nintendo

It's fun to sit around and play "What if?" What if Google acquired Microsoft? What if Superman and Spider-Man made a movie together? What if "Downton Abbey" were a Super Nintendo game? We have a pretty good answer to that last question.

YouTube user Bill Kiley posted a video showing what the imported PBS megahit would look like as an SNES game. It comes complete with an insanely catchy digital ditty that's perfect for the SNES period. As a new footman at Downton, you're faced with a myriad of tasks that come fast and furious.… Read more

To enhance the appeal of the Wii U, Nintendo plans to re-release several cherished classics, including the epic The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for GameCube, with snazzy high-definition graphics. Below, we present a set of images that show off the HD remastering of the game next to the original version that debuted in 2003.

Prepare yourself for lots of dynamic lighting and bloom when Wind Waker HD hits later this year. … Read more

The flu has finally struck down our very own Justin Yu, but luckily the much more attractive Bridget Carey is available to fill his tiny men's size 6 shoes. Bridget and Jeff get uber-nerdy today, discussing all things Nintendo nostalgia including what games they used to rent repeatedly and the current state of gaming as it exists in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Finally, we'll noodle over the fact that older brains can't remember a lot of new stuff because they're too "full." All this and more on today's show!… Read more

Welcome to today's show, where we're finally analyzing the food photography trend for what it is, with the help of this article in the New York Times that profiles restaurateur David Bouley and the creative tactics he's come up with to stop the dining room distractions.

The way we see it, the problem with food photography is that we've collectively lost our shame and sense of subtlety when it comes time to dine. Instead of snapping a quick 3-second iPhone pic, we've seen folks stand on chairs, use tripods with a giant dSLR, and even ask the restaurant to adjust the ceiling lights to suit the mood of the picture.

The fact is that there's really no better way to prove you're eating above your budget than to take a picture of it. Argue all you want, it's just a tacky move and plenty of restaurants agree. Check out today's show to hear some places are doing to avoid the awkwardness.… Read more

In one of the company's regular Nintendo Direct Webcasts, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata announced several new games for the Wii U console, including remakes and new entries from the Zelda and Mario franchises. The Wii U is also adding a new version of its Virtual Console classic game shop, and a smartphone app for its Miiverse social network. Perhaps more importantly, spring and summer system software updates promise improved performance, especially for the Wii U's slow menus and software launching.

New Wii U games announced Since the October 2012 debut of the Wii U, the system's launch … Read more

Nintendo, Verizon Fios, and US Cellular are ranked highest for consumer experience, according to research firm Forrester (registration required).

The three took the top slots for their respective industries in Forrester's annual ranking of consumer goods and services. Forrester looked at 150 companies and asked 7,500 U.S. consumers these questions: How well did they meet your need? How easy were they to do business with? How enjoyable were they to do business with?

Nintendo did the best in these categories among the tech-related companies. The games and console maker scored an 83 when it comes to customer … Read more

When stuck in traffic, I often feel tempted to launch a red turtle shell at a slow car in front of me so it blows up and gets out of my way. Felonious temptations aside, perhaps I'd be better off living vicariously through the gentlemen of Waterloo Labs and their ingenious real-life re-creation of Mario Kart.

The project, led by Texas-based engineers Hunter Smith and Ben James, features four technology-infused go-karts that dynamically respond to the action on the track -- meaning that if someone picks up a power-up, they actually gain an advantage (or sometimes a disadvantage) over the other racers. For added effect, each kart contains a 120 psi cannon capable of launching green turtle shells at other participants in the race, causing the target to wipe out.… Read more