New Super Mario Bros. Wii Launch Madness!

Okay, I'm starting to wonder if I Am 8-Bit is deliberately making the photo ops at the Nintendo launches as potentially embarrassing as possible in order to see how far I will go to humiliate myself in front of a camera. But when the Nintendo World Store hosted the launch for the New Super Mario Bros. Wii game, I had to give it a shot! To be fair, I tried to balance the block on my fist so it would look like I was hitting it, but it was too wobbly, and I had to hold it like a freakin' waiter. Sigh.

Anyway, the launch was typically insane, as is expected with a property like Mario. Only the Pokémon ones get wilder. And even the cold, wet weather couldn't calm things down... not even when it started to pour! There was a long line that stretched halfway down the block that was just to buy a copy of the game the day before it launched everywhere else. Then there was another line outside to enter the tent where the New Super Mario Bros. Wii tournament was being held. Next to that was a DJ booth, but while I was there, he was taking a break, since although the equipment was covered, the area around it wasn't, and nobody wanted to listen to music or play trivia games in the pouring rain. Then again, maybe they would! Heck, some people even came in costume as their favorite Mario characters, rain be damned!

Inside, they had a Mario available for photo ops, as well as Wii demo stations playing New Super Mario Bros. Wii so you could get your hands on it. Upstairs, they also had three stations set aside playing classic Mario games available on the Virtual Console. There was also the aforementioned photo op where stuffed Mario props were available to pose with (and I don't like to think about how many other people wore that Mario hat... so glad I was at the front of the line!).

But the best part was the other tent outside which housed a Mario memorabilia museum. I feel very strongly about mementos... Memorabilia, I think you call them. It was pretty cool. I loved seeing the old branded products like shampoo and sheets, as well as the old cartridges and games. The Mario and Luigi Halloween costumes were a little off-putting though, seeing as how they put them on slender female mannequins and the stuffed bellies made them look pregnant. Creepy! After the jump, I've included a gallery of shots below so you can see all the nuttiness, plus a second gallery of shots just from the museum. I photographed everything, just so none of you would have to miss out! Who loves ya?