New Game Introduces Vehicles, Boss Battles and 80 New Minigames

Nintendo invites everyone to party with Mario and his Mushroom Kingdom friends like never before. Mario Party 9 is now available exclusively for the Wii console, loaded with scores of fun minigames, unlockable extras and new elements that add some unexpected twists to the fan-favorite Mario Party franchise. With a unique mix of competitive and cooperative challenges that up to four players can enjoy together, this super-charged game delivers classic characters, boundless replay value and nonstop smiles for everyone in the household.

In Mario Party 9, players vie to become the Superstar as they make their way through adventurous new stages, overcoming obstacles and collecting Mini Stars. For the first time, players also travel across each stage together in vehicles and join forces in boss battles to defeat a common enemy. This means they must work together to beat classic villains like Bowser and King Boo while still giving their individual scores a boost. Throughout the stages, players take turns acting as Captain of the vehicle, hitting Dice Blocks to move the party toward the goal. As they progress, players may encounter 80 new minigames that might have them making pizzas, escaping haunted houses, bowling shells at Goombas and more.

Another month, another milestone for Mario: Super Mario Galaxy became the ninth Wii game to sell more than 5 million units in the United States, according to the NPD Group, which tracks video game sales in the United States. The Wii system, which crossed 39 million units sold in February, now has nearly twice as many 5-million sellers* as competing current-generation consoles combined.

"Wii continues its record-breaking run by surpassing 39 million units in its 64th month, a pace that is unmatched by any other system in U.S. history," said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "Titles like Super Mario Galaxy help explain why Wii continues to resonate with consumers. The fact that one of the best-reviewed games of all time is available for a suggested retail price of $19.99 speaks to Nintendo's combination of quality, family fun and value that is unmatched in our industry."

Platform Sells Nearly Twice as Many Units as Nintendo DS Sold in its First Year

The era of glasses-free 3D gaming is turning one this month as Nintendo 3DS prepares to celebrate its first birthday. On March 27, 2011, video games and portable entertainment jumped into a new dimension in the U.S. and that story got richer throughout the year with record-breaking software titles such as Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 and entertainment options such as Netflix, Nintendo Video and the ability to record 3D movies. The platform enters its second year with a massive lineup of games, including the recently launched Resident Evil Revelations from CAPCOM, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games published by SEGA, TEKKEN 3D Prime Edition from NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., METAL GEAR SOLID Snake Eater 3D from Konami Digital Entertainment and the upcoming Kid Icarus: Uprising and Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir from Nintendo.