Man, Mario is a dick. (via suppermariobroth)

Man, Mario is a dick.

(via suppermariobroth)

Shin Megami Tensei IV 3DS LL The 3DS is getting a ton of cool limited edition paint jobs. The newest one is this Shin Megami Tensei version, which is limited to Japan so far. If the fact that the 3DS is region locked doesn’t turn you away, maybe the price tag will. You can pre-order one for $440 (before shipping) from Play-Asia. Check it: More 3DS on Albotas Pre-Order: Shin Megami Tensei IV

Shin Megami Tensei IV 3DS LL

The 3DS is getting a ton of cool limited edition paint jobs. The newest one is this Shin Megami Tensei version, which is limited to Japan so far. If the fact that the 3DS is region locked doesn’t turn you away, maybe the price tag will. You can pre-order one for $440 (before shipping) from Play-Asia.

Check it: More 3DS on Albotas
Pre-Order: Shin Megami Tensei IV

King of Games iPhone Cases

Makers of classy and subtle Nintendo clothes have just released their first iPhone cases. They feature the iconic Famicom pulse along with the KOG logo. Grab on for just over $25 plus shipping here.

Check it: More King of Games on Albotas
Buy: Mario the Music (Famicom Sound History Series)
QUITE POSSIBLY THE GREATEST PICTURE EVER TAKEN OF SATORU IWATA It was announced earlier this week that Nintendo Global President Satoru Iwata would gain the additional title of CEO of Nintendo of America to fill the role that was left behind by Tatsumi Kimishima who was promoted to Nintendo Co., Ltd. Managing Director. The future of the company certainly looks… unpredictable, to say the least. Wii U sales have been severely lackluster thanks to a massive lack of worth caring about, and even 3DS sales have slowed down, but some could argue that it’s probably because just about everyone who plays games already owns one by now (but that’s almost definitely not the case). And so begins a new chapter for the company. Charting a course for the unclear voyage ahead. With E3 just around the corner, Sony’s PS4 and the probable announcement of a new system from Microsoft will definitely give Nintendo and its president more than a few things to think about. Much like the Marios and Donkey Kongs and Links and all the hundreds of Pokémon, Iwata is seen mostly by gamers as just another cutesy character in Nintendo’s brand mythos. But then there’s that picture of him sitting on a small white couch. The room, the luggage, the contemplative expression on his face - it’s like something out of a men’s lifestyle magazine. This isn’t the same adorable Japanese man we normally see on stage at press conferences or wearing Luigi hats in Nintendo Direct videos. This picture shows a different side to the face of Nintendo - a Satoru Iwata rarely seen, and it’s a safe bet that this is probably one of the closest glimpses we’ll get at the real Iwata. Not the salesman on stage giving PR pitches to appease investors, not the precious little Nintendo Direct host reeling in consumers and fans, but the savvy businessman who has kept the company strong since he worked his way up from HAL Laboratory programmer in the 80’s earned the title of President in 2002, making him the first president not related by blood or by marriage to the Yamauchi family who originally founded the company all the way back in 1889. When you think about all you can accomplish in a lifetime, you start to wonder what kind of legacy you’ll be able to leave behind - how long your footprints will be embedded in history before being washed away by the tides of time. Just by looking at the picture above, it’s clear that Satoru Iwata’s legacy has just begun.

QUITE POSSIBLY THE GREATEST PICTURE EVER TAKEN OF SATORU IWATA

It was announced earlier this week that Nintendo Global President Satoru Iwata would gain the additional title of CEO of Nintendo of America to fill the role that was left behind by Tatsumi Kimishima who was promoted to Nintendo Co., Ltd. Managing Director.

The future of the company certainly looks… unpredictable, to say the least. Wii U sales have been severely lackluster thanks to a massive lack of worth caring about, and even 3DS sales have slowed down, but some could argue that it’s probably because just about everyone who plays games already owns one by now (but that’s almost definitely not the case).

And so begins a new chapter for the company. Charting a course for the unclear voyage ahead. With E3 just around the corner, Sony’s PS4 and the probable announcement of a new system from Microsoft will definitely give Nintendo and its president more than a few things to think about.

