Kotaku: Club Nintendo

Limited Premium DS Lites For Japan

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 MDT

Chalk up yet another reason to hate Japan's Club Nintendo. From July 1st to August 31st, a limited number of "Premium" DS Lites will be made available to lucky folks. How limited? There are only 3,000 of these outside cover plated "Premium" DS Lites, Here's the breakdown: 1,000 Premium Silver; 1,000 Premium Black; 1,000 Premium Rose. As website Gpara explains, these are actually the standard-in-Japan "Gloss Silver", "Jet Black" and "Metallic Rose" DS Lites treated with a special metallic plating cover. Club Nintendo members interested in snagging one of these need to enter the serial numbers of two purchased DS titles that went on sale after August 2006 into the Club Nintendo online application. There's a limit of five entries per member! From that, 3,000 winners will be selected at random. Click through the gallery to get a look at the "Premium" DS Lites.

Premium DS [Club Nintendo via Famitsu]

Club Nintendo Expands Its Reach

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:30:00 MDT

Club Nintendo's expanding into a new country! Sadly (for Americans) it's not America. Luckily (for Australians) it's Australia. I picked up my copy of Mario Kart this morning, and tucked softly inside the game's cover was this very personal invitation, asking me if I'd like to register the unique pin code found inside in exchange for Club Nintendo star points. Why yes, yes, I would. The Australian version of the site's not quite ready yet, so you can't browse the reward items, but it'll most likely be identical to the European one, so head there if you'd like to see just how many games you'll need to buy if you want that golden Link + Epona statue.

Australia, 24 April, 2008
Reward yourself with Club Nintendo, now you can turn your Nintendo games into Star points with Nintendo's new loyalty program. Available now, Club Nintendo allows you to earn and swap Star points for exclusive Nintendo merchandise not available anywhere else. The first game that allows you to register for Club Nintendo is Mario Kart™ Wii.

Mario Kart Wii, Wii Fit™ and future participating products will come with a unique PIN code which allows you to register that you have purchased a particular game, and that's when Nintendo rewards you. Simply visit www.club-nintendo.com to input your unique code and join Club Nintendo where you will receive Star points credited to your membership account. Use your Star points to redeem Nintendo goodies from the Stars catalogue, which is only available to Club Nintendo members.

The Stars catalogue is not yet available to browse, however you can still register your product/s and reserve your Star points. Nintendo will email you once the full Club Nintendo website is up and running, so you can then redeem your Star points on premium items from the Stars catalogue, and that's when the fun begins!

Join Club Nintendo and gain access to the exciting world of Nintendo today! If you do not own any Nintendo product yet, you can still register to receive our Nintendo newsletter to be kept up to date with all the latest products, visit: http://www.nintendo.com.au/.

Further information about Club Nintendo will be forthcoming, once the full website is up and running.

Hands On With Super Famicom Wii Controller

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:00:39 MDT

Sure you've seen SOME DUDE's unboxing, but you haven't seen my Club Nintendo Wii Super Famicom/SNES Controller. Well, here it is. Look at it! It feels like, are you ready, a Super Famicom Controller! Played a couple titles with it last night, and really, this made me realize how much I dug this controller. It just might be my favorite controller. What's yours?

Oh, hit the jump for the exciting backside of the Wii SNES pad.

Club Nintendo SNES Controller Unboxed

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 03:00:20 MDT

Feast your eyes! Here's an unboxing of the Japan-only Club Nintendo Super Famicom (SNES) controller. Like with the Classic Controller, the controller plugs directly in the bottom of the Wiimote. Cue bitching about it being Japan-only. Who hates Club Nintendo now? C'mon!

Club Nintendo Controller [iNSIDE via Boing Boing Gadgets via Giz]

Club Nintendo Dates Animal Crossing Wii? Eh...

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:00:07 MDT

Maybe this is just a kwinky-dink. Who knows? Nintendo does! The 2008 Japanese Club Nintendo has a picture of Mario Kart Wii for April. And of course, Mario Kart Wii goes on sale in April. Taking this rubrick, let's look at December, which shows a picture of...

Hit the jump for an image of December.

CONFIRMED: Animal Crossing Wii on sale this December. Er, no — what's on the other months? No idea! Still, we wouldn't put a big Winter Animal Crossing Wii E3 announcement past Nintendo.

Animal Crossing Wii Dated? [Mada Genkai]

Club Nintendo Wii-mote Box in the Vinyl Flesh

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:40:17 MST

More Club Nintendo stuff! Endless! Tired of seeing the Wii-mote left strewn around the house, Mrs. Bashcraft ordered this vinyl Wii-mote holder from Club Nintendo. Granted, this is way cooler Club Nintendo stuff, but this was free. There's another exciting pic of this exciting Club Nintendo product after the jump. Go ahead and click if you dare!

Yep, no Wii-mote strap replacements for us. That's how we roll — dangerously.

Club Nintendo's DS Lite Looking DS Game Holder

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:00:35 MST

While others order the coolest stuff on Club Nintendo, my wife always orders the most useful. Her logic: It's free and useful. Our latest Club Nintendo loot? We got this nifty DS game cartridge holder. We think it's leather, but aren't sure. (Might be pleather!) Just love that it looks and folds like, well, a DS. There are even little magnets in it that make the case snap shut!

Japanese Club Nintendo Members Get Even More Cool Swag

fdemarco — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 13:00:00 MST

We all know by now that Nintendo of Japan offers its Club Nintendo members way better swag than we will ever see here in the States. But in case you needed more proof, here it is. Currently, Club members are being offered a choice between three gifts that range from so-so to totally awesome. First there's the so-so Nintendo desk calendar followed by two much better choices: a two-disc Super Mario Galaxy Soundtrack and a Wii classic controller shaped like a SNES pad. Something tells me Nintendo is going to end up with a lot of calendars sitting in a warehouse somewhere.

[via: Digital Battle]

Why There Is No Club Nintendo in America

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 06:00:10 MDT

Nintendo Co., Ltd. has Club Nintendo and all its those exclusive Club Nintendo goodies that are redeamable with points that are packaged with games. Nintendo Europe has, you guessed it, Club Nintendo Europe. Nintendo of America has... What does Nintendo of America have? Oh, right. NOTHING. Why does it have nothing? Nintendo of America's Perrin Kaplan explains:

You know we've taken a really close look at what they're doing in Europe and what they're doing in Japan. You have to remember that, geographically, we're much bigger here and cost-wise, it is much more expensive to run a program like that. We try to do pre-sale with our retailers as often as possible. You're talking about a scale that is much larger. But we do look at the differences in markets and what consumers are liking. It's just a difference in scale.

Lemme get this straight: America doesn't get Club Nintendo because America is really big? Talk about a crummy reason!
Kaplan Interview Part II [Multiplayer]

Mario Family Figure Set Signed by Miyamoto on eBay

fdemarco — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 14:00:00 MDT

Here's a nice little find for you Nintendo collectors, especially for those of you who like MIB. Well, technically I suppose the MIB has been ruined by the signature of the genius Miyamoto, but what are you gonna do? This is a boxed set of Nintendo figurines gotten from Japan's awesome Club Nintendo and signed by miyaoto himself complete with little quotes for each of the characters. The set in this form is not available in the U.S. (although you can get the individual ones at the Nintendo World Store) and of course the signature makes it ultra rare. At the time of the writing of this article, there were six bids bring the price up to a reasonable $46 although the reserve has not been met yet. If you want this precious, precious Nintendo treasure for your very own, you have until July 25.

AUTOGRAPHED Club Nintendo Mario Family Set eBay
[Thanks, Steven]

Collector's Edition DS Up On eBay

Kim Phu — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 09:40:00 MDT

Over $680 is a little steep for a phat pink DS, but considering that it's number one in a lot of 200 Club Nintendo Hot Summer Contest Nintendo DS's might sweeten the deal. On eBay, the item has been listed as:

Club nintendo Hot Summer Contest Nintendo DS Peach Pink Limited 200! One of the most rarest consoles of Nintendo DS System. Japan's Club Nintendo rewards program is running an exclusive summer contest for its members. By registering a Nintendo DS or specific games, members will be entered into the contest and can pick their preferred prize... This is NUMBER 001. The First One Made!!!

I'm sure by the time the auction ends on June 18th, it will be much more. I just love the logo on the box, but I don't have seven hundred dollars to blow on a box. Kim Phu

Rare Hot Summer Nintendo DS Peach Pink NO.001 of 200!!! [eBay, thanks Chilly Hollow!]

Mini Bash Gets His First Club Nintendo Schwag

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 08:00:29 MDT

Back in February, my kid got his first Club Nintendo card. And earlier today, he got his first Club Nintendo schwag: A Mario hat-shaped DS case. He picked it out, and it fits my his cracked DS Lite perfectly! I'm still baffled why Nintendo of America doesn't have a Club Nintendo... It's neat and a nice thank you. Brian Ashcraft

Find Those Hard-To-Find Games And Bid Away!

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 01:00:19 MST

Got extra money you're dying to piss away? Good for you! Head on over to website GameSniped, which finds rare and pricey things so you don't have to. Take the Hot Summer Mario Club Nintendo DS above, which is at the lofty Buy-It-Now price of US $1,303.24. There's other stuff too — Xbox, Atari, Intellivison and Sega Saturn. Neat site for easy eBay trolling. You can almost smell the musty old cartridges. Brian Ashcraft

GameSniped [Insert Credit]

Ashcraft's Kid Joins Club Nintendo

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 09:22:18 MST

A momentous occasion in the life of any child: Getting a Club Nintendo membership card. The Japan-only club lets folks accumulate points and then trade them in for exclusive goodies. He's excited as he's all about Mario — Even though I'm trying to steer him towards Sony and Microsoft. And the shirt? Picked that up at the Nintendo World Store in New York City. Brian Ashcraft

It's a TV Remote! It's a Wii-mote! (No, It's a TV Remote)

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 08:22:10 MDT

When the Wii-mote was first unveiled, it was derided for looking like a TV remote. So Japan's Club Nintendo decided to reward Platinum members with a TV remote shaped as a Wii-mote. And guess what, it looks pretty much like a TV remote, err, Wii-mote. Hit the jump for a handful of channel changin' pics. Brian Ashcraft

It Looks Like a Remote [Tfgcer, Thanks creamsugar!]

Pokemon: The Concert

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 06:20:10 MDT

How do celebrate ten years of Pokemon? With an orchestra, that's now. Club Nintendo sends word of a classic concert that features wall-to-wall Pokemon tunes. The event strikes up a tune in Tokyo at the MIELPARQUE on October 28th, at Well City in Kitakyushu City on November 5th, the Hyogo Performing Arts Center in Nishinomiya on November 12th and the Well City in Sapporo on December 10th. Considering my deep, bitter hate for all things Poke, I've tried to have an open mind about this, but passively being forced to listen to Pokemon DVDs my kid watching everyday, several times a day, I'm miffed (and slightly pissed). Somebody please explain what the appeal is here. Brian Ashcraft

Postscript: If the concert is anything like this, I will so go.

Listen To Pikachu [Club Nintendo, Thanks Josh!]

Crazed Boozehound Defiles Ultra-Rare DS Game

Michael McWhertor — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 22:45:23 MDT

This is almost too painful to watch. It's Wired Game|Life blogger and published author Chris Kohler tearing into not only a bottle of rum, but also, heartbreakingly, into a shrinkwrapped copy of the Game & Watch Collection for the Nintendo DS. As Chris explains, this game is only available to folks in Japan. Only members of Club Nintendo—which sadly has no North American counterpart—with 500 expendable points got their fanboy mitts on this game. Sure, its basically a port of three very shallow Game & Watch titles, but come on. This is rare stuff.

Not for the queasy. Michael McWhertor

Game and Watch Collection: Opened.

Another Mario DS Hat Pouch!

brownlee — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 07:00:13 MDT

As a man who is unafraid to visit the haberdasher looking to sport new pink-ribboned bowler in my pursuit of a dandyesque fashion paradigm, this Super Mario Hat DS Lite carrying case has my cranium tingling with the anticipation of its sweet caress.

Unfortunately, it's for Japanese Club Nintendo Members only, meaning that Ashcraft will once again soundly trounce me in the annual 'Best Dressed Kotaku Staffer' competition. Florian Eckhardt

Super Mario Hat Carrying Case [DigitalBattle]
Previously: Mario Hat DS Pouch

New Club Nintendo Goods Prove America Sucks

Michael McWhertor — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 13:14:33 MDT

Sure, we may have awesome blue jeans and universal health care, plus some of the best breasts the world has ever seen, but what we don't have is a marginally acceptable customer loyalty program along the lines of Club Nintendo. Oh, Japanese game buying public, how I covet thee.

The latest and greatest goods from Nintendo Japan are pictured above and include (left to right, top to bottom) Link and Mario notepads, Animal Crossing tape, Mario (and Wario!) hanafuda cards, tiny Mario washcloths/batchrags, DS game and stylus holder with a fruity rainbow of styli, Nintendo DS pouches, Club Nintendo bookend-style DS game rack, the highly desirable Game & Watch Collection (containing Oil Panic, Greenhouse, and Donkey Kong) and Animal Crossing playing cards. Every single item is a delicious slice of awesome, when you're a die hard Nintendo fan. Like me.

Anyone wanna hook a weekend editor up with that DS pouch? Anyone?! Michael McWhertor

Club Nintendo Hotness Follows