Nintendo of America finally lets the (red) cat out of the bag

Although we've known for some time now that Nintendo's European and Japanese arms are going to release red DSi XLs and Wiis in their respective regions the next few weeks, we haven't heard a peep from the company's North American arm.

Until today, that is.

Yes, the red DSi XL and Wii systems you've been salivating over--don't try to deny it--since you saw this post will hit store shelves in the States on Nov. 7.

Strangely, the bundles that will be offered to North American gamers are going differ from those being offered to their European and Japanese brothers and sisters. The DSi XL bundle, for instance, will include a red DSi XL, a copy of Mario Kart DS and a trio of DSiWare titles (Brain Age Express: Math, Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters and a Photo Clock app) for $179.99. The Wii bundle, on the other hand, will include a red Wii (along with a red Wii Remote Plus and nunchuck attachment) and copies of New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Wii Sports for $199.



Unfortunately, it seems the North American Wii bundle won't include the special anniversary edition of Super Mario Bros. that will be pre-installed onto the systems that will hit the streets in Japan on Nov. 11. Nor will it include Donkey Kong: Original Edition (whatever that means), which will be preloaded onto the systems sold in Europe starting on Oct. 29.

Also, at this point it seems that the awesome Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary DSi system mentioned in this post will remain a Japan-only release, as neither Nintendo of America nor Nintendo of Europe mentioned it in their respective announcements.

(Via siliconera.com)

New Super Mario Bros. Wii: One of my favorite Wii games of 2009

I know what you're thinking: What a shocker! I mean, what blogger/critic/journalist/poet/writer hasn't placed Mario's latest two-dimensional romp through the Mushroom Kingdom at the top of his/her "best Wii game of 2009" list?

As much as I hate bandwagons (they're so bumpy!), I have to take a seat on this one. Sure, New Super Mario Bros. Wii isn't a perfect game, but it is a perfectly fun game. In fact, it's the funnest game I've played in a very long time.

That alone is enough for me to declare New Super Mario Bros. Wii my favorite Wii game of 2009. Yes, other aspects of the title--its charming and colorful graphics, its nostalgia-laden levels, its maniacal multiplayer mode--are worthy of adoration and praise, too, but all of them pale in comparison to its imitable "fun factor."

Since I have so little to say about New Super Mario Bros. Wii, why don't I share my thoughts on the games that nearly topped my "best of 2009" list?

Little King's Story--Yoshirou Kimura, the mastermind behind the bat-shit crazy Chulip, also made this simulation-slash-RPG, so you know it's a little weird and a lot wonderful. (Or maybe a lot weird and a lotter wonderful? You know what I mean.) It's also cute, charming and compelling--and well worth its (current) $43.19 price of admission.

Muramasa: The Demon Blade--button-mashing action RPGs really aren't my bag, baby, but I'll make an exception for Muramasa. Why? Well, for starters, the graphics are amazing. Actually, they're more than that--they're what I imagine heaven would look like if heaven was a two-dimensional video game created by the folks at Vanillaware. Second (and third, I guess), the game sounds and plays like a dream. A wet dream. A wet dream you experience over and over and over again, until you're completely wiped out. At least, that's what it's like for me.

Wii Sports Resort--This sequel/spin-off/whateveryouwannacallit to Wii Sports certainly is a steal. It includes 12 (yes, 12) different "sports," for crying out loud! The funny thing is, you'll probably only care about half of them--if that. It won't matter, though, because you'll really care about the half you care about. (You're following me, right?) For me, the "sports" (sorry, I can't help but use quotes here) that make this title worth the moolah: air sports, archery, frisbee, swordplay and table tennis.