Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[PSA: How to un-ugly your GBA games on 3DS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/18/psa-how-to-un-ugly-your-gba-games-on-3ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/18/psa-how-to-un-ugly-your-gba-games-on-3ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/18/psa-how-to-un-ugly-your-gba-games-on-3ds/#comments Nintendo Ambassadors now have 10 free Gameboy Advance games on their 3DSes, which is wonderful. Some of these games look like they were thrown onto a freeway during rush hour in Freight-Truck Town, which is not wonderful. The 3DS' screen is 400x240 pixels, while the classic games are set at GBA standards, 240x160 pixels. When loading a GBA title normally, it will stretch out to fill the 3DS screen and look like the elastic on your 30-year-old "lucky" pair of tightie whities -- but never fear, because you can revert the game to its standard size, as provided by 1UP.

Launch a GBA title on the 3DS and hold down the select or start button until the boot screen disappears and the game begins -- the playable screen will shrink down to standard GBA size, with black bars filling in the extra space around the smaller area. Think of it as a frame for your nostalgia.

JoystiqPSA: How to un-ugly your GBA games on 3DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsambassadorgameboy-advancenintendoSun, 18 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Verify your Ambassadorship with Nintendo's eligibility checker]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/20/verify-your-ambassadorship-with-nintendos-eligibility-checker/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/20/verify-your-ambassadorship-with-nintendos-eligibility-checker/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/20/verify-your-ambassadorship-with-nintendos-eligibility-checker/#comments As one of the first 4 millionish people to buy Nintendo's 3DS prior to its dramatic price drop earlier this month, you've no doubt assumed the role of Ambassador with pride, dignity, and a frantic, ever-present anticipation for all of the dope swag in your near future.

We get the feeling that you already know whether or not you successfully connected to the Nintendo eShop before the deadline, but just to make super double sure, Nintendo has launched an Ambassador eligibility verification tool on its support site. Our eagle-eyed tipsters have informed us that including the last digit of your serial numer (the one in the box) may return a false ineligibility error, so 3DS owners looking for absolute peace of mind regarding their free games should be sure to try the tool both ways.

[Thanks, Sonny!]

JoystiqVerify your Ambassadorship with Nintendo's eligibility checker originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 20 Aug 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3DSAmbassadorAmbassador-Programdsnintendoprice-dropverificationSat, 20 Aug 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Euro Wii 'Ambassadors' to receive keys to the Virtual Console]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/euro-wii-ambassadors-to-receive-keys-to-the-virtual-console/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/euro-wii-ambassadors-to-receive-keys-to-the-virtual-console/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/euro-wii-ambassadors-to-receive-keys-to-the-virtual-console/#comments
Eager to show its disconnected patrons that their Wiis can do more than Wii Sports -- you don't even have to eject the disc! -- Nintendo has appointed pretty much anyone in Europe savvy enough to visit Wii's Connection Settings menu an "Ambassador." Here's how the "Connection Ambassador Promotion" works: Beginning in October (as seen in Japan), if you help another Wii owner establish an online connection, you and your incompetent friend will both receive five Nintendo bucks (500 Wii Points). (Presumably, when connecting for the first time, there will be an option to credit an Ambassador.)

And if you extend your services to the maximum of twenty previously offline console owners? You're looking at a 10,000-point payout ($100 worth of old games you probably have tucked away in cart form, plus all those WiiWare options) -- not bad, eh?

But wait! There's a more tempting perk to this promotion. As Ambassador, once you connect ten users, you'll achieve "gold status" and be free to download all first-party NES titles on Virtual Console. Oh, but it gets far better: Hit your twenty connections and -- you guessed it -- you've attained "platinum status," essentially granting you the keys to Nintendo's Virtual Console catalog. That's right, all first- and third-party NES, SNES and N64 games -- for free.

Quick! Google map the twenty nearest old folks homes and get ambassadoring!

