Nintendo Gives Times Square a Mushroom Power-up
The company turns Military Island into the Mushroom Kingdom for a game launch.
Mario platform games are rarer than a Kuribo’s Shoe. By our count, there have been only nine proper platform titles in the plumber’s 27-year history. Next week, Nintendo will go for lucky number ten with a 3D homage to the venerable Super Mario Bros 3. The company is celebrating the release of Super Mario 3D Land by turning Times Square into the Mushroom Kingdom, so you had better get your Tanooki Suit from the cleaners.
What can you expect? Tons of Nintendo-ey craziness in the form of performances by mascot characters, a real live playable Mario level complete with warp pipes and a flagpole to slide down and a giant JumboTron blasting out game footage. Oh, and of course there will be a Mushroom Kingdom-themed pizza truck delivering free slices to all of you hungry Goombas. It’ll be sort of like Disney World if Walt Disney had settled on Manhattan instead of that other big city Kissimmee, Florida.
Blow your warp whistle and get to Military Island between 10AM and 4PM on November 12th. If you’re late Bowser will no doubt move the Princess to another castle, causing you to have to wander the streets alone, silently muttering something about kart racing under your breath.