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Nintendo and John Cena Take Switch on the Road for a Preview Tour

Nintendo's hitting the road to give Switch demos at select locations, and the 16-time WWE World Champion will lend his (marketing) muscle to one event.

David Craddock

February 21, 2017 7:15 AM

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Less than two weeks from the launch of its Switch portable console, Nintendo announced a road tour to continue driving awareness. Nintendo will hold three Switch events across the United States and set up an "interactive living room" where participants can try out games like 1-2-Switch—and go one-on-one against WWE's John Cena, in one special case.

According to a press release, Nintendo's first stop is scheduled for this Thursday, February 23, at The Blue Movie Ranch in Santa Clarita, California. It's an invite-only event where John Cena will go up against "YouTube influencers" in 1-2-Switch matchups. 1-2-Switch is a compilation of mini games that will launch alongside Nintendo Switch on March 3. The game retails for $49.99 and, unfortunately, is not included as a pack-in.

On Monday, February 27, Nintendo will roll on to Aspen, Colorado, and set up its interactive living room at the Snowmass ski resort. Anyone who happens to be in the area can swing on by to play Switch. In fact, Nintendo hopes as many people will participate as possible: its goal in hosting a preview event on top of a mountain is to demonstrate that the Switch can be played virtually anywhere... like at the top of a mountain.

New York's Madison Square Park is Nintendo's final stop, and is scheduled for March 3, the console's launch date. The event will be free and open to anyone. Instead of John Cena, Nintendo will trot out its own stars: actors dressed up as Mario and Luigi.

Further information on the tour can be found below. Nintendo Switch launches on March 3 in two SKUs—differentiated only by the color of the included Joy-Con peripherals—for $299.99.

The Desert – Invite only
Feb. 23, 8:30 AM-4 PM PT
Blue Cloud Movie Ranch
20019 Blue Cloud Rd.
Santa Clarita, CA 91390

Aspen – Open to the public
Feb. 27, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM MT
Snowmass Village
45 Village Square
Snowmass Village, CO 81615

New York – Open to the public
March 3, 9 AM-5 PM ET
Flatiron Plaza
Broadway between 23rd and 24th St.
New York, NY 10010

David Craddock

Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.