Nintendo seems to have big plans for this year’s E3, but the biggest of them all is the return of a gaming event that the world has not seen since 1990: the Nintendo World Championships.
The original Nintendo World Championships were somewhat prescient, offering a glimpse of the future of eSports and competitive gaming. Held in 29 cities throughout the U.S., the competition saw young gamers testing their mettle in Super Mario Bros., Rad Racer, and Tetris.
The new competition will work in a similar fashion. Starting later this month on May 20, qualifying rounds will take place at Best Buy stores in major U.S. cities. Those who make it beyond the qualifiers will throw down at the official event at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on June 14, two days before the E3 2015 kicks off.
While those in attendance will get the best view of the action, the event will also be streamed online for those who can’t make it to the show.
No details are available on what games will be included in the championships or qualifying tournaments, but Nintendo has promised that more details will be available in the coming weeks. Looking at Nintendo’s recent sales, it seems at least somewhat likely that Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U might make an appearance.
Nintendo is planning its E3 Nintendo Direct conference for 9 a.m. PT on June 16, directly opposite Square Enix’s E3 press conference. Like the Nintendo World Championships, a livestream of the conference will be available. Nintendo also plans to allow fans to get a sneak peek at its upcoming Mario Maker on June 17 and 20 at participating Best Buy locations.
“Whether you’re tuning in online or joining us at the show, we want to include fans of all ages in this E3 with an innovative and nostalgic focus on fun,” Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime in a prepared statement. “I’m especially eager to bring back the Nintendo World Championships and to crown the 2015 Nintendo World Champion.”
Judging by the video below, Reggie is taking his preparations for the event pretty seriously.
