Vote for your favourite voice of Mario impersonation

Jul 30, 2010 /

The Nintendo Connection Tour 2010 has now come to an end, but Australia and New Zealand's greatest Mario voice impersonator is still to be decided! When the Nintendo Connection Tour visited various cities, we asked you to impersonate the one and only Mario. Hundreds of people competed and now its your turn to vote for your Top 5.

Click here to vote for your favourite Mario voice impersonation.

The top 5 videos will then be judged by the actual voice of Mario, Charles Martinet. The best Mario impersonator will win a Mario Prize Pack featuring a Wii, Nintendo DSi XL and a collection of Mario games and figurines.

Congratulations to the New SUPER MARIO BROS. Wii Coin Challenge Champions!

Jul 29, 2010 / News

The winners of the New SUPER MARIO BROS. Wii National Coin Challenge were crowned at an exciting final in Sydney yesterday, the 28th of July.

Finalists from all across Australia, as well as three finalists from New Zealand, competed to take out the championship at The Mint in Sydney. Approximately 1500 people had competed in the Coin Challenge battle tour, therefore to participate in the final was a great achievement for all competitors.

Congratulations to Sandra and Andrew Dare, siblings from New South Wales, who took out the Tag Team Championship, and to Brendan Robeson from Western Australia who won the Individual Battle. The winners have each won a trip to New York, including all flights and accommodation, as well as $1000 to spend big at the Nintendo World Store!

Nintendo Australia would like to thank all who participated in the New SUPER MARIO BROS. Wii Coin Challenge.

THE ADVENTURE IS YOURS IN DRAGON QUEST IX: SENTINELS OF THE STARRY SKIES

Jul 28, 2010 / News

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Endless Adventure, Customisable Characters and a Unique Social Experience for Nintendo DS Systems

One of the biggest games ever to launch for the Nintendo DS® family of systems is coming to Australia 19 August 2010, giving consumers a chance to experience the hand-held gaming phenomenon that has already attracted more than 4.2 million players in Japan. With unique features that let players customise characters and connect via local wireless with friends to take on epic adventures, DRAGON QUEST IX®: Sentinels of the Starry Skies(TM), developed by Square Enix Co., Ltd., gives people of all ages, backgrounds and gaming experience a remarkable way to combine imaginative game play and social fun.

Players begin by creating fully customised heroes to guide on their quest, choosing from different face, hair and even eye colour. As they journey forth, characters are further developed and enhanced as they choose from more than 1,000 items and pieces of equipment, change jobs and abilities, and join up with new customisable companions.

Using a local wireless connection, up to four players within range of each other can band together at any time to explore mysterious dungeons and tangle with fearsome monsters throughout a spellbinding world of adventure.

In addition to a wireless multiplayer mode, DRAGON QUEST IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies includes an interactive Tag Mode that allows players to keep the game active even while their Nintendo DS system is stored in their pocket, purse or backpack. When two players come within range of one another, Tag Mode enables them to wirelessly - and automatically - exchange character information, customised greetings and treasure maps. These treasure maps allow players to find otherwise inaccessible special dungeons called grottoes featuring special boss monsters and even rare items.

Interacting with different characters will unfold the story and point players toward their next quest. Players might be asked to find a missing item or to defeat a monster in a particular way. All quests come with a reward, which might be anything from a rare item to a new, unlocked occupation.

During their journey, players will encounter mighty monsters in fast-paced battles. The more foes players defeat, the stronger they become. Players who get the urge to upgrade their characters can visit an ingame online shop (broadband Internet access required) to acquire new items using in-game currency they have collected while playing. The selection of items changes daily. Players can also connect online to download new weekly quests for about a year from the launch of the game, each with their own challenges and rewards.

For more information about DRAGON QUEST IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies, click here.

Club Nintendo PIN code expiry date - update

Jul 9, 2010 / News

Nintendo Australia would like to advise Club Nintendo members that as of July 1 2010 Club Nintendo has introduced a PIN expiry system.

Club Nintendo PIN codes on software will automatically expire 5 years from the original title release date in Australia and New Zealand. Once a PIN code has expired you will not be able to earn Stars from these products.

The first Club Nintendo PIN code due for expiry is Mario Kart Wii, released 24 April 2008. PIN code will expire 23 April 2013.

Please remember that all Stars redeemed must be used within 36 months. Any redeemed stars not used within 36 months will become invalid.

Click here to view Club Nintendo Terms & Conditions

Click here to visit Club Nintendo and register your products

Nintendo Connection Tour 10 website updated with Photo's and Videos from the events

Jul 7, 2010 / News

The Nintendo Connection Tour 2010 is currently touring Australia and New Zealand.

Photo's and video's from the event are now available to view on the Nintendo Connection Tour 10 website.

Click here to view photo's and for more information on the Nintendo Connection Tour...

Keep checking back as more photo's and video's are added after each event

Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus Sell More Than One Million Units

Jul 5, 2010 / News

Nintendo announces that Wii Fit(TM) and Wii Fit(TM) Plus have sold through more than one million* units in Australia!

