Nintendo Extra

Nintendo Extra logo with Mario

Nintendo Extra (stylized as Nintendo EXTRA) was a section on Nintendo's websites outside the United States. Described as "an online magazine for Nintendo fans of all ages" and as "a great way to learn more about your favourite Nintendo games and series," it published game descriptions, tips, and announcements from 2014 to 2016. Nintendo Extra required Adobe Flash Player to watch attached videos.

Super Mario coverage

Issue 5

The magazine, described as being published "for fans of all ages looking for useful gaming tips, exclusive Wii U and Nintendo 3DS game content, and who fancy the odd Nintendo-themed challenge to boot," released five issues in total. The following media of the Super Mario franchise were covered:

Issue 1

• Yoshi's New Island - Learn about Yoshi and Baby Mario’s adventure!
• Captain Toad comic (Episode 1) - Captain Toad comic: Adventures in Walleye Tumble Temple!
• The Cat Mario Show - Nya nya nya! Visit the islands of Tomodachi Life!
• Mario Kart 8 - Tips for Mario Kart 8 beginners!
• Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS - Smash anyone, anytime, anywhere!

Issue 2

• Power up your gameplay with amiibo
• Captain Toad comic (Episode 2) - Captain Toad comic: Adventures in Mushroom Mesa!

Issue 3

• Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS - A portable clash for the ages!
• Captain Toad comic (Episode 3) - Captain Toad comic: The Beginning
• Captain Toad comic (Episode 4) - Captain Toad comic: Adventures in Shy Guy Heights
• Nikki's Diary - It's amiibo training time! Issue 1
• Meet the newest members of the Nintendo 3DS family!

Issue 4

• Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition - Mario meets Puzzle & Dragons
• Captain Toad comic (Episode 5) - Captain Toad comic: Showdown with Wingo
• Mario Kart 8 (add-on content pack 2) - New characters, courses and vehicles!
• Nikki's Diary - It's amiibo training time! Issue 2
• Nikki's Diary - It's amiibo training time! Issue 3

Issue 5

• Yoshi's Woolly World - You've never seen Yoshis like this before!
• You can customize the Nintendo 3DS HOME Menu?!
• Super Mario Maker - A Mario game that never ends!

Posts

Learn about Yoshi and Baby Mario’s adventure!

First section

Learn about Yoshi and Baby Mario’s adventure! is a post that appears in the first issue for Yoshi's New Island. It showcases the story, as well as mechanics that appear in the game, such as transformations and Egg Tricks.

Descriptions

"Yoshi and Baby Mario are going on a magical adventure!"

"In Yoshi’s New Island, it’s up to Yoshi to keep Baby Mario safe as he carries him on his back all the way to the goal! All sorts of secrets and transformations await Yoshi in an exciting adventure!"

Story

"Baby Mario and Baby Luigi are above the clouds, ready to be delivered to their parents. But all of a sudden, they’re attacked by Kamek, and Baby Luigi is kidnapped!

But Baby Mario is left behind, and lands on Egg Island, the Yoshis’ weird and wonderful home! Yoshi agrees to help Baby Mario save his brother and, with Baby Mario snug on Yoshi’s back, they set off on a rescue mission!"

What happens when you throw an egg?!

"Swallow enemies to produce eggs!"

Egg Tricks:

1. Attack enemies!
   "Aim carefully and you can hit faraway enemies by throwing eggs at them!"
2. Activate traps and switches!
   "All sorts of things can be activated by chucking eggs at them..."
3. Open up new routes!
   "If you’re stuck in a dead end, try launching an egg – you might find a way to proceed!"
4. Collect items!
   "Can’t reach an item? Just hurl an egg at it!"

New eggs, new transformations, new power-ups!

"Smash through any obstacles with Mega Eggdozers: massive eggs that don’t stop for anything! By heading through Whirly Gates, Yoshi can transform into a helicopter, a bobsleigh, a jackhammer, and more!"

Nya nya nya! Visit the islands of Tomodachi Life!

Nya nya nya! Visit the islands of Tomodachi Life! is a post, featuring an episode of The Cat Mario Show. Cat Mario and Cat Peach appear in the left and right corners of the post. The post also contains an advertisement for Tomodachi Life, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, and Animal Crossing: New Leaf.

Description

"Nya nya nya! Visit the islands of Tomodachi Life with The Cat Mario Show!"

