Play Nintendo

The logo of Play Nintendo

Home page as of September 30, 2023

Play Nintendo is a division of Nintendo's official North American website. It promotes contemporary Nintendo systems and games, while maintaining a focus on appealing to a younger audience. It was established on October 1, 2014. The icon used for the website is a Super Star. Nintendo of Europe and Nintendo of Japan have similar divisions titled Nintendo Kids Club and Nintendo Kids Space, respectively.

The website's content is split into five sections: Friends, Activities, Media, Printables, and News & Tips. (Formerly there were only three sections: Friends, Explore, and News & Tips.) A clickable ? Block appears throughout these sections, which causes random events to occur when clicked, such as 8-bit Super Mario walking across the webpage, or coins appearing on the screen, which can be collected with the pointer. A web-comic series surfaced on the site to promote the Wii U release of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker called Track That Treasure, Captain Toad!

Sections

Friends

"Friends" consists of profile artworks and descriptions of various main Super Mario and other Nintendo characters. The following Super Mario characters are listed on the website, along with their respective descriptions.

Character	Description	Link
	CURRENT When he isn't rescuing princesses, you'll find him doing…pretty much anything you can think of. Mario is always ready to help a friend, take on a new challenge, or jump on a Koopa's head. He can also smoke the competition on a rainbow race track and swat a golf ball underwater.
Mario	SUPER MARIO BROS. 35TH ANNIVERSARY He’s come a long way since stomping his first Goomba. For the past 35 years, Mario has been running, jumping, and saving the Mushroom Kingdom from baddies. You can join Mario in all sorts of exciting adventures!
Luigi	Ghosts and Goombas alike better not underestimate this hero. Talk about spirit! Luigi keeps his Poltergust 5000 set to "Awesome". He may not always be at the center of the action, but when Mario needs him, Luigi jumps right into harm's way.
Princess Peach	FORMER Don't let the dainty crown and the parasol fool you. Peach is powerful in pink. She spent her fair share of time stuck in Bowser's castle and didn't care for it—Princess Peach prefers to be the one doing the rescuing, racing, and competing. CURRENT This princess in pink rules over the Mushroom Kingdom. She rules on the racetrack, too! When Princess Peach isn’t hanging out in her beautiful castle, she’s busy playing sports with her friends…or going on an adventure with Mario!
Toad	FORMER Hey, that isn't a walking mushroom—it's Toad, Mario's loyal friend! In a kingdom full of Toads, there is only one "Toad"—and he’ll point you to the right castle. He's small in stature under that polka dot cap, but he has a huge heart and extremely speedy feet! CURRENT The Mushroom Kingdom’s biggest helper is kind of small. Mario’s loyal friend Toad has one of the friendliest faces in the Mushroom Kingdom. Toad may be small in stature, but he has a big heart!
Toadette	From tracking treasure to crafting paper, tiny Toadette is always ready to face a challenge. She's a lightweight on the kart track, but Toadette really knows her stuff when it comes to fun and adventure. This pink-and-white member of the Toad species gets really pumped up when she's out to save the day!
Bowser	This spiny shelled menace may be strong, but his breath isn't everything. Bowser isn’t exactly a "friend", but where would Mario be without a troublesome giant Koopa who keeps snatching Princess Peach? The world would certainly be a lot less fun.
Daisy	She's got a gown and a crown, but this friendly princess is totally down to earth. Daisy’s always ready for a challenge, whether she's smashing tennis balls or jumping over hurdles. The ruler of Sarasaland loves the thrill of the chase, too—especially when she's zooming around on a kart.
