or two?

Maybe, but I sincerely doubt it.

Why? Because staying up until midnight is a rarity these days for me.  Plus, I have a busy day this Saturday.

Doing what?  I’d rather not say.

Fine.

We’re getting insulation put in the house.

Who needs revolutionary gaming technology when you can save 4% on your heating bill???

Sigh.

Elsewhere in the world of Nintendo (and completely unrelated), check out this fake trailer for a Mario movie that apparently ran before the films shown at the SXSW festival.  Funny stuff.

The below video is very funny, though slightly NSFW, depending on where you work, of course.

I hate most stores, but I can browse for hours at Nintendo World.

If you’ve never been there, you should definitely check it out. It’;s in Rockefeller Center, next door to Today’s studio. They have some great events over there, like fun launches for new games, usually complete with T-shirt giveaways (I have more shorts from that place than I know what to do with), life-size characters to take pictures with, and other assorted randomness. We’ve already brought Eli there twice – once to meet Charles Martinet (the guy who does Mario’s voice) although we did get there too late to get his autograph, and again this past weekend for their grand re-opening and Mario’s 25th Anniversary celebration. Both Reggie Fils-Aime and Shigeru Miyamoto were there, though of course we missed them as well! Still, we got a picture with Mario, and we got Eli a cool vintage Mario T-shirt that he can wear when he grows a few feet taller.

Then there are other events there, like the Mario Kart tournament Courtney, James and I “competed” in years ago – we all got knocked out int he first round, but good times were had. James and I were there for the midnight launch of Super Mario Galaxy, and Steve stopped by the store last year to bring a copy of New Super Mario Bros. Wii over to Nick’s Marathon a day before it went on sale everywhere else.

But Nintendo World doesn’t need to have a big event to be cool – it just is. They have a great museum of memorabilia – which has been newly expanded – that shows some cool collectibles from the company’s past. The most interesting attraction is an original Game Boy that was severely damaged during Operation Desert Storm – and still works. Never seen a R.O.B. in person? They have one!

They also have the coolest Nintendo merchandise. Want a T-shirt with Mario in the Tanooki suit? They got ‘em. Bowser backpacks, toy Links, board games, party supplies – you name it, they have it. It’s an easy place to waste money on stuff that you don’t really need, but that you also TOTALLY need.

Best. Store. Ever.

(I’m two days late, but Mario will forgive me…)

On September 13, 1985, Super Mario Bros. was released in Japan, and gaming’s greatest hero was born.  (If you have some time, IGN has a great write-up on Mario’s history, as well as 10 suggestions on how to make a good Super Mario movie.)

Twenty five years and 13 Super Mario games later (depending on your definition – does Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 count?  Do both versions of Super Mario Bros. 2?), Mario is still the most recognizable character in all of video gaming.  Sonic tried to steal his crown, and Master Chief is worshiped by modern day nerds, but no other pixelated mascot comes close to the level of a true icon like Super Mario.

He has appeared in countless games beyond just his “main” series, some of which have been duds, but many of which have sold tons of copies and been insanely enjoyable: first and foremost the Mario Kart series, the Mario Party games, the Super Smash Bros. series (which I personally never got into), all of the different sports games, the Paper Mario games – the lost goes on and on.

And of course, the Super Mario games themselves are amazing – with the obvious exception of the ending of the U.S. version of Super Mario Bros. 2.  Seriously, these games are always amazing, fun, and insanely addictive.  I’m about 40+ stars into Super Mario Galaxy 2 so far, and I can’t wait to keep playing and finish it up.

So happy birthday to a truly legendary character, and here’s to plenty more Super Mario games down the road!

But now comes word that ON THAT VERY SAME DAY, Super Mario Galaxy 2 will be released!  Check out this new trailer:

That’s right, on just one day, (one of) the greatest TV series of all time will come to its conclusion, AND (one of) the greatest video games of all time will get a brand new sequel! It will be the nerdiest, most Alan-rific day ever*!

(The Mets and Yankees will also be finishing up a three game homestand that night, so if the Mets complete a sweep, that would take things to a whole other level, but I don’t want to get my hopes up TOO much.)

*Yes, 01/11/10 is still really the best day ever.

I just read this very interesting article over at Kotaku, entitled “Why A Man Plays Mario.”  It was written by Stephen Totilo, a former colleague from VH1, who now reports on video games full time.

In the piece, Stephen discusses why he, a man in his thirties, still gets a kick out of a video game franchise that is viewed by some as “juvenile.” Naturally, this article speaks to me directly, as I always have and still do have a special fondness for the Super Mario games, while games about shooting aliens or Nazis or Nazi aliens hold absolutely no interest for me.  I don’t need extreme violence, I don’t need advanced weapons system, I don’t need to be able to play in online shoot-outs with hundreds of strangers that can kill me instantly before I even have a chance to look around.  Nah, give me a kidnapped princess and some assistance from a hungry dinosaur, and I am good to go.

Anyway, it’s an interesting read for fellow Nintendo fanboys, or for folks who don’t understand why I continue to get giddy for every new Super Mario game.  (Man, I can’t wait for Super Mario Galaxy 2 to come out!!!)

Oh, and while I’m linking to interesting reads, check out this new Onion article.