Mario’s Brother Gets Top Billing: Nintendo Introduces the ‘Year of Luigi’

  Mario’s Brother Gets Top Billing: Nintendo Introduces the ‘Year of Luigi’

 Nintendo Details Another Huge List of Upcoming Games for Nintendo 3DS, Wii U

Business Wire

REDMOND, Wash. -- February 14, 2013

After decades of playing second fiddle to the No. 1 video game hero, Luigi is
getting some love from Nintendo. Nintendo has named 2013 the “Year of Luigi,”
thanks to the numerous appearances that Mario’s timid, green-clad twin brother
will be making in games this year. In a Nintendo Direct video, Nintendo
provided details about games on the way that feature Luigi, as well as
information about more than two dozen upcoming games, including content for
Wii U and Nintendo 3DS across packaged and digital formats.

“Luigi is just the green tip of the iceberg of all the great news we have to
share with Nintendo fans this year and beyond,” said Reggie Fils-Aime,
Nintendo of America’s president and COO. “We’re showing how Nintendo 3DS and
Wii U continue to be a source of fun, entertainment and great surprises.”

To view the Nintendo Direct in its entirety, visit
http://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct. Today’s announcements included:

The Year of Luigi

  * Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon: The game that kicks off the Year of Luigi
    launches March 24 and will include additional multiplayer modes beyond the
    previously revealed Hunter Mode. Up to four players with their own
    Nintendo 3DS systems can team up via local wireless, pair up in Download
    Play or connect over the Internet to escape each floor within the time
    limit in Rush Mode and search for the hidden ghost dogs in Polterpup Mode
    (up to four game cards may be required).
  * Mario & Luigi: Dream Team: A new installment in the Mario & Luigi
    role-playing series is coming to Nintendo 3DS this summer. The game takes
    place inside the mind of a sleeping Luigi, who is a powerful, brave hero
    in his dreams.
  * New Super Luigi U: To continue the fun of New Super Mario Bros. U for Wii
    U, Nintendo is letting Luigi take over in new downloadable content that is
    coming in the Year of Luigi that provides alternate versions of the game’s
    more than 80 stages. Players can freely change between the New Super Luigi
    U and New Super Mario Bros. U stages. These Luigi-focused stages provide a
    whole new level of game-play challenge and will be available for purchase
    as a single download.
  * Fore!: Luigi and his Mushroom Kingdom neighbors are teeing up once again
    in Mario Golf: World Tour. The Nintendo 3DS game includes both simple
    controls and a deeper experience for golf fans, plus courses that range
    from traditional to those inspired by the Mushroom Kingdom. The game
    launches this summer.

Nintendo 3DS

  * Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: The smash-hit Wii game is getting a
    portable 3D makeover that makes the already-amazing layered graphics pop.
    The game launches this summer, but an exclusive 3D video is available now
    in the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS.
  * Turning Over a New Leaf: Animal Crossing: New Leaf launches in North
    America on June 9. It is the definitive version of Animal Crossing, with
    new features and general improvements across the entire game, including
    new species of animal neighbors, new ways to customize your house and
    town, and a new main street shopping area and model home showcase.
  * Animal Style: Style Savvy: Trendsetters is getting the Gracie Grace line
    of clothes, inspired by the fashion-forward giraffe from the Animal
    Crossing series. Owners of Style Savvy: Trendsetters can download the
    trendy free clothes via SpotPass. Additional fashions are planned to
    arrive via SpotPass, including in-game fashions based on the popular
    Japanese brand Liz Lisa.
  * The Chase Begins: LEGO^® City Undercover: The Chase Begins launches April
    21. The game is set two years prior to the action of the Wii U game, and
    follows the first case of rookie cop Chase McCain in a still-growing and
    -developing LEGO City.
  * Downloadable Games: Nintendo announced a number of new games coming to the
    Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS, including Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on
    the Move (coming soon), Dillon’s Rolling Western: The Last Ranger (coming
    April 11), HarmoKnight from Game Freak (demo available March 14, full game
    on March 28) and Kersploosh! (coming March 7).
  * Spreading Like Fire Emblem: Two new downloadable maps are now available
    for purchase at the Outrealm Gate on the world map in Fire Emblem
    Awakening. For $2.50, the Champions of Yore 3 map lets players battle
    against legendary characters such as Marth, Roy and Ike. Players who have
    already purchased the Champions of Yore map pack can now access this new
    map to earn a new playable character named Michaiah and a special skill
    that will increase all of a character’s stats by two points. The Golden
    Gaffe map is the first in a second set of three maps, and is also now
    available for $2.50. It pits players against a group of very wealthy
    enemies, and is a great way to earn gold. Nintendo plans to release fresh
    downloadable content in the weeks and months ahead to keep the adventure
    going with more playable characters and class types. The Champions of Yore
    1 map is available as a free download through March 6.
  * Virtual Console: Two classic Game Boy Color games from Natsume, Harvest
    Moon and Legend of the River King, are on their way to the Nintendo 3DS
    Virtual Console in the coming months.
  * Buy and Register Nintendo 3DS XL, Get a Free Game: As a special promotion
    for people who have not yet purchased a Nintendo 3DS XL system, anyone who
    registers a Nintendo 3DS XL and either Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon or
    Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity between March 21 and April 30
    will receive a code to download one of these five great games for free
    from the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS: Super Mario 3D Land, Professor
    Layton and the Miracle Mask, Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone!, Star Fox
    64 3D or Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive! For more information,
    visit http://club2.nintendo.com/3ds-xl-promo.
  * Nintendo eShop Sale: Nintendo 3DS owners can now buy and download select
    games from the Nintendo eShop at a discounted price for a limited time.
    These include BIT.TRIP SAGA from Aksys Games; Crashmo, Sakura Samurai: Art
    of the Sword and Ketzal’s Corridors from Nintendo; Fractured Soul from
    Endgame Studios; and Mutant Mudds from Renegade Kid. One game will be
    available at the reduced price each week. Visit http://www.nintendo.com to
    see the full schedule.
  * Castlevania Demo: A demo of Konami’s Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Mirror
    of Fate hits the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS on Feb. 28. The full
    digital game download launches on March 5.