Now more than one million Australians are embracing home personal fitness with Wii Fit and the upgrade to Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus. Attracting new players to the world of video games, the original Wii Fit launched in May 2008 and Wii Fit Plus launched in October 2009.

Wii Fit Plus is a unique and innovative way to help you and your family stay fit in the comfort of your home, through simple daily exercises. More than a gaming experience, Wii Fit Plus is a health and lifestyle product that uses a motion sensitive Wii Balance Board(TM).

Wii Fit Plus allows you to get a detailed analysis of your physical condition by analysing your BMI (Body Mass Index), and centre of gravity, as well as choosing from a variety of work outs and balance games, all which use the Wii Balance Board. The Wii Balance Board gauges exactly where your balance and body mass are placed, so your on-screen instructor ensures you perform every exercise correctly. You can even pick and choose your exercises to ensure training remains fun!

Wii Fit Plus contains more content than the original Wii Fit. New features include the option to customise and design your own work out, additional exercises, estimates of calories burned, 15 new balance games, and an option to weigh your baby and even your cat and dog!

For those that already own Wii Fit and want to upgrade, the Wii Fit Plus software is available to purchase as a standalone disc. This also means that for those that have been tracking their progress with Wii Fit, this progress will be saved and automatically updated onto your Wii Fit Plus, once you insert the Wii Fit Plus software into your Wii(TM), and all for only AU SRP $29.95 for the standalone disc!

It is not just fitness games that are high sellers, others include Wii Play(TM), with more than 900,000 units sold, Mario Kart(TM) Wii, which has sold through more than 600,000 units and Wii Sports(TM) Resort which has sold through more than 500,000 units.

MARIO TAKES OFF INTO THE RECORD BOOKS - Melburnians have established a new world hugging record

Jul 1, 2010 / News

Hundreds of Melburnians braved the cold this morning to attend the Australian launch of Super Mario Galaxy 2, a game that is already receiving rave reviews internationally. Mario received 172 hugs goodbye as he set off into the galaxy with a new world hugging record, for the most amount of hugs by a mascot in 20 minutes. The record established at The Nintendo Experience at EB Games Melbourne, commemorated the much anticipated Australian launch of Super Mario Galaxy 2.

Eager Melburnians were up at the crack of dawn to secure the first copies of this highly anticipated video game and a lucky fan walked away with one of the only signed copies from Mr Miyamoto himself, the genius behind Mario and other Nintendo games. TV and radio personality Jabba entertained the early morning crowd and every hugger received their own personal photo of the occasion.

The current world record for the most hugs set by a human (not wearing a mascot costume) is held by 51-year-old Jeff Ondash who hugged 7777 people in 24 hours outside the Paris Las Vegas casino in February 2010. Due to Mario needing a rest every 20 minutes (it's tiring jumping around and collecting all those coins), the hugging time was limited to 20 minutes in order to establish the new hugging record for a character mascot.

The hugging record is in the process of being formally registered with The World Record Academy, the leading international organisation which certifies world records.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is out today.

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NINTENDO @ E3 - FIRST LOOK AT THE NINTENDO 3DS, THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SKYWARD SWORD, NINTENDOGS + CATS AND MUCH MORE....

Jun 16, 2010 / News

Earlier this morning the Nintendo Press Conference was held. Nintendo gave the world the first look at the Nintendo 3DS, the portable system that lets people view games in 3D, without the need for special glasses. Nintendo also announced a substantial list of upcoming games for Nintendo 3DS, the Wii and the Nintendo DS family of systems.

For the duration of the E3 Expo, Nintendo will provide fans with exclusive videos and Nintendo content on the Nintendo E3 Network.

Visit e3.nintendo.com to view the Nintendo press conference, watch developer interviews, get all the information about new games and see coverage coming directly from the show floor.

NOTE: Australian and New Zealand release dates are to be confirmed.

Major announcements included:

- Nintendo 3DS

- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)

- Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)

- Kid Icarus: Uprising (Nintendo 3DS)

- Wii Party (Wii)

- Mario Sports Mix (Wii)

- Kirbys Epic Yarn (Wii)

- GoldenEye 007 (Wii exclusive)

- Disney Epic Mickey (Wii exclusive)

- Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (Nintendo DS)

- Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies (Nintendo DS)

Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Blast Off With Mario For Another Out-of-This-World Adventure -

May 17, 2010 / News

Run, jump, and fly through a dazzling galaxy of all new stages, bursting with imagination when Super Mario Galaxy(TM) 2 for Wii(TM) hits stores from 1 July 2010.

In 2007, Super Mario Galaxy(TM) took the world of video games by storm. Now this first true Mario sequel in years re-energises the franchise with new levels and new power-ups.

New power-ups include a drill that Mario uses to tunnel through surfaces all the way to the other side of a planet! Plus Mario can eat a boulder mushroom to attain the boulder suit! Mario can then ram into objects and enemies and even becomes a boulder 'bowling ball' as he bowls down pins!

