The Week in Review: Prices, Pirouettes and Plumbers

In this week’s edition, Hideo Kojima professes his love for a certain Italian-American plumber, and we learn that the 3DS price is our fault.

Friends Don’t Mute Friends.

While playing a game online with a friend, a Salt Lake City fan got a curious call to arms when he heard his buddy getting attacked and robbed over the game’s voice chat system. He hopped in his car and raced to his friends aid, and while he didn’t arrive in time to help fight off the attackers, he was able to identify one of them as they fled the scene. Currently, no arrests have been made, but police have recovered the car used in the robbery. (Link)

The Price of Excitement

Be careful how you act around Nintendo, as showing too much enthusiasm might translate to a higher price for that cool new piece of tech. Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata said that part of the reason that the 3DS had a ¥25,000 price tag in Japan, which converts to just under $300, was because of the overwhelmingly positive response it received at this year’s E3. No prices have been announced for the 3DS in the West yet, but the consensus seems to be that it will cost around $250. (Link)

The Heavy Adds a Little Salsa to His Sandvich

Everyone needs a way to unwind, even the gun-toting mercenaries that make up Team Fortress 2 teams. And what better way to relax, while remaining supple and nimble at the same time, than a spot of dancing? TF2 fan James Benson has created a short animation where everyone takes a break from fighting and gets funky instead. Hit the link for the video, and remember: Everything the Heavy did, the Medic did backwards, and in a lab coat. (Link)

MineCraft Makes Bags of Cash

MineCraft creator Markus Persson is pretty wealthy guy, thanks to his good idea and technical knowhow. His seemingly simple, and yet incredibly versatile, indie game has proven to be remarkably popular, and is making around $350,000 a week in revenue. Persson said that he knew that he would be able to make a living from the game, but he never suspected that it would make him rich. (Link)

Hideo <3 Mario

To say that Hideo Kojima is quite fond of the original Super Mario Bros., is like say that Bowser is “quite fond” of kidnapping Princess Peach. Kojima called the game “one of mankind’s greatest inventions,” and said that it changed the world and him along with it. In his opinion, without Super Mario Bros, gaming as we know it wouldn’t exist. (Link)