Nintendo will kick off this year’s gamescom trade fair in Cologne on 18th August with a mixture of traditional classics and innovative games. Offering something for everyone, Nintendo’s booth at gamescom will be dedicated to games that will certainly cater for all tastes. From legendary franchises like Mario and Zelda to the exciting and innovative Wii Party, Nintendo offers a range of titles to get family and friends playing together all over the globe.

Charles Martinet - the voice of Nintendo’s plucky plumber, Mario, and many other Nintendo characters for more than 20 years, will be present at the show, where guests can play all of the Mario games that have ever appeared for Wii and Nintendo DS, including the latest cosmic funfest Super Mario Galaxy 2. Visitors to the Nintendo stand will not only be able to get their hands on an exciting range of upcoming game titles – including The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Metroid: Other M, Donkey Kong CountryTM Returns, Wii Party and many others – but popular TV celebrity Tim Feldner will be on hand to provide fun and excitement.

In fact, anyone planning on visiting the Nintendo booth in Cologne can look forward to an altogether engaging experience playing some of the most fun and exciting games in motion- and handheld gaming from both Nintendo and third-party publishers on Wii and Nintendo DS. Nintendo-published games available to experience on the showfloor include:

    * Art Academy: Learn Painting and Drawing Techniques with Step-by-Step Training (Nintendo DS) which launched on Nintendo DS on 6th August will give you the opportunity to brush up your artistic talent this summer. Your Nintendo DS Touch Screen will transform into your very own canvas, as you follow the step-by-step lessons. Art Academy offers lessons and art materials to get you started on your initial artistic journey, as well as containing more advanced art courses for more adventurous artists wanting to take their art to the next level.

    * Metroid: Other M (Wii) is the incredible new Metroid game developed for Wii through collaboration by Nintendo and the world-renowned Team NINJA. Prepare yourself for a Metroid adventure like no other, as stunning action and a moving personal story come together in an unforgettable way across Europe on 3rd September 2010. Playing as Samus, players will seamlessly switch between third-person and first-person gameplay for the first time in a Metroid game. In another series’ first, Samus is getting more physical in Metroid: Other M, with a range of melee attacks up the sleeves of her Power Suit.

    * More than 25 years after the launch of the first-ever Tetris® game, Tetris Party Deluxe (Wii & Nintendo DS) will be launched on 3rd September 2010 across Europe for both Nintendo DS and Wii. This new version of Tetris Party will thrill both old-time Tetris fans and newcomers to the genre, as more than 20 modes, online battles and local multiplayer action have been squeezed into this fun-packed game.

    * When Wii Party (Wii) launches across Europe on 8th October 2010, there will be something for all generations. Pit your personalised Mii characters against each other in 13 different party game modes and more than 80 mini-games. For the first time, Nintendo is moving gaming out of the TV and straight into the room you’re in. In House Party games - one of three modes in Wii Party - you’ll need to interact with one another in the real world to get the results you want in the game. Coupled with all that fun, also watch out for the many Party and Pair games which will keep your friends and family entertained for hours.

    * Step into the latest adventure and enthralling mystery, as Professor Layton and his young apprentice Luke return in Professor Layton and the Lost Future (Nintendo DS) on 22nd October 2010 for Nintendo DS. A brand new storyline and 165 new brain teasers, riddles and logic puzzles are all guaranteed to challenge and delight in the most epic and emotional instalment yet. Follow Professor Layton and his trusty apprentice Luke to seek out and solve puzzles in a future London to help save the city from a terrible fate!

    * Donkey Kong CountryTM Returns (Wii) is a brand spanking new side-scrolling platformer from Retro Studios, featuring fully rendered 3D environments and launching across Europe later this year. Donkey Kong is back and this time Diddy Kong not only joins the quest, but for the first time the franchise features the availability for two people to play together at the same time - one as Donkey Kong and one as Diddy Kong. Players can navigate the levels separately or as one unit. Diddy Kong can ride on Donkey Kong’s back and hop off whenever he pleases, allowing novice players to ride on Donkey Kong’s back through more challenging areas of the game.

    * Golden SunTM: Dark Dawn (Nintendo DS) is a classic role-playing game launching later this year which branches out with a new look, countless adventures and heroic battles. Golden SunTM: Dark Dawn picks up 30 years after the first two games in the series left off, with amazing graphics and beautifully animated summoning abilities that span both Nintendo DS screens.

    * Kirby’s Epic Yarn (Wii) caused much buzz and excitement at this year’s E3 Expo. Now you too can try out Kirby’s first console platform game since the Nintendo 64TM days. Step into Kirby’s world of cloth and textiles and enjoy the creative gameplay techniques which are woven directly into the game. In this one-of-a-kind platformer, explore high and low for hidden objects and fun adventure when it arrives in Europe in Q1 2011 for Wii.

    * Mario vs. Donkey KongTM: Miniland Mayhem (Nintendo DS) which launches in Q1 2011 on Nintendo DS will see players draw red girders and control items with the Nintendo DS Stylus, and play games moving items such as pipes, springs and conveyor belts. The goal is to bring the Mini Toys to the door. Using an intuitive tool kit, players can create new level maps and share them with the public via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

    * Worldwide anticipation continues to build ahead of the upcoming launch of The Legend of ZeldaTM: Skyward Sword (Wii) in Europe in 2011 for Wii. For the first time, the precision of Link’s sword movements will be exactly replicated due to the required Wii MotionPlus accessory. Players can also enjoy the beautiful graphics which give you the feeling of walking straight into a painting. With a plethora of new gameplay mechanics, Link’s latest adventure has been given a refreshingly different feel from all the past titles in the series.