Concertgoers to Enjoy Hands-On Game Play with for Nintendo 3DS at Big Time Rush Tour Stops Across the Nation

REDMOND, Wash., June 18, 2012 - This summer, Nickelodeon's teen music phenomenon Big Time Rush is sharing its excitement about Nintendo's Mario Kart 7 game in a big way, giving fans from coast to coast a chance to join Mario and his Mushroom Kingdom friends for new kart-racing fun on land, in the air and under the sea. Known as the stars of Nickelodeon's hit television series Big Time Rush, the band is teaming up with Nintendo to offer free hands-on demos of Mario Kart 7 for the Nintendo 3DS system on its upcoming U.S. tour, "Big Time Summer Tour". From July 5 to Aug. 5, attendees at select Big Time Rush concerts can visit Nintendo 3DS demo stations and experience the game's wild Mario-themed action, multiplayer features and kart customization options firsthand.

A Mario Kart 7 sampling station and mobile sampling teams will be available at participating concert venues, giving fans a unique chance to play the game, enjoy special photo opportunities and compete for prizes. Fans will also be able to download Mii characters based on the members of Big Time Rush - Kendall, Logan, James and Carlos - and fans who bring their own Nintendo 3DS systems to the concerts will be able to wirelessly access content for Nintendo 3DS via Nintendo Zone hotspots. Additionally, viewers can look forward to seeing Big Time Rush in an upcoming television ad campaign for Mario Kart 7.

"Big Time Rush fans will discover a new kind of rush when they tear up the track with Mario," said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "The frenetic fun of Mario Kart 7 makes a great match with the band's energetic music. The chance to get hands-on with Nintendo 3DS will make each of these concerts even more memorable for attendees, whether they're experienced gamers or newcomers."

"We couldn't be more excited to take Mario Kart 7 out on the road for our tour this summer," said Big Time Rush. "We are all huge Nintendo fans and our new partnership provides a cool way to share the fun of Nintendo 3DS with people all over the country."

Mario Kart 7 is the latest installment in Nintendo's fan-favorite racing franchise, loaded with new customizable karts, new courses and multiplayer options that let up to eight Nintendo 3DS owners race together wirelessly. Players can race as a favorite Mushroom Kingdom character or as their personal Mii character, and for the first time in the series, they can race not only on land but also underwater or in the air. The game also makes use of the unique capabilities of Nintendo 3DS with access to StreetPass and SpotPass* content and the ability to play in full 3D without the need for special glasses.

Mario Kart 7 demo stations will be available at the following Big Time Rush tour dates (subject to change):

July 5: Columbus, Ohio - Nationwide Arena
July 6: Milwaukee - Summerfest
July 7: St. Louis - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
July 8: Cincinnati - Riverbend Music Center
July 10: Atlanta - Aaron's Amphitheater at Lakewood
July 11: Birmingham, Ala. - Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
July 13: Houston - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
July 14: Dallas - Gexa Energy Pavilion
July 15: Tulsa, Okla. - BOK Center
July 17: Phoenix - Ashley Furniture Home Store Pavilion
July 19: Irvine, Calif. - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
July 20: San Diego - Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
July 21: Las Vegas - Mandalay Bay Events Center
July 22: Mountain View, Calif. - Shoreline Amphitheatre
July 23: Paso Robles, Calif. - California Mid-State Fair
July 25: Salt Lake City - USANA Amphitheatre Energy Solutions Arena
July 27: Kansas City, Mo. - Sprint Center
July 28: Minneapolis - Target Center
July 29: Indianapolis - Klipsch Music Center
July 31: Clarkston, Mich. - DTE Energy Music Theatre
Aug. 1: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio - Blossom Music Center
Aug. 3: Louisville, Ky. - KFC Yum! Center
Aug. 4: Tinley Park, Ill. - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Aug. 5: Burgettstown, Pa. - First Niagara Pavilion

Now in its third season, Big Time Rush - which follows four best friends from Minnesota who trade in their hockey sticks for music superstardom in Los Angeles -averages 3.6 million total viewers (+2 percent, over season one). The launch of the hit series on Nickelodeon drew 6.8 million viewers, making it the most watched live-action series premiere in the network's history.

Remember that Nintendo 3DS features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

For more information about Mario Kart 7, visit http://mariokart7.nintendo.com. Additional information about Big Time Rush, including tour details and music videos, can be found at http://www.btrband.com.