New trailer and details revealed for Mario Kart 8

Nintendo has released a new trailer for Mario Kart 8, along with the floodgates for journalists' previews. Here's a quick list of what to expect from the new entry in Nintendo's main racing franchise:

• NEW ITEM: Piranha Plant This item's inspiration clearly comes from Super Mario 3D World, in which players could sometimes pick up a pot with a Piranha Plant in it and watch as its gaping maw jerked forth to munch whatever it could reach, enemies and friends alike. The item will work similarly in Mario Kart 8, with every jerk giving the player a speed boost. Seems like a 7th to 12th place item to me.
• NEW ITEM: Boomerang This one also has a history, one that began with Super Mario 3D Land, which introduced the boomerang power-up that allowed players to, you guessed it, throw some boomerangs around! And again, this is much the function it will have in Mario Kart 8. The player who receives the item will be able to throw it 3 times, backwards or forwards, and watch as it slips other racers up as it goes and comes. 
• RETURNING ITEM: Coins At first, I thought this must be a new item, but apparently it's a returning item from Super Mario Kart, the series' very first entry. Picking coins up off the track will be familiar to anyone who has played Mario Kart 7 on the Nintendo 3DS, but now an item box may grant you a couple of coins as well. Coins give small speed boosts, but the most important thing about them is to collect them: once a player has reached the maximum number of coins, they also reach the maximum speed for their chosen kart (10 is the max in MK7, probably in MK8 too).
• 12-Player Online Races Mario Kart 8 will feature online races that support up to 12 players. Yay!
• Anit-gravity Sections Ever since the anti-gravity idea was introduced in a trailer who knows how long ago, I've been slightly skeptical of the idea. Now that things have been cleared up, I couldn't be more excited to try anti-gravity myself when Mario Kart 8 comes out: the effect causes racers to get speed boosts when they bump into each other or certain elements on the track. It also looks like anti-gravity will allow for some seriously awesome track designs. 
• GamePad Features The GamePad will include a little horn that players can sound at the touch of a button, plus players can touch tiles on the screen to activate other modes: one tile activates off-TV mode, another displays a map on the touch screen, and the last one activates motion control. This implementation is not half bad, but it certainly could have been better.

And those are the highlights! Check out Nintendo's latest trailer for Mario Kart 8 below:

Mario Kart 7 Community Digest: June 2, 2012

Hello, one and all! To everyone who doesn't know yet, the Nintendo Lifeline has an official Mario Kart 7 community:

Community Code: 52-0850-7322-2037

If you own a Nintendo 3DS system and a copy of Mario Kart 7, don't miss out on our community nights, which take place every Saturday (yes, that would be tonight!). We have two separate shifts: one at 7 PM US-Eastern and one at 9 PM US-Eastern. Hope to see you there!

Mario Kart 7 Tip of the Week
The benefits of collecting coins on the race track are greater than you might believe. For one, every time you run into a coin, you receive a slight boost. It's so temporary, it might seem pointless, but don't overlook the chance to shave precious seconds off your final time! Even better than that speed boost, however, is the advantage you win when you have a store of 1 or more coins. Stockpiled coins actually increase your karts overall speed, so be sure to collect your 10 coins and do whatever it takes to keep them!

Don't forget about Mario Kart 7 tonight!

Once again I thought I would let you all know about the official Mario Kart 7 community for the Nintendo Lifeline:

Community Code: 52-0850-7322-2037

The community is set to 150 cc with mushrooms only. Community nights are Saturdays with two "shifts": one at 7:00 PM US-Eastern and the other at 9:00 PM US-Eastern. See you on the race track! 

How 'bout a Mario Kart 7 community?

I would like to start a Mario Kart 7 community associated with this blog:

Community Code: 52-0850-7322-2037

We'll have community nights on Saturdays with two "shifts". The first will begin at 7:00 PM US-Eastern, and the second at 9:00 PM US-Eastern. Make it to whichever you can, and I'll be there for both. Hope to see you there!

