E3 is going on in Los Angeles this week, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on some of the great new titles being demoed at the show. Nintendo is hosting pop up events at Best Buys across the United States this week, allowing fans to get their hands on some of these hot new games coming out for the WiiU later this year. The event was held on Wednesday, June 12, and will happen again this Saturday. You can check out Nintendo’s site right here to find participating stores in your area.

Up for play is Super Mario 3D World, Mario Kart 8, Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze and The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker HD. You’re only allowed to play one of the four games, so chose wisely.

I picked the new Super Mario World and threw down as Princess Peach. Now, I haven’t been good at a single Super Mario Bros. game since the SNES release, so I fully expected to have the smack laid down on me by an 8 year old. The game is crazy. Insane. But fun. Nintendo has become synonymous with putting out games enjoyed by everyone, and they did not disappoint with their latest flagship title. You can work as a team, or work against each other. I was just happy to get my cat suit and run up walls.

Taking a path of least resistance tactic, I didn’t strive to get all the coins or pounce on all the goombas, but when I saw an opening to score big, I went for it. It paid off.

Zelda remastered for the WiiU looks gorgeous. While many fans, including me, hoped for hints at a new game in the franchise, between this and the 3DS sequel for A Link to A Past, we’ve got something to hold us over until a brand new game is announced.

Of the four games, Donkey Kong looked the weakest. If you are nostalgic for a nicely rendered side scroller, you’ll enjoy this game. Otherwise, save your money and get Mario Kart.

Hailed (by my friends at least) as one of the best party games of all times – Mario Kart 8 meets and exceeds what fans have come to expect from the series.

Tags: best buy, donkey kong, e3, mario kart, Nintendo, super mario, world, zelda