Nov/06/2001

I visit daily for updates.

At the annual Game Sites of Australia Awards held last week in Melbourne, Nintendo.com.au took out the award for the Most Comprehensive Nintendo site in Australia. The site, set up by Nintendo Australia Pty Ltd. back in 1995 to provide a local viewpoint on the world of Nintendo, beat out several other sites that were in the running (including yours truly) for the prize.

And it's no wonder! Just look at what they offer up to site visitors:

When you first get to Nintendo.com.au, a colourful montage greets you featuring some Nintendo Characters we've all grown to love. We have Mario of course, Pikachu looking particularly cute, Donkey Kong and Conker. And what's in the background of this plethora of well know characters?

An Explosion! Flames shooting left and right! Then we have the giant Nintendo logo placed on the right, with a Funtastic Colors clear blue N64 above it, and a Indigo GBA under it!

At the bottom of this 'Pic de la brilliance' (excuse my French), are the words WWW.NINTENDO.COM.AU. Placed there, one would assume, so you know what site you are currently viewing. Man, they thought of everything.

Phew! After probably gazing at this front page for what seems like an eternity, you might want more, and that's where 'entering the site' comes into play. But there's none of those annoying image maps for this site, no sir, so just ignore the image that's had you transfixed for the last 25 minutes and look above it.

Now here's where some people get lost, so pay attention! There's a link to Nintendo.com (America's Nintendo site) on the upper left, for when you've had your fill of local content, I assume, and in no way placed there to somehow make up for a perceived lack of content on Australia's site. DON'T CLICK THAT!!

Now we've avoided that potential link clicking disaster, we can 'get busy.' The link to the meat of Nintendo.com.au is on the upper right, the one mark Game Boy Advance Warranty And Service Information."

Now we're talking!

So whats this page offer up? Well, it's got all types of Game Boy Advance warranty and repair information, as well as a customer service number and a FAQ section, where you can find out stuff like what to do if you need a new GBA battery cover. Insane! How do they keep it so up-to-date, hip and fresh?

All I can say is UnReal Nintendo News had better get its act together if we hope to have a chance next year!

Remember, you can see all of this here.

-Blake

Note: Nintendo.com.au must have read this highly informative article (or maybe it was because the GameCube was about to launch in Australia, I guess we'll never know), because shortly after it was published they updated their site. Luckily I think ahead and saved both pages as .mht files and have linked to them throughout the above story. If you want to see the new and improved Australian Nintendo site, click here.