Latest news with #MyMario
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
What Should I Do With My OG Switch? Nintendo's Wooden Amiibos Are the Answer
With a Switch 2 in tow, your original Switch is likely gathering dust. The sequel handheld is an upgrade—a spec bump. Nintendo is trying to give users a few more use cases for the older handheld, implying its first dockable handheld may end up being your child's or younger cousin's new toy. The Mario maker introduced a whole slew of new toys and Switch software explicitly geared toward kids. They're all currently exclusive to Japan, though we can't imagine western audiences wouldn't jump on these immediately. The big ticket item is a set of wood blocks in a large 'My Mario' playset. These figures first reminded me of my Thomas the Tank Engine wooden train I used to careen down my kitchen table as a preteen. Unlike those lo-fi locomotives, these Mario figures have the extra benefit that they 'can also be used as an amiibo figure of the relevant character in compatible games. The blocks are 'made in sizes and weights that are easy for young children to hold and play with.' Nintendo has sold its NFC-enabled figurines since the Wii U launched as a way to enable special in-game items or user icons, but fans considered them as collectibles rather than toys to play with. The wooden Mario, Peach, Luigi, Yoshi, and all the extra Koopa shells and coin blocks are meant to be handled by a child's caustic hands (you just have to remember to keep any teething toddlers from going to town on them). Parents may need to help their kids actually stick the amiibo up to the Switch joysticks to get those exclusive perks. There are additional plush rattles, baby shirts with mock overalls, and a 'Hello, Mario!' popup children's book. Nintendo also plans to release claymation My Mario shorts on the My Mario website 'and other channels.' The big update for owners of Nintendo's handheld is the addition of an app on both Switch, smartphones, and tablets. You can use the app to tug on Mario's face. Mario is supposed to react to you yanking on his mustache, akin to the 3D Mario head from Super Mario 64. The app will be available to Japanese audiences on Aug. 26. We'll have to wait for if or when Nintendo offers these same services in the states. Nowhere amid all the images Nintendo used to promote its children's toys was there a big, bold, black Switch 2. That device's 7.9-inch screen seems geared for adult-size mitts. The smaller Switch with its more colorful Joy-Con options is the better fit for pubescent players. That was true even before the Switch 2 launch. Remember Nintendo's big Labo experiment, with its slate of cardboard peripherals and DIY VR headsets players needed to build themselves? These were geared to younger folks first for cerebral stimulation. Nintendo's wood blocks and funny, stretchy Mario face seem to be lowering the sign that says, 'You must be this tall to ride this ride.' Nintendo needs to give you a few more reasons to keep your Switch around, especially since you likely can't pawn it off on eBay for much more than $150. Because of updates to both systems, Nintendo restricts you from having game save data in more than one place at once. Nintendo's Virtual Game Cards also restrict users from having one instance of a game on the OG and Switch 2. You can disable Virtual Game Cards through the system menus, but the end result is that you won't be gifting your game library to somebody else. Instead, Nintendo seems to be saying that your Switch can be even more of a toy than it was previously. The claymation show, plus the extra clothes, backpacks, and other kid-friendly items, are part of the company's efforts to diversify its business. Japan's most-storied publisher is into both theme parks and movies. The company has implied this will help it weather the storm of international economic mudslinging. This week, Nintendo hiked prices on all its original Switch consoles, likely due to U.S. tariffs. The consoles now look even more like a worse deal than the Switch 2, but only if you're considering them from the perspective of a gamer. For a beleaguered parent looking for any way to distract their child, a Switch may be what Dr. Mario ordered.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Nintendo Announces New Child-Friendly Mario Merch
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Nintendo has made a huge step in expanding its reach into kid-friendly products, with a brand-new line of merchandise aimed squarely at young children and their parents. Nintendo announced the My Mario line of products today, a selection of kid-focused products set to be released later this month in Japan and early next year in the US. The My Mario line includes products like toys – including Mario-themed wooden blocks that double as amiibo – interactive books, a series of animated shorts, and even an app called Hello, Mario! that lets you pull on Mario's face to make silly faces. A selection of Mario-themed goods and products unveiled as part of the My Mario range of prodcuts. A selection of Mario-themed goods and products unveiled as part of the My Mario range of prodcuts. Nintendo Promotional images for the My Mario merchandising line also included a glimpse of additional kid-friendly items, including apparel, soft plush toys, accessories like backpacks, and kid-friendly crockery, lunchboxes, bibs, and more. All of these items will launch on August 26, 2025, in Japan, but Nintendo says that "selected products" from the line will be released beginning in 2026. The company says that My Mario is "a product series which parents and children can enjoy together," and that it will be producing these products alongside partner companies. It doesn't necessarily come cheap, though. The 30-piece wood block set – which includes wooden blocks based on Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and Peach that act as amiibo and other blocks featuring Mario iconography – will set parents back 19,980 Japanese yen, which is equivalent to roughly $135 USD. The animated shorts and Hello, Mario! app will, at least, be freely available. It comes as Nintendo attempts to expand its intellectual properties beyond just video games, with a massive push in recent years to see franchises such as Mario visible in every aspect of society. A result of this push has seen the release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie – with a Mario movie sequel on the way soon – as well as theme park efforts alongside Universal Studios in multiple countries, a new live-action Zelda movie featuring big stars in its lead cast, and more. The company isn't abandoning its gaming efforts anytime soon, though, with the recently released Nintendo Switch 2 breaking records with its historic launch sales more than proving that the company's still got what it takes to dominate the gaming world and beyond.
The Verge
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Nintendo's new Hello, Mario! mobile app lets kids play with Mario's face
Nintendo has announced a new free mobile app coming to iOS, Android and the Switch. It's called Hello, Mario! and was revealed alongside a new collection of Mario-themed products designed for kids and toddlers launching in Japan later this month. All of Nintendo's mobile apps have been free to download so far, but while some have offered in-app purchases and others, like Nintendo Music, require an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription, Hello, Mario! is comparatively basic. Reminiscent of Super Mario 64's title screen that showed off the N64's capabilities with an interactive 3D version of Mario's head, Hello, Mario! lets kids poke, tug, and fling Mario's face around the screen while the character reacts in various ways. The app probably won't have as much appeal for adults, but there are a few items in Nintendo's new My Mario collection that parents may find hard to resist. It includes plush toys, toddler-safe dinnerware, teething toys, clothing, and even an interactive board book also featuring Mario's face. The highlight is a pair of wooden building block sets. There's a ¥2,980 (~$20) 3-piece set featuring Mario, a mushroom, and a question block. A larger ¥19,980 (~$135) 30-piece set adds Luigi, Peach, and Yoshi, plus a warp pipe and other building elements. The character blocks also have Amiibo functionality, and can be used with the Switch in lieu of each character's standard Amiibo figure. The My Mario collection will be available in Nintendo's Japanese stores in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto starting on August 26th, while the Hello, Mario! app will be available for download on the same day. Nintendo hasn't confirmed if an English version of the app will be released, but some of the My Mario products will be more broadly available next year, according to Video Games Chronicle. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Andrew Liszewski Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Apps Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Gadgets Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Gaming Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Nintendo Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Toys