This time Mario even gets to team up with everyone's favourite character, Yoshi! Yoshi adds new possibilities to the gravity-defying game. On some stages, Mario can find a Yoshi egg, smash it open and hop onto Yoshi's back. Yoshi can use his tongue to swing across chasms or to grab items and shoot them back at enemies.

Yoshi has an interesting diet; when he eats a Dash Pepper, he gets so hot and frenzied he can run up steep inclines and vertical walls. When he eats a Blimp Fruit, he inflates like a balloon and floats to new heights!

For players new to the Super Mario Galaxy franchise, Super Mario Galaxy 2 comes packaged with a DVD which provides helpful hints and tips. Included are tips for skilled players as well.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 - it is everything that you loved about the first game and more!

Click here for more information...

Australian Authorities Confiscate Illegal Game Copiers and Counterfeit Nintendo Products

Mar 11, 2010 / Nintendo DS

Nintendo confirms that the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service have seized game copiers (commonly referred to as R4 cards) and other counterfeit Nintendo products from an importer attempting to distribute the products in Australia. This is the first Australian customs seizure of game copiers of this type.

Video game piracy continues to be a serious problem in Australia. Nintendo attributes it to the availability of game copiers, the devices that circumvent the technical protection measures embedded in the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi systems that enable the play of illegal Nintendo software downloaded via the Internet. Game copiers infringe Nintendo's trademarks and copyright and breach the "circumvention device" provisions of the Copyright Act.

Nintendo has been working with the Australian enforcement authorities to curtail the spread of piracy for more than 10 years.

The seizure in Australia follows another recent significant Nintendo action. Earlier this month, Nintendo has taken successful action in the Federal Court in Australia against an importer and online seller of game copiers establishing that these actions are illegal and the consequences are real.

Nintendo is also taking action against distributors and sellers of game copiers and other infringing devices in many other countries around the world. In some countries, successful criminal proceedings have been brought against the manufacturers, suppliers and sellers of game copiers.

For further information regarding the recent Federal court civil action against the importer and online seller of game copiers, click here.

Meet Wii's New Colour... Plus new coloured Wii Remotes

Feb 24, 2010 / Wii

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Nintendo announces that from 11 March, Wii(TM) will have a new look! For the first time Wii will be available in a sleek black colour. Black Wii comes packaged with Wii Sports, a black Wii Remote and black Nunchuk.

From the 25 February, new coloured Wii remotes will be available in black, pink and blue. The Nunchuk will also be available in black.

Wii is currently the fastest selling console in Australia with 1.75 million* sold through in 167 weeks.

Wii Sports, the first game ever available on Wii, contains five sports - boxing, bowling, tennis, golf and baseball and is suitable for all ages. Players use their own Mii caricatures in Wii Sports and play them against their friends' Miis for a more personalised experience.

Wii has games for everyone - from the follow up to the popular Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, to Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus, Mario Kart Wii and the classic side scrolling action of New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Customise your Wii set up with new black and coloured remotes.

Coloured remotes $AU 69.95

Wii Black $AU 399.95

* Data from GfK Retail and Technology

More Than 100 WiiWare Titles and Free WiiWare Demos Available

Nov 26, 2009 / Wii

Nintendo announces that almost eighteen months since the launch of WiiWare(TM), there are now more than one hundred WiiWare titles available to download on the Wii Shop Channel. Also available, for a limited time only, are free demos of some of the best examples of WiiWare. WiiWare is a game download service, accessible via the Wii Shop Channel, where users can download a variety of new games in exchange for Nintendo Points.

The Wii Shop Channel is free to access and is where WiiWare and Virtual Console(TM) games can be downloaded. Whereas Virtual Console allows consumers to download classic games, WiiWare offers brand new titles and is also an opportunity for video game developers to create new games for Wii(TM).

For a limited time, Wii owners will be able to download demos of some WiiWare titles for free on the Wii Shop Channel. All that users need to do is visit the WiiWare section of the Wii Shop Channel and look for DEMO under SEARCH BY GENRE. The demos will be available to download until 31 January 2010.

The following are the demos currently available to try:

- NyxQuest(TM) (Over The Top Games): Experience the story of Nyx, an enigmatic winged girl that must descend from heaven in search of her missing friend Icarus.

- FINAL FANTASY® CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: My Life as a Darklord(TM) (Square Enix): Step into the royal shoes of the Darklord's daughter as she installs traps and monsters inside her tower to fight back the endless waves of invading adventurers in this world-conquest RPG.

- BIT.TRIP BEAT (Aksys Games): BIT.TRIP BEAT brings retro action back as you use the Wii Remote's Motion Sensor to bounce beats in this rhythm game.

- World of Goo(TM) (2D Boy): World of Goo is an award-winning physics-based puzzle/construction game. Grab living, squirming, talking globs of goo to build structures, bridges, cannonballs, zeppelins, and giant tongues.

- Pokémon Rumble(TM) (Nintendo): Pokémon Rumble is an action game in which you control Toy Pokémon and battle against waves of enemy Pokémon in order to be the last one standing.

With more than one hundred titles now available, there is something for everyone on WiiWare. There is a wide range of games available from varying genres, concepts and price levels.