As everyone already knows, Nintendo is doing E3 2013 different this year. Instead of having an E3 press conference, Nintendo will instead open their E3 booth an hour earlier to a unique hands-on event for press (I thought that's what E3 was in the first place…), in addition to releasing information through smaller events and Nintendo Direct.
In addition to the E3 Nintendo Direct on June 11, Nintendo is partnering with Best Buy, making it possible for consumers in the U.S. and Canada to try the E3 line-up of games at over 100 retail locations during the week of E3.
Today, Nintendo released the list of the 89 Best Buy stores that will be holding playable demonstrations. The games will be playable from 4 to 8 p.m. local time on Wednesday June 12, and from 1 to 5 p.m. local time on Saturday June 15. The list of participating Best Buy stores are:
Alabama: Birmingham, Huntsville
Arkansas: Fort Smith, North Little Rock
Arizona: Phoenix
California: Culver City, Elk Grove, Emeryville, San Jose, Tracy, Visalia
Colorado: Denver
Connecticut: Manchester
Delaware: Wilmington
Florida: Brandon, Fort Myers, Gainesville, Kissimmee, Miami, Pensacola
Georgia: Augusta, Duluth, Savannah, Smyrna
Iowa: Cedar Rapids, West Des Moines
Illinois: Bloomington Schaumburg
Indiana: Greenwood
Kansas: Overland Park, Wichita
Kentucky: Florence, Lexington, Louisville
Louisiana: Harvey
Massachusetts: Cambridge, Dedham, Worcester
Maryland: Frederick, Glen Burnie, Wheaton
Michigan: Ann Arbor, Flint, Grand Rapids, Rochester Hills
Minnesota: Eden Prairie
Missouri: St. Louis
North Carolina: Cary, Fayetteville, Pineville, Winston-Salem
New Jersey: Iselin, West Paterson, Woodbury
New York: Albany, Amherst, Long Island City, Syracuse, Valley Stream, West Nyack
Ohio: Fairborn, North Olmsted, Reynoldsburg, Toledo
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City
Oregon: Portland
Pennsylvania: Erie, King of Prussia, Pittsburgh, Reading, Whitehall
South Carolina: Greenville, North Charleston
Tennessee: Brentwood, Knoxville, Memphis
Texas: Arlington, Austin, Houston, McAllen, The Woodlands, Tyler
Utah: Sandy
Virginia: Charlottesville, Glen Allen, Virginia Beach
Vermont: Williston
Washington: Lynnwood
Wisconsin: Greenfield
While a list of games available wasn't provided, we know from previous statements that a new Smash Bros., 3D Mario, Pikmin 3, and Mario Kart, among other Wii U titles, will be available during this year's E3. The 21 locations in Canada also weren't released, but Nintendo is directing people to this URL for more information as E3 gets closer.
You can follow Senior Editor Lance Liebl on Twitter @Lance_GZ. He likes talking sports, video games, movies, and the stupidity of celebrities. Email at [email protected]