Tips for Mario Kart 8 beginners!

First section

Tips for Mario Kart 8 beginners! is an interactive post in the first issue for Mario Kart 8. It explains techniques a player can use in the game. Images next to techniques can be clicked to expand them.

Descriptions

Aim to be the fastest driver! Introducing five special techniques!

Techniques:

1. Open up a gap with a Rocket Start!
   "At the start of a race, hold the accelerator button when the countdown reaches “2” to perform a Rocket Start! Get the timing right and you’ll zoom off the start line much faster than usual!"
2. Make good use of Drift!
   "Hold the jump button while turning corners to Drift! When the sparks at your tyres get bigger, release the button for a Mini-Turbo boost!"
3. Perform eye-catching Jump Boosts!
   "Fly off a ramp and press the jump button while soaring through the air to perform a Jump Boost! You’ll enjoy a boost of speed when you hit the ground, which will really help you out!"
4. Slipstream for super-acceleration!
   "Drive behind a rival kart to reduce wind resistance and enjoy a super acceleration boost! Even the last-placed driver can dream of reaching the front if they make good use of slipstreams."
5. New ability: Spin Turbo
   "Bump into a rival in an antigravity zone to spin your kart around and unleash a Spin Turbo boost! Keep bumping into your rivals and aim for the top!"

Bonus! Collect coins

"Every time you collect a coin on a course, you’ll enjoy a slight speed boost! The difference might be tough to spot, but it can make all the difference in tight contests!"

Smash anyone, anytime, anywhere!

First section

Smash anyone, anytime, anywhere! is a post in the first issue for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. It explains several mechanics in the game, such as character customization, Smash Run, and online play.

Descriptions

Super Smash Bros. hits Nintendo 3DS! Out now!

"Super Smash Bros. has finally made it to Nintendo 3DS! Before the bell rings and your battle begins, let’s brush up on some Super Smash Bros. basics!"

Send your opponent flying off the screen!

"The aim of the game is to give your opponents the old heave-ho and send them flying off the stage! Smash all-comers into the middle of next week!"

"The more damage you inflict, the farther your rivals will fly!"

"Unleash smash attacks and blast away your opponents!"

"Wear them down with mighty moves"

Your own unique character! Create a customised fighter!

"Custom moves for cool combos!"

• Fireball
• Fast Fireball
• Fire Orb

"Boost your abilities with equipment!"

• High-Power Gloves
• Fashionable Dungarees
• Lightweight Shoes

"Do battle the way you want by customising your fighters’ special moves and equipment to boost their attack, defence and speed."

Only on Nintendo 3DS and 2DS! Smash Run

"You have five minutes to race round the game area, picking up all the power-ups you can find. You’ll then face rivals who’ve also been busy boosting their battle stats. Prepare for an epic dust-up!"

"Collect stat boosts"

"Enhance your abilities"

• Speed
• Jump
• Attack
• Special
• Arms
• Defence

"Face opponents in a grand finale!"

Battle rivals online!

"Take the fight online – there’s no end of opponents you can square off against! You can use your own unique customised fighters in battles with friends online or via Local Play."

Power up your gameplay with amiibo!

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Power up your gameplay with amiibo! is a post in the second issue. It showcases amiibo and its functionality, as well as compares amiibos' sizes. The first sections shows that a Mario amiibo is taller than a hamster.

Descriptions

"They may look just like ordinary figures, but these are amiibo! They're special figures which have the ability to enhance your games!"

All you need to know about amiibo:

1. They fit in the palm of your hand!
   "We compared the size of this Mario amiibo to a couple of other things!"
   • Hamster
   • amiibo (Mario)
   • Wii Remote Plus
     amiibo Height Chart (from shortest to tallest):
     • Kirby
     • Pikachu
     • Mario
     • Luigi
     • Captain Falcon
2. They’re detailed!
   "Despite their size, each amiibo is incredibly detailed!"
   • Princess Peach's billowing skirt
   • Fox McCloud's flowing tail
   • Link's finely detailed shield
   • Donkey Kong's fur
3. Lots can happen when you tap!
   "All sorts of things can happen depending on the amiibo and the game you use. Who knows what you’ll experience!"
   • amiibo can help you get items...
   • ...can develop and grow...
   • ...can appear in your games...
   • ...and more!
     "Figures shown not actual size. Designs may vary. Compatibility and functionality of amiibo may vary between games."