Wario	This rude and crude fellow likes to toot…his own horn. Wario is stubborn, sneaky, and every bit as crooked as his mustache—the complete opposite of his rival, Mario. But he's got a head for business, and despite his greedy nature, he's been known to lend the occasional helping hand.
Waluigi	Wario’s sidekick and Luigi’s biggest rival (or so he thinks). Waluigi schemes in secret to defeat Mario and Luigi, but he hasn’t found much success. His long arms and legs give him an edge in all kinds of sports, from tennis to soccer.
Rosalina	Interstellar observer, protector of the Lumas, and friend to Mario. From her Comet observatory, Rosalina scans the cosmos for adorable Lumas to adopt. From behind the wheel of a kart, she scans the track for rivals to pelt with green shells.
Pauline	She’s a true 1-UP girl! As the leader of New Donk City, Mayor Pauline is in charge of making sure everything is running smoothly. As a performer, she likes music that brings people together and gets them moving. Whether she’s wearing her professional pantsuit or sparkly red dress, she’s one of the most stylish mayors around!
Ninji	Small, nimble, and always ready for battle. These foes are speedy and quiet. They leap and jump like a ninja to attack, with shuriken in hand! Ninjies are also kind of small. But what they lack in size, they make up for in enthusiasm!
Birdo	Bright, bejeweled, bewitching…and bent on winning. Birdo looks fabulous with her bright red bow, long eyelashes, and sparkling diamond ring. But don’t let her appearance fool you—Birdo can play sports and battle with the best of them. She can also shoot eggs from her funnel-shaped snout!
Boo	Spectacular specters! These shy spirits inhabit Mario's world and have been known to vanish or freeze when met face-to-face. They often appear in groups and fly in formation. In recent years, they’ve branched out from their usual haunts to pursue tennis and other activities. From time to time, giant Boos make surprise appearances!
Goomba	The Mushroom Kingdom's most fearful foe is... not the Goomba. But don’t tell them that. It's pretty easy to take on a Goomba—they can usually be defeated with a well-timed jump. But these Mushroom Kingdom creatures are still part of Bowser's army, so beware!
Dry Bones	These baddies tend to fall apart on you. Dry Bones are the skeletal remains of Koopa Troopas. They’ll collapse into a pile of dry bones when attacked. Just when you think they’ve been defeated, they’ll put themselves back together and start attacking again!
Bowser Jr.	Bowser’s little boy has plenty of tricks up his sleeve. Bowser Jr. is small, but he knows how to cause plenty of trouble for Mario. He may even throw a tantrum if things don’t go his way. After all, he’s the son of Bowser, King of the Koopas! His bib is decorated with drawn-on fangs and worn like a mask…possibly in an attempt to seem more menacing!
Koopa Troopa	Don't tell one of these minions to come out of its shell (unless you plan to throw its shell right back at it). These members of Bowser's Koopa Troop wear their homes—and their weapons—on their backs. You can usually find them marching through the Mushroom Kingdom and looking for trouble.
Koopalings	Bowser’s wildest minions have a personality all their own. There are seven Koopalings in the clan: Larry, Morton, Wendy, Iggy, Roy, Lemmy, and Ludwig. These leaders of the Koopa Troop are always getting in Mario’s way—especially when he’s trying to reach their boss, Bowser.
Yoshi	What does Yoshi do to beat up baddies? It’s right on the tip of his tongue… When trouble comes a-calling, this sticky-tongued, egg-laying wonder will flutter jump to the rescue. So who does Yoshi count on to have his back? Mario, of course!
Poochy	Who’s a good boy? Poochy’s a good boy! Yoshi won’t have to adventure alone with this faithful companion by his side. Poochy’s always ready to lend a paw to help Yoshi travel over dangerous terrain, fetch hard-to-reach collectables, or sniff out secrets.
