(Ed: PETA has released a statement saying this was just a joke… really?

“Mario fans: Relax! PETA’s game was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, a fun way to call attention to a serious issue, that raccoon dogs are skinned alive for their fur,” Shakira Croce, PETA’s media coordinator said. “We wish real-life tanukis could fly or swat enemies away with their tails and escape from those who profit from their skins. You can help them by never buying real fur.” from Kotaku)

We all know Mario. He’s been saving Princesses for over 25 years, even if they were in another castle. We’ve grown to love him and his plumber antics. He has become a part of our culture and helped to save the video game industry in the eighties. He’s done everything from cleaning up graffiti to playing golf, but has he also been responsible for animal cruelty? PETA seems to think that he is in Super Mario 3D Land. Read the full story

“I live, I love, I slay, and I am content.” So says our barbarian hero during this newest film adaption. And really, that kind of sums up the appeal of the new film, as well as how well it keeps to the source material. Read the full story

Superhero video games do not exactly have a reputation for excellence. For every X-Men Arcade, there are two Superman 64s. When you get into superhero video games that are released as tie-ins to superhero movies, it gets even worse. For every Spider-Man 2, there are five games like…well…Spider-Man 3. So while I await the release of any superhero game with great anticipation, due to the success and quality of titles like Spider-Man 2 or X-Men Origins: Wolverine, there’s always an underlying sense of incredible dread, due to the quality of titles like Iron Man or Thor. My current superhero video game anticipation? Captain America: Super Soldier. Having had a chance to play it both at E3 and at a SEGA event prior to E3, I have to say that the only dread I feel about this title is the month+ I still have to wait to get my hands on it for real. Read the full story

A 3D screen that doesn’t need to use super expensive rechargeable glasses to see the 3D? That excites me!

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If you were paying attention last week (and if you weren’t, what the hell?), you already know how excited I am for this week’s Steam release of Cloning Clyde.  NinjaBee Games has released some rather interesting titles across multiple systems, so I anticipated the chance to play another of their games on my chosen platform.  This simple yet complex side-scroller really caught my eye, and I made a personal vow to acquire this game (how lucky I am to work for a reviewer site!).  Cloning Clyde has been available to Live users for some time now, but we PC gamers have had to wait.  I suppose the big question is, was it worth the wait?  Let’s find out, shall we? Read the full story

If you are a fan of Old School gameplay, and are just as tired as I am over these over hyped, and often boring titles, you should listen up!

One week from today (March 15th), NinjaBee and Bacon Wrapped Games will be releasing Cloning Clyde on Steam!  Why should you care, you ask?  Well, let me break it down for you. Read the full story

Where can you find crazy ninja monkeys, viking warriors and Aztec zombies? In the newly updated Swords & Soldiers, of course!

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, or have no interest in comic book movies, you’re well aware that there is a Thor movie in the works. Details have been scarce, and so have images…until today.

Slated for a summer 2011 release, Marvel Studios confirmed today that, like the upcoming Captain America movie, Thor will be released in 3D (ugh). Personally, I’m sick of 3D, so that tidbit of news was a major turn off, but fortunately there was more.

Sir Anthony Hopkins, Mr. Hannibal Lecter himself, is playing the role as Odin. If you’re unfamiliar with Norse mythology, Odin is the equivalent of Zeus, making him the chief god. So far, the only image released has been of Thor, portrayed by Chris Hemsworth. Fans of the Thor comic series, and those eagerly anticipating the movie, were given a second image today that featured Odin:

What. The. HELL! I don’t know about you guys, but I’m not excited by this. The armor is too much, and honestly, a simple breastplate would have done. Simple, not complicated. What we have here has a strange mech look to it, and reminds of me clock gears. Also, what is up with that eye patch? Yeah, Odin has one eye, OK. But a shiny, bright gold eye patch/monocle? C’mon people…how difficult would it have been to replicate this Odin:

Also, if you notice, we get our first look at Loki, portrayed by Tom Hiddleson, so that was nice. I’m assuming, that since everybody is together, and Thor and Loki aren’t going for each other, that maybe this shot is taken from the beginning of the movie. If I’m correct, then maybe where they are is Asgard? I always imagined Asgard would look more Nordic, with a lot of wood, tables everywhere, things hanging from the walls, and have this badassViking feel to it. From what I am able to see, which honestly isn’t much, it has this cold feel about it and appears to be concrete.

Anyways, Hopkins is a phenomenal actor, so I’m not worried about that at all. I guess I’ve been disappointed by so many comic book movies (X-Men series, Fantastic Four, etc), other than Iron Man and Watchmen. Hopefully the movie is solid, we don’t get dicked over like Edward Norton did, and we better get winged helmets!

- Me

Just a few hours ago, Nintendo unveiled the next addition to it’s handheld family, the 3DS. Global President for Nintendo, Satoru Iwata, presented the handheld, and gave us some really great information. The premiere of the device was a big deal. A lit up column rose from the ground, and atop of it was the 3DS.

Unlike other 3D technology out there, the 3DS doesn’t require you to wear any glasses. I think that’s great because I already have to wear glasses. I don’t need another pair on top of my everyday ones. No glasses ensure there is “nothing between you and the experience”. The 3DS boasts a 3.5 light screen display on top, and only the bottom screen is touch. Why? They found that touch screens mixed with 3D didn’t go over too well, and I can’t blame them for wanting to give us the best product possible. In fact, I’m glad they were looking out for us.

It’s been 6 years since the Nintendo DS first launched. Since then they’ve made improvements to the graphic capability and the 3DS will display those advancements. There is a 3D depth slider, where the player can control the depth perception, a new slide pad for analog play, motion sensors, and gyro-sensors. The 3DS will still come with a camera, and all pictures taken can be viewed in 3D. How cool is that?

One huge upgrade is that the 3DS can play 3D movies. No specific details will be discussed at E3 this week, but as the handheld launch gets closer, I’m sure we will know more. At the Nintendo booth, 3DS are on display and viewers can choose from How to Train Your Dragon by Dreamworks, Tangled by Disney, or Legend of the Guardians by WB to watch. The 3DS will still be able to access the internet via Wi-Fi, and even if you aren’t near Wi-Fi, new stages, quests, ghost data, and rankings will be automatically downloaded. Another awesome feature is if you are away from your DS, your 3DS can still communicate with other 3DS and gather new data, items, etc. No authorization required.

Loads of developers are on board with the 3DS, and they even announced who and what titles we can expect. Here is a quick rundown:

• Nintendogs featuring cats
• Kid Icarus: Uprising
• Capcom – Resident Evil. New, original and where players can explore all sorts of secrets, and who knows what can be hiding behind objects at the end of hallways, or even furniture?
• Ubisoft – Assassins Creed
• Square Enix – Kingdom Hearts
• Konami – Metal Gear
• Activision – DJ Hero
• Namco – Ridge Racer
• Level-5 – Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle

At the very end of the presentation, there was a short trailer for the 3DS, featuring Satoru Iwata, Shigeru Miyamoto, and Reggie Fils-Amie. I don’t know if it’s an indicator of what’s to come, but check it out and tell me in the comments below what you think. If it is, then some pretty amazing things are heading our way.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83GoGHBkdyg

- Me