A portable clash for the ages!

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A portable clash for the ages! is a post in the third issue for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. It describes stages, items, Pokémon, and new fighters.

Descriptions

Let battle commence!

"In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, take to the battlefield with an all-star selection of characters, stages and items. You won’t be able to tear yourself away from the action as a host of new characters join old favourites. Just what do the newcomers have in store? There’s only one way to find out..."

An all-star line-up of stages and items!

• Stages
  "The action takes place against backdrops from all sorts of games. Each stage has unique features that add new elements to the mix."
  1. "Is that the Prism Tower?"
  2. "Karting chaos!"
  3. "A punch-up in paradise!"
  4. "Oversized nintendogs?!"
• Items
  "There are plenty of items, all ready to add a new twist to the action. Throw them, hit them... eat them?! Mastering the use of items will give you a much greater chance of victory."
  1. "Scarper with a Warp Star"
  2. "This mushroom looks familiar..."
  3. "Attack with a Fire Bar"
  4. "Launch powerful drill strikes"
• Pokémon
  "Use the Poké Ball to summon Pokémon who will help you out in battle. Look out for Master Balls, which contain rare and very special Pokémon."
  1. "Meowth makes an appearance"
  2. "Kyurem puts things on ice"
  3. "Metagross shakes things up"
  4. "Arceus arrives"

New challengers enter the battle!

• Palutena
  "This goddess can work wonders!"
• Villager
  "Launching the Lloid Rocket!"
• Mega Man
  "A decisive Charge Shot!"
• Greninja
  "Speedy moves tie foes in knots!"
• PAC-MAN
  "Swallows his enemies whole!"
• Wii Fit Trainer
  "Witness the true power of yoga!"
• Rosalina & Luma
  "Luma takes the fight to the enemy!"
• Little Mac
  "Unleashing a knock-out uppercut!"

Meet the newest members of the Nintendo 3DS family!

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Meet the newest members of the Nintendo 3DS family! is a post in the third issue. It covers New Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 3DS XL, and cover plates. Two of the four showcased cover plates have a picture of Yoshi and Princess Peach.

Descriptions

Meet the newest member of the Nintendo 3DS family!

• "Enhanced 3D screen" / "Super-stable 3D"
• "A new level of control" / "C Stick"
• "Use amiibo with compatible games"

There are two types of New Nintendo 3DS. Which one will you choose?

• New Nintendo 3DS XL
  "XL screens" / "A dynamic gaming experience on larger screens"

Or...

• New Nintendo 3DS
  "Changeable cover plates" / "A compact and light system you can customise"

"Please note: cover plates are for New Nintendo 3DS only and are not compatible with New Nintendo 3DS XL."

Mario meets Puzzle & Dragons

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Mario meets Puzzle & Dragons is a post in the fourth issue for Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition. It covers features and mechanics of the game.

Descriptions

"One day, curious Orbs begin to appear in the Mushroom Kingdom. After Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach once more, Mario and pals make use of the power of these Orbs to battle Bowser's henchmen and rescue Peach!"

Match three or more Orbs. Rack up all the Combos you can!

"Puzzle & Dragons is all about matching three or more Orbs to clear them away and create Combos! In Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, the fun comes to the Mushroom Kingdom, and you’ll find all sorts of cool features that could only exist in the world of Mario!"

Pick your perfect team and let the adventure begin!

"Every character has their own Skills during battles, so choose the team that works best for you."

• Boo
• Cheep Cheep
• Red Koopa Troopa

Mario's many forms

"As you clear the Worlds in the game, more of Mario’s forms will become available. Choose the one best suited to each course and use his abilities to the full. And don’t worry – Luigi can transform too!"

• Raccoon Mario
• Penguin Mario
• Ice Mario

There's more!

"Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition comes with Puzzle & Dragons Z in a 2-in-1 pack!"

New characters, courses and vehicles!

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New characters, courses and vehicles! is a post in the fourth issue for Mario Kart 8 add-on content pack 2. It covers the Animal Crossing-themed characters, vehicles, and courses.

Descriptions

Animal Crossing meets Mario Kart 8 in Pack 2 of the Mario Kart 8 add-on content!

"New vehicles and characters are raring to hit the track!"

Here’s what’s included!

"You can play as new characters, including Animal Crossing’s Isabelle and boy and girl Villagers, and race round courses including an Animal Crossing town."

