Mario Kart Wii Launches Big!
Nintendo rarely does things halfway, especially when Mario himself is involved. So the launch party for Mario Kart Wii paled only in comparison to the launch of Super Mario Galaxy. It couldn't quite match the fun, carnival-like atmosphere of the Galaxy launch, but it was still a huge success for Nintendo, at least judging by the size of the crowd!
I'll share my whole chaotic experience after the jump, as well as a whole gallery of pictures so you can feel like you were there! (But without the crowds!)
To be honest, the event ran from 2-6pm on Saturday, April 26, but I had to work my day job in the afternoon, so I couldn't get there until 3:00. And when I showed up, I realized that my digital camera didn't have a memory card in it, so I had to go back home again to get one since it wasn't likely I was going to be able to get away with snapping only the 15 shots my internal memory can hold! So I didn't actually get there until almost 4:00, but the party was still in full swing. In fact, it looked the same as it had an hour earlier, and as I expect it looked all afternoon!
Unfortunately, I was unable to interview celebrity guest Jason Priestley, as I was told it was too late, and he had actual photo ops to perform at this point. And alas, a lowly gay gamer with a tape recorder and digital camera is no match for a sexy female reporter from ESPN in a tight suit with a cameraman. Sigh. But I took some shots of him doing an interview for ESPN and then when he went back downstairs to race the reporter. I think he let her win because she's a girl. Oh, and I saw the picture Fruit Brute posted of Jason Priestley with the kid from Gossip Girl, but I never saw that twink myself. Of course, since I don't watch the show, he could've hit on me and I still wouldn't have recognized him.
The little race cars were adorable, with enough room for two people to cram in there, and a small monitor to show the split-screen racing. They looked a little cramped, but fun. There were plenty of kiosks upstairs and outside in the street with a lot more room to whip the wheel around. There was a line outside to get into the store, but there were race cars and regular kiosks outside, as well as a DJ who was making people embarrass themselves for T-shirts and other swag. At one point, Mario himself joined in the dancing before stopping for photo ops as he made his way inside (with the help of his handler — hard to see inside those things!).
The store was a complete zoo, and there were two massive lines that I thought were to try the game, but as it turns out, they were to get your photo on a Mario Kart drivers license. Yeah, needless to say I didn't feel like getting in either of those. (I did get a free "I <3 KART" air freshener for the car I don't own!) There was also a line to the register where you could buy Mario Kart Wii a day before it went on sale everywhere else in the country, but you had to get a timed wrist band in order to get in line. Your wrist band would have a time on it, say, 4:50, and at 4:50, they'd announce over the loudspeaker you could go get in line and buy your game. Otherwise, I fear the lines would've gone out the door and down the street!
Since I'm not a big racing game fan, I didn't bother getting a wrist band, because I didn't want to buy the game. And in fact, I didn't even bother trying Mario Kart Wii, so I can't even offer up any impressions of it. But who cares about that? If you're interested, you've already bought your copy by now anyway, right? Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go rest up for next month's Wii Fit launch... maybe I should see my doctor first...
Wootini
Posted to Galleries, Hot Stuff, Video Games on 28 April 2008
· Comments (2)
Other stuff like this: jason priestley, launch party, mario kart wii, nintendo world store, nyc
Wow, Jason P. is getting up there in age.
Hi! I was there, too! My pictures are here (but they were taken with my cellphone camera... :P): http://picasaweb.google.com/theadamhunt/NerdyDayOut
And, yes, Brandon's looking a little rough around the edges, but you crash into a wall doing 220mph and see how good you look.