Nintendo Fans Lined Up For Newest Mario and Zelda Video Game to Support Charity for Ill Children

MANHATTAN, N.Y. - Nov. 22, 2013 - PRLog -- New York Nintendo fans including StreetPass NYC (the largest unofficial Nintendo 3DS fan club in the United States of America) did not only line up overnight at the Nintendo World Store on November 21st (for the launch event between 8:00 PM until 12:00 AM MIDNIGHT) to purchase the hot new games Super Mario 3D World for Wii U, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Mario Party Island Tour for Nintendo 3DS; but have also unified together for a much greater cause.

Equally as exciting for fans in the line is a show of support for Nick's Marathon, a 48-hour video game marathon to honor the memory of leukemia victim Nick Capobianco. The marathon will raise donations in an effort to provide sick children staying at the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island in New Hyde Park with Wii U and Nintendo 3DS video game systems.

Nick Capobianco friends will gather at a Manhattan apartment and play video games for 48 hours straight from November 21st to November 24th, live-streaming it at http://www.nicksmarathon.org,and asking those who watch to donate to the cause via the website. The goal is to raise $5,000 and at the time of publishing the group has already collected over $2,700.

“Nick’s favorite things in life were playing video games and hanging out with his friends,” said childhood friend Alan Noah, who helped start the marathon in his memory. “To do it for charity, it all seemed perfect. I always said that if he were still alive and we did this marathon it would be his favorite weekend of the year and as soon as one ended he would be looking forward to the next one.”

Matthew Campo, executive director of the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island, which provides a temporary home-away-from-home for sick children and their families, said as of now they only have three Xbox 360 systems, which was released eight years ago.

“We’re grateful for the gifts because they’re hitting a major need here,” Campo said. “We have a lot of toys for the younger kids but the older kids need something to keep them occupied. We work everyday to put smiles on the faces that come here so what better way to do that than by putting something interactive and fun in their hands.”

Since the marathon’s inception in 2008, Nick's Marathon has raised $10,000 to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Now the marathon hope to raise enough charitable donations to purchase a Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Wii U, and various games, to be delivered by Santa Claus at Ronald McDonald House’s “Lights of Love” holiday party on December 12.

"Nick's Marathon is a symbol of the fullest, purest potential that the Nintendo community can achieve", said Jordan White, Founder and Event Organizer of StreetPass NYC, in line for the event dressed in the iconic Cat Suit from Super Mario 3D World on Wii U. "The Nintendo community always supports efforts to improve the welfare of other people, especially children who for some may be the last time they enjoy playing a video game. We hope that by this display of our shared enthusiasm for the charity at this once in a life time launch where the next generation of Mario and Zelda games will release at the same time will spread the word of this honorable endeavor."

StreetPass NYC a group of Nintendo fans with Nintendo 3DS systems that meet up in New York City, obtain StreetPass tags, socialize and play video games together. It is one of many StreetPass meet up groups popping up all over the globe from Americas to Europe and Asia since the launch of 3DS. For more information, please visit http://www.nintendo.com/3ds/built-in-software/miiplaza/

Nintendo, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, Mario, Zelda and StreetPass are copyright and/or registered trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. StreetPass NYC and Nick's Marathon is NOT affiliated with or representative of Nintendo of America Inc or the Nintendo World Store staff.