3DS

When I got home from the store [with Metal Gear Solid HD Collection], I was looking forward to popping the disc into my PlayStation 3 and seeing how the games looked in HD... but upon reading the disc, I got the message that I've seen way too many times over the course of this console generation: Version 1.01 found.

In honor of the launch of what is probably the last must-have Nintendo Wii title we'll ever see, and is surely the final Legend of Zelda game to launch on a Wii—The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword—here is a Zelda cosplayer that is hard to beat.

You can usually count on Nintendo to do something unique to get the word out on a key franchise and tapping West Coast Customs to create two vehicles from Mario Kart 7 is just that. At the L.A. Auto Show, Nintendo will have an exhibit showing off both the game and two in-game vehicles.

There has been a significant amount of griping over video game review scores recently. Reviewers seem to be on the defensive to readers, publishers, and developers as they attempt to further justify a number that 1,000+ words apparently could not. Games with review scores less than an 80 average on Metacritic are presumed to be bad (or worse).

For those who don't know, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has taken on Nintendo and Super Mario because Super Mario 3D Land for the 3DS features a Tanooki suit. According to PETA, this as good a time as any to call attention to the plight of the adorable tanuki.

Microsoft should be pleased with moving another 308,000 Xbox 360 units, especially during a pretty dry month for new game releases. As I mention in the analysis piece, Microsoft will likely interpret this as a signal that a price drop isn't needed for at least the rest of 2011. That doesn't mean that the company won't be offering some interesting deals.

It's a little overdue, but to finally close out my PAX Prime 2011 coverage, enjoy this handful of photos I took in and around the show. Comments on each pic!

Reviews are starting to hit for Dead Island. Despite being one of the most talked-about titles of the year, gameplay has been a giant question mark up until very, very recently. Now that people have had hands-on and spend some time with it, apparently the game is an open-world adventure/survival title similar to something along the lines of Fallout 3. To me, that sounds completely awesome, and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of it.

Here is the final part of my PAX games coverage. It's definitely overdue, but hopefully there will still be something here to chew on.

Writer Jeffrey Matulef joins us as we reminisce about our time at PAX Prime 2011. Not only did we get our hands on Lollipop Chainsaw, Aliens: Infestation, the PS Vita, and (of course) Borderlands 2, but you'll find out what happened when Brad let Richard interact with his son. No children were harmed in the production of this podcast. As far as we know. Featuring Brad Gallaway, Mike Bracken, Richard Naik, and Tim "Two Balls" Spaeth.

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Links:

• Brad's PAX Prime 2011 Report: Day One
• Brad's PAX Prime 2011 Report: Day Two
• Brad's PAX Prime 2011 Report: Day Three--PS Vita, Capcom
• Richard's PAX Prime 2011 Report: Day One
• Richard's PAX Prime 2011 Report: Day Two
• Richard's PAX Prime 2011 Report: Day Three
• PAX Prime 2011: Prototype 2 Preview

Please send feedback and mailbag questions to podcast (at) gamecritics (dot) com.