Button Mash This

Back in December, some friends and I were in NYC for a week leading up to my birthday on the 16th. My gift to myself? $200US+ in merchandise at one place and one place alone (literally!): Nintendo World Store. There are only 2 locations in the world, the other resides in Japan (of course). And while I’ve visited the Big Apple on several occasions, this was the first time I’d been able to make it down to Rockefeller Center to check out the scene for myself. Needless to say, I was in pure fangirl heaven.

Thankfully, I got it together long enough to take a few pics and a couple of vids.

chelle @ Nintendo World Store (NYC) - 1st floor from ButtonMashThis on Vimeo.

chelle @ Nintendo World Store (NYC) - 2nd floor from ButtonMashThis on Vimeo.

When I saw this, I knew Jay would want it. I just showed him the picture, and he almost died. Totally called it! Unfortunately the price on the box was $19.99 totally overpriced for a Game Boy Color game.

Are you looking to buy a Wii for Christmas in Toronto?

Well if you are, you better already have it giftwrapped under the tree. If not, why not try Shoppers Drug Mart. I was in the Dupont and Spadina store earlier this evening and apparently Shoppers carry Wii now. I was very tempted to buy it and flip it on Craigslist, but I couldn’t be bothered. They had two in stock, so hurry up and pick one up.

Another cool gift idea for that spoiled tween, or grown up man-child of yours might be a Zoombox. I picked one up the other night at the Toys R Us on Steeles, just west of Yonge. Basically, I wanted a cheap projector. According to reviews, they are pretty fun, but you must watch them in dark rooms (like really dark rooms). Where else can you get a projector for $150 bucks? Strangely enough these puppies are listed at $399 US on amazon. I guess with the rate of conversion from US to Canadian Dollar, that makes it even.

Bonus Points if someone can track me down a copy of Guitar Hero for the Wii.

Like I really needed any more reasons to wish I was from Japan. The cool kids over at The King of Games put together this video highlighting items from Nintendo’s past that you can’t even imagine ever having existed. Everything that pre-dates the Game & Watch stuff is exquisitely fascinating. (i.e. what the heck is a Light Telephone!?). On the “gravy” note, the BG music for the doc is excellent, well-suited for the content, and easily sounds like something that could have been composed by Postal Service. If you dig videogame history and\or you’re an absolute Nintendo freak like me, you have to check this out.

[via 4cr]

I own my fair share of odd Nintendo paraphernalia. Candy, toys, miniature replicas. The more refined player may find the collection of these random items to be a bit much and slightly unnecessary. But I’m comforted in knowing that it can always be worse (or way better depending on how you look at it!). The brilliant writers over at GamesRadar have created a master compilation of links which each lead towards the ultimate in fanaticism. Some of these are wicked awesome, some are just outright embarrassing. But all of them point to one thing — pure Nintendo obsession.