Much like the Marios and Donkey Kongs and Links and all the hundreds of Pokémon, Iwata is seen mostly by gamers as just another cutesy character in Nintendo’s brand mythos. But then there’s that picture of him sitting on a small white couch. The room, the luggage, the contemplative expression on his face - it’s like something out of a men’s lifestyle magazine. This isn’t the same adorable Japanese man we normally see on stage at press conferences or wearing Luigi hats in Nintendo Direct videos.

This picture shows a different side to the face of Nintendo - a Satoru Iwata rarely seen, and it’s a safe bet that this is probably one of the closest glimpses we’ll get at the real Iwata. Not the salesman on stage giving PR pitches to appease investors, not the precious little Nintendo Direct host reeling in consumers and fans, but the savvy businessman who has kept the company strong since he worked his way up from HAL Laboratory programmer in the 80’s earned the title of President in 2002, making him the first president not related by blood or by marriage to the Yamauchi family who originally founded the company all the way back in 1889.

When you think about all you can accomplish in a lifetime, you start to wonder what kind of legacy you’ll be able to leave behind - how long your footprints will be embedded in history before being washed away by the tides of time. Just by looking at the picture above, it’s clear that Satoru Iwata’s legacy has just begun.

The Top 8 Games To Play On 4/20 Happy 4/20, loyal Albotians! If you’re looking for the best games to play when you’re high, trippin’ balls, or just plain bored, then look no further. We’ve whittled it down to a narrow list of eight titles that lend themselves favorably to medicated play. We would have done ten, but we really have the munchies right now and the GIF above is super distracting. 8. Noby Noby Boy [PS3] Weirdness from Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi. It plays like some sort of surreal trip/dream. You can also poop things. 7. LSD: Dream Emulator [PS1] This Japanese-only title is a bizzarre acid trip/dream simulator based on 10 years worth of dream journal entries by one of the game’s developers. There’s also a 2-disc companion soundtrack and the dream journal itself was published as Lovely Sweet Dream in limited edition. It’s overall weirdness has earned it a huge cult following and American gamers are still hoping that this is eventually released on the U.S. PlaystationNetwork. 6. Lumines Electronic Symphony [PS Vita] Tetris on Ecstasy. Don’t make the mistake of writing this off as a just another puzzle game. If you like combo-driven game mechanics, going for high scores, sweet tunes, and pretty lights & colors, then this (or any of the Lumines games) is perfect for your 4/20 game time. Just be warned: a play session can last well over an hour which is pretty impressive for a puzzle game. 5. Sound Shapes [PS3/PS Vita] Music-based platforming with an all-star line-up of indie video game artists and musicians ranging from Beck to Deadmau5. The unlockable Death Mode levels are hella’ hard, but equally rewarding. If you’re feeling creative, you can also try your hand at the level creator or download stages made by the community. 4. N2O: Nitrous Oxide [PS1] Tunnel shooter a-la Tempest with a soundtrack by The Crystal Method. You collect “E” and power-ups include a Mushroom Shield. Oh, and the more stuff you shoot, the faster your ship goes - it gets pretty crazy. As an added bonus, you can even pop the disc into a regular CD player to listen to the soundtrack. 3. Rez [Dreamcast/PS2/Xbox 360] Rez is just a great game to play on any damn day of the year. See also: Dyad, Flower, Child of Eden, Journey. 2. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 [360] The colors, Duke! THE COLORS!!! 1. Katamari Damacy [PS2] The intro alone is almost a drug itself. Nothing makes sense and everything is beautiful. It also has one of the greatest video game soundtracks of all time. HONORABLE MENTIONSPac-Man: Championship EditionIkarugaSeamanEarth Defense Force 2017

The Top 8 Games To Play On 4/20

Happy 4/20, loyal Albotians! If you’re looking for the best games to play when you’re high, trippin’ balls, or just plain bored, then look no further. We’ve whittled it down to a narrow list of eight titles that lend themselves favorably to medicated play. We would have done ten, but we really have the munchies right now and the GIF above is super distracting.

8. Noby Noby Boy [PS3]

Weirdness from Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi. It plays like some sort of surreal trip/dream. You can also poop things.

