Highbrow/Lowbrow: A weekly update on Denver culture from deliciously fancy to wonderfully mundane

STATUS: Highbrow

WHAT: Nintendo Airstream Tour

When I hear the happy calypso themed notes of Mario, I am immediately transported back to my childhood. I would plead with my Dad to play while I watched in sheer fascination. He usually indulged, as I am sure he secretly loved playing as much as I did watching. Sweet memories that have led to a soft spot for Nintendo.

Photo by Jonathan Hall

Photo by Jonathan Hall

The Experience Nintendo Airstream Tour stopped by in Denver on September 16th to demo their 2013-2014 Holiday releases to a select few and yes I was one of the lucky ones.  During the past few years, Nintendo has taken its highly visual, Mario-branded airstream trailer on a nationwide tour to build what I guess would be the “Black Friday” buzz, when most of their new products are released. Although I have long let go of my Nintendo days, I was blown away with the Airstream experience.

Nintendo has been able to flawlessly transform with the zeitgeist all while maintaining the charm of its first official release. I was privy to a special demo of the Nintendo 2DS, which is scheduled for an October 12th release. The 2DS plays exactly like its 3DS predecessor without the 3D feature that many consider too gimmicky, even though the 3DS does a great job dovetailing into its huge library of games. The backwards compatibility and its low price will make the 2DS a must have item for any gamer this holiday season. Bundle the 2DS with “The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds” (Dropping on November 22nd) and you’ve got yourself a handheld that will provide a prolific time suck.

 The highlight of the day came when I was also fortunate enough to check out demos of some of the Wii U’s highly anticipated fall/holiday lineup. First up was the impressive Super Mario 3D World. As always, Nintendo never disappoints when it comes to revamping their classics while staying true to the original. I loved seeing old friends such as Toad and Princess Peach (My favorite) be available as playable characters for the first time since Super Mario 2. Up next was Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Of course this title did not disappoint either. The huge colorful maps and barrel launching fun were in full display in the first level. Did I mention Diddy and Dixie Kong (My other favorite) can team up with Donkey Kong this time around? I know Dixie will steal the show.

 
Nintendo has been able to maintain its relevance in a world of Play stations, Microsoft and a plethora more. This is especially true for the few that are still chasing a slice of their childhood.