NCL recently unveiled their minisite for Wario Land Shake (Wario Land: Shake It! in the USA).  Along with the cheery character art for the "Sha King", Captain Syrup, and Wario, you'll also find what appears to be the game's animated intro and some gameplay footage.

Gameplay Footage: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/rwlj/point/index.html
Click through the down arrows to the final page.

Animated Intro: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/rwlj/prologue/index.html
Click on the text box in the top right corner.

Source: NCL Wario Land Shake minisite

Brian Brinegar, Dan May, and John Groth are playing Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, and 3, Super Mario World, Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy to raise money for Child's Play.  You can join in the fun by chatting with them while watching the marathon live on Ustream.  Of course you could donate to Child's Play for the kids and to show Brian, Dan, and John your support, but could you play all those Mario games for 55 hours straight?

Although I've never tried to play a marathon of games, I have donated to Child's Play before.  I gave several GBA SPs and SMA4:SMB3 to three childrens' hospitals a few years ago.  I think it's time to do it again.  I just wish I could afford to send Nintendo Wiis this time.  Makes me almost regret spending my money on a PS3 this week. 

Source:  mariomarathon.com Amazon.com Deal of the Day
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - $25.99 (Reg $39.99, $14 savings, 35% off)

6 AM PDT Yoshi's Island DS
8 AM PDT The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass DS
10 AM PDT Super Mario Galaxy Wii
12 PM PDT New Super Mario Bros. DS
2 PM PDT Mario Kart DS
4 PM PDT The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Wii
6 PM PDT Mario Party DS
8 PM PDT Pokemon Diamond DS

Also get a $20 gift card when purchasing Nintendo DS and Guitar Hero On Tour.

Each deal valid for four hours or until sold out.

Sources: LightningDeals.com and Amazon.com Goldbox

In a short interview with Wired Magazine, Shigeru Miyamoto discussed Nintendo's gamble with the Wii Remote, the semi-game nature of titles such as Wii Fit, and most amusingly, how quality control is conducted by saying "Oh, this looks like a Sega game. We need to make it look more like Mario."

Photo by David Cheung
Link: Wired.com

The 2008 Golden Joystick Awards have been narrowed down to a short list.  You can vote for the greatest games, publishers, and developers from July 31, 2007 to August 1, 2008 and also have a chance to win prizes like Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 consoles, Sony TVs, games from the short list voting, magazine subscriptions, and prizes from Madcatz.  Every 10,000 votes someone will win. 

There are fourteen categories to vote in.  Here's the breakdown of categories that include Mario related options:

The Sun Family Game of The Year:
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Mario Kart Wii
Super Mario Galaxy
Wii Fit

Bliss Handheld Game of The Year:
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games

Nuts All Nighter:
Mario Kart Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Nintendo Game of The Year:
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Mario Kart Wii
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Wii Fit

Publisher of The Year:
Nintendo

BBC 1Xtra Soundtrack of The Year:
Super Mario Galaxy

The Ultimate Game of The Year:
Mario Kart Wii
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Vote: http://www.goldenjoystick.com/

In honor of the release of the Nintendo Wii's first official NHL/NHLPA licensed hockey video game (NHL 2K9, from 2K Sports), our main man Mario is taking a trip to Toronto. He'll be available for picture opportunities on the red carpet at Elgin Theatre, 6:15 p.m. ET, during the 2008 NHL Awards.

It seems like a rather unreasonable ploy to sell another iteration of another sport simulator, but you've got to admit, those official Mario costumes are pretty good.

Source: tradingmarkets.com

WTMK lives... now with more music and additional features!

A brand new selection of music is now blasting from the WTMK servers, featuring music from the recent hits Super Mario Galaxy and Super Smash Bros. Brawl.  In addition, we're experimenting with the introduction of show and programming blocks. There are currently two show blocks broadcasting on WTMK:

* "Classic Classics" -- Mario music the way it used to be... chip tune and 8-bit enthusiasts should be excited.

* "Spinoff Showcase" -- The Super Mario Bros. series has had a large number of spinoffs over the years, and Spinoff Showcase is where you'll hear music from all of them.  Wario, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and many, many more.

If the "show block" concept proves to be popular, a few additional blocks may be on the way.  If you have any suggestions on "shows" you'd like to hear on WTMK, feel free to suggest them!

I love seeing SMB sprites on cars.  Maybe I should paint my parents' old van with Mario sprites.  I know my daughter would love that and the Beep Beep Mario Car.  For more Mario inspired cars check out the link below.

Source: http://www.neatorama.com/2008/05/23/super-mario-cars/

Note:  I sent this to Super-Jesse weeks ago, and I haven't seen him for over a month.  I hope Bowser hasn't done something to him. 

Edit:  Argh.  I was also going to blog about a new Mario Kart Wii wedding cake, but the source is down now.  Hopefully it'll be back soon.  http://www.thetanooki.com/2008/06/02/one-cake-to-rule-them-all/

We can watch all sorts of folks play Mario themes on Youtube, but it's not every day you see a quintet of talented bassoonists increase the ranks. A variety of 2D Mario games are represented, including SMB1-3, SML, SMW1-2, perhaps even more! Bassoons (and contrabassoon) aside, the performers manage a bit of beatboxing (sneezing?), adding to the experience.

Feel free to share any unique performances you've witnessed to date.