7. LSD: Dream Emulator [PS1]

This Japanese-only title is a bizzarre acid trip/dream simulator based on 10 years worth of dream journal entries by one of the game’s developers. There’s also a 2-disc companion soundtrack and the dream journal itself was published as Lovely Sweet Dream in limited edition. It’s overall weirdness has earned it a huge cult following and American gamers are still hoping that this is eventually released on the U.S. PlaystationNetwork.

6. Lumines Electronic Symphony [PS Vita]

Tetris on Ecstasy. Don’t make the mistake of writing this off as a just another puzzle game. If you like combo-driven game mechanics, going for high scores, sweet tunes, and pretty lights & colors, then this (or any of the Lumines games) is perfect for your 4/20 game time. Just be warned: a play session can last well over an hour which is pretty impressive for a puzzle game.

5. Sound Shapes [PS3/PS Vita]

Music-based platforming with an all-star line-up of indie video game artists and musicians ranging from Beck to Deadmau5. The unlockable Death Mode levels are hella’ hard, but equally rewarding. If you’re feeling creative, you can also try your hand at the level creator or download stages made by the community.

4. N2O: Nitrous Oxide [PS1]

Tunnel shooter a-la Tempest with a soundtrack by The Crystal Method. You collect “E” and power-ups include a Mushroom Shield. Oh, and the more stuff you shoot, the faster your ship goes - it gets pretty crazy. As an added bonus, you can even pop the disc into a regular CD player to listen to the soundtrack.

3. Rez [Dreamcast/PS2/Xbox 360]

Rez is just a great game to play on any damn day of the year. See also: Dyad, Flower, Child of Eden, Journey.

2. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 [360]

The colors, Duke! THE COLORS!!!

1. Katamari Damacy [PS2]

The intro alone is almost a drug itself. Nothing makes sense and everything is beautiful. It also has one of the greatest video game soundtracks of all time.

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Pac-Man: Championship Edition
Ikaruga
Seaman
Earth Defense Force 2017

The Most Adorable Kidnapping Threat From An ‘Animal Crossing’ Fan You’ll See All Day YaYa Crossing is a YouTube vlog about a girl trying to stay sane while waiting for Animal Crossing New Leaf. In a recent episode, is appears that she has officially snapped. She’s devised a a plan to obtain an advanced copy of the game by holding Shigeru Miyamoto for ransom. Sounds pretty foolproof. Check it out below. Do you see this, Nintendo? This is what happens when you delay a launch title for two years!

The Most Adorable Kidnapping Threat From An ‘Animal Crossing’ Fan You’ll See All Day

YaYa Crossing is a YouTube vlog about a girl trying to stay sane while waiting for Animal Crossing New Leaf. In a recent episode, is appears that she has officially snapped. She’s devised a a plan to obtain an advanced copy of the game by holding Shigeru Miyamoto for ransom. Sounds pretty foolproof.

Check it out below.

Do you see this, Nintendo? This is what happens when you delay a launch title for two years!

Nintendo Starts Doing It Right

It’s a degree or so chillier in hell today. Nintendo finally got their shit together and made tons of awesome announcements on this week’s Nintendo Direct.

First, that awesome looking Animal Crossing themed 3DS XL is coming to North America this summer. It will cost about $220 and will come with the new Animal Crossing game pre-installed.

Next - and this is the biggest shocker - Earthbound is coming out for Virtual Console. I never thought this would happen. Unfortunately, this will only be available to Wii U owners and won’t be on the Wii’s VC lineup, as far as I know.

A sequel to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was also announced. The game looks like it plays like earlier top-down Zelda games as opposed to something like Phantom Hourglass, which is a good thing in my opinion.

The world of Mario is getting two new additions, too. A third Yoshi’s Island game is coming out. This one’s got some really weird art direction, but I’m excited to see how it turns out. The other game is a new entry into the Mario & Luigi RPG series where Mario has to enter Luigi’s dreams. How Freudian.

Last but not least, Nintendo and Square-Enix will be publishing Bravely Default next year in the US.

That’s a lot of great news for one day. It’s about time, though. When the Animal Crossing 3DS launches, I might just have to pick one up. I’m still jonsing for the mint flavored one though.