Baby Mario	Think you're tough? Try going on adventures in a diaper. While other babies roll aimlessly on the floor and cry for milk, Baby Mario rides like a boss on the back of a Yoshi…and hungers for justice.
Baby Luigi	There's no napping for this beleaguered baby when enemies abound. Baby Mario's brother has spent a lot of time in Kamek’s clutches, but Baby Luigi also gets plenty of outdoor time driving a kart.
Kamek	This sneaky Magikoopa keeps trying (and failing) to stop the future Super Mario Bros. You could argue that Kamek is just trying to make life easier for his fellow Koopas, but his airborne schemes always end up making a mess for everyone.
Shy Guy	Who are these masked rascals that cause so much trouble for Yoshi and Mario? It seems like Shy Guys are always around, whether you're driving a kart, hitting a tennis ball, having a party, or rescuing a baby from a bespectacled Magikoopa.
Polterpup	What do you get when you combine a puppy and a ghost? This doggone cutie! Polterpup is a mischievous ghost pup. This playful ball of ectoplasm can be quite a handful, but he’s always ready to give it his all. Polterpup is very loyal and loves Luigi. Polterpup has a habit of running off with important stuff. That usually means he just wants to play!
Professor E. Gadd	A genius inventor who supports Luigi in his adventures…from the safety of his lab, that is. Professor E. Gadd is the leading authority in the field of paranormal research. His beloved ghost collection is said to be the best in the world! This eccentric ghost expert is known for many brilliant inventions, including the Poltergust line of ghost-hunting tools and Luigi’s gooey doppelganger, Gooigi.
Cappy	This hat-shaped hero from the Cap Kingdom grants Mario incredible abilities. Cappy’s capture ability lets Mario take control of all sorts of things, including objects and enemies. All it takes is a flick of the wrist!
Donkey Kong	This friendly Kong goes absolutely bananas when it comes to jumping and pounding. Donkey Kong has changed a lot since he got a game named after him way back when. He has a nice family and wears a tie, but he still likes to crash through branches and boxes in the jungle.
Diddy Kong	He might look harmless to jungle baddies, but this small Kong is a peanut-popping powerhouse! You'll often find him riding on Donkey Kong's back, but Diddy Kong is no burden—he can blast his big buddy to new heights with his Rocket Barrel Boost!
Dixie Kong	Look in the sky! It's an itty-bitty blonde whirlybird Kong! It would be easy to underestimate this tiny Kong with a smiling face and a pony tail tucked under her pink beret, but Dixie Kong can more than carry her own weight for the Kong clan.
Cranky Kong	He'll throw enemies out of the jungle—as soon as he puts in his dentures. Stooped in stature, but sizable in spirit, the curmudgeonly Cranky Kong springs out of his rocking chair—and into the action—with his spike-proof, bouncing cane.
Funky Kong	Hang ten with Donkey Kong’s bodacious buddy. When Funky Kong surfs into action, not even spikes can slow him down! This fun-loving Kong helps his friends get their paws on cool items—and in the past, he’s helped them travel in style, too. Sweeeeet!
Snowmads	These frigid foes froze Donkey Kong Island. That's so cold! The Snowmads are an invasion force of walruses, seals, penguins, and other beasties who bring cold temperatures, thievery, and wacky boss battles to a peaceful tropical island.
Rambi	Ride in style on the back of this rambunctious rhino. Donkey Kong can smash his way through a box or two, but he needs his horned helper to power through stone blocks…and the occasional enemy.
Tiki Tak Tribe	This troublesome tribe can’t mask their thieving nature. With a little bit of hocus pocus, these musical hypnotists can turn the gentle beasts of the jungle into fearsome foes.

