Just a few more days until Mario Kart 7 turns your 3DS into a portable Grand Prix of insanity! Of all the games announced this year, this one tops my wish list. I love Mario Kart–every single incarnation.

As fans know, most Mario Kart games since Super Circuit have featured two sets of tracks: New and Classic. We can’t judge the new courses until we play the game, but it’s fun to look at the retro tracks and see which favorites made the cut this year. The complete track list has become available recently online, but today I’d like to just focus on the oldies. WARNING! Don’t read further if you want to keep the track selection a complete surprise. (more…)

After one of its worst years since the early ’80s, Nintendo is finishing strong these last couple of months by releasing really good games that are rewarded with strong sales.

The company released the marvelous Zelda: Skyward Sword this month, followed by a strong Mario outing for 3DS. Up next: Mario Kart 7, which is also garnering very positive reviews early on.

What’s more, Nintendo president Reggie Fils-Aime is eating humble pie. ”We had to go back and reduce the price of 3DS and we certainly don’t want to go through that when we launch Wii U,” he told Reuters this week.

You already told us which you were anticipating most (spoiler: it was evenly split). For those who have played both games, which is better: Mario 3D Land or Zelda Skyward Sword. I’ve already gushed enough on the latter, so I think my pick is obvious. Which is yours? (And yes, they can both be great games, I’m just curious to know which one you’ve enjoyed more.)

I have been and still am critical of the 3DS. But it’s good to see Nintendo lining their pockets during the holidays with record Mario, 3DS, Zelda, and even Wii sales.

In brief, 3DS has surpassed DS sales for the same period (although the former is not entirely out of the woods since DS started poorly). Super Mario 3D Land became the fastest selling Mario ever this weekend, helping to spur 3DS sales by over 300%. Not only is Zelda Skyward Sword the best single player game ever, it become the fastest selling Zelda ever. As a result, even the trusty Wii had a banner weekend, moving a record number of consoles at Black Friday.

Translation: Great games drive Nintendo to profitability. And Nintendo profitability in a down year like this one ensures we’ll be playing iconic Nintendo games for years to come. Hooray!

Today I finished what may be one of the finest Zelda adventures yet in Skyward Sword, and to celebrate this edition of Nintentunes is all Zelda, all the time! This time we will travel through the handheld versions of the Zelda franchise which contain fantastic music in their own right. For all those playing Skyward Sword, how do you think the music in the Wii adventure holds up? (more…)

Folks here at Infendo will occasionally write reviews, but what we really exist for are discussions. Your opinions are what have made this site amazing.

So where do you turn for your review needs? Let us know your favorite review site and why you like it!

If you are enjoying Skyward Sword as much as we here at Infendo have been, you might like to know of a little project that hip hop artist going by the name of Shag has compiled. All of the tracks are music found in Ocarina of Time, but I find them extremely easy on the ear as I explore Skyloft and area below the clouds. Man am I enjoying Skyward Sword. Nothing beats a little Zelda to go along with the turkey on Thanksgiving.

Hope everyone stateside is having an enjoyable holiday!

Infendo’s Derek has played Zelda: Ocarina of Time at least once a year — sometimes twice — since the game’s debut in 1998. “All told, I’ve probably beat it 20 times,” he says. “It’s my favorite game, although admittedly it’s also a nostalgic ritual.”

Derek didn’t say what time of the year he returns to this ritual, but I suspect it happens often over the holidays, like Thanksgiving this weekend.

I’m sure Derek isn’t alone. Any readers out there have anual Nintendo rituals, particularly during the holidays? If so, let’s hear it.

I remember hearing, months, ago, that K’nex was releasing a line of Mariokart Wii sets. Apparently, they’ve been out for a while. But I’d never actually seen them in person until I stopped by Target’s toy section after picking up my copy of Skyward Sword at 8:00 Sunday morning.

Chain Chomps! Thwomps! Multiple expansion packs! If these had been around when I was a kid, I wouldn’t have rested until I’d saved enough allowance to build a track spanning my entire room. Considering the price tags on these sets, that probably would have taken me until high school graduation.

The difference between kids and adults is that adults need to create a plausible excuse for purchasing toys for themselves. For instance, I’m suddenly imagining a Mariokart track around the base of my Christmas tree. See? Suddenly it’s not childish, it’s “creative.”