Contents:

• Characters
  • Villager
  • Isabelle
  • Dry Bowser
• Vehicles
  • City Tripper
  • Streetle
  • P-Wing
  • Bone Rattler
• Courses
  • Crossing Cup
  • Bell Cup

New courses:

• Crossing Cup
  "Cruise through the familiar environments of Animal Crossing. The seasons cycle with each race!"
• GCN Baby Park
  "There are seven laps in this race! The number of items increases as you go round, ramping up the excitement to fever pitch."
• GBA Cheese Land
  "A course packed with twists and turns sculpted entirely from delicious cheese. Look out for greedy Chain Chomps blocking your path!"
• Wild Woods
  "Race through treetops inhabited by Toads and Shy Guys using antigravity. This course has extreme highs and lows!"
• 3DS Neo Bowser City
  "Drift round rain-lashed twists and turns in this neon-lit night course set in Bowser’s city."
• GBA Ribbon Road
  "Weave your way round a course designed to look like a kid’s bedroom, filled with ribbons and toys."
• Super Bell Metro
  "Zip between stations along a metro track and dodge oncoming trains on your way to the finish line."
• Big Blue
  "Build up some serious speed as you hit boost pads and water slides on this course."

"And there’s more... Speed reaches thrilling new heights in the 200cc class!"

You can customize the Nintendo 3DS HOME Menu?!

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You can customize the Nintendo 3DS HOME Menu?! is a post in the fifth issue. It covers Nintendo 3DS HOME Menu themes.

Descriptions

There are loads of fun themes to choose from!

"Themes are available to purchase in the Theme Shop, and give your HOME Menu an all-new background design – some even change the icons and music. Themes let you really shake things up for a whole new feel!"

Here are a few themes that are sure to please Nintendo fans!

Highlighted themes:

• NES Jumping Mario
  "Fans of retro Mario will be delighted to find folders, icons and music from the original Super Mario Bros. with this theme! You can even scroll the Touch Screen to see Mario jump!"
• Completely Yoshi
  "This theme features a stylish background image of Yoshi’s face and folders shaped like eggs. You’ll also hear Yoshi’s voice when you exit Sleep Mode!"
• Animal Crossing: New Leaf Isabelle in the Town Hall
  "In this Animal Crossing theme, you’ll visit the Town Hall and find Isabelle hard at work. Okay, she may be daydreaming just a little bit... The familiar sound effects and music will make you feel like the mayor!"

"There are plenty of other themes to discover! By personalising the HOME Menu theme, you can really make your Nintendo 3DS system match your mood or the season. If you have a New Nintendo 3DS, you might even find matching cover plates!"

A Mario game that never ends!

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A Mario game that never ends! is a post in the fifth issue. It covers features of Super Mario Maker.

Descriptions

Special feature!

"Super Mario Maker is out now on Wii U! Take Super Mario to the next level as you create your own unique courses and experience a whole new take on the Mario series!"

Play

"You can connect to the internet and play courses designed by other players from all around the world. Discover courses you’ll want to play again and again, and see new and original twists you’d never have thought possible! There’s also a selection of sample courses included with the game, which you can take on one after the other in exciting challenges!"

• 10 Mario Challenge
  "Can you get through a selection of eight ready-made courses with only 10 Marios?"
• 100 Mario Challenge
  "See how many player-created courses you can complete in a row with 100 Marios at your disposal!"
• Search for courses and makers!
  "There are a whole range of ways to find the course for you. Search for new or highly-rated courses, or look for courses created by specific makers."

Check out some courses that have already been uploaded!

• Watch out for mid-air enemies!
• It’s an underwater maze!
• Check out all the Super Mushrooms!

Create

"It couldn’t be simpler to design a Mario course that’s all your own. Just arrange the blocks, items and characters however you want! You can then play on your course or share it with the rest of the world!"

What kind of combos can you come up with?

"Use a Super Mushroom to make an enemy bigger, fill cannons with coins or make items fly! With a little imagination, you can come up with ideas that have never appeared in a Mario game before!"

• Flying items?
• Extra large enemies?
• Cannons firing coins?
• A stack of enemies?

You can customise courses?!

"You don’t have to make courses from scratch. You can also tweak courses you download and make them your own."

"Note: you can’t re-upload courses you have downloaded and customised."

