| EVENT REPORT 11.18.09 11:59 AM |
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| Nintendo Launches New Mario Game With Look Back at Franchise History |
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Mario has been a part of the gaming world since the pixelated plumber first tried to outwit a disgruntled gorilla in Donkey Kong, but he achieved cultural ubiquity with the 1985 release of Super Mario Bros. on the original Nintendo system. So to launch the newest version of the game for its Wii console, Nintendo invited the public into its Rockefeller Plaza flagship Saturday afternoon for free gaming, an early opportunity to buy the title, and a temporary museum of all things Mario.
One of several high-profile releases in 2009—the store had already hosted events for Sports Resort and Indiana Jones—Super Mario Bros.' synonymy with the Nintendo brand made the company choose to highlight the launch with a public stunt. As Nintendo of America product marketing manager Bill Trinen told us earlier this year, communal gameplay is a major factor in the company's decision to make a fuss. |
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PHOTO GALLERY |
 | Inside the store, customers posed in a Mushroom Kingdom set for souvenir photographs.
Photo: John Minchillo for BizBash |
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 | Guests competed in a tournament and a round of Mario trivia.
Photo: John Minchillo for BizBash |
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 | At various points during the rainy day, the line to purchase the new game stretched halfway around the the block.
Photo: John Minchillo for BizBash |
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 | The weekend event allowed for more of the brand's younger fans to participate in the launch.
Photo: John Minchillo for BizBash |
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 | Mario paraphernalia from years past—from a Dr. Mario poncho to the defunct line of Super Mario Brothers bath products—were all on display.
Photo: John Minchillo for BizBash |
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 | To leave room for the customers lining up for the game, most of the museum and gaming stations were outside of the Rockefeller Center flagship, in a tent erected for the event.
Photo: John Minchillo for BizBash |
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 | Some guests were given Mario caps as door prizes—while many others brought their own.
Photo: John Minchillo for BizBash |
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 | Game cartridges from old Nintendo systems sat in glass display cases, while guests played various incarnations of Mario on the new Wii system.
Photo: John Minchillo for BizBash |
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 | Nintendo filled the store with imagery from the new game.
Photo: John Minchillo for BizBash |
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 | While the crowd seemed most interested in the new version of the game, some guests stopped by stations to play older versions, like the 1985 original.
Photo: John Minchillo for BizBash |
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Even a nor'easter that kept plenty of New Yorkers couch-bound on Saturday didn't deter Mario enthusiasts from coming out. Several hundred lined up throughout the day to buy the game the day before the release, and after they'd made their purchases, Nintendo invited customers and other guests into a tent set up next to the store.
Inside, Nintendo staffers had created a pop-up museum of Mario memorabilia. Older versions of the game, toys, costumes, lunchboxes, and even a defunct line of Mario bath products were all on display—many under glass. The tent also played host to trivia challenges, gaming stations, and a tournament where patient competitors who waited in a long line got the chance to compete for a free game.
There were plenty of serious fans on hand. Dozens showed up in Mario costumes, and there were even a few stray Luigis. The store itself was decorated to resemble the game's fictitious Mushroom Kingdom, so those who made the effort to dress up posed for complimentary photos in one of the vignettes.
—Michael O'Connell
RELATED TOPICS
Nintendo, Super Mario Bros.
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