Favorite Wii games countdown #3: Super Mario Galaxy 2

Whew! This list is winding down! And at the coveted number three position, we have the excellent Super Mario Galaxy 2! I'm afraid to say I was one of those people who thought that since we'd already had a Super Mario Galaxy, what could Galaxy 2 possibly add? Oh dear, oh dear...poor thinking indeed. But lesson learned: trust Nintendo to come up with the kind of stuff that is beyond even our dreams.

And all you need to do is ask my brother to know that the added player two functionality in Galaxy 2 is almost as compelling as the player one position. Well, if you ask my brother, he'll say that player two is even better than player one. He was certainly reluctant to take up the player two gauntlet when I first sat down to play the game. We initially thought it would be the same as it is in Super Mario Galaxy, in which player two can freeze enemies, collect star bits by pointing, and then shoot them at enemies...yay. Dave soon discovered, however, that player two had a little more power in Galaxy 2. Yes, he could collect star bits by pointing. Yes, he could shoot enemies with them. Yes, he could freeze enemies (not to mention certain contraptions with ill intent). He could also collect distant coins and bring them to me. Then he could hold those coins until I needed them, or just give them to me right away. Working together in this way turned out to be a highlight of Super Mario Galaxy 2.

Honorable Mention: Mario Kart Wii
There are many things wrong with Mario Kart Wii. It feels unfair at times. I mean, even more unfair than in other Mario Kart games. Or maybe the problem is that the game is too fair to those who are in last place or close to. But here's the thing: the motion controlled steering in Mario Kart Wii is actually pretty great. The addition of motorcycles makes it even better, and the whole thing is rounded off by the ability to pull off spiffy tricks with a little thrust of Wii remote at the right moment on jumps. Also, like all Mario Kart games, MK Wii is a great multiplayer experience.

A Game I Should Have Finished: Okami
I put Okami here because I've been working on it...for weeks and weeks now. It's a beautiful game, literally. It does have fairly good Zelda-inspired gameplay. I've only managed to commit about ten hours to the experience so far, though, in all that time. I'll work on it, I promise!

GameBoy Advance Ambassador games: First Impressions (part 1)

F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
Yikes! Ya know, many of the racing games of yesteryear just didn't age well. I believe this is one of them. I think that can be attributed partially to the D-pad based control scheme...and the 2-D graphics. Yeah, racers are probably better off in 3-D. All I know is I wouldn't pay for this game.

Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
How did I miss out on the original Yoshi's Island in my youth?! It's a flippin' sweet game! Stay tuned on this one for sure!

Mario Kart: Super Circuit
I actually have this game in GBA cartridge format! To be brief, I've never liked it...at all...in the slightest. If the original Mario Kart on Super Nintendo is anything like this one, I'll stay far away.

Mario Vs. Donkey Kong
I haven't played this one much, but what I've seen, I've liked...a lot. It's kind of a combination of platforming and puzzle-solving. I can't wait to have time to play more of this little gem!

Metroid Fusion
Another title I have an actual cartridge of! I love playing this game on my GBA SP. But the D-pad and face buttons on the Nintendo 3DS system are, to be quite frank, a pain to use. They're too stiff or something. That aside, Metroid Fusion is an excellent game.

Warioware, Inc. Mega Microgame$
Apparently this title introduced the brilliant concept of microgames. It works, and works well. Obviously there isn't going to be a lot of meat to this kind of game, but it's a much-appreciated diversion.

Six down, four to go! Look forward to part 2 in this series in a couple of days! 

Why Mario Kart 7 is my favorite Nintendo 3DS game: A Review

Have you played a Mario Kart game before? Good! Then you already know everything there is to know about Mario Kart 7 gameplay and controls, and you can skip this next paragraph:

I gather you don't know much about Mario Kart 7, because you are now reading this paragraph. Well, here's the idea: the player takes to the race track as one of the many familiar (or unfamiliar) characters from the Mario universe on a kart (hence the title of the game). These aren't ordinary race tracks, however. Based upon locales from the Mario universe, they vary in zaniness about as much as the colorful cast does. With the madness of item use added to the mix, any Mario Kart experience is destined to be quite a fun time.