Activities

The Activities section features games, quizzes, utilities and other. They are divided into seven categories: "Play" activities, Personality Quizzes, Skill Quizzes, Opinion Polls, Puzzles, Memory Match-up and Paint-by-number. The following table summarizes each category.

Category	Summary	Link
Play	Main article: List of miscellaneous Play Nintendo activities This category contains miscellaneous activities, such as games and creation tools.
Skill Quizzes	Main article: List of Play Nintendo skill quizzes This category features quizzes that test the player's knowledge on Nintendo-related subjects.
Personality Quizzes	Main article: List of Play Nintendo personality quizzes This category features quizzes that aim to determine things about the player such as personal preferences or personality traits shared with video game characters.
Opinion Polls	Main article: List of Play Nintendo opinion polls This category features polls that users can participate in.
Puzzles	Main article: List of Play Nintendo puzzles This category consists of jigsaw puzzles that users can put together.
Memory Match-up	Main article: List of Play Nintendo memory match-up activities This category contains match-up-type games, in which the player has to flip over and find pairs of matching cards.
Paint-by-number	Main article: List of Play Nintendo paint-by-number activities This category contains coloring activities.

Media

This section has game-relevant videos, pictures and downloadable extras, divided into separate categories shown in the following table.

Category	Summary	Link
Videos	Main article: List of Play Nintendo videos This category contains game trailers and other videos.
Pics	Main article: List of Play Nintendo pics This category hosts promotional pictures, such as screenshots and artwork.
Wallpapers	Main article: List of Play Nintendo wallpapers This category contains downloadable wallpapers of various sizes.

Printables

This section hosts a collection of printable PDF files. The printables are divided into three categories, namely "Cards", "Crafts", and "Print and Play", summarized below.

Category	Summary	Link
Cards	Main article: List of Play Nintendo cards This category contains various greeting cards and invites.
Crafts	Main article: List of Play Nintendo crafts This category contains printable crafts.
Print and Play	Main article: List of miscellaneous Play Nintendo printables This category contains activities and posters that can be printed out.

News & Tips

This section contains articles regarding new game releases, as well as tips for various games, promotional comic strips, and others.

The Play Nintendo Show

Andrew and Izzy from The Play Nintendo Show

Play Nintendo also extends to YouTube audiences using an official channel containing gameplay videos of contemporary games, and other Nintendo-related videos. The Play Nintendo Show is a series of YouTube videos featuring a Piranha Plant named Izzy as a co-host. The second host, named Andrew Trego, begins the show by exiting a Warp Pipe. The show is set in a Super Mario-themed room with plush toys and pictures of coins and other Super Mario-related pictures on the walls. Andrew calls the room "Casa de Nintendo", Spanish for "House of Nintendo".

List of Super Mario related Play Nintendo episodes

• Episode 1: Coin Crazy with New Super Mario Bros. 2 – Andrew and Izzy rank the five greatest Mario Power-Ups. Later, New Super Mario Bros. 2 is reviewed. Andrew mentions that any coins that he collects will go towards Bowser's birthday.

# 1 Super Leaf

# 2 Gold Flower

# 3 Mega Mushroom

# 4 Mini Mushroom

# 5 Super Star

• Episode 6: Mario Kart 7 Road Hog – For this episode, the duo ranks the five Mario Kart 7 items that will help them get to class on time.

# 1 Lucky Seven

# 2 Super Star

# 3 Super Leaf

# 4 Banana

# 5 Lightning

• Episode 9: Paper Mario: Color Splash - Paint Palooza – For this episode, the duo ranks the five ways the Paint Hammer can be used to do chores in Paper Mario: Color Splash.
• Episode 10: Mario Party Star Rush Celebration! – For this episode, the duo ranks the top five bosses to face off against in Mario Party: Star Rush.

Activity book

Main article: Play Nintendo Activity Book

An activity book was physically distributed by Nintendo starting in 2015 as a tie-in to the Play Nintendo website. It features similar content to the website, including puzzles, a quiz, and a papercraft.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Play Nintendo.

• 

  Summer 2016 artwork of Mario and friends

• 

  Holiday 2016 artwork of Mario

• 

  Funky Kong riding a wave

• 

  Super Star vector art

• 

  Mario mustache 2D art

• 

  Valentine's Day card featuring Mario

• 

  Luigi Halloween stencil

• 

  Izzy from The Play Nintendo Show

Trivia

• The "404" page for Play Nintendo says "The page you want is in another castle!", a reference to the mushroom retainers' famous line in Super Mario Bros., while also fittingly accompanied by artwork of Toad.

External links

Play Nintendo links

• Home page. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
• Friends. Retrieved September 21, 2021.

• Activities. Retrieved September 21, 2021.

• Media. Retrieved September 21, 2021.

• Printables. Retrieved September 21, 2021.

• News & Tips. Retrieved September 21, 2021.

Other links

• Nintendo Kids Club (UK / Ireland site)
• Official YouTube channel