So much fun
I remember the GBA SP Play off in 2003. The average age then would have had to have been 15. This time at the DS Tour it was about 9. "What kiddy image?" you say. Fortunately, while the under 12’s had to compete in a real life Pokemon Dash Race and Metroid Ball Throw to have a chance to win a DS, us older gamers were allowed to just play all the 14 games on offer and get a stamp at each station. Karl managed to chat up one of the more attractive “Promotechnics Crew” to get all his stamps without playing the games. PALGN does not condone cheating.
Unfortunately it seems we picked the wrong venue. We only had washed up idol Axel Whitehead to entertain us. PALGN suspects that less washed up and more attractive (in my opinion) Rikki Lee was at the Eastgardens event being held at the same time. However there was an attractive Nintendo employee walking around with working DSs attached to her waist. I asked to have a go.
Touching is good
Nintendo Australia isn’t exactly known for being the most generous corporation. Review code is basically nonexistent and for some mysterious reason PALGN’s phone calls often go unanswered. We did once manage to schedule an interview, but they decided to cancel at the last minute. They’re so funny. In the past, the advertising front has also been bleak. Many people attribute the Gamecube’s utter failure in Australia to the lack of advertising in the first few months of its launch.
However, the past couple months has seen something of a new life for NA. There is Crusin’ With The Detour where Nintendo has joined Channel [V] on their East Coast Tour. April is officially Zelda Month – to celebrate the release of Minish Cap and Four Swords Adventure, Nintendo is giving a away a trip to New Zealand. And most surprisingly their site at Nintendo.com.au is actually being updated… regularly.
The DS Tour is an interesting event, although I question how much money they stand to make from it. At any one time there were almost as many Nintendo employed staff as there were visitors in the enclosure. Axel spent most of his time urging people walking past to come inside. The huge DS couldn’t be cheap either.
We resisted the urge to draw profanities
It’s a step in the right direction, though, I’ll give them that. Nintendo needs a presence in Australia. Right now most people only have two choices when buying a console and neither are a Gamecube. With the imminent release of the PSP, it’s clear NA know they face a challenge in the one market they’ve reigned king for so many years. Nintendo have not decided to go out quietly.
Who knows, maybe they’ll start answering our phone calls.
Check out the rest of the photos in the media panel
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