So what does Mario Kart 7 add to the tried-and-true formula? I'll give you the list from least to greatest: first, there are propellers that allow the karts to take the race underwater. It's a great feeling, but doesn't add a whole ton gameplay-wise. Second, gliders that allow certain periods of flight within races are activated at every blue jump pad. This adds a little bit of strategy and fun. Finally, MK 7 introduces a few online features that are new to the series. These are what I really want to emphasize. You've got your basic online races with players from around the globe. You've got the usual friend-to-friend mode. Then you've got the online communities. Setting up community nights with friends is a snap. Even more fun is the potential for joining racers from larger interest groups like blogs. You may already know that I'm talking specifically about the Infendo Mario Kart 7 community. This makes for virtually endless replay value.

But none of this would matter if Mario Kart 7 didn't play well. And, if you ask me, it plays better than any other racing game or even Mario Kart game out there. Infuriating blue shell encounters aside, this game nails gameplay and control. I simply can't get enough of it. Get a Nintendo 3DS, get connected to the internet, and get this game. 'Nuff said.

A StreetPass tag turned pen pal

How about a friendly game of Mario Kart 7?

It only takes one willing friend to make the free Nintendo 3DS application Swapnote fun. Just ask my new Swapnote pen pal, SKY. Our favorite past time is playing against each other in Mario Kart 7, so a lot of our Swapnote exchanges are us trash talking each other (he's better than me, by the way).

But this is not a story about Mario Kart 7. It's not even a story about Swapnote. It's a story about how the StreetPass function of the Nintendo 3DS system brought two gamers together for not-so-friendly competition and general conversation.

This is how we look after most races.

We tagged each other several months ago (in the waiting room of the orthodontist, apparently), and I didn't think twice about it until SKY himself discovered my online exploits and recognized the correlation between a StreetPass tag and the blogger whose post you are currently reading. Long story short, SKY and I are now N3DS pals who play Mario Kart 7 together and Swapnote back and forth about various Nintendo topics.

And, like I said, SKY is a very good kart racer. After allowing my head to inflate to about twice its normal size from kicking butt in the Infendo community, he came with needle ready. Online records report that we are even at 6-6 after several races and a few battles. I savor the challenge: it pushes me to be better! Here's to even more fun in the future!

Looking ahead: Nintendo's 2012

Games
When thinking about the games coming out this year for Wii, one title and one title only comes to my mind: Rhythm Heaven Fever. Out February 13 (yeah, I was quite wrong before), it's sure to assist with the Wii console's final struggle as the world makes way for Wii U. And at a mere $29.99, this is one game I won't be missing out on!

The future of the Nintendo 3DS system is another story. 2011 saw the portable gaming device gathering steam that shows no signs of stopping in 2012. RPG fans should get excited about Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance and Tales of the Abyss. Roller Coaster Tycoon 3D could prove to be a decent little port of the PC series. Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure will likely jump in from nowhere to steal gamers' hearts. Oh, and there's always the growing list of what are sure to be hard-hitters: Luigi's Mansion 2, Kid Icarus: Uprising, Animal Crossing (name not final), Paper Mario (name not final), Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D, and Resident Evil: Revelations.

What I'll Be Playing
At this very moment, I have an infinitely long list of games, old and new, to play. I beat Super Mario Bros., so I would like to move on to Super Mario Bros. 3 (I'm not brave enough for number 2). I received the well-reviewed Okami (Wii remake) for Christmas, and it's simply calling out to me. I'm not sure if I'll ever manage to get away from Mario Kart 7 long enough to take the cartridge out of my 3DS. The downloadable Pushmo is a strong contender in the fight for my time. Oh, and there's those ten GameBoy Advance games I downloaded for free recently. I'm actually working on another entry into my Metroid series with Metroid II: Return of Samus...if I can find time to play it. Kirby's Adventure for the NES rounds out the formidable list. Wish me luck!

What will you be playing or looking forward to in the year 2012?

2012 Nintendo Lifeline Awards: Winners

Despite a lot of rough spots, 2011 was a great year in the world of Nintendo. The Nintendo 3DS system may have had an uneasy launch, but by the end of the year, it became a great little gaming system with a growing library of instant classics like Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7. And dare I forget to mention that 2011 was the 25th anniversary of gaming's best-known adventure series, The Legend of Zelda? Fans enjoyed game releases, epic music, and more in celebration of this industry-shaping series.

