Nintendo brings Pokemon to Nintendo Zone Wi-Fi

If, like me, you have a Nintendo 3DS just collecting dust, there's a new push to take your handheld device out into the world and gain access to exclusive content. There are 29,000 so-called "Nintendo Zone" locations throughout the US and Canada. These special hotspots give dedicated content to anyone who pulls out their 3DS, ranging from videos to mini-games. These Zones haven't gotten much traction, but Nintendo hopes they will now that they've evoked the magic word: Pokemon.

Beginning on February 6, Nintendo Zone locations will offer full-length episodes of the animated Pokemon TV series. Of course, you have to be in the connected zone area to watch them. In addition to the TV episodes, Nintendo is doling out a dedicated section where gamers can see the latest Pokemon news and watch videos about the latest games and trading cards. Every Nintendo product or service always gets a bump when Pokemon come on board, so perhaps Nintendo Zone will start to gain a little more name recognition.

If you haven't heard of Nintendo Zone before, it is trying to become a social app haven of sorts for the 3DS. For example, going to a Best Buy that has a Nintendo Zone area will let customers download special coupons that can be redeemed in-store. In addition to Best Buy, they are deployed around coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, and airports. To find the nearest Nintendo Zone to you, you can check out http://www.nintendo.com/3ds/nintendozone.

[via Gaming Age]