Wii U

  * Zelda Miiverse Community: Nintendo is launching a Miiverse community
    dedicated to The Legend of Zelda series today, letting fans discuss the
    past, present and future of this timeless franchise.
  * LEGO^® City Comes to Life: LEGO City^® Undercover launches March 18.
    Nintendo revealed some new sections of the game, including LEGO City
    Airport, Kings Court and Paradise Sands.
  * City Mapping: The Wii Street U powered by Google application is now
    available as a free download for a limited time from the Nintendo eShop
    for Wii U. The application taps into the Google Maps service and allows
    users to get a 360-degree view of locations around the world using the Wii
    U GamePad.
  * Razor’s Update: A new, free update to Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge later
    this month includes one new costume each for Ryu Hayabusa, Ayane, Momiji
    and Kasumi, as well as 25 new Ninja Trials missions.
  * Third-Party Games:

       * BIT.TRIP Presents… Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien from Gaijin
         Games is coming to Wii U in February. It features narration by
         Charles Martinet, and a demo is planned for the Nintendo eShop soon.
       * This month, Zen Pinball 2 from Zen Studios introduces a number of
         pinball tables, including Marvel Pinball and Plants vs. Zombies
         Pinball. The game will be available as a free download in the
         Nintendo eShop for Wii U with additional tables available for
         purchase.
       * Soon Two Tribes will release Toki Tori 2, a puzzle/platforming game
         that will support off-TV game play on the Wii U GamePad. A level
         editor will be released at a later date.
       * Need for Speed Most Wanted U from EA is arriving on Wii U on March 19
         as the first third-party title to incorporate Miiverse functionality
         into the game play. Exclusive features include a new Co-Driver mode
         for local co-op play, Off-TV mode to play on the Wii U GamePad and
         the Ultimate Speed Pack included at no additional charge. The
         Ultimate Speed Pack includes 25 additional High Speed Races and Speed
         Runs, five of the world’s fastest production cars and more than 70
         new speed-themed milestones, plus stacks of additional rewards and
         unlocks.
       * The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct from Activision is coming to Wii
         U on March 26 with a unique style of game play that blends
         first-person action with resource management for a focus on surviving
         the undead nightmare.
       * Injustice: Gods Among Us from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
         launches on April 16. The game includes Off-TV play and lets players
         battle as some of their favorite heroes and villains, like Batman,
         The Flash, Superman, The Joker, Lex Luthor and Wonder Woman.

Coming to Wii U and Nintendo 3DS

  * Capcom’s Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate launches for both Wii U and Nintendo
    3DS on March 19. A Wii U player can connect with up to three Nintendo 3DS
    players to create a hunting party. People can play the game on Wii U and
    then transfer their data to the Nintendo 3DS to continue the hunt. A demo
    will be available in the Nintendo eShop on both platforms on Feb. 21.
  * Disney Infinity from Disney Interactive is coming to Wii U and Wii this
    summer. For the first time, players will use real-world interactive
    figures to activate original, story-driven adventures in the game worlds,
    also known as “Play Sets.” At any time, players can also access their
    personal “Toy Box” and use the items to create one-of-a-kind Disney
    adventures featuring any combination of characters, environments and items
    across all franchises featured in the game. Disney Infinity will also be
    available on Nintendo 3DS.

Remember that Wii U and Nintendo 3DS feature parental controls that let adults
manage the content their children can access. For more information about this
and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu and
http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive
entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets
hardware and software for its Wii U^™ and Wii^™ home consoles, and Nintendo
3DS^™ and Nintendo DS^™ families of portable systems. Since 1983, when it
launched the Nintendo Entertainment System^™, Nintendo has sold more than 4
billion video games and more than 651 million hardware units globally,
including the current-generation Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL, as
well as the Game Boy^™, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi^™ and
Nintendo DSi XL^™, Super NES^™, Nintendo 64^™, Nintendo GameCube^™ and Wii
systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known,
household names such as Mario^™, Donkey Kong^™, Metroid^™, Zelda^™ and
Pokémon^™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in
Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the
Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the
company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.

Note to editors: Nintendo press materials are available at
http://press.nintendo.com, a password-protected site. To obtain a login,
please contact Deanna Avila at 213-438-8742 or davila@golinharris.com. Users
can receive instant Nintendo information by subscribing to the site’s RSS
feed.

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