And, as I promised, the Nintendo Lifeline wants to take a look at some of the best things Nintendo games had going for them during the year. Drumroll, please. These are our winners!

Best Overall Game
Nominees: Super Mario 3D Land, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Mario Kart 7, Wii Play Motion, Star Fox 64 3D, Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition, and Lost In Shadow

Winner: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Stunning graphics, compelling motion controls, polished gameplay, breathtaking design...Skyward Sword had everything going for it. Nintendo has this game making business down, don't they?

Best Overall Graphics
Nominees: Super Mario 3D Land, Star Fox 64 3D, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Steel Diver, and Lost In Shadow

Winner: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

It was hard for me to play games with any kind of graphics other than colorful or whimsical ones after playing Skyward Sword. Nintendo has the best graphics out there purely because they work with limitations in ingenious ways.

Best Get-up
Nominees: Tanooki Mario, Ghirahim, Metal Mario, and Kirby Hat

Winner: Tanooki Mario

Why? It's functional and fashionable! And nostalgic. And it works well in the game. You know.

Best Method of Travel
Nominees: Loftwing, Tanooki Tail, Cannon, Propeller Block, By Shadow, Submarine, Arwing, Horse, Hang Glider, and Customizable Kart

Winner: Customizable Kart

I really enjoyed coming up with the nominees in this category. I did not enjoy choosing just one. But I chose the customizable kart from Mario Kart 7 for a couple of good reasons: first, driving in your customized kart makes up the bulk of the game. Second, collecting coins on the tracks in order to unlock new parts is pretty compelling. And third, it's a fun challenge to customize just right for optimal kart performance that plays on your strengths and that looks good too. Oh yeah!

Best Use of Stereoscopic 3D
Nominees: Super Mario 3D Land, Steel Diver, Nintendogs+cats, and Pilotwings Resort

Winner: Super Mario 3D Land

You know, when I think about it, the odd-sounding title of this game makes a lot of sense. It really is a land of 3D. Er...a 3D land. Anyway, the 3D does become an important aspect in this game. 

Top Five 3DS Games for the Holidays 2011

 The Nintendo Lifeline welcomes today's guest columnist, Sean:

2011 has been a great year for 3DS fans in terms of new games. Now that the holiday season is in full swing, you may be wondering what games to get the 3DS enthusiast in your life. There are certainly plenty of excellent games to choose from. So, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed by all your options. Don’t worry. You can narrow down your choices by checking out the five 3DS games that are certain to please any handheld gaming fanatic this holiday season. Here are the five 3DS games that will make the best holiday gifts this year:

1. Aliens: Infestation – This side-scrolling game challenges players to defeat the xenomorphs, an evil species of aliens that have taken over the world. This game is inspired by the Aliens film series and includes all the weapons from the movies. Players get to use flamethrowers, smart guns, and rifles to try to defeat the menacing xenomorphs.

2. Mario Kart 7 – Fans of previous Mario Kart games will love this new version. You get to race on tracks from older games and some new tracks with impressive graphics. Players also get to race underwater with the help of a propeller that’s attached to all of the karts. 

3. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D – This is probably the most popular 3DS game that came out this year. It’s a remake of an original game made in 1998 with better graphics. Zelda fans will love being able to carry this game around on their 3DS.

4. Star Fox 64 3D – This is another remake of a popular Nintendo 64 game. It’s a scrolling shooter game set on a group of imaginary planets. The object of the game is to stop a mad scientist from destroying everything. This is a pretty challenging feat, which will please gamers who are looking to play a relatively difficult game.

5. Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition – This edition of the popular Street Fighter games takes things to a whole new handheld level. You get to choose from 35 different characters to fight with, and you get to fight other players around the world when you connect your 3DS to a WiFi connection.

So, consider gifting the games above, and make the holidays special for the 3DS lover in your life!

Author’s Bio: Sean is a guest post writer on the subjects of 3DS games, retro video games, and locating an HP coupon for your holiday gift.

