mario

Nintendo's been battling for control of casual gamers, especially when it comes to family-friendly entertainment. At the top of the heap are the "Wii" games, aka Wii Sports Resort, Wii Fit, and the latest, Wii Party. Featuring the sometimes-overlooked Miis, Wii Party avoids any sort of physical fitness agenda in favor of casual group fun. We played Nintendo's latest in the comfort of our own homes, and have come back to tell the tale.

Scott: Virtual board games and endless minigame compilations have been inundating the Wii's software library, but Wii Party's formula is a little different. It's a series of game shows and virtual board games, at heart a sequel to the long-lived Mario Party games. Up to four players roll dice, jump around spaces on various boards, and compete in minigames to advance. My wife happens to love the Mario Party series. Every time I ask her to join me in some game-playing, she requests Mario Party 8, which I dutifully drag out of its dusty box. Mario Party 8 on the Wii happens to be some fun--but it's slow, and has letterboxed graphics. Wii Party freshens up the look and has a collection of 80 minigames that feel more streamlined and simplified, but very much in the vein of Mario Parties past.

There are also a number of game modes in Wii Party, tailored for play length (5 minutes to over an hour), number of players, and play style. A new two-player 5-minute game that feels like a condensed version of The Dating Game is a great and somewhat romantic little time-waster, but it's too short. The board-game-style experiences are more elaborate, but aren't quite as complex or as competitive as in Mario Party. All the Miis on your console--plus some added extras--gets shuffled in across the entire Wii Party experience, just like they do in Wii Sports and Wii Fit. It's fun, but it's not something we haven't seen before.

One of the most innovative new wrinkles in Wii Party comes from a series of room-immersive games that use the Wii remote's built-in speaker.… Read more

With Jasmine away covering CTIA, Donald and Eric fully nerd out with robots, robots, more robots, and a vodka bottle that attracts women with colorful blinking lights. If the vodka doesn't work, there's always a $150,000 replica of the original Batmobile with a working flamethrower. Really, what woman could resist the Batmobile?

Sometimes, old can be better than new, especially when old is cheap. Retro games have flooded the Nintendo Wii via the Virtual Console, and the Nintendo 3DS will receive similar treatment via its recently announced Game Boy Virtual Console.

Considering the Game Boy's history dating all the way back to 1989, that adds up to a heck of a lot of games that could come back into circulation. Not all of them should, of course, but there are plenty of gems well worth a price point that we sincerely hope wouldn't hover above $5.

In fact, a retro … Read more

This week on Crave, it's a "things Donald loves" episode: vinyl, action cams, and beerbots. First up, the ultraportable turntable is making a comeback in the form of the Crosley Revolution Sound Burger, and Donald's sporting the shirt to prove he's a true audio geek. Next, we take a look at some compact camcorders that attach to ears or helmets. Also, Eric isn't exactly champing at the bit to get this week's bit of "Star Wars" paraphernalia: an oddly phallic Boba Fett backpack. But things take a turn for the better when we check out a robot that can pour drinks (read: beer). Finally, Jasmine hates the Nano, but does she hate all other electronics as well? Watch on for the answer.

After a brief hiatus, the Cravers are back on task and in full form. We couldn't resist starting off the episode with a little love for the MP3 Insider of yesteryear; new iPods are the hot topic this time around, and Jasmine has some very strong feelings about one of them. Also this week, military backpacks are looking heavier and heavier these days, an HDR video demonstration freaks us out, and a telepresence robot is a bit too douchey for Eric's liking. Plus, it turns out that manta rays have kleptomaniac tendencies and Mario's pretty pissed about turning 25. And it wouldn't be a show without some man-meat to cap it all off.

Happy 25th birthday, Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros. launched on September 13, 1985, in Japan. The title, which allowed players to take on the role of Mario (and Luigi for multiplayer purposes) in his trek to save Princess Peach, was the best-selling video game of all time for over 20 years before it was eventually ousted by Wii Sports in 2009. The original release of the game sold 40 million units worldwide.

The importance of Super Mario Bros. to the gaming industry should not be underestimated: it influenced slews of titles that followed and was responsible for the success … Read more

It may not be a creepy Kaspar baby, but the lead item on today's show is its very own brand of disturbing: a belly band that plays music to an unborn child. It's not the product that bothers Donald and Jasmine, though...it's the eerily happy mother and absentee dad. Also this week: a fan-tastic subwoofer, a new MP3 player that is not a phone, and some sweet street art in Portland, Ore., that Mario-loving cyclists are sure to appreciate. Plus, we get some viewer feedback and sort of drool over this week's heart attack-inducing foodstuff.

Let me start by saying that we at Crave in no way condone the vandalism of public property. Let me then go on to say that this particular vandalism is awesome.

Some badass prankster used stencils to decorate a bike lane on N. Williams Ave. in Portland, Ore., with icons from Nintendo's Super Mario Kart. Represented are the speed stripes, Starman power-up, and dreaded banana peel.

The only way these could be cooler would be if they actually conveyed the power-ups like in the game.

As far as we can tell they serve no real purpose other to be … Read more

Turns out the iPhone grip of death is simply a "fact of life" with all wireless phones. If holding your phone makes your iPhone 4 signal drop dramatically, Apple would like you to know you should either hold it a different way or buy a case. From them. That sounds logical, right? Right. No, thanks. Also, introducing Rafe's new side project, oneleggedgoat.xxx. Enjoy.