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Nintendo will host a Summer of Play starting next month

by: Sean Colleli -
More On: Nintendo Switch

Nintendo is not new to publicity stunts, from turning Times Square into a Wii Sports Resort to squirreling JOHN CENA away on an isolated mountaintop for a private party, they always find creative ways to hock their wares.

This year they're taking a touring exhibit called Summer of Play on the road. They'll be constructing pop-up kiosks at malls, fairs and other events across America, starting in Irvine, California at the Irvine Spectrum Center, June 9-11. These events will let consumers demo Splatoon 2, ARMS, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe among other games.

Once again, I'm hoping these events will let Nintendo get all that ARMS/Splatoon 2 hype out of their system so they can show off something new at E3, instead of the same paltry handful of launch window games we've been hearing about for over a year now. A new Metroid would be nice, is all I'm saying.

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May 23, 2017 12:00 UTC

Dive into the World of Nintendo on the 2017 Summer of Play Tour

Nintendo is Visiting Locations Across the Country with Some of Its Hottest Games for Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS Family of Systems

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- With universally loved franchises like Super Mario, Mario Kart and The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo has been a staple in many families’ lives for decades. Now with games like Splatoon 2 and ARMS,fun new memories can be created this summer. As part of its 2017 Summer of Play tour, Nintendo is taking its Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS family of systems across the country so families everywhere can experience the latest installments in these beloved franchises firsthand. From the critically acclaimed The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to games that offer social competitive fun like ARMS, Splatoon 2 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Nintendo Switch, the 2017 Summer of Play tour is the perfect destination for kids and parents alike. In addition to getting hands-on time with Nintendo’s popular Nintendo Switch console, visitors of the tour will be able to try out Nintendo’s latest hand-held, the New Nintendo 2DS XL system, as well as the upcoming Hey! PIKMIN and Miitopia games for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.

As part of its 2017 Summer of Play tour, Nintendo is taking its Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS fam ...

As part of its 2017 Summer of Play tour, Nintendo is taking its Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS family of systems across the country so families everywhere can experience the latest installments in these beloved franchises firsthand. (Graphic: Business Wire)

“For families looking to purchase Nintendo Switch or a new handheld in the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, the Summer of Play tour is the perfect opportunity to give these popular systems a try,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “And since each stop is filled with familiar Nintendo characters and camera-ready visuals, the tour is a great place to spend a summer afternoon, take photos and create long-lasting memories with everyone in the family.”

The Summer of Play tour will visit the following locations:

             
Date     City     Venue
June 9-11     Irvine, California     Irvine Spectrum Center
June 16-18     Pleasanton, California     Alameda County Fair
June 23-25     Bloomington, Minnesota     Mall of America®
June 30-July 2     Milwaukee, Wisconsin     Henry Maier Festival Park (Summerfest Grounds)
July 7-9     Chicago     Navy Pier
July 14-16     Glendale, Arizona     Arrowhead Towne Center
July 20-23     San Diego     Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina (San Diego Comic-Con)
July 28-30     Arlington, Texas     The Parks Mall at Arlington
Aug. 4-6     Miami, Florida     Aventura Mall
Aug. 11-13     Bethlehem, Pennsylvania     Musikfest
Aug. 18-20     New York     DUMBO Waterfront
Aug. 25-27     King of Prussia, Pennsylvania     King of Prussia Mall
Sept. 2-4     Baltimore     Harborplace
             

Each one of these stops will feature a veritable Nintendo playground of fun activities to enjoy. In addition to snapping photos in front of the colorful visuals full of recognizable Nintendo characters like Mario and the Inklings from the Splatoon series, families will be able to play Nintendo games together, choosing from a wide variety of Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS games. People who pre-order or purchase select Nintendo games at participating GameStop locations near the 2017 Summer of Play tour stops will receive a Nintendo branded PopSocket mobile accessory device (limited quantity; while supplies last).

Nintendo Switch games scheduled to appear on the tour include:

Nintendo 3DS games scheduled to appear on the tour include:

On top of all the fun and games, My Nintendo members who check in with their My Nintendo QR Code will also be able to receive a free gift item (while supplies last). For more information, visit https://my.nintendo.com/news.

For additional details about the Summer of Play tour, including specific times and locations, visit http://www.nintendo.com/events.

Remember that Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/switch/ or http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Nintendo Switch system and the Nintendo 3DSfamily of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo has sold more than 4.4 billion video games and more than 703 million hardware units globally, including Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, as well as the Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS family of systems, Super NES, Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, Wii and Wii U systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names, such as Mario, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Zelda and Pokémon. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Americas. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.