Link: Youtube
Via: TheTanooki.com

A new fan remix album has been released recently, focusing on the Nintendo/Square game Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.  I've just started browsing through the tracks, but it appears to feature a variety of remix "styles" (retro 8-bit chip music, syth, electro, orchestra, and more) and should appeal to those SMRPG lovers out there.  I may need to refresh my knowledge of SMRPG fan remixes, though, as I believe that not all the music in this album is "new" -- I recognize at least one older track by The OneUps.  Go download it yourself before the folks at GameMusic4All.com run out of bandwidth.

Source: Heavy Troopa is Ready to Launch! at GameMusic4All.com

Rare and Microsoft have released a trailer for their upcoming game Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts for the Xbox 360.  Near the end of the trailer, the bear and bird fly past a giant 8-bit Mario, and a few seconds later they blow the head off of it.  Whether that's self-referential humor regarding the departure from Nintendo or a brazen bit of bravado, it is amusing.

Go take a look for yourself...

Source: Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts Trailer, at GameVideos.com

Update: The original video was edited to remove the portion where Mario is destroyed.  Luckily, the guys over at The Rare Witch Project archived the original.

What a shame. Look at that wall; it was a boring slice of vertical concrete boxcar until one brave gamer gave it life. Then, someone came and tagged. When will people learn the fine line between art and vandalism?

In all seriousness, I can't tell if the Mario art was meant to incorporate the ghetto-tag, but it still looks cool!

Link: kotaku.com

Thanks Louis! Via the level editor in Boom Blox, WiiFolder has created a tribute to Mario by making a 1-Up sprite to smash up. I sure hope this is only the beginning of the Mario inspired Boom Blox levels!

revver.com

Edited: I sure hope no one saw my original title. It was mind-blowing

So, a week later, what's everyone got to say about Mario Kart Wii? I've complied some excerpts from reviewers on websites, and more importantly I've taken some well written opinions posted right in TMK's Fungi Forums. I strongly suggest you take both into consideration, and if you want to share your thoughts, feel free to comment!

What THEY Say
Game Informer Online
Ups:
- The control is brilliant, the courses are tuned to perfection, and everything is polished to a high shine.
- The light/medium/heavy choice is a strategic and stylistic decision rather than an opportunity to intentionally gimp yourself against inferior competition.
- This looks good…for a Wii game
Downs
- ...don’t bother with the stupid wheel
- ...the turbo change feels like a dumbing-down of the gameplay in the pursuit of a misguided desire to make it somehow easier for my grandma to pick up and play. Note to Nintendo: Stop.
- ... the overhaul of the mini-turbo system takes a while to get used to.

GameSpot.com
Ups:
- Huge number of courses, including some of the most imaginative yet 
- Deeply integrated online play
- Fun and strategic trick system
Downs
- Nostalgia doesn't save most of the classic courses from being boring 
- Items are more unbalanced than ever, especially on new tracks 
- Battle modes are now exclusively team-based and timed.

IGN.com
Ups
- For the first time ever on a Nintendo console, the online portion trumps the single-player offering.
- Ghost racing is even more part of this Kart than any other out there
- IR supported menus, great Mii integration to hook the casual crowd, strong use of Wii's functionality, and another entertaining mascot racer. One of the best console Karts in years.
Downs
- Kart's 150cc experience is most certainly beatable, but it'll take as much luck and needless replay as it will skill, and that's a shame.
- The cars also feel like they're running at the 50cc speed class for online, and it's a bit too slow for our liking.
- the lack of voice chat for an extremely social online game

What YOU Say
Vidgmchtr
Ups
- The Wii Wheel actually does work fine, I like it.
- I thought the idea of karts AND bikes was pretty cool too.
- Yoshi's new vocals, they make me laugh
Downs
- Still no cup featuring all Rainbow Roads
- With the retro levels, I think they should've used the intros used in each MK game the track is from. Not important, but I think it'd be a nice touch.
- The items that can give a huge advantage (Lightning bolt, Blue shells, POW blocks, etc.) are WAY too common.

BirdPerson
Ups
- I love the textures on the Super NES tracks. To quote myself, it's like a 16-bit dream.
- Some sweet new tracks. Koopa Cape is awesome.
- I was worried, but I approve of Yoshi's new voice clips.
Downs
- No WarioWare Wario (c'mon, at least just for bikes?)
- No individualized karts or bikes. I miss the Egg 1.
- Not the best retro choices.

NintendoExpert89
Ups
- Playing as the Mii
- Great tracks
- Much, much shorter waiting time for Online Play
Downs
- Graphics seem recycled and unchanged since GameCube
- Battle Mode is changed
- Easy to be knocked off the track repeatedly


Now this isn't all the opinions or posts we've had concerning Mario Kart Wii. For the full experience, you need to check out and participate in the Fungi Forums. I'd also suggest heading into our chatroom, since users in there always have interested things to say that you might find helpful!

Link: Fungi Forums: MKWii's Ups and Downs Force Dynamics is a company that produces motion simulators for trade show events and the like.  To demonstrate some of the capabilities of their equipment, they rigged up Super Mario Kart with their motion simulator.  If you've ever wondered what Super Mario Kart would be like in a wiggling chair, go take a look.  Sadly, they claim to have sold off the model they had programmed for SMK, so it appears that I might never get to try it out.

Source: Force Dynamics
Direct Youtube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBVOnT36Qw4