Join Infendo's official Mario Kart 7 community!

I realize my readership isn't stinkin' huge, and I don't expect you guys to all have a Nintendo 3DS and a copy of Mario Kart 7. So instead of creating a Mario Kart 7 community for the Nintendo Lifeline, I'm inviting everyone (who can) to join the Infendo community, because it was a little more logical to do it that way:

Community Code: 20-1691-6700-3942

Can't wait to see you there! Oh, and we're having a community night this Saturday, December 17 starting at 7:00 p.m. US-Eastern time. Be sure to find out when that is in your timezone!

2012 Nintendo Lifeline Awards: Nominees

Well, it's that time again. The time when we look back at all of the best moments of the year. The purpose of the Nintendo Lifeline Awards is to celebrate the best moments in the world of Nintendo. First, however, I feel it necessary to offer this disclaimer: I will never have the time or money to try every worthwhile game in any one year, so my experience is quite limited. The Lifeline Awards are for entertainment and reflection only.

That said, here are the categories and corresponding nominees:

Best Overall Game

• Super Mario 3D Land (N3DS)
• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (N3DS)
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
• Mario Kart 7 (N3DS)
• Wii Play Motion (Wii)
• Star Fox 64 3D (N3DS)
• Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition (N3DS)
• Lost in Shadow (Wii)

Best Overall Graphics

• Super Mario 3D Land (N3DS)
• Star Fox 64 3D (N3DS)
• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (N3DS)
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
• Steel Diver (N3DS)
• Lost in Shadow (Wii)

Best Get-up

• Tanooki Mario (Super Mario 3D Land)
• Ghirahim (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword)
• Metal Mario (Mario Kart 7)
• Kirby Hat (Nintendogs+cats)

Best Method of Travel

• Loftwing (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword)
• Tanooki Tail (Super Mario 3D Land)
• Cannon (Super Mario 3D Land)
• Propeller Block (Super Mario 3D Land)
• By Shadow (Lost in Shadow)
• Submarine (Steel Diver)
• Arwing (Star Fox 64 3D)
• Horse (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D)
• Hang Glider (Pilotwings Resort)
• Customizable Kart (Mario Kart 7)

Best Use of Stereoscopic 3D

• Super Mario 3D Land
• Steel Diver
• Nintendogs+cats
• Pilotwings Resort

As you can very well tell, there isn't a whole lot of variety in either my categories or the nominees therein. You'll also notice that the "Best Method of Travel" category easily packs in the most nominees of all, so my advice is that you take all of this with a grain of salt. Please feel free to give your favorites shout-outs in the comments, because I will certainly take them into consideration as I decide the winners. Check back in early January for the results!

4 great games coming this holiday and why I recommend them

Will your games be coming in packages this season?

The "holidays" start when we begin enjoying Halloween candy and end sometime after New Year's, when it makes us sick just looking at all the left-over goodies. In between, we eat what seems like a never-ending flow of candy and baked goods.

In addition, the holidays never fail to see that gamers all over the world get a hearty supply of video games. Wii and Nintendo 3DS owners are not exempt from that, so here are 4 up-coming games for you to consider this season:

Super Mario 3D Land (3DS)
Out this Sunday, it's the latest installment in what is undoubtedly Nintendo's (and gaming's) most successful franchise. That is the first and most obvious reason why it will be a must-buy for N3DS owners. That said, players can expect brilliant platforming madness, power-ups old and new (read: Tanooki suit and boomerang suit), and even practical uses for stereoscopic 3D. Don't pass this one up!

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
One short week after Mario jumps onto store shelves once more, Nintendo will pump out what is sure to be the company's biggest hit of the year. Mark November 20th on your calender as the release of a game that has been in the making for literally years. The reasons for getting this are too numerous to count, but here's a quick summary of what's in store: one-to-one sword action thanks to the Wii Remote Plus, a story that promises to explain the origins of the iconic Master Sword (and then some!), what is sure to be a stellar soundtrack, a larger quest than in any other Zelda (estimated 50-100 hours to complete), and, of course, the dungeons, puzzles, enemies, and gameplay that come packed into every Zelda game. Seriously, don't miss out on this one. You'll regret it.

