Nintendo plans summer road trip

Play various games months before they come out in the UK. (And months after they came out everywhere else, natch.)

News by Tom Bramwell Former Editor-in-Chief

Updated on 27 Jul 2004

Nintendo is planning a summer road trip to show off a number of its forthcoming games "months before they are available to buy in the UK". The Nintendo Konga Beach Road Trip (yes) will visit eighteen locations around the UK (or at least, around England) and consists of a 40-foot articulated lorry decked out like a Hawaiian beach bar, featuring all manner of Nintendo titles.

That means you'll get to play the likes of Donkey Konga, Animal Crossing, Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green, Shrek 2, Sonic Advance 3, Spyro: Fusion and Crash: Fusion - in other words, a handful of games which are already out in the UK and various games which have been released elsewhere in the world already and can be happily had on import from the likes of TRONIX for less than they will eventually cost in this country.

Not that we'd want to rain on the beach road trip parade, of course. After all, you can compete to win a Jeep Wrangler (although we wonder how many Pokémon fans will be able to do anything with it), or a selection of Cubes, GBA SPs, giant inflatable bananas and T-shirts in the Donkey Konga Bongo Battle tournament - the top ten scorers in which will be whisked off to Game Stars Live at the start of September for a live final.

And hey, it's a nice way to try before you buy - whether that's when the games do eventually come out here, or via import. If you fancy going along, just cast your eyes down the following list of locations and make a note. Unless noted, the beach bar will be stopping at the local Woolworths "big W" store.