JoystiqEuro Wii 'Ambassadors' to receive keys to the Virtual Console originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ambassadorconnection-ambassador-promotioneuropen64nesNintendonintendo-wifi-connectionsnesvirtual-consoleWiiwii-pointsWed, 16 Sep 2009 11:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Alpha moms not sympathetic to hardcore gamers' plight]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/04/alpha-moms-not-sympathetic-to-hardcore-gamers-plight/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/04/alpha-moms-not-sympathetic-to-hardcore-gamers-plight/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/04/alpha-moms-not-sympathetic-to-hardcore-gamers-plight/#commentsJenny Lauck and Stefania Pomponi Butler, both of them "Alpha Moms (influential matriarchs)" and Wii Ambassadors, sat down with Electronic Gaming Monthly's podcast crew to chat about Nintendo's efforts to attract mothers to its consoles. Though they didn't take to the Nintendo DS, both women were eager to talk about how much they enjoyed titles like Cooking Mama, Wii Play, and, yes, Boogie.

When asked about the often touted complaint that casual releases like Wii Fit and Wii Sports are pulling resources and funding away from games meant for the hardcore audience, Ms. Lauck reasoned, "I don't think developers are going to start ignoring them. I think there's definite room ... for both markets."

She continued the argument on her blog with an analogy that puts these irrational fears into perspective: "I think studios should stop making lame sitcoms and focus solely on new episodes of Lost, for example. But you know what? There's a market for sitcoms, and even though I'm a hard-core supporter of Lost, there are other genres out there that other people watch."

Read - She Just Wouldn't Shut Up
Read - EGM LIVE 09/03/2007 Podcast

JoystiqAlpha moms not sympathetic to hardcore gamers' plight originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Sep 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ambassadorcasualegmhardcoremomwiifitTue, 04 Sep 2007 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii's secret weapon: mom]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/26/wiis-secret-weapon-mom/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/26/wiis-secret-weapon-mom/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/26/wiis-secret-weapon-mom/#commentsFiled under:

Remember those Wii ambassadors, the people who got to drag their friends along to top secret parties to enjoy the Wii long before the rest of us got our paws on one? Turns out most of them weren't gamers at all -- which explains why we only heard from a few ambassadors. While one ambassador in each of Nintendo's eight selected cities was identified as a hardcore gamer, the other two were decidedly not. NoA's George Harrison said, "The vast majority of people were not video game players, or had potentially a negative attitude about video games. But we identified them as people who were influential in their community."

So Nintendo took the Wii on the Tupperware circuit, spotlighting what they called "alpha moms" and offering them the chance to host Wii parties. They also looked for sprawling, multigenerational families who could show off the appeal of the Wii to all ages. All this to sell the consoles? Not even that, Harrison explained. The parties and press served to get the word out to everyone, not just gamers, and just to get people to pay attention when the advertisements started. It makes sense -- how much attention would the average mom pay to a commercial for the latest game console? Nintendo felt that this unorthodox viral marketing campaign was a good way to fight that and get everyone to pay attention.

With the insane sales and subsequent console shortage, we can only say good game, Nintendo ... something's sure working!

JoystiqWii's secret weapon: mom originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Dec 2006 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alpha momAlphaMomambassadormarketingNintendoWiiTue, 26 Dec 2006 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The first "Wii ambassador" event]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/19/the-first-wii-ambassador-event/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/19/the-first-wii-ambassador-event/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/19/the-first-wii-ambassador-event/#commentsFiled under:

Jealousy
The first of the "Wii Ambassadors" has had their party, and the invitee has written a blow-by-blow runthrough of the event. Though absolutely no recording device of any kind were allowed (seriously...he was actually frisked), he still manages to paint a crystal-clear picture; that is, a picture of awesome. From the last-second delivery of the rendezvous point to the van ride with the taped-over windows, and the absolute chaos of the party itself, it's a hell of a read.

Particularly impressive to him were the two new additions to Wii Sports: Bowling and Boxing. Does anyone else think that two player Punch-Out-like boxing action with the Wiimote is heaven on Earth?

JoystiqThe first "Wii ambassador" event originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Sep 2006 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AmbassadorPartyRendezvousTapeVanWindowTue, 19 Sep 2006 18:30:00 EST