Mario Kart 7 (3DS)
Are Mario Kart memories of some sort not ingrained into the heads of every Nintendo fan alive? New courses, new items, better online capabilities, hang gliders and water jets, customizable karts, and more await in this installment of the popular series. The game hits stores December 4th.

Rhythm Heaven (Wii)
This one comes out the day after Christmas (what's up with that, anyway?) February 13, 2012, but it still fits into the "holidays", because, like I said above, the holidays don't end until after New Year's. Catchy music, quirky gameplay, and a whole lot of personality characterized the Nintendo DS installment of Rhythm Heaven, so why should the Wii title be any different? I look forward to more information before the game's post-Christmas release!

Mario Kart Double Dash - Rainbow Road

If you're playing the hardest level on Mario Kart there has to be good music. This is the level that you will practice the most. The one level that you have to win to get a gold trophy! So the music has to be un-annoying and has to have the power to make you keep playing. This totally does it! You want to play this board just because of the music! Now now don't lie to yourself. We all know the only reason anyone plays video games is for the music!

Why Mario Kart Wii is just good ol' fashioned fun: A Review

This blog began back in March, so there's a huge library of back catalog Wii games that I feel like I can review. So it's not the newest material. Big deal!

Anyway, on with the review. Mario Kart Wii is an E-rated racing game that utilizes motion control and the Wii Wheel accessory. There's not much else to say about it, especially if you've ever played any previous Mario Kart title.

Mario Kart Wii has an unbalanced feel to it, and I'm not the only reviewer out there who's noticed. Sometimes it feels much too easy, other times it feels like you're the sole target of a barrage of deadly items coming from the other 11 racers. Aside from that, the game is really a bundle of fun, especially when played with friends and family. Just relax and enjoy the smooth gameplay.

So there you have it!

Mario Kart Double Dash!!: A Review

With me, if I want to do a review, I must finish the game first. Guess what? I finished Mario Kart Double Dash!! For some people it's not a big deal, but with my family we all try to get the best score for times and places on races. I started when all of the first place scores were taken. So we did have all of the cars and people, but here's the thing: I wasn't the one with those scores.

So I set off! I did race after race! After eight hours of constant racing the score board read MRB (my initials) for every single race. I did it with the same people every time and same type of kart. My people were the Red Koopa and Baby Bowser and my kart was the green and blue baby carriage. I have to say this is definitely one of those games that you can play over and over!

Onto the review part! To start off I give this game a rating of 5/5 stars. The reasons? I DON'T NEED ANY! I'm the blogger you have to listen to what I say! Though, since I'm so kind I will tell you the reasons you need to play this game. Number one! Fantabulous boards! All of the levels are very fun! Of course they get harder and harder the further you get. After all if they stayed the same level of play it would be so boring! Personally the one race track I'm in love with is Rainbow Road! No one can beat me at it! The secret to it is to not fall off. Once you got that down, you can start going faster around corners and such things.

The second reason is . . . the characters! Now what kind of Mario game would it be if it didn't have all of the guys? It has all the good guys, from Mario to the mushroom guys (I think they're called Toad and Toadette) and Bowser to the plant guy (Petey Piranha I think). I love the noises they make when you hit people! Everything is just so Mario-y. It's so much fun! 

The third reason is how utterly addicting this game is! I mean right when you think you are done playing you think, "Oh wait! I wanted to do that one board!!" I mean it's just so awesome! The battles are really fun too! I mean gosh you can tell how excited I am about this game, look at all the exclamation points I'm using! Anyways, play the game; it's completely awesome. Personally I don't think that Mario Kart Wii lives up to Double Dash. Sure they have some of the awesome levels but I just can't get into that the way I can with this lovely game! See you next time! 

Exclamation Point Count: 26

Two days, too much to cover...but I'll try

Update: Here are the links to a handful of new trailers Nintendo has released at E3:
Paper Mario
Mario Kart
Animal Crossing
Super Mario
Ocarina of Time 3D

I'll get straight to it today: starting with the brand-new eShop for Nintendo 3DS. With this important system update, Nintendo offered 3DS users everywhere two free downloads. The first is 3D Classics: Excite Bike. The original NES title remains untouched except for the addition of 3D depth. And it just so happens that a cool 3D trick comes into play: as the player moves the 3D depth slider, the whole background image shifts along with the depth itself.

