Nintendo Press Room

Keynote Details Nintendo DSi News on Eve of Launch

SAN FRANCISCO, March 25, 2009 – Nintendo President Satoru Iwata today revealed surprises for consumers and an expanded palette of video game development opportunities for the industry during his keynote address at the Game Developers Conference. Iwata announced a new storage solution for Nintendo’s Wii™ home console and showed video highlights of a new Nintendo DS™ game from The Legend of Zelda™ franchise.

Video game developers now have expanded opportunities given that worldwide shipments for the Wii system surpassed 50 million units and worldwide shipments for the Nintendo DS franchise are at more than 100 million units. Iwata said, “It is in the power of game developers to invent things that gamers have never seen – or even imagined – before.”

Nintendo also noted several key initiatives that are on the way for consumers, some of which are available at the Nintendo GDC booth.

Nintendo DSi

• The new portable Nintendo DSi system goes on sale in the United States on April 5. For the first six months after launch, consumers who buy the system and connect to the Nintendo DSi Shop will automatically receive 1,000 Nintendo DSi Points, which can be redeemed for downloadable Nintendo DSiWare™ games and applications through the Nintendo DSi Shop. In order to receive the free Nintendo DSi Points, consumers must access the Nintendo DSi Shop by Oct. 5, 2009, and the Nintendo DSi Points can be redeemed at any time after that (wireless broadband access required).

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April 20, 2009
ESRB: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Game Type: Action Racing
Accessories: Wii Wheel™
Players: 1-2 Locally, Up to 6 via Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection
Developer: Monster Games
KEY INFORMATION
High-speed action. Robotic insect and animal racers. Wii Wheel controls. Bowling, poker, clowns – and sandwiches! Add them all together and you get the wild, nonstop fun of Excitebots: Trick Racing.
• This game takes the big-air thrills and simple pick-up-and-play controls of Excite Truck™ and ramps up the fun with a constant barrage of funky challenges and mini-games performed at blinding speed. Players shoot goals, throw pies and even play poker in the middle of rowdy races around off-road tracks.
• Having your vehicles drive, walk or fly around the track quickly is one thing, but it’s more important to go around in style. Players earn stars for huge jumps, cool tricks and daring feats at high speed.
• Six players can race online via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection in both Excite Race and Poker Race modes. If friends can’t join online, players can exchange ghost data via WiiConnect24™ and challenge their friends to outdo their most daring tricks. (Note that broadband access is required for online play. For more information about this topic, visit www.Nintendo.com.)

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