September 13th marked the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. so Nintendo is introducing special editions of the DSi and DSi XL to celebrate. Sadly these consoles are for Japan only. The big N will also be launching a Super Mario Collection Special Pack alongside.

The pack includes a version of Super Mario All-Stars for the Wii, a soundtrack CD, and a “Super Mario History, 1985 to 2010″ booklet with some extra materials like initial development planning sheets handwritten by Shigeru Miyamoto. Also for Japan only.

This is a move that we can only assume is aimed squarely at those who suck at games. Starting with upcoming New Super Mario Bros. Wii, future Nintendo Wii titles will be shipping with the ability to, “play themselves”. In an interview with USA Today, Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed the existence of “demo play” for the next Mario game and “future games, too”.

It’s an option that allows the game to play itself when the player encounters an area too difficult for them to handle. Silly us, we thought that games were supposed to be challenging. According to Miyamoto, the idea is to reduce the barrier to entry for younger players and casual gamers alike.

Well, we already knew that the Wii was weak compared to the other consoles. In Shigeru Miyamoto’s E3 2009 roundtable, the designer had a candid moment when discussing Wii hardware. Some might say he was a little too honest.

When talking about the New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Miyamoto said that since the game features four-player multiplayer and multiple camera views, the Wii’s processor is already being taxed pretty hard. Sounds like the Wii processor is already starting to show some limitations. Miyamoto also said that, “I would like to use Wii Speak more, but [in SMB] the Wii processor is already being taxed.”

Nintendo just announced the New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The title will feature multiplayer-friendly gameplay, supporting up to 4 players for some local action. The emphasis is on co-operative play, while maintaining the classic Super Mario look and feel.

You’ll find all the usual warp pipes, hidden areas, and plenty of coins. But there’s some new stuff too, like the Propeller suit, where Mario and others have a propeller attached to their heads. Shake the Wiimote and players can fly in the air.

Ever wonder what Mario would look like if he had been created by an old world Russian doll maker? Cmsturmhous has posted this handmade set of Matryoshka dolls showing a whole bunch of characters from the games. From Mario and Luigi, the princess, Bowser, to Toad.

They all look like they need to go on a diet, especially Mario who is the largest. No way this version can jump as high as a coin box or smash a Goomba. Pretty cool. Now I want to play a fat Mario game, where the Mushroom kingdom is over-run by twinkies and my job is to get Mario in shape as I try to rescue the fat Princess, who is in Bowser’s dungeon eating a gallon of ice cream and a turkey leg.

What better way to proclaim your love of 8-bit gaming then with these NES business card holders. I’m not sure how serious you’ll be taken when you whip it out and hand out your card, but at least a little bit of Nintendo is with you at all times.

They retail for $8.80 with your choice of Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros, Zelda, Ice Climber or Balloon Fight and Famicom controller versions. Judging by the pic, these are more of a NES glaucoma test.