Check it: More Nintendo on Albotas
Pre-Order: Shin Megami Tensei IV

Animal Crossing New Leaf “Tourism” Trailer

Peep some new AC footage while a mellow-voiced lady encourages you to go to your happy place and be yourself over some soothing tunes..

Nowhere near as cool as the original Animal Crossing GameCube TV spots. =(

Super Mario Bros. x New Era Japan 2013 Spring/Summer Hat Collection

New Era Japan just dropped a buttload of new hats in various styles featuring 8-bit sprites of classic characters from the original Super Mario Bros. The Koopa and Goomba are my faves. Check out more styles at New Era Japan.

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(Source: hypebeast.com)

Mewthree Confirmed?

This new Pokemon X and Y teaser just released and it shows a “a new Pokemon with a familiar look!” Well, it’s got the color scheme of Mew and Mewtwo, so I think we can go ahead and say Mewthree is confirmed for Pokemon X and Y.

Daily Graffiti This crazy Super Mario Bros. 8-bit street art was added to our Geek Graffiti Flickr pool by Starman Super. It transforms electrical boxes into question mark blocks and other familiar objects from Mushroom Kingdom. Neat! Check it: The Daily Graffiti Archives Follow Albotas on Twitter | Like Albotas on Facebook

Daily Graffiti

This crazy Super Mario Bros. 8-bit street art was added to our Geek Graffiti Flickr pool by Starman Super. It transforms electrical boxes into question mark blocks and other familiar objects from Mushroom Kingdom. Neat!

Check it: The Daily Graffiti Archives
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Adorableness at MegaCon, Part 1

While I did snag a lot of shots of adult and teenage cosplayers this weekend at MegaCon, let’s not forget about the little ones. These parents are super awesome and their kids are even cooler for enjoying it.

I still can’t get over how cute that Link was this weekend!

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Zelda Rupees Re-imagined as Paper Banknotes Here’s a clever series of paper banknotes that were created to represent Hyrulian currency from the Legend of Zelda series. The rupee bills were imagined by Deviant Artist g33k1nd159153 (really dude?) and show each value in writing, as well as color, true to to the series. Check it: More Zelda on AlbotasBuy it: The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia

Zelda Rupees Re-imagined as Paper Banknotes

Here’s a clever series of paper banknotes that were created to represent Hyrulian currency from the Legend of Zelda series. The rupee bills were imagined by Deviant Artist g33k1nd159153 (really dude?) and show each value in writing, as well as color, true to to the series.

Check it: More Zelda on Albotas
Buy it: The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia
Reticulated Mario & Luigi from Carson Catlin Carson Catlin has 1-upped himself this time. He’s customized these Mario and Luigi toys for Game On in San Francisco. Love ‘em more than ‘shrooms and facial hair? Plunk down 500 coins for one of the figures or 900 for both at the show on March 22. Check it: More Carson Catlin customs on AlbotasBuy: Tanooki Suit Mario 8" Plushy

Reticulated Mario & Luigi from Carson Catlin

Carson Catlin has 1-upped himself this time. He’s customized these Mario and Luigi toys for Game On in San Francisco. Love ‘em more than ‘shrooms and facial hair? Plunk down 500 coins for one of the figures or 900 for both at the show on March 22.

Check it: More Carson Catlin customs on Albotas
Buy: Tanooki Suit Mario 8" Plushy

This Video Game Store’s Sign Is A Giant Neon Nintendo Cartridge!

Coolest light-up storefront sign ever? We think so. This sign can be seen atop 8BIT Video Games, a retro video game shop in Shillington, Pennsylvania specializing in classic games for NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, and more. Their official grand opening is tomorrow, Saturday March, 16, at noon.

Unlike more tradition (i.e. corporate) video game retailers, this store is owned and operated by actual fans.

We actually did a video interview back in the day with one of the owners, Paul, back in the day when he ran a little shop called Level Up Games and let us host our own Pokémon Fight Club.

Terrible video production quality and oldschool aspect ratio FTW!!!

He’s essentially a gamer who amassed such a huge collection that he just eventually decided to turn it into a store. Living the dream!!!

If you live in the Reading/Shillington/Wyomissing area or feel like making the hour-long trek from Philly, you’ll definitely want to check this place out!

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