Hold the phone– Nintendo is bringing games to the smartphone market? Originally hesitant to join the ever-growing market, Nintendo has announced that they are partnering up with DeNA , a large Japanese mobile company, to create mobile games featuring their iconic characters, for your phone. Before you get excited about playing your favorite Mario classics on your shiny Androids and iPhones, DeNA has made it clear that the games will not just be ports, but instead they will use the icons of Nintendo to create new games specifically for the mobile market space.

DeNA clarified the situation in their own released statement, “To ensure the quality of game experience that consumers expect from this alliance of Nintendo and DeNA, only new original games optimized for smart device functionality will be created, rather than porting games created specifically for the Wii U home console or the Nintendo 3DS portable system.”

This makes sense when considering that Nintendo doesn’t want to be cutting into their handheld business. The last thing they want to do is give people a reason not to purchase their handhelds. Unfortunately, this means that you may not be able to play Super Mario Bros. 3 on your iPhone just yet– at least not legitimately.

Don’t freak out though– this isn’t a sign that their dedicated gaming platforms are going anywhere. President Satoru Iwata dropped a not-so-little nugget at a Tokyo press conference that their next console is already in the works, codenamed NX. He also stated that it will include a “ brand-new concept”. Knowing well that Nintendo marches to the beat of their own drum, this new concept could literally be anything.

Both companies will also be jointly developing a new-multi device membership service. The membership service will be compatible across multiple devices including, PC, smartphones, Wii U, and 3DS. Nintendo recently announced that they would be shutting down the beloved Club Nintendo program that offered free goodies and collectibles just for purchasing their games. This new membership service could possibly be what is replacing that.

This will be a legitimate union between the two Japenese companies, as Nintendo will be purchasing 10% of DeNA’s stock, and in return DeNA will be buying 1.24% of Nintendo’s stock. Nintendo states that this move is to create synergy between the two companies and strengthen their relationship.

It is a smart move for Nintendo to attempt to capture the younger generation, which seems more interested in having their face glued to their iPhone screens. It is a new strategy that could pay dividends in the future. It isn’t a for sure home run when you look at Sony and how their own venture into the smartphone market with Playstation Mobile failed, with the program recently closing shop. Of course, Nintendo’s strategy appears to be rather different.

Well, this is huge news that could change the landscape of mobile gaming not too long from now. What Nintendo characters do you want to see on your phone? And what “new concept” do you want to see from NX? Like always, jump down to the comments section below and let us know what you think of the whole power couple move.

HT: DeNA.com, Nintendo.co.Jp