The second piece of free Nintendo goodness is the Pokedex 3D. Users will start out with a limited amount of Pokemon data, but more can be obtained through SpotPass and by other means. Pokemon can be viewed in full 3D and can also be placed in the real world through augmented reality. Also included is comprehensive info on each acquired Pokemon: types, stats, and moves are just a few examples of what players can expect.

As if that didn't take up enough space, those little tidbits are nothing compared to the flood of new details revealed from Nintendo's E3 media conference, which took place Tuesday morning. Here goes:

2011 is The Legend of Zelda 25th anniversary. Fans can expect a host of celebratory events to take place throughout the year, starting with the ability to download The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console service. That'll be seven bucks, please! Next, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D will be released on the 19th of this month. Club Nintendo members will be treated to a complimentary copy of the game's official soundtrack for registering their game...offer valid while supplies last, people! The long-awaited Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will finally be released for Wii this holiday season. A special promotion will see fans with super-awesome gold Wii-motes with the Zelda crest on the front.

New trailers are available for the following Nintendo 3DS games: Mario Kart, Super Mario, Animal Crossing, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Star Fox 64 3D, Paper Mario, and more. In fact, 3D versions of said trailers can be downloaded for free on the Nintendo 3DS system. They all look amazing, by the way! The current Nintendo 3DS drought will be remedied by year's end, no doubt about it.

Readers, if you've made it this far, you're in for a treat, because Nintendo has pulled back the veil on their next home console. Rumors that the controller would have a built-in, 6-inch touch screen were, indeed, true (see the image on this post). The official name of the console is (drumroll, please)...Wii U! If Wii was able to capture the non-gamer market, then Wii U will capture the hardcore market. All thanks to a highly versatile controller and HD graphics capabilities. Non-gamer market, worry not: Wii U is backwards compatible with Wii games and accessories. In fact, Wii-motes will continue to be at the forefront of control with Wii U. The intention is that four Wii-motes and one touch screen controller can be used at one time. It's a new system, but incorporates the ol' Wii overtly, yet...subtly. Expect more details to emerge before the system's 2012 release. 

My latest video game adventure!

Who picks Bowser's Castle from Mario Kart 64, anyway? My brother, apparently. I can't help but sigh. Not my favorite Mario Kart course ever, by any means. I take a deep breath and grip the Wii Wheel tightly, waiting for the inevitable: bumping into the corners of walls, falling off narrow bridges into lava pits...all this combined with insanely fast-paced action complete with red shells, banana peels, and lightning. Yep, just another typical race in Mario Kart Wii.

I rev up my vehicle (the Shooting Star) in time with the countdown. 3...2...1...and we're off! Without a speedy start, I end up in 9th place within seconds. Ah, well...I've got three laps in which to catch up. Besides, the worse you do, the more "pity items" you receive. I'm fortunate enough to snag a Bullet Bill right near the start: I find myself being rocketed right up to first place in no time at all.

The rest of the race turns into a kind of juggling act for the three leaders: myself (as Rosalina), my brother (Baby Luigi), and a computer-controlled Daisy.

It's the second lap. Baby Luigi slips up and runs into a side wall. I snatch the opportunity to move up to 1st place. He returns the favor when I fly off the next jump at an odd angle. Daisy bumps past me. After a turbulent second lap, I regain 1st place. The final lap proceeds so smoothly, I'm sure I've won. The final stretch is before me...

Then I hear it. The sound of something whistling over the heads of nearly every other competitor. It's coming. I can't stop it. The dreaded spiny shell. Its target is clear: me. I'm on my feet now, bouncing up and down, jaw clenched. I'm not going to make it. No way. Inches away from the finish line, I know the time has come. It's right behind me...now it's right above me...it slams down at precisely the same moment as the winning whistle shrieks. The two apocalyptic events aren't separated by even a fraction of a second. I'm the winner!