Guests will enjoy whimsical-themed gaming zones filled with iconic items like banana-shaped seats in the Donkey Kong area, a giant Poké Ball in the Pokémon section and Yoshi egg chairs in Yoshi’s island.
Does that snippet from the official Nintendo website sound like a dream come true? Then here’s hoping you live close to one of the 12 U.S. cities that will be hosting a Play Nintendo Tour stop this year. On top of a large video game-themed play area, the Play Nintendo 2014 tour will also feature costumed characters (Kirby, Donkey Kong, Mario and Luigi), photo ops, giveaways, and the chance to try out a Nintendo 2DS. The following games will be showcased:
- Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D
- Kirby: Triple Deluxe
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
- Mario Kart 7
- Pokémon X and Pokémon Y
- Super Mario 3D Land
- Yoshi’s New Island
Mario Kart 7 will have its own dedicated area. Racers who beat out their competition will be given the chance to show off their skills in Mario Kart 8 for Wii U on a large screen for everyone to see. Time to start practicing.
And the best part of all this excitement? It’s entirely free. Venues are limited though, so check the list below to see if you live close to any of the tour’s stops. It has already swept through Los Angeles, CA, and Dallas, TX.
June 20–22: Charlotte area
Northlake Mall
6801 Northlake Mall Drive
Charlotte, NC 28216
June 27–29: Chicago area
Woodfield Mall
5 Woodfield Mall
Schaumburg, IL 60173-5012
July 4–6: Twin Cities area
Mall of America
60 East Broadway
Bloomington, MN 55425
July 18–20: Seattle area
The Bite of Seattle
305 Harrison St.
Seattle, WA 98109
July 25–27: Phoenix area
Arrowhead Town Center
7700 W. Arrowhead Towne Center
Glendale, AZ 85308-8612
Aug. 1–3: St. Louis area
Chesterfield Mall
291 Chesterfield Mall
Chesterfield, MO 63017
Aug. 8–10: Indianapolis area
Castleton Square
6020 E. 82nd St.
Indianapolis, IN 46250-4746
Aug. 15–17: Atlanta area
Mall of Georgia
3333 Buford Drive
Buford, GA 30519-4913
Aug. 22–24: Houston area
The Galleria
5085 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX 77056-5673
Aug. 29–Sept. 1: Orange County, California, area
Irvine Spectrum Center
71 Fortune Drive
Irvine, CA 92618