• Switch styles
  "You can switch between different Super Mario styles in an instant!"
• Switch between backgrounds such as underground, underwater and inside castles!
• Select parts
• Switch parts
• Delete parts
• Play or Create
• Display Mario
• Back
• Remove all parts

"The more you play, the more course elements become available."

You can add special costumes with amiibo!

"If you touch certain amiibo to the Wii U GamePad, a Mystery Mushroom will appear in-game that will allow Mario to transform into a completely different character!"

Other posts

Issue 1: What’s an NNID?!

Issue 1: What’s an NNID?! is a Nikki's Diary post that appears in the first issue. It explains the functionality of NNID (Nintendo Network ID). The section "Here are some examples of the games and demos on offer!" has an advertisement for a demo version of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

Issue 2: What’s an NNID?!

Issue 2: What’s an NNID?! is a Nikki's Diary post that appears in the third issue. It explains the functionality of NNID (Nintendo Network ID) and Miiverse. In the section "Communicate with people all over the world using Miiverse", there are three Mario-themed comments. The first one says "I love Mario!", the second one is a drawing of the letter "M" in a circle, and the third one is a drawing of either a Mushroom or a Toad's head.

Fun new games come to StreetPass Mii Plaza

Fun new games come to StreetPass Mii Plaza is a post in the fourth issue for StreetPass Mii Plaza. It explains the new games introduced in StreetPass Mii Plaza. In the section "Can you catch these?", one of the screenshots contains a Cheep Cheep.

What's Nintendo Badge Arcade?!

What's Nintendo Badge Arcade?! is a Nikki's Diary post in the fifth issue. It covers Nintendo Badge Arcade. On Sunday, Nikki gets a Mario badge and writes:

"I thought I’d give it a go, and guess what? I got a Mario badge! Wahoo! I can use it to decorate my HOME Menu!"

News publications

Issue 1

"Meanwhile, for fans of all ages looking for useful gaming tips, exclusive Wii U and Nintendo 3DS game content, and who fancy the odd Nintendo-themed challenge to boot, issue one of a new online magazine, Nintendo Extra, has been unveiled today. From picking up some handy pointers for reigning victorious in Mario Kart 8, to learning from none other than Eiji Aonuma himself about the fundamentals of a The Legend of Zelda game, Nintendo Extra kicks off with a bang, with further issues to be published in the coming months."

Issue 2

"In this issue, meet amiibo, a range of figures that let you interact with your favourite Nintendo characters and games in a brand new way, follow the adventures of the sometimes cowardly, sometimes courageous leader of the Toad Brigade in episode two of the Captain Toad comics, and learn more about powerful Pokémon and their Trainers in a pair of articles about Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire!

If you missed out on issue 1, you can also read back on our archived content, such as an introduction to the Pikmin series, Mario Kart 8 tips and much more! Head over to our Nintendo Extra website to get started, and look out for further issues in the coming months!"

Issue 3

"In this issue, take a look at the newest members of the Nintendo 3DS family, New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL, get a sneak peek of PIKMIN Short Movies and prepare yourself for an all-new Wii U game – Splatoon! Elsewhere, you can also follow the continuing adventures of Captain Toad in our comic series, find out some vital information about Pikmin, read the second part of our interview with The Legend of Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma, and even find out more about amiibo and Nintendo Network IDs in a pair of Nikki's Diary features!

If you missed out on previous issues, you can also read back on our archived content to find out more about Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, Mario Kart 8, amiibo and much more! Head over to our Nintendo Extra website to get started, and look out for further issues in the coming months!"

Issue 4

"For older fans, Nintendo Extra is fit to burst with a slew of eye-catching, in-depth features all about the latest Nintendo games. Uncover the ink-tastic world of Splatoon, learn how Kirby wound up in a world of clay, and chuckle with Captain Toad’s latest treasure-tracking comic strip adventure. You can also find out about the fishing and zombie action in a pair of new StreetPass Mii Plaza games, and much more!"

Issue 5

"This time, get an introduction to games such as Super Mario Maker, Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer and The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes. In Nikki’s Diary, Nikki encounters a charming rabbit and learns all about Nintendo Badge Arcade, and you can also meet a variety of unique Yoshi patterns that appear in Yoshi’s Woolly World!

If you missed out on previous issues, you can also read back on our archived content, covering titles such as Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Mario Kart 8, Splatoon and much, much more! Head over to our Nintendo Extra website to join in the fun!"

External links

• Nintendo Extra