Nintendo doesn’t normally have a large presence at video game conventions. However, that doesn’t mean the company is averse to holding its own in-person events, one of which is the Play Nintendo Tour this summer. Nintendo will be visiting nine cities across the United States for fans and families to enjoy a plethora of Nintendo themed attractions. Nintendo of America announced the event on their website on June 3. The company revealed that the Play Nintendo Tour will begin on June 13 and run until September 2 at nine different cities.
© Nintendo
The cities and dates include:
- Salt Lake City, UT at the Shops at South Town between June 13-16
- Denver, CO at the FlatIron Crossing between June 20-23
- Houston, TX at the Woodlands Mall between June 27-30
- Des Moines, IA at the Jordan Creek Town Center between July 11-14
- Philadelphia, PA at the King of Prussia between July 18-21
- East Rutherford, NJ at the American Dream between July 25-28
- Greenville, SC at the Haywood Mall between August 1-4
- Miami, FL at the Aventura Mall bwtween August 8-11
- Minneapolis, MN at the Mall of America between August 31-September 2
Each stop in the Play Nintendo Tour will feature a Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD photo spot, Princess Peach: Showtime! photo spot, Super Mario Bros. Wonder game demo, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass game demo, Pokémon Scarlet/Violet photo spot, and demos from several Nintendo games. Nintendo of America also stated, “Parents join their kids in plenty of themed fun and activities for the whole family at the event, including personality quizzes, jumbo puzzles featuring Mario and friends, memory matching games and an opportunity to try your hand at the claw machine to snag fun items, just to name a few.” So, there’s something fun for everyone in the family.
© Nintendo
On top of the game demos, photo spots, and other entertainment at the Play Nintendo Tour, Nintendo of America will offer guests free “Play Nintendo Tour passports.” According to the website, guests can collect stickers after participating in the activities at the event. After completion of the passport, guests will receive gifts including Play Nintendo bracelets, coloring pages, a Nintendo Switch Online 14-day trial code, and a chance to win Nintendo character plushies from the on-site claw machine while supplies last. It should be noted the 14-day trial “automatically converts to 1-month auto-renewing membership at the then-current price unless automatic renewal is turned off by the end of the free trial.”
The Play Nintendo Tour is free of charge, so families can have a fun filled afternoon without expending much money. But, what’s remarkable about the event is the mockup featured above makes the space look like the Tour came straight out of the Tokyo Game Show or even the now defunct E3 game shows. As such, this may be a fun way to vicariously experience those events. If you love Nintendo and will be near any of the nine locations the Play Nintendo Tour will be at, you may want to check the event out.
Sources: Email correspondence, Nintendo of America (link 2)