To celebrate the launch of Mario Kart Wii, Nintendo and GAME are challenging the nation to take part in the Mario Kart Grand Wii, a tournament set to find the country’s best Mario Kart driver. Keen drivers will be first off the grid, trialling the new game before it goes on sale anywhere in the world and could win themselves their own Mario Kart VW Beetle Convertible.

Thirty GAME stores across the UK will be opening their doors to fans old and new of one of the world’s best loved racing games from Saturday 5th April. Heats will be taking place at each of the specially selected GAME stores throughout the day and the finalist from each location will go forward to race for a chance to win a Mario Kart Wii inspired VW Beetle Convertible.

Prizes up for grabs at GAME stores include copies of the game and £250 of ‘Experience Vouchers’ for activities including Karting, Paintballing, Quad Biking and other action packed family adventures. In addition, each GAME store will feature its own prize draw with the winner receiving a Mario Kart Gift Card worth £50 to spend in-store! The ‘Grand Wii’ final will take place at an exclusive racing day event at Mercedes-Benz World, Brooklands, Surrey on the 12th April which will see a winner cross the finish line and claim their prize.

You may think you’ve been racing as the Mushroom Kingdom’s finest for a long time, but now there’s a new racer in town: Your Mii! Put your Mii behind the wheel and take on all comers! For those who want to get into the game even more, Mario Kart Wii comes packed with the Wii Wheel. Shaped like a steering wheel, you place the Wii Remote inside the Wii Wheel’s casing and get ready to ride! In addition to the Wii Remote, you can also use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers in combo, or use a GameCube Controller to take those tight turns and challenges Mario Kart Wii throws at you.

Those looking for world ranking domination can take on up to 11 players simultaneously worldwide using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service which will offer them the chance to race other players across the globe in a nail-biting contest of speed and skill! Prefer to keep the rivalry a little closer to home? Try the Multiplayer Mode, in which up to four people will be able to challenge each other in the comfort of their own living room, bringing the on screen excitement into a whole new dimension.

MARIO KART GRAND Wii EVENT DETAILS:

WHEN: Saturday 5th April 2008

WHERE: GAME Stores at the following locations:

MANCHESTER Unit 59 Arndale Centre
TRAFFORD 124 Peel Centre Trafford Centre
BOURNEMOUTH Unit 4, Avenue Centre Commercial Road
PORSTMOUTH 226 Commercial Road Portsmouth
STEVENAGE Unit 4A The Forum
MERRYHILL Unit 87, Lower Mall Merryhill Shopping Centre
READING Unit 18 Oracle Shopping Centre
BASINGSTOKE Unit 15 Festival Place
BRAEHEAD Unit 57 Braehead Shopping Centre Kings Inch Rd
GLASGOW 146 Sauchiehall Street Glasgow
MILTON KEYNES 15 Crown Walk Milton Keynes
NOTTINGHAM Unit 308A Victoria Centre
LEEDS 50-52 Albion Street Leeds
LUTON 142-144 Arndale Centre Luton
CHELTENHAM Unit A 100/104 High Street
CRIBBS CAUSEWAY Unit LR53 Cribbs Causeway
CARDIFF 92 Queen Street Cardiff
NEWCASTLE FENWICKS (GAME CONCESSION) 39 Northumberland Street Newcastle
GATESHEAD

METRO CENTRE 17 Red Pathway Metro Centre
BLACKBURN 10-12 Market Way Blackburn
WIGAN 27 Standish Gate Wigan
HANLEY 214-215 The Potteries Hanley
LONDON HAMLEYS 188-196 Regent Street London
LONDON 100 Oxford Street London
THURROCK Unit 106 Lakeside Shopping Centre
ROMFORD Unit 15 Liberty 2 Centre
TAUNTON 45-46 Fore Street Taunton
EDINBURGH 127 Princes Street Edinburgh
DUNDEE 51 Murraygate Dundee
KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES 3rd Floor The Bentalls Center