In preparation of the upcoming release of Mario Kart Wii, Nintendo held a rather quirky promotion in front of the Sheraton New York hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Confused tourists and businesspeople walked by as a giant costumed Mario, Wii Wheel in hand, gave away free cab rides for the willing.
Many, afraid of a potential scam, simply ignored Mario's kind offer. Others, however, were far more willing to jump in a cab hailed by the Italian gaming icon. Nintendo's offer of $10 to the cab drivers, while generous, would probably get most riders down to Times Square, before the gridlock of traffic consumed Nintendo's free fare. Ouch.
Watch Mario give tourists and disgruntled New Yorkers a cab ride
by Andrew Yoon 
on Apr 24th 2008 8:00PM
31
Reader Comments (31)
Posted: Apr 24th 2008 9:05PM (Unverified) said
For some reason, shmil, and this is somewhat of a tangent, your statement reminds me of people giving excuses for why they gank low-level players in WoW.
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Posted: Apr 24th 2008 8:08PM (Unverified) said
I want that costume! Anyone know where to get a professional one like that?
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Posted: Apr 24th 2008 8:42PM (Unverified) said
No, but I know how you might be able to get a life. Interested?
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Posted: Apr 24th 2008 8:32PM (Unverified) said
Mario looked like a creepy, socially maladroit rapist in this video. I guess New Yorkers might be used to that, though.
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Posted: Apr 24th 2008 9:24PM (Unverified) said
With the amount of money Nintendo is probably spending to promote this game, you think they could come up with a better shtick. $10 for a cab ride? Please...
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Posted: Apr 24th 2008 9:24PM aStagnantSleep said
Traffic is a bitch here in NYC, but lets see Mario find parking. That'll make him throw fireballs like a mother fucker.
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Posted: Apr 25th 2008 12:27AM 007craft said
I wonder why so many who live in NYC take taxis and own cars. Why dont more people buy a bicycle. Hell I live in the suburbs and went riding today and made my way downtown in an hour and I was infront of a bus the whole time. I basically got there faster then those who had to pay for transport on a bus.
Then again, most people are lazy as shit and a bike ride is something they view as only a thing for athletes or kids, rather then something they to can do to.
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Then again, most people are lazy as shit and a bike ride is something they view as only a thing for athletes or kids, rather then something they to can do to.
Posted: Apr 25th 2008 2:56AM (Unverified) said
Considering how big that helmet is, how it obscures your vision, and how small that cab is, I wouldn't take a ride from him.
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Posted: Apr 25th 2008 5:52AM BIGGEN said
yeah, i didn't realize mario was so feeble. being led by the hand and all. but after all these years of jumping, hammering, butt stomping, triple jumping, somersaulting, back flipping, occasionally flying, and fighting an oversized fat dragon thing, the joints would tend to ache.
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Posted: Apr 25th 2008 8:42AM (Unverified) said
should've hired a dude who looked like Real Mario to do it
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Posted: Apr 25th 2008 10:57AM (Unverified) said
I heard that the next phase of this marketing campaign Mario is giving people free rides on the Bangbus!
ANd Boom goes the Dynamite
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ANd Boom goes the Dynamite
Posted: Apr 26th 2008 1:10PM Triforceowner said
This gives me great ideas for what Nintedo's Grand Theft Auto game will be like.
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