Being a gamer at heart for nearly all of my life, I’m delighted to be able to see gaming’s growth as a whole in the entertainment world. Consoles are slowly replacing cable boxes, and no matter who you are, chances are you’ve played video games on your mobile device, console, or 3DS. I was first introduced to video games when my parents allowed my three-year-old self to play Smash Bros on the Nintendo 64. Now, with the Play Nintendo Tour, new and returning gamers can experience a culture of gaming that’s been passed down for decades; completely free of charge.
The Nintendo Play Tour isn’t just your typical gaming area, but more of an interactive display of some of the greatest games out for the 3DS. When I attended the event, it was held at the center of the mall, and at my first glance, it was easy to identify where I would be able to play each of the games on display. Kirby Robobot’s display had mechanical rescue trees that demanded attention, and the area that had Pokemon on display included a large Pokeball front and center for all to see.
While the event itself looked excellent, there was surprisingly a lot to do in a relatively small space. Besides visiting several different stations to try out a ton of games, participants could enter mini tournaments that were held in front of a gigantic 3DS shaped stage, based on those same games you played. On top of this, there are a ton of great photo ops to capture you and your family’s fun at the event, whether it’s by a life-sized Kirby, or behind the wheel of a Mario Kart. And lastly, a small scavenger hunt is held within the event that awards participants who visit every gaming station, so that’s also super cool.
If you happen to live by one of the twelve cities participating in the Play Nintendo Tour, I’d highly suggest going, especially if you’re looking into buying a 3DS and would like to see how fun it is for yourself. At each location, visitors can compete for a chance to win prizes (while supplies last) and play games on a video wall shaped like a giant Nintendo 3DS system. The Play Nintendo Tour is scheduled to visit the following locations:
- June 17-19: Westfield Culver City – Los Angeles
- June 24-26: Arrowhead Towne Center – Glendale, Arizona
- July 1-3: FlatIron Crossing – Broomfield, Colorado
- July 8-10: Mall of America® – Bloomington, Minnesota
- July 15-17: Bite of Seattle – Seattle
- July 21-24: Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina – San Diego
- July 29-31: Memorial City Mall – Houston
- Aug. 5-7: Woodfield Mall – Schaumburg, Illinois
- Aug. 12-14: Roosevelt Field – Garden City, New York
- Aug. 19-21: South Shore Plaza – Braintree, Massachusetts
- Aug. 26-28: Tysons Corner Center – Tysons Corner, Virginia
- Sept. 2-5: North Point Mall – Alpharetta, Georgia
The event is very family-friendly, and it’s very hard not to have fun when Mario and Luigi are involved. Mothers and fathers, I promise you blue shells won’t chase your minivan down the street after a playing a ton of Mario Kart.
Until Next Time
JJ King
Leave a Reply