Once confined to rectangular screens, chirpy plumber Mario and pointy-eared Princess Zelda are popping up in theme parks and toy stores as Nintendo goes all out to win non-gamer fans. It wasn't always this way: for many years, the Japanese company shied away from promoting products or creating media other…

Once confined to rectangular screens, chirpy plumber Mario and pointy-eared Princess Zelda are popping up in theme parks and toy stores as Nintendo goes all out to win non-gamer fans.

Once confined to rectangular screens, chirpy plumber Mario and pointy-eared Princess Zelda are popping up in theme parks and toy stores as Nintendo goes all out to win non-gamer fans. - Wii success - The two next consoles -- the portable DS with two screens, and the remote-controlled Wii -- were designed to attract non-gamers.

Once confined to rectangular screens, chirpy plumber Mario and pointy-eared Princess Zelda are popping up in theme parks and toy stores as Nintendo goes all out to win non-gamer fans. - Wii success - The two next consoles -- the portable DS with two screens, and the remote-controlled Wii -